NOT THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER: Keep Your Eyes On The Road, Your Hands Upon The Wheel
Gizmodo’s Joel Johnson asks, “Why isn’t there a better solution to texting while driving?” makes this startling confession:
It’s deadly. It’s irresponsible. And we’ve all done it. …
I’ve done it. I suspect many of you have done it. Just last weekend, careening south through rural Missouri in a rented Pontiac, I sent and received a dozen text messages with my sister as we coordinated the logistics of a family emergency. I was upset, tired, and finding being a safe driver difficult enough without trying to peck out letters on a glowing touchscreen with my thumb.
But I did it because that’s what I had to do. I could have pulled over each time. But who does that really? …
My own strategy is to hold the phone at the top of the steering wheel while typing in the hope that my brain will still be able to recognize dangers in front of me, even if my vision is focused on a little screen on a much closer plane. It’s probably not a very sound theory and I’ve been fortunate to never have really had the opportunity to put it to the test. I have found myself wandering out of my own lane when I try to keep the phone in my lap to prevent anyone from seeing me texting while driving, swapping embarrassment for recklessness.
Um, there isn’t ever going to be a better solution to texting while driving because it’s a problem that does not require a solution other than to permanently yank the driver’s license of anyone caught doing it for criminal stupidity. And The Stiletto cannot fathom how Johnson can make the sweeping claim that “we’ve all done it” since she, for one, never has. It’s not just that your eyes are off the road; you’re splitting your mindshare between two very complex tasks, which compromises reaction time should something unexpected happen – like someone else who is texting while driving veering into your lane.
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