Thank you. I actually took a 2 day, 16 hour refresher course and found it very helpful. I have also gone to my local school parking lot to practice low speed maneuvers. I’m surprised at how quickly it all came back to me. Having said that, the biggest difference between today and 18 years ago, is that today...everyone is on their phone while driving. Let’s just say that I am much more aware of my surroundings than ever before.
RO, sounds like you are getting back into riding in a smart way. Yeah, the phone use by drivers is really a problem. I was just having a conversation about that very thing earlier today at my local Triumph dealership. Arizona just recently made cell phone usage while driving (other than hands-free) illegal but I think at this point people are so addicted to their phones that they'll use them anyway and hope they don't get caught and fined. Plus the fines are a pittance and probably won't be much of a deterrent when the law goes into effect.
Thanks Sandi T. I’m a firm believer in practice. VA is also a hands free state. However, very few people follow the law since it is a secondary offense. Meaning they cannot pull you over simply for using the phone while driving, but if you get pulled over for something else and you happened to be using your phone, you get a ticket. Fortunately I mainly ride in the country vs the populated areas of the county.
Over here they are quite strict. It doesn’t stop people using their phone though. Actually there are some silly aspects like a) you are technically not allowed to use your phone to pay for a drive through meal, b) you can be done even if you are parked up/stationary in neutral, hand brake on but with the motor running and c) it seems to be ok to use a Tesla big screen or Apple/Android Car interface but not a ‘fixed’/mounted phone ( so long as u don’t have an accident). I had a row with a taxi driver in San Francisco once who answered a call on their mobile and whose driving deteriorated to a dangerous level. Not sure if it’s illegal there but frankly I didn’t care - he was being a twat...
Yes, practice is good. So...let's go ride, er, practice! Arizona law used to be that using a cell phone was a secondary offense but it was changed to a primary. My city, Tucson, was a bit ahead of the curve and it has been a primary offense for several years but that was not the case across the state. However, it definitely doesn't seem that changing the law has stemmed the tide of drivers on their phones. The term "distracted" seems far too tame to describe someone who is looking down at his or her lap while the car goes the length of a football field. Riding in the country seems like a good idea. Fortunately, those of us who live in Tucson can get out of the city and onto some fine riding roads fairly easily.
You make some great points, Cyborgbot, and point out some clearly silly aspects of the attempts to regulate cell phone use while driving, like the drive through meal and the irony of using a Tesla big screen or Apple/Android Car interface. In some ways it's like the difficulties we're facing in trying to reconcile the mounting number of states that are legalizing marijuana with how to quantify when one is legally impaired when the impairment-inducing substance is pot.
Well, you used to ‘walk the line’ as a sobriety test - how about getting the pot smoking suspects to say a tongue twister whilst waving a Snickers bar in front of their noses? If the talk really slowly and make a lunge for the chocolate bar then they are stoned (or a red-neck). Lock e’m up either way. Riding a bike you get a great sense of the fresh air around you. Quite a few times I catch the unmistakable pong of weed emanating from the car in front... Weed, like alcohol isn’t as safe as advocates claim. Can’t it exacerbate underlining mental issues?
Yep, you are correct. Weed can and often does exacerbate underlying mental health issues. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publicati...k-between-marijuana-use-psychiatric-disorders
Ok, RO73! Sorry your welcome to the forum thread was sort of hijacked and I take full responsibility for my part in that! Again, welcome to a terrific forum!! I'm sure you'll enjoy being part of this family.