Sometimes it sucks to be right

[brendala]

When I was returning from San Francisco back in April, I got in a HUGE fight with my sister and her friend, Kay. Kay was the driver (we were using her car) and she had a terrible habit of constantly texting while she was driving. Worst of all, she has one of those internet phones that allows her to check her Facebook (she did that while driving, too! O_o). I kept asking her nicely to stop doing it and, after the fifth or sixth time I asked, she snapped at me and said...

Kay: "Look, Brenda. I don't want to be mean. But this is MY CAR and I don't appreciate you telling me how to drive! I text and drive all the time and I've never had an accident. It's no big deal!"

Me: "You've been texting non stop for nearly two hours. Can't those messages wait until we get back home?"

Kay: "I've been away for four days and I have to catch up with a lot of people!!"

Me: "If you absolutely MUST send a million text messages right now, why not let someone else drive?"

After that, Kay and my sister ragged on me for having the audacity to question Kay's driving (apparently, being the driver=being above criticism). And, once we got home, both of my sisters (the one in the car with me is 23, the other is a teenager) and one of my other sister's teenage friends echoed the "texting is no big deal" line. They even accused me of "acting like an old lady" because I got on Kay's case! I told them that I was just being sensible and that it was only a matter of time before Kay had an accident.

Well, a few days ago, Kay had a car accident.

Thankfully, nobody was hurt. She rear-ended another car; but there wasn't much damage and her car can be fixed. She claims the accident happened because she was tired. But I think she lied because texting is illegal and her parents might have smashed her phone and if they knew her texting habits.
I really hope this will wake up Kay and make her realize that text messages and Facebook can wait until she stops the car. If she gives up texting behind the wheel, my sister is sure to follow.


I hate to sound like an after school special. But I really hope that, if any of you reading this are in the habit of texting while driving, you'll stop. And if you don't do it but you know someone who does; please be a nag and tell them it's a BAD idea. They probably won't listen (ESPECIALLY if they're stupid f#$king teenagers); but it's worth a shot.
/gets off soapbox

Comments

[brendala.livejournal.com]

My 23-year-old sister and I didn't speak for days after that fight. I own a car and I told her that I didn't want her driving it if she had that kind of attitude about texting (not just because its dangerous; but also because I spent 3 years earning the money to buy my car and it's my baby ~_^).
Sometimes I have to let her use it because my mother needs her car. My sister swears that she respects my wishes and doesn't text while driving my baby. But I don't believe her. :(


Sometimes I'm amazed some teenagers even live to adulthood. That's just stupid to text while driving!

I know! When we got home from that drive, I fully expected my other sister and her friend to see things my way (for God's sake, she was checking FACEBOOK while behind the wheel!!). But the teenage friend just said, "I text and drive, too! It's OK if you're a good driver!"

...*sigh* I'm a good driver. But I've had many close calls because someone suddenly pulled out in front of me. Or because the driver in front of me slammed on his brakes. Or because a kid ran into the street without looking. All of those things happened in a second! And I can't bear to imagine what may have happened if I had been distracted by my phone at any of those times.


The thing that bothers me the most is the apparent lack of empathy on the part of the pro-texters. The main reason I don't use my cell in the car isn't the law or fear for my own safety. It's the fear that I might kill another person because of a damn phone call and have to live with the guilt for the rest of my life. I don't know about you; but I could never live with myself if my irresponsibility caused an accident that ruined or ended another person's life.

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

Considering the fact I should be dead right now for rear-ending a semi a few years ago, I very well understand how important it is to be aware when out driving. (I believe I would definitely be dead now if I had been distracted while driving that night.) It's one thing to be foolish enough and lose your own life through your actions, I would be devastated and very possibly never ever want to get behind the wheel again if my negligence killed someone.

[brendala.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh! That semi story sounds scary! I hope the accident wasn't too bad.

I had a close call with a semi just a few days ago. The driver nearly plowed into me from the side because he tried to change lanes and I guess he didn't see my itty-bitty car.

[ladyxmoonlight.livejournal.com]

I have to poke in and say to their response...just because you're a good driver does not mean everyone else is. If someone does something they shouldn't, you can generally compensate for it (generally!) if you're a good driver. However, not when you're texting because you don't have that warning because your focus was elsewhere.