Shut Up and EcoDrive
 

Recently the New York Times has run several powerful articles underscoring the dangers of driving distracted, something which I don’t think can be emphasized enough. When I first got a cell phone a little over a year ago, my home state of New Jersey had just made one of the country’s first hands-free cell phone laws. [...] Related posts:

1. Just When You Thought Americans Were Distracted Drivers
2. Japan: Excessive Idling v. Start-Stop EcoDrivers
3. Do You Remember the SUVasaurus?

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So true, so true.
About 2-3 weeks ago I had to drive to the city and I was expecting a call from someone who loves to talk. Since I didn't have the time to stop for that long, I decided to use the phone which is built into the car stereo. First time and last. Even though I really only needed to listen to a third of what the caller had to say, even that was barely enough to smoothly go through traffic. Got honked at and almost ran a red twice. I won't mention FE :(

I think any person with a brain in working order will either stop the car to talk on the phone, or resign from the call.

Agree completely. I try to save my phone calls for the last two miles of my commute when I am in EV mode and gas-free so I am not distracted from the task at hand. There are times when I have been on the phone and "zoned out" from my FE driving...the next thing I know I look at my SGII and my mpg is lower than expected.

Its a good thing we just outlawed cell phone/pda use while driving


and yet I was stuck behind two ignorant drivers chatting away

"One in five admits to texting behind the wheel"