Don’t hold the phone — put it down and don’t be distracted

Q My wife saw some dude in a BMW on Highway 24 in the fast lane going about 25 mph while he was texting. … Don’t complain about texting drivers going too slow at 50 mph. I’ve actually experienced a car come to a complete stop in front of me on the freeway. — John Hamblin, John Gruver and countless others A Geez, today — again — it’s all about distracted drivers. Q Even though I’ve had hands-free capability in the cars I’ve owned for the last 15 years, I still find talking on the phone in the car more distracting than I’m comfortable with. I can talk with a person in the car just fine, but there’s something about the phone that makes it more difficult. I don’t know if my brain just has to work a little harder dealing with compressed digital voice and road noise, or it’s simply that the passenger in my car knows when they need to shut up because they’re looking at the road with me, but I just avoid doing it. — Polis A. A Smart guy and science backs you up. Research shows that the minds of drivers on cellphones are fixated by those devices and almost driving blind. Talking to a passenger is not nearly as distracting. Q Motorcyclists like me see dozens of idiots staring at their phones when they should be focused on the road in front of them. This is especially true for younger drivers. I observe more females than male drivers with phones in their hand. Don’t believe me? Ride a motorcycle, and do your own survey — Bob Katopolis A Most surveys show that women are more likely to be on a cellphone when behind the wheel, while men are more likely to drink while driving. Q For a long time, lawmakers and people in general have blamed young drivers for texting and talking while driving. Yet in most cases I’ve seen, older adults are the culprits, and they are really terrible with driving while hiding a phone. Time for these responsible adults to step up and rid this habit. Make a good example for the kids. — T.M. A Point well made. Q I drive a truck and can see down into cars. It’s amazing how many people have their phones in their right hand down by the console texting. My favorite are the people who are holding the phone to their mouth using the speakerphone and think this is hands-free. — R.M. A It’s not, of course. Q Stop at a light and look at the cars around you. If half the people are not looking down at their laps it’s a miracle. — J. Porkins A Just half?