MikeinNH:
Since you want to take such umbrage at my statements, let me respond to your condescending comments:
“And in many states that’s AGAINST the law. You are NOT allowed to have any kind of head phones for phones or ipods…or ANYTHING.”
The law in my state says “No person shall operate any motor vehicle on a public highway while wearing any headset or earphones connected to any electronic device capable of receiving a radio broadcast or playing a sound recording for the purpose of transmitting a sound to the human auditory senses and which headset or earphones muffle or exclude other sounds.” While being aware of the sounds around you while driving is important, what exactly do I need to be listening to again? As I said before, I can hear everything around me that I need to (still hear other cars driving next to me on the freeway, with my windows up, so there’s not much sound loss), so I’m not going to miss hearing that rare emergency vehicle. This tells me that the sounds around me are not muffled or excluded.
“Says YOU…What would be the answer if we asked people on the road with you. I work with a guy with the same attitude…and I’ve been behind him on the highway going to and from work. And I can tell when ever he’s on the phone…his driving is erratic…slows down…saw him almost hit someone when he changed lanes”.
Obviously, says me. Since you have no idea of what my driving is like, this is a petty and worthless comment. You think that because you know a guy who drives poorly means I drive poorly? Nice anecdote, but a case it does not make.
"Of course there are…SO WHAT. You admit that it can be distracting…So why would you drive a 2000lb+ vehicle around knowing that what you’re doing is a danger.
Sorry…NOT buying it.
My cell phone is OFF when I’m driving. When I’m behind the wheel of my truck…I want my full attention doing what I should be doing."
You may not be able to do anything besides driving except focus grimly on the road, but that doesn’t apply to other people. Simply driving a 4,000 lb vehicle at speed is a danger – that’s a lot of kinetic energy to pass on. Whether you’re talking to someone in your car (very distracting), thinking long thoughts about that movie you just watched, are tired and trying not to doze off, or are listening to the radio intently – you can be distracted and needlessly endangering others.
A responsible driver is aware of what’s going on no matter what, and has to tune out what can distract them from safe driving. In busy traffic areas, I’ll often pause whatever I’m listening to, so I can pay better attention. On the highway there will be times I’ll realize I’ve missed that last several minutes of what I was listening to, because something was going on that needed my full attention. Safe driving means being aware of what’s going on, and training yourself to pay attention to everything around you.
I couldn’t possibly care less whether you buy anything – you’re welcome to your opinion, but it’s really only applicable to you.