Texting while driving a motorcycle? Darwin Award candidate?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (190940)
Walnut Creek, California
June 2, 2023 10:21am CST
So I'm driving to work and I pull up just behind and to the left of someone on a small motorcycle. We are at a stop light on a busy street in the Barrio.
Then I look again. The person, a woman I thought for some reason, is texting at the stoplight! I have seen many people do this in cars, but never anyone on a motorcycle.
As the light turns green, I wonder where this idiot is going to stash the phone, and what would happen if she missed her pocket and the phone fell on the ground at the stoplight.
I move forward, and wind up next to her as I accelerate into the intersection.
Is turns out that she is a he (a Lou Reed song starts playing in my head) and that he does not stash the phone anywhere. He keeps driving with his right hand while looking at the phone in his left hand.
The motorcycle is actually a scooter.
When I see the idiot struggling to maintain control of his motorcycle/scooter as cars brake in front of him, I drop back in traffic. I don't want to be the one to run this person over if he goes flying.
I'd be late to work and would have to get my truck cleaned, if not serviced.
Have you ever seen anyone texting while driving a motorcycle or scooter? What's the stupidest thing you've seen someone do?
11 people like this
12 responses
@AmbiePam (76746)
• United States
2 Jun
I don't believe I've ever seen someone outside of a car text and drive, and that was bad enough. Once, a car in front of me, HAD to be texting without looking up. I had never seen anyone continually go off the road like that. I don't think it was a drunk driver although I could have been wrong. They only went off the road one way, towards the ditch; never crossing the middle lane towards another car. However, dirt was flying, mailboxes were narrowly missed, and sections of grass were dragged up. If I had had any idea where I was at that point I would have called the cops.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (76746)
• United States
2 Jun
@TheHorse Do you remember that show, "Mythbusters"? They tested which kind of drivers were more dangerous in general: drunk or texting? Texting drivers came out as more dangerous. However, you have to point out at least those drivers can put down their phone. You can't suddenly make yourself sober.
2 people like this
@ShyBear88 (58138)
• Sterling, Virginia
2 Jun
I live in VA, so I see people texting and driving on a regular. It's not wrong for us to text while at a stop light or any legal stop. It's written in our laws that while stopped it's alright. It drives me nuts when the light changes and they don't put their phones away or down. Many motorbikes now like cars have a phone stop to put them down in or a Bluetooth that connects to your helmet.
I leave my phone on a pop clip close enough for me to see incoming calls or texts, but I don't answer until I'm stopped. If it's important otherwise I leave it.
1 person likes this
@ShyBear88 (58138)
• Sterling, Virginia
2 Jun
@TheHorse yeah, every state is different. The police here will pull over if they see you using it while in motion. It's the many reasons lots of people in our area have car cams now too.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (82523)
• Marion, Ohio
3 Jun
@TheHorse Yes on a country road where people often drive 70 or more. I doubt they are any better
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (190940)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 Jun
@wolfgirl569 That doesn't sound very smart.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (131840)
• United States
2 Jun
I've never seen anyone on a motorcycle texting; but I wouldn't put it past them. There is too much distracted driving these days. We watch stupid drivers on YouTube; and I'm amazed how many people just plow into cars or go through red lights. Have a good weekend.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (190940)
• Walnut Creek, California
2 Jun
@LindaOHio Sometimes I feel old and tired, but I am not ready to go yet.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (131840)
• United States
2 Jun
@TheHorse That's good defensive driving.
1 person likes this
@JimBo452020 (43440)
• United Kingdom
2 Jun
Oh I have seen lots of motorcyclists texting when stopped at traffic lights.
It cannot be done whilst driving to the best of my knowledge.
One hand is needed for the throttle , the right hand.
I wouldn't try it anyway.
See lots of bloody stupid car drivers every day who should t be on the roads though
1 person likes this
@JimBo452020 (43440)
• United Kingdom
2 Jun
@TheHorse
In this country to get a driving license is costly and includes a theory test which isn't easy and needs to be studied for.
Yet still we get morons on our roads.
Unless getting a hand on the gear shift makes them morons.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (57064)
• United States
4 Jun
I have voice features with Apple CarPlay, and it’ll read my messages to me and let me dictate a reply. Not always accurate, but it’s usually my brother when I’m using it and he knows how screwy those things can be.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (67525)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2 Jun
That person is not very bright or not playing with a full deck, You just don't use your mobile phone when you're on a scooter or motorcycle. What they do in Latvia. Drivers concentrate on their mobile phones and then break suddenly when they have to but they could just as well go through lights or run someone down,
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (76859)
• United States
2 Jun
I've never seen anyone texting while driving a motorcycle but it certainly does sound like a stupid thing to do. You were smart to hang back and not get too close. Makes you wonder what could be so important that he would be texting while driving and couldn't pull over. Probably watching Tik Tok 
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (41596)
• Staten Island, New York
2 Jun
I've seen people texting while driving. And I was actually in the car when a person was doing that. It was my brother. He was texting or maybe writing an email (don't know) while steering with his knees. I held on for dear life. Never seen a motorcyclist doing that.
1 person likes this
@princessmarie (988)
• Naga City, Philippines
4 Jun
Yesterday my husband and I had the same experience. We were also driving a motorcycle. And while we were on the road in the middle of a traffic we saw a young man texting while driving, we adviced him that he need to pull over to the side of the road because he might cause a road accident or he will die in a self inflicted accident because of what he was doing.
Luckily he listened to us and he put his phone away and concentrated his eyes on the road as he was driving also.
Good thing we saw him or else he will cause accident in the middle of a traffic.
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (56501)
• Philippines
5 Jun
Yes, and we are next to him. Since I was at the van's window near to him, I shouted to stop texting and find a safe place to texting.
1 person likes this
