Probably Not My Lookout, But...
Perhaps you came to read my blog today hoping for a bit of fiction or even an enjoyable tale about my real life.
Right up front, I am going to apologize--today I am addressing what I feel is an epidemic.
You might think this issue is not my business, but since I drive on the roads and so does my family, I feel it is my business.
I live in the US. The particular state I live in has laws against texting and driving. Yet, for some reason, most drivers don't comply. For the last two months, on my way home from my day job, I have tried to count how many people are texting, reading, playing, or who knows what with their phone. Whatever they are doing, they aren't paying attention. I think it is well over 40% of drivers are fiddling with their phone in some way or another.
What they don't realize is...
TEXTING AND DRIVING KILLS
It has been estimated a whopping 59% off accidents "contained some type of distracting behavior in the 6 seconds leading up to the crash." (https://www.thezebra.com/insurance-news/4671/drunk-driving-vs-distracted-driving-dangerous/)
I want to get home to my beautiful wife and lovely children.
PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE
PLEASE
Rant over.
Be safe; so you can have a lovely Holidays with your family and friends. Or, if you don't celebrate Christmas, so you can have a safe December with your family and friends. Please, before you pick up your phone while driving, think about it for a second...
AND DON'T
Sorry about that, I guess the rant wasn't quite over yet.
Now go out and enjoy your day, you lovely, wonderful, amazing person, you.
**All pictures used are labeled for reuse. They come from Pixabay
Follow @bigpanda for more flash fiction.
Thank you for reminding us in driving. Very beautiful post. You have reduced the number of accidents due to negligence in driving. Be careful on the street yes my good friend. May you be happy there with the family you love so much. 😊
Thanks so very much @rizasukma. Honestly, if I help one more person get to their destination safe, then I feel this post has done its job. Best wishes from me to you and your loved ones.
Thank you very much. You have a very good heart. Greetings to family.
That's one thing I noticed in Massachusetts when I visited there during the summer. Fucking everyone was texting at the wheel, so dangerous man.
It freaks me out. I only drive about 25 minutes to work and then back again in the evening but I swear every other person driving has a phone up near the wheel or off to the side. It's an epidemic. I just want to get home every night and spend time with my wife and kids.
I feel for you man! Life's a struggle when you're surrounded by cell phone junkies! I can only see it getting worse until cops really clamp down on it.. or until we get driverless cars 🙄
I know. It is one of the reasons I actually think driverless cars might be good.
Is it really worth sacrificing our freedom is the big question? 🤔
Right? The whole idea of a computer chip making life and death decisions doesn't sit well with me. I don't love the idea at all, but I do think they are coming regardless of my own personal feelings.
I remember reading a few news pieces about hackers being able to hack them with ease, scary stuff! Yeah I agree it's definitely inevitable. Guess we'll have to wait and see!
Thank you for this. I'm new member of steemit and a doctor so I really love that you are trying to send some good messages that will save people's lives :)
Good to have you here on steemit. I hope I can help at least one person.
Yeas @bigpanda you re so really, when i travel in summer or when i go to beach i abandoning my phone in hotel.
Welcom in my country Morocco 😊
Thanks for the welcome to Morocco, now I just need to find a way to pay for the flight. :) Thanks for dropping by @hariabbad.
You welcom @bigpanda im from Marrakech it's Tourist city of Morocco i think you know it? If you want to came tell me and i help you when you arrive with pleasure 😊
Very gracious. Thank you.
Thank you too dear bigpanda ☺
good post,,very useful, thanks for sharing
Thank you.
This is indeed a problem, I have seen a taxi driver we were sitting with him and he just saw in his back mirror and within a flip second he had an accident but thankfully it wasn't that nasty.
Lucky taxi driver--yesterday my wife and daughter were at a stop light and witnessed a nasty accident. Three cars were involved. My poor daughter was so scared she started to go into shock.
Thats indeed so sad, so careless.
I mean while driving it needs just a flip second to get in trouble if you look around just for a millisecond.
Outstanding post! Thank you for putting out such an eye opening post! You are such a kind soul! So many times, I look over at a driver and they are looking down while driving! So dangerous! Please, don't text and drive. Wishing everyone the best of health and happiness! :)
It is crazy out there--same wishes from me, health and happiness to everyone.
Not only driver in the state having this problem, in Malaysia tons of driver do the same thing also and not using the signal when changing lane either, which cause a great amount of accident just because of 1 tiny mistake.
Driver out there, please put down the phone and use your signal 😬, you can prevent the unnecessary accident from happening.
Nice post by the way @bigpanda 👍🏻 thanks for reminding all of us.
Very informative and useful post.using mobile every time is being our hobby.
Don't be careless, drive safely because "someone is waiting for you at home"
Nice share @ bigpanda
Thank you.
Thanks for remiding us , good post
Thank you.