Phone Zombies

CaptRonn

Well-Known Member
May 25, 2016
1,550
on a large body of water
Boat Info
1999 Sea Ray 400 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Convert fuel into noise
We have a major problem on out roads with "phone zombies" trying to drive and stare at their phones. Recently while out boating I've started to notice they are migrating to boats now.

This poses a real safety hazard as these phone zombies will shove the throttles up and then hold on to their life support device and stare into it intently while ignoring the world around them.

Be careful and be vigilant.
 
We have a major problem on out roads with "phone zombies" trying to drive and stare at their phones. Recently while out boating I've started to notice they are migrating to boats now.

This poses a real safety hazard as these phone zombies will shove the throttles up and then hold on to their life support device and stare into it intently while ignoring the world around them.

Be careful and be vigilant.
Agreed. A kid in a center console was coming out of our harbor while we where coming in between the break waters and proceeded to stare at his phone while coming straight at me. My horn woke him up with enough time to maneuver and miss me by about 6ft. His just looked at me like I was a jerk for blowing the horn at him.
 
Agreed. A kid in a center console was coming out of our harbor while we where coming in between the break waters and proceeded to stare at his phone while coming straight at me. My horn woke him up with enough time to maneuver and miss me by about 6ft. His just looked at me like I was a jerk for blowing the horn at him.

Had a similar incident on the water. Difference was when the little punk in the center console passed me he held up his middle finger and yelled "F**k you a**hole!" and went on his merry way.

Imagine just how inconsiderate I was to sound my horn in an attempt to avoid a collision, which made him have to look away from his phone. :rolleyes: o_O
 
Yesterday while approaching my outgoing harbor exit I had to wake a phone zombie out of his trance.

It’s a busy spot with a public ramp and gas dock. Apparently while waiting to gas up his little Scarab he though being adrift in the canal was such a good idea that he ignored everything and everyone around him while he fiddled with the phone.

I had to blast him to get his attention and as I looked down at him from the helm he looked up in disbelief that I sounded my horn.

I almost asked if he’d prefer I just grind him into the bottom next time.
 
On one trip north a very senior person in a 50+ boat said on long stretches he put on auto pilot and reads. He looks up every 7 pages. It was in an area the only thing he would hit was a cruise ship or log. Log was probably more likely. Lots of idiots out there. New portable car GPS systems will not allow you to edit them when the car is moving. Perhaps coming to cell phones some day. One large company I used to deal with had a policy; if you answered you phone while driving you were fired. They had a standard greeting for all. "I am away from my phone or driving. Please leave a message …."
 
I was out on the lake yesterday with my daughter and her girlfriend, they asked for an outing and amazingly offered to help with fuel. Number of kids and young adults (non-drivers) with heads bowed over devices was amazing. Not enjoying the experience at all.

To be fair, I am often glancing down at my phone in the dash cradle around the public docks quite often, but its to check the approach and depths on Navionics since I do not have a plotter. Quite a few sunken piers, rock formations and general shallows in that area.
 
I haven't had a problem on the water yet and I doubt it's due to boaters in our area being smarter....because they aren't.

I do see that all the time with drivers and it pisses me off. When I'm driving and get a call I look at the phone for a moment to see if it's from someone important. If not, I let it go to voicemail. If it is, I answer it, put it on speaker phone and ask them to hold on while I puill over. I get enough calls from doctors and other assorted medical people that I usually take them.
 
Since the Rona I have been riding my bike every day along greenway park trails. Nearly had a head on collision with a dickhead coming the other way staring down at his phone while peddling. When we got 25 ft away I yelled at him to watch out. He looked up like he didn’t know where he was was or cared less. I moved off the trail into to grass to avoid him.
 

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