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

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I'm amazed some teenagers even live to adulthood. That's just stupid to text while driving! It was made illegal in many states for good reason, and honestly, I think you would be doing that girl a great service if you let her parents know about her driving habits. Having someone angry but alive at you is better than having someone dead on you. She and others influenced like her need to have someone willing to do what it takes to get them to wake up before something much more tragic happens.

[ladyxmoonlight.livejournal.com]

You know what? If you're in the car you have a right to make a comment and request that your saftey be considered. My sister is...30 something, 37, I think. I am 25. I tell her all the time to stop texting while driving when I and HER CHILDREN are in the car, its unsafe. A lot of the time, I tell her if its important, I'll type it for her while she drives.

Thankfully, now my town and her town/township have outlawed cell phones while driving so its no concern for me. But, they just did that this week.

[earthstar-moon.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I will never understand how people think they can multitask while driving. YOU CAN'T! Thankfully, my province just make a law that you can't talk on a cell and drive at the same time. I don't know how effective it is, but it would be nice if it helped reduced the numbers.

(Oprah has been really trying to get people to stop texting while driving. She even did a whole episode on it and I think it's still up on her website. She left it there for people to watch and wise up. Maybe the show would scare your sister into stop texting while driving. XP)

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Seesh. Teenagers. What the hell is so important that texting can't wait. Yeah, you're 23, i'm sure you have a full agenda and you're the most important person ever. She was probably just doing back and forths to a specific person.

[schpydurx.livejournal.com]

I fully support you on this one. The only thing I can't stand are the anti-texting laws. They empower policing over privacy.

I think that if you're texting while driving and have a wreck, it ought to be your fault and there should be stiff penalties.

[lunaoh.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely right. Aren't there laws against using one's phine while driving?