http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/driving/ en-us Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:14:35 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2373619/posts People with gene variant perform more than 20 percent worse on driving test Bad drivers may in part have their genes to blame, suggests a new study by UC Irvine neuroscientists. People with a particular gene variant performed more than 20 percent worse on a driving test than people without it - and a follow-up test a few days later yielded similar results. About 30 percent of Americans have the variant. "These people make more errors from the get-go, and they forget more of what they learned after time away," said Dr. Steven Cramer, neurology associate professor and senior author... UC Irvine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2373619/posts#comment Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:14:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2365601/posts COVENTRY, R.I. -- The Coventry Police cruiser sat idle, with its lights flashing, at Exit 7 on Route 95 north, diverting traffic off the highway because of a three-car crash further up the road. No one was in the cruiser Wednesday night around 10 p.m. when an approaching Jeep Cherokee plowed into it, totaling both vehicles, according to State Police Lt. Eric LaRiviere. Crash site on Rt. 95 north, at exit 7, Coventry The driver of the 1994 Jeep -- David Mercer, 26, of 159 Bates Trail, West Greenwich -- told the police he hadn't seen the Coventry cruiser. "He... Providence Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2365601/posts#comment Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:30:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2362223/posts Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling out his wife, Maria Shriver, for apparently violating a state law he signed — holding her cell phone while driving. The celebrity Web site TMZ.com posted two photographs Tuesday showing Shriver holding a phone to her ear while she's behind the wheel. It says one was snapped Sunday and the other in July. The Web site claimed that this was not the first time California's first lady was caught chatting on her cell while driving. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CBS) - On his Twitter feed Tuesday, Schwarzenegger wrote to TMZ.com founder Harvey Levin: "Thanks for bringing her... WCBS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2362223/posts#comment Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:25:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2361858/posts WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2009 – In an executive order issued Oct. 1, President Barack Obama banned federal employees from text messaging while behind the wheel on government business. “With nearly 3 million civilian employees, the federal government can and should demonstrate leadership in reducing the dangers of text messaging while driving,” Obama said in the order. “A federal government-wide prohibition on the use of text messaging while driving on official business or while using government-supplied equipment will help save lives, reduce injuries, and set an example for state and local governments, private employers, and individual drivers.” Text messaging, or “texting,”... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2361858/posts#comment Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:30:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2360295/posts Motorists should be forced to pay to drive on the busiest roads to slash greenhouse gas emissions, the Government's climate change watchdog says today. The Climate Change Committee, led by former CBI chief Lord Turner, wants ministers to introduce compulsory road pricing to prevent global warming. Under the controversial scheme, cars would be fitted with electronic tags and tracked either by satellite or roadside beacon. Charges would rise at times of peak congestion to around £1.50 a mile. In a report to MPs, the advisers called for a carbon revolution - with thousands of wind turbines, nuclear power stations... The Daily Mail (U.K.) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2360295/posts#comment Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:25:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2345514/posts Whether you’re taking that cross country trip you always planned, out on a scenic Sunday drive through the country, or fighting road rage on a jammed up highway, these songs are the perfect soundtrack to the streets. Pop in you favorite Willie Nelson Greatest Hits CD (ha) and get back on the road again! I had to cut this short as I found tons of songs that could fit this post. I left a lot of great stuff off for now, let me know which ones you think should go on future post like this. Sir Mix-A-Lot - "My Hooptie"... Blogcritics music http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2345514/posts#comment Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:44:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2324577/posts This video should be shown to every teenager in this country...and anyone else who ever has an inclination or temptation to "text" while driving. Be forewarned, though a depiction, the video if fairly graphic in terms of injury. PSA Texting while Driving, U.K., August 2009 Please spread this one around. Consider showing it in schools and churches. Youtube http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2324577/posts#comment Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:36:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303738/posts States would be required to ban driving while texting or face the loss of highway funds under legislation being pushed by a group of senators. New York Sen. Charles Schumer and three other Democrats plan to unveil the bill on Wednesday. It follows a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute that found that when drivers of heavy trucks texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia ban texting while driving. Under the Senate proposal, states would need to outlaw texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle or... News Channel KCBD http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303738/posts#comment Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:47:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303419/posts Wake up, you Crackheads! No, I don’t mean the corner punks . . . they’re just small businessmen trying to pay the bills. They’re no threat to my family or me. It’s you arrogant Blackberry addicts, texting 50 words per minute while doing 75 miles per hour down the Pike. Could you please put that damn thing down? It’s bad enough that you self-absorbed jerks can’t stop texting when you’re on foot - bumping into your co-workers walking down the hall and stepping into traffic on city streets without even glancing up. I particularly hate the office Crackheads (you know... Boston Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303419/posts#comment Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:09:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2291939/posts How did I get here? That has to be the question Staten Island teen Alexa Longueira was asking when she suddenly found herself down a New York City manhole. According to MyFox New York:Alexa Longueira was walking down Victory Boulevard and getting ready to text-message when she fell into an open sewer manhole. Now the city is trying to figure out why the manhole was left open and unblocked. Alexa suffered some cuts and scrapes but is otherwise OK. So just how did Alexa end up in a manhole? Seems the young lady was too busy texting to pay attention... Burkhart's Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2291939/posts#comment Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:14:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2287917/posts (July 7) - The cash-strapped state of California will shell out $335,000 to settle a lawsuit filed over a former lawmaker's crazy driving, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday. Carole Migden, then a state senator from San Francisco, rear-ended another motorist following a wild drive on May 18, 2007, the newspaper said. AP via AOL News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2287917/posts#comment Wed, 8 Jul 2009 11:38:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257118/posts A word of caution before you head out for the long Memorial Day weekend: It's also No-Refusal Weekend. Which means? Well, if Dallas police pull suspect you're drinking and driving, you'll be stuck with a butterfly needle attached to a vacuum-packed container, and two vials' worth of your blood will taken and tested. And, no, you can't refuse the test; hence the name, as discussed in our cover story on the very subject last month. Dallas Observer http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257118/posts#comment Sat, 23 May 2009 23:59:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2255499/posts Despite bans on the practice in seven states and the District of Columbia, 26 percent of drivers still drum out messages on their phones - even though 83 percent of drivers say the practice should be illegal...Americans sent about a trillion text messages in 2008 - triple the amount sent just in 2007 - or about 3.5 million a day. The Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2255499/posts#comment Thu, 21 May 2009 15:12:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2251442/posts  While the Pennsylvania legislature passed up a ban on driving while texting or talking on a cell phone, it did pass new guidelines on the use of cell phones while driving.The legislature hopes that these guidelines will not only help make the roads safer, but pave the way for video game use on the road. Glendale White, PennDOT's driver's education spokesperson, said the state will benefit from smarter cell phone motoring."We want to raise awareness that if you must talk on a cell phone about whether Lindsey snubbed you last night, or whether you should buy Coors or Budweiser at... DotPenn.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2251442/posts#comment Fri, 15 May 2009 11:34:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2247720/posts Several studies have shown that distractions while driving, such as using cell phones or texting, can be dangerous. New research confirms these findings among teens. The study of 21 teens in a driving simulator found that while texting or searching their MP3 music players they changed speed dramatically, wove in an out of their lanes, and, in some cases, ran over virtual pedestrians. Similar studies have found that adults who talk on cell phones while driving in simulators perform as dismally as drunken study participants. Studies from the University of Utah show that hands-free devices do not make it safe... LiveScience.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2247720/posts#comment Sat, 9 May 2009 21:33:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2237842/posts <p>Police arrested a 28-year-old Petah Tikvah man for drunk driving late Friday night after he was caught driving erratically on the highway while having sexual intercourse with a female passenger.</p> Haaretz http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2237842/posts#comment Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:16:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2199871/posts When Gary Sanders was pulled over by police he was sure he had done nothing wrong. The company director was obeying the speed limit and not driving dangerously. But to his astonishment he was told he had been stopped for excessive laughing. Mr Sanders had been talking on a hands-free kit and was chuckling at what his friend had said. But the officer who ordered him to stop at the exit to the Mersey Tunnel told him: ‘Laughing while driving a car can be an offence.’ If that had been the end of the matter then Mr Sanders, 47, would... Daily Mail http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2199871/posts#comment Thu, 5 Mar 2009 16:04:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2190940/posts Waterproof, Louisiana mayor and police chief arrested for corruption. The pair received federal grants to create speed traps. The mayor and police chief of a federally funded Louisiana speed trap town were arrested Wednesday on felony corruption charges. A Tensas Parish Grand Jury indicted Waterproof Mayor Bobby Higginbotham for felony theft, malfeasance in office, payroll fraud and using public funds for personal use. Waterproof Police Chief Miles Jenkins faces three felony counts for receiving bonuses for meeting traffic ticket quotas and altering traffic citations. The activities of both officials were fueled by federal taxpayer dollars. In 2007, Higginbotham received $37,500... theNewspaper.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2190940/posts#comment Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:07:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2190658/posts Last night the Hannity Show said that the dems are discussing a new MILEAGE TAX on how many miles we drive. The HANNITY SHOW http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2190658/posts#comment Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:01:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2157293/posts ScienceDaily (Dec. 31, 2008) — University of Utah researchers have developed an automobile ignition key that prevents teenagers from talking on cell phones or sending text messages while driving. Science Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2157293/posts#comment Thu, 1 Jan 2009 20:16:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2140647/posts aghdad –APA. An incident took place between US troops and Russian diplomats in Baghdad. Three cars of Russian diplomats left the embassy in the Green Zone for the international airport, APA reports quoting Vesti.ru. The Foreign Ministry of Russia said a group of U.S. armored personnel apa http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2140647/posts#comment Mon, 1 Dec 2008 04:56:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2136530/posts Driving while stupid BY DAVE BARRY (This classic Dave Barry column was originally published Sept. 22, 2002.) So I have to tell you what I saw on the interstate the other night. First, though, you must understand that this was not just any old interstate. This was I-95 in downtown Miami, proud home of the worst darned drivers in the world. I realize some of you are saying: ``Oh yeah? If you want to see REALLY bad drivers, you should come to MY city!'' Listen, I understand that this is a point of civic honor, and I am sure that... Miami Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2136530/posts#comment Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:28:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2118957/posts If you drink and drive this weekend, Austin police say they will find proof through your breath or your blood. You can't refuse because this coming weekend will be a "no refusal weekend" in Austin. City leaders gathered outside Austin City Hall Wednesday to let people know that court-ordered blood-alcohol tests will be administered to people suspected of driving while intoxicated. Refusing a court ordered blood alcohol test could mean more criminal citations on top of a guilty DWI. A mobile blood-alcohol testing center -- BAT mobile -- will be available all weekend to administer blood tests for those suspected... KVUE Austin http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2118957/posts#comment Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:37:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2093870/posts A young woman in Saudi Arabia who defied ultra-conservative kingdom's ban on women driving was injured when the car span out of control and plunged into a stream, a newspaper reported on Tuesday. The unnamed woman in her 20s "stole" her brother's car on Sunday, picked up a female friend and drove at high speed through a town in the Eastern Province before losing control of the vehicle, Al-Riyadh said. The car hit an electricity pole and plunged into an irrigation channel. Both the driver and her friend were taken to hospital in serious condition, the paper said. There have... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2093870/posts#comment Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:04:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2085851/posts Texting behind the wheel impairs driving skills more than being drunk or high on drugs, according to new research. Reaction times deteriorated by over one-third, which was worse than alcohol at the legal limit or driving under the influence of cannabis. Ayrshire Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2085851/posts#comment Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:33:55 GMT