New Shorts Needed!

[Hooter]

   I was on my way to my house up north yesterday to do some yard work. Beautiful  day for a ride and very little traffic. It's only about a 125 mile jaunt but an "unwinder" for me. I was about 15 miles from my place when I am in a long flat stretch of road called "Sippy Flats". There are two of us on the road, myself and a car coming from the other direction.
   We about a quarter mile apart when the vehicle starts to cross the center line. I ride the center line so I started to move. She kept coming over and over a little farther. I was right of the fog line when she went by me entirely in my lane. I noticed she had her head down and looking into the steering wheel. You guessed it, she was texting!   
   I watched in my mirror as she left the road just passed me on my side and hit a mail box, then into  the ditch. She stopped after hitting a tree completely on the wrong side of the road. I turned around and went back. I was freakin fuming!     Even more so after finding out she was OK. After making sure she was OK I helped her out of the car. The first thing out of her mouth was: "I wasn't texting". I called bullshit and then I lost my temper. I told her she damn near killed me over a f**king telephone. She never said I'm sorry or anything of the sort!   
   When the deputy arrived I told him to check her phone she was texting, and after doing so he said: "yes she was".  She was 17, driving mommy and daddys car (newer one to) and just couldn't drive without shoving her phone in her face. This is too prevelent anymore and we all see it. I was outa room on the road. Thenext move for me woulda been the ditch and it was a deep one full of water.

[da prez]

as my brother said , with modern technology , other than emergencies, phones should be dis-abled in the drivers seat.

                                             da prez

[..]

Phew!

I hope she gets the full force of parental wrath and they make her pay any insurance increase.

A ticket or 3 would be good as well.

[MAD6Gun]

 You where lucky Hooter. Glad you where paying attention and came out of it unscathed.  

 A few years ago on the 4th of July my wife's Exes best friend and his wife were killed in the same senerio. Teenage girl crossed the center line hitting them head on. Jim died at the scene,his wife Cathy at the hospital leaving their kids orphans in one fell swoop. Cops suspected she was texting. When is this madness going to stop.

 Another accident years ago. This guy was out for a ride with friends late one night when he stopped at a light on Coliseum blvd on the north side of Fort Wayne. His friends made it through the light before it changed and stopped at the next light. As he was waiting for the light to change a 16 year old girl messing with her phone slams into him, killing him. She hit him so hard his bike was stuck in her front end. One of my best friends is a Ft Wayne cop and was called to the scene. He was talking the girl and her mother that came later when the  mother said "I don't see what she did wrong". Scott pointed to the yellow sheet on the pavement "she killed someone because she was not paying attention".

As far as I know NO charges where ever filed in either of these incidents...

 Oh and to top it off. I was talking to a young female coworker and telling her about the second incident when she said "what was the rider doing out at 2 in the morning". Seriously. So it's the riders fault not the girls. Give me a break....

[R J]

Mark, you'd be surprised at some of the remarks that come out of mommy, daddy and the subject's mouth in these type of situations.

These lame excuses used to just drive me up a wall.

I wanted to write citations to the end of the books I had on board in the saddle bags, but the County Attorney wouldn't let us.      They would dismiss the ones they didn't like or approve.

[R J]

as my brother said , with modern technology , other than emergencies, phones should be dis-abled in the drivers seat.

                                             da prez

They should be disabled, the car that is, as long as any phone is in service in the vehicle when the engine is running..

[spud]

I posted on the 1800 board about Blue Valk. Christened.
What I didn't say was in the heavy rain I was following a driver
who was doing10 miles an hour in the rain. Had no idea how to drive.
Came to an intersection and blocked the road. I was stuck behind and
no way was I going to try to go around because of visibility.
Sat there hoping they would pull over. Finally a woman got out
and the passenger got in to drive. How do these people get a drivers license?
Once passed them, I had no problem getting home.
Just kept the speed down and no hard throttle.
  Spud.

[GiG]

Yep happened to me on a two lane in ohio.
Scares the crap outta you cuz you don't know of they gonna continue or pull up,
defensive riding gets very difficult 
Glad you is safe, Hoota 

[DarkSideR]

I honk at and shame drivers if I see their head down while driving. Sadly I do this every single time I and out driving/riding.

[..]

I honk at and shame drivers if I see their head down while driving. Sadly I do this every single time I and out driving/riding.

I think most will mutter F" OFF and keep on doing it.

[R J]

I honk at and shame drivers if I see their head down while driving. Sadly I do this every single time I and out driving/riding.

I think most will mutter F" OFF and keep on doing it.

One kid I pulled over for texting told me to F O.

I slammed him onto the hood of the Cruiser and slapped some bracelets on his wrists.

Hauled him off to the Pookey House.      He got 9 weekends in the pokey, out during the week so he could take care of his family business.   When I retired, he was one of the 1st ones in line to wish me well.

He stated, he had never in his life been told anything like I said to him.    He had always got what he wanted and whatever he did was OK.     He said those weekends in jail woke his ass up and thanks to me he saw the light at the end of the tunnel.    Told him thank you.

[Jess from VA]

A car/truck, drifting over the centerline toward you on a 2-lane is one of my worst nightmares.  Glad you lived Hooter. (Too bad the driver did)

I'd be happy to make myself available as a witness for the prosecution in any of these texting accidents.  It's not really an accident when you are intentionally/willfully not watching the road while driving.  At a minimum, it is reckless driving. 

[MAD6Gun]

 Not to long ago I was on a test drive at work. Driving a car I had just repaired. I am driving down Illinois Rd. I look over and see a 20 something boy driving while texting with BOTH hands. Using his knees to steer. I so wanted to honk and tell this idiot to put down the phone and drive but since I was in uniform I decided not to. I was hoping he would plow into the Audi in front of him but he didnt....

[DarkSideR]

I honk at and shame drivers if I see their head down while driving. Sadly I do this every single time I and out driving/riding.

I think most will mutter F" OFF and keep on doing it.

You are right most do. There are however quite a few with very surprised looks on their faces when they realized they are getting caught doing something they shouldn't, especially when it's done by someone as vulnerable as a motorcycle rider. If waking up just one person can save a life I will continue to shame people.

[The emperor has no clothes]

 

Not to long ago I was on a test drive at work. Driving a car I had just repaired. I am driving down Illinois Rd. I look over and see a 20 something boy driving while texting with BOTH hands. Using his knees to steer. I so wanted to honk and tell this idiot to put down the phone and drive but since I was in uniform I decided not to. I was hoping he would plow into the Audi in front of him but he didnt....

You were hoping he crashed into someone who was doing nothing wrong ? 

[old2soon]

Hooter-glad and happy yer still here posting on the board. da prez is corectamundo-cell phones cut off at 5 M P H PLUS I like R Js idea-engine disabled with cell phone on. Had a couple of "encounters" on the 4 lanes round these parts and some in my favorite twistys. While new drivers BELIEVE/THINK/HOPE/ they can multi task behind the wheel when in actuality they CAN NOT even under the best of circumstances. AND this do NOT in any way shape or form apply too ONLY "new" drivers. When I was with O T R X-trucking outfit-they shortened the cords on he Qualcom keyboards so they could ONLY be used in he sleeper. Drivers were attempting to use the keyboard while "trying" to drive.   Heartland Express-the outfit I retired from-kept the cords so they could be used by the driver in the drivers compartment but as soon as you put the truck in gear the keyboard was deactivated as was the screen. And if Heartland knew you were moving and you called on your cell phone the would hang up. Satelite equipped Qualcom with a very accurate G P S -they KNEW whether you were parked or moving when you called on the cell. And for those of you that "think" it's a "right" to have total and complete access tp your cell phone at ANY time-I M H O my 'right" to live trumps and beats senseless your "right" to put MY life or anybody else's life in jeopardy while texting or talking on your cell while making a sorry assed excuse of an attempt to DRIVE! Driving in and of itself is a full time job WITHOUT trying to eat text talk daydream or have sex!   Seen the sex thing from the high seat more than a few times. RIDE SAFE.

[spud]

Just a note on cell phone use. I was hoping that
technology existed to disable cell phone use while driving.
What about blue tooth and hands free reception and talking
while driving. Laws need to be in place to penalize this practice.
Hope everyone rides safe and can avoid these morons who text
or talk on cell phones while driving.( or other forms of distracted
driving). Good on police who catch these people.
  Spud.

[da prez]

Illinois has a strict hands free driving and Chicago is no phone use period. While I am riding or driving I see many using phones or texting , Including leo's. In some cases the leo's check to see if a phone was in use during a traffic stop or accident. There is technology available , but people have the right to their freedom to be I D I O T  M O R O N's and kill without processecution.

                         da prez

[Michvalk]

If she's under 18 in Michigan, and gets a ticket, she'll lose her driving privileges until 21, when she can take the testing all over again.

[MAD6Gun]

Not to long ago I was on a test drive at work. Driving a car I had just repaired. I am driving down Illinois Rd. I look over and see a 20 something boy driving while texting with BOTH hands. Using his knees to steer. I so wanted to honk and tell this idiot to put down the phone and drive but since I was in uniform I decided not to. I was hoping he would plow into the Audi in front of him but he didnt....

You were hoping he crashed into someone who was doing nothing wrong ? 

 That's all you got from my post?  OK maybe "hoping" was a strong statement. But let me ask you a question. If this idiot was behind  and you were on your Valk would you rather he hit another  car or You?

[R J]

Save your breath Mark, some people just don't understand the English language..

[The emperor has no clothes]

Not to long ago I was on a test drive at work. Driving a car I had just repaired. I am driving down Illinois Rd. I look over and see a 20 something boy driving while texting with BOTH hands. Using his knees to steer. I so wanted to honk and tell this idiot to put down the phone and drive but since I was in uniform I decided not to. I was hoping he would plow into the Audi in front of him but he didnt....

You were hoping he crashed into someone who was doing nothing wrong ? 

 That's all you got from my post?  OK maybe "hoping" was a strong statement. But let me ask you a question. If this idiot was behind  and you were on your Valk would you rather he hit another  car or You?

No that's not all I got. I dislike texting drivers as much as anybody. BUT I DONT WANT ONE TO CRASH INTO AN INNOCENT PERSON.

[R J]

Not to long ago I was on a test drive at work. Driving a car I had just repaired. I am driving down Illinois Rd. I look over and see a 20 something boy driving while texting with BOTH hands. Using his knees to steer. I so wanted to honk and tell this idiot to put down the phone and drive but since I was in uniform I decided not to. I was hoping he would plow into the Audi in front of him but he didnt....

You were hoping he crashed into someone who was doing nothing wrong ? 

 That's all you got from my post?  OK maybe "hoping" was a strong statement. But let me ask you a question. If this idiot was behind  and you were on your Valk would you rather he hit another  car or You?

No that's not all I got. I dislike texting drivers as much as anybody. BUT I DONT WANT ONE TO CRASH INTO AN INNOCENT PERSON.

There is one innocent person in every collision.

Usually the only place you will find 2 innocent drivers is on a race track.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Not to long ago I was on a test drive at work. Driving a car I had just repaired. I am driving down Illinois Rd. I look over and see a 20 something boy driving while texting with BOTH hands. Using his knees to steer. I so wanted to honk and tell this idiot to put down the phone and drive but since I was in uniform I decided not to. I was hoping he would plow into the Audi in front of him but he didnt....

You were hoping he crashed into someone who was doing nothing wrong ? 

 That's all you got from my post?  OK maybe "hoping" was a strong statement. But let me ask you a question. If this idiot was behind  and you were on your Valk would you rather he hit another  car or You?

No that's not all I got. I dislike texting drivers as much as anybody. BUT I DONT WANT ONE TO CRASH INTO AN INNOCENT PERSON.

There is one innocent person in every collision.

Usually the only place you will find 2 innocent drivers is on a race track.

RJ, as an ex CHP officer I'm sure you know that a drunk colliding with a telephone pole doesn't involve an innocent person. The point I was trying to make is, as bad as it is for someone to text and drive I wouldn't hope for them to crash into ANYBODY.

[R J]

Not to long ago I was on a test drive at work. Driving a car I had just repaired. I am driving down Illinois Rd. I look over and see a 20 something boy driving while texting with BOTH hands. Using his knees to steer. I so wanted to honk and tell this idiot to put down the phone and drive but since I was in uniform I decided not to. I was hoping he would plow into the Audi in front of him but he didnt....

You were hoping he crashed into someone who was doing nothing wrong ?  

 That's all you got from my post?  OK maybe "hoping" was a strong statement. But let me ask you a question. If this idiot was behind  and you were on your Valk would you rather he hit another  car or You?

No that's not all I got. I dislike texting drivers as much as anybody. BUT I DONT WANT ONE TO CRASH INTO AN INNOCENT PERSON.

There is one innocent person in every collision.

Usually the only place you will find 2 innocent drivers is on a race track.

RJ, as an ex CHP officer I'm sure you know that a drunk colliding with a telephone pole doesn't involve an innocent person. The point I was trying to make is, as bad as it is for someone to text and drive I wouldn't hope for them to crash into ANYBODY.

Your point is well taken.     Just written so it could be mis-conscuied (sp).

[Pappy!]

So....do we know the rest of the story yet?
Did the little idiot get a ticket?
Did you get her name so you could call her parents?

[cookiedough]

If she's under 18 in Michigan, and gets a ticket, she'll lose her driving privileges until 21, when she can take the testing all over again.

that law should be in EVERY state.

I dislike smartphones and texting so much it pisses me off to NO end.  My daugher age 17 is REQUIRED to shut her phone OFF while driving PERIOD.  She doesn't need ANY distractions like that, her friends are enough to distract her while driving.  Most girls, and some guys, when young cannot jabber/talk with friends and concentrate enough to drive safely.  I swear if she (she knows better) EVER gets caught texting and driving while living under my roof,  she will be walking EVERYWHERE she wants to go or ride the darn bicycle like I had to since I had NO car to drive until going to college.  I guess bicycles are uncool or something today for 15-18 year olds?

NO joke,  2 years ago on my Valk in next town of 10000 people at a stop light,  2 young teenage girls in front seat am sure mommy/daddy's vehicle were texting BOTH.  Green light, beep horn and woke them a-holes up reminding them to get going after 10 seconds NOT moving with a green light.  What did they do when I blew by them on the left???  Still FRICKING TEXTING AND DRIVING and beeped cycle horn again.  BOTH of them little a-holes flipped me the bird and kept right on texting while driving.

Next time,  getting the license plates and calling the cops and informing cop to at the very least contact the parents of the car and inform them their little princess got a complaint of texting and driving and flipping the bird at a motorcycle. 

My idiot neighbor near 5 years ago, an IT techy has to have the latest and greatest gadgetry in vehicles was screwing around on his smartphone in our small town and attempted to make a right turn easy enough.  He dropped his smartphone while making the corner and smashed near head on while making the corner another car stopped at the stop sign while reaching for his smartphone on the floor he dropped at about 25 mph, enough to do major damage to both vehicles. 

Serves him right, he always does stuff like this and he is a bad driver to begin with.  He just recently bought a decked out (way overpriced) Mazda 3 sport touring hatchback with the overpriced techy package with a near 8" touch screen in the middle of the car above where radio would be.  He took me out for a spin and was fiddling with the touch screen while driving and darn near lost it 2-3x's in that 2-3 mile trip.  Told him to pay attention to his driving since he wonders why his car insurance is so high? 

NOTHING burns my britches more than texting and smartphones in vehicles and all the other stupid gadgetry they put onto vehicles to distract drivers.

[slabghost]

there is a device that interrupts cell service but it's too danged expensive for me right now. If I can afford it I will have it on and with me everywhere. For now I ride my very loud truck right next them talking or texting.

[R J]

there is a device that interrupts cell service but it's too danged expensive for me right now. If I can afford it I will have it on and with me everywhere. For now I ride my very loud truck right next them talking or texting.

When I had the 6X6 with NO baffles in them on MGM, I used to run 1st or 2nd gear at a high RPM next to them.   Even a rolled up window didn't help them solve the noise.

[Hooter]

     Update:  I got a hold of the deputy to find out what he did with the accident. ( actually he called me back) He said he wrote her for reckless driving, and yes she will lose her license. Good, cause I would imagine mommy and daddy won't do anything about her texting and driving. They had the good ol: "not my daughter routine"!    IF she should drive again and get caught she may possibly go to jail (up to the officer) for driving suspended, revoked or denied. Then whom ever the car or vehicle is registered to they may get one as well for allowing and unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle. So it could be mommy or daddy?
    Hate to see her lose her license but it needs to happen before she kills someone. I'm sure if she just got a scolding she would stop.     Honestly, I don't feel sorry for  her she damn near killed me!

[GiG]

CHEERS 

[old2soon]

     Update:  I got a hold of the deputy to find out what he did with the accident. ( actually he called me back) He said he wrote her for reckless driving, and yes she will lose her license. Good, cause I would imagine mommy and daddy won't do anything about her texting and driving. They had the good ol: "not my daughter routine"!    IF she should drive again and get caught she may possibly go to jail (up to the officer) for driving suspended, revoked or denied. Then whom ever the car or vehicle is registered to they may get one as well for allowing and unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle. So it could be mommy or daddy?
    Hate to see her lose her license but it needs to happen before she kills someone. I'm sure if she just got a scolding she would stop.     Honestly, I don't feel sorry for  her she damn near killed me!

       Hopefully THIS is the ONLY wake call she will ever need.  BUT if she should F up-maybe a little time in a bright orange jumpsuit picking trash up off the roadway may do it.  One can hope and Pray for her. Glad the L E O did the correct thing in this instance.  RIDE SAFE.