I live on a major thoroughfare, just a few yards from an intersection with a traffic light, so traffic often (almost always) backs up to my driveway. Not a complaint--I knew it would happen when we moved here. Yesterday, though, I observed for what must be the umpteenth time, something that rankles me.
I drove to the end of the driveway and waited my turn to be able to enter traffic. There was a car directly in across my path (again, not the issue). The driver had his face buried in his phone, paying no attention to the circumstances around him. Now, on one level, I understand this level of thinking: "I'm stopped at a red light, it's gonna be at least 30 to 40 seconds, let me check my phone...." But I think it's more dangerous than it seems...and let me tell you why, using what actually happened yesterday.
The light changed, the car ahead of this fellow moved...and he didn't--because all his attention was on his phone. I had to honk at him to wake him up to reality around him. Now, suppose the driver behind him, unaware of the phone-user's inattention, had begun to move? Accident? Quite possibly.
There's probably no way to make this work, but here's an idea for a future phone/car feature. When the vehicle's transmission is in any mode except "park" the phone doesn't work. No texting, no calling, nothing.
Your thoughts?
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