[geeks] Stuff fo' sale

[der Mouse]

>> I do not, however, have any particular evidence to support any of
>> those suspicions.  I'd be very interested in any studies that bear
>> on any of them.
> Like this?
> http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/08/15/060815161706.0xbugxlr.html

Yes, just like that.  Thank you very much.

Quoting from that page,

   Strayer noted, however, that a telephone conversation does not have
   the same impact as a conversation with an adult passenger, because in
   the latter case, the driver "has an interest in driving safely. He can
   say 'I should stop talking.'"

I find this very interesting.  That a telephone conversation does not
work the same way as a passenger conversation I can accept (though I
find it surprising), because that's measurable.  (I do note, though,
that the study as described does not measure it.  To do this right
they'd have to measure (a) alone, no phone, (b) alone, phone, (c)
passenger present, no conversation, (d) passenger present, talking with
passenger, and (e) passenger present, talking on phone.)

But the "because..." part I find highly dubious, unfounded speculation
at best; I see nothing at all in the science that does or even could
support that.  The phrasing implies that (a) drivers don't have an
interest in driving safely when talking on the phone and (b) drivers
can't temporarily ignore someone on the phone (with or without an
announcement).

As for (a), that strikes me as outright false (though, if measured, I
could accept that that interest does not actually make it through to
their behaviour).

As for (b), well, if measured, I could accept that they *don't*, but I
can't see how they *can't*, which is what the statement is based on.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that at least a few people do do just
that; the cellphone-while-driving question came up on another list I'm
on and one of the posters said something like "if I get a call when
driving I'll answer it and say "Ican'ttalknowI'mdrivingbye" and throw
the phone into the next seat as a reminder that a call came in".  I
know (in meatspace) someone who phones from the car only when stuck in
traffic jams or the like.

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