Eating and driving

Dear Abby take on distracted, multi-tasking drivers after receiving this letter from "Cindy in Minneapolis" complaining about a woman speeding while eating a hamburger:

This afternoon, I was behind a woman who was driving erratically. She rolled through stop signs, sped up and slowed down for no apparent reason, and switched from lane to lane. When I was finally able to safely pass her, I saw that she wasn't drunk as I had suspected -- but was driving her van down the crowded freeway with her elbows on the wheel because she was using both hands to hold the hamburger she was eating. Abby, the woman was doing 70 miles an hour. All she needed to do was sneeze once to lose control of her vehicle.

What do you think about eating while driving? Hit COMMENT and speak out!

Comments

[Eg.galfrend]

Hey, did you know that eating while driving also can make you drowsier? I know that I get rather drowsy after I eat and would hate to fall asleep on the road. Think of what could happen!

[Donna]

The road you will like best

You are on the road to no where
You will decide where to….

http://www.txtapic.com/roadsign

Donna

[mm]

If the excuse to eat and drive is that people must do that to get what they need to get done in their day, that is a sign that there is something seriously wrong with society and the way people are expected to function. Once upon a time almost all of our time was spent on collecting and consuming food.

[calwatch]

A few months ago, that article from the Times' Mexico City correspondent was instructive. They don't eat there because there's too many speed bumps.

Depending on the circumstance, I would argue that driving while talking on the cell phone is sometimes MORE safe. A few times on long road trips by myself I have talked on the phone to friends or relatives while I try to make it to the next hotel room. Otherwise I would have fallen asleep on the road.

[Brenda]

I was coming out of my driveway one morning and was waiting to make sure that the car coming down the street was going to stop at the stop sign before I conitnued on. Luckily I did. Not only did she not stop, when she passed me I saw she was eating, probably cereal 'cause she had a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other.

[cb]

while i don't recommend eating anything "two handed" while driving, i think eating wihle driving is a necessary evil for a lot of people who have no time between appointments, meetings, etc.

but in general, eating while driving makes a mess (unless it's an apple or power bar). no one wants mustard all over their shirt and grease on the steering wheel and crumbs in the seat.

i've noticed that doing ANYTHING while driving - eating, talking on the cell, changing stations- causes me to drive a lot less carefully. i know there are a lot worse drivers out there than me, lets pray to god we all take a minute to slow down and think about what we're doing and not just assume we'll be ok while wolfing down a hamburger and fries while on the phone and putting lipstick on while driving the wrong way on the freeway.