Don't kill yourself on the road

Is it just me, or is texting catching on with the grown ups?

It started with one friend that I was meeting for dinner. He texts me that he's running a minute late. Cool. Didn't even know how to use the function. Later that night, he texts me that it was fun. Next thing I know, four of my adult friends are texting me now, instead of calling. Convenient.

Talking on the phone is easy, texting is like writing a book on a deck of cards while operating heavy machinery. One reporter called driving a car while sending a text message: Driving While Intexticated. Turns out you are probably safer to drive with three drinks in you, than to send three text messages while navigating around a busy parking lot.

A Wall Street Journal covers how texting while driving should be considered criminally negligent.

For the last few years, the kids have been trying to drive and text at the same time. It's not working for them. Check out this Philadelphia Inquirer story for the entire scoop.

Don't fall for it. If you want to text, pull over and park. We are obnoxious enough as drivers with phones planted in our ears. At least when we are on the phone, we can see. Let's not make driving a game of bumper cars this weekend because we'd rather text than talk live. Ignore the texts and eventually, if its important, you'll get a phone call that you can take on hands free.

Your caller will ask, "did you get my texts?"

You can shrug your shoulders and say, "I was driving."

Comments

[Rebecca Mazin]

Tim- It is too tempting to pick up that BlackBerry while sitting in traffic! I try to refrain and do notice police looking for violators. The other day while I was driving and eating an apple I noticed a county police car following behind me. I guess they mistook the apple I was lifting and lowering for a phone. They must have figured it out since they pulled over and passed me. I wonder what they would have said if they pulled me over with an apple core in my hand?

[Patrick]

Tim, very good points. I'd mention that Bnet.org recently had a post about a service that might make texting-while-driving obsolete (or at least provide a safer alternative). Check out jott.com. I don't work for them, but they've been working for me.

Long story short:
Setup a jott.com account (<5 minutes)
Save their number as a contact on your phone
When you want to send a text - call Jott on your cell, speak your message, set an optional reminder.
About 5 minutes later you get a text message transcription of what you said (they'll copy your email account as well if you want).
Forward the text message to anyone you care to.

You can setup to directly jott other people from your account, or just jott yourself and forward the message wherever you want.

[Benjamin Bach]

Thanks Tim
I've sent this article to several people I work with. Realtors are particularly fond of emailing on the road - maybe it's that we're in Waterloo, and everyone has a blackberry (RIM is down the street from me).

It's dangerous, and I thank you for shining a light on the issue!