[mark_integerdsv]

Oh god... here I go... as a motorcyclist (sorry) this is something that is utterly frightening.

I'm out there on the road doing my fu-cking damndest to make sure that I'm driving defensively and predictably, kind of just trying to ensure that I see my wife and twi girls that evening.

I'm at standing height next to your window, so I can see right in there while you text and check Facebook whilst piloting a 2 ton machine at upwards of 100kph.

The mind boggles at just how common this is, I'd say one in three on some days. At highway speeds.

It ain't right peeps.

[JustSomeNobody]

I'm not a motorcyclist, but there's no way I'd do it now. People pay so little attention to what they do. And people get in their cars and they think they're the only ones in existence (except who they're texting); not courtesy at all.

[trprog]

I'm curious where you live and whether it is illegal to use your phone while driving wherever you are.

[swsieber]

Not OP. In my state, it is illegal, but we're pansies, and so a cop can't stop you for it - they can only cite you if they pull you over for something else.

You may be interested in this site that summarizes the state of the U.S. with regards to cellphone usage while driving laws: http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-u...

Summary:

Hand-held Cell Phone Use Ban: 14 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using hand-held cell phones while driving.

All Cell Phone ban: No state bans all cell phone use for all drivers, but 37 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice or teen drivers, and 20 states and D.C. prohibit any cell phone use for school bus drivers.

Text Messaging ban: 46 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers.

-2 states prohibit text messaging by novice or teen drivers. -3 states restrict school bus drivers from texting.

[mark_integerdsv]

South Africa. Totally illegal.

If caught you you can be stopped and your phone impounded for one week and released only upon payment of a fine.

There was a news report recently indicating that only a very small percentage of these phones are ever recovered from the police which ties in with the stereotype for this kind of behaviour: Porsche SUV, Chanel sunglasses, ten spare phones at home.

[mason240]

Is it legal in any state?

[24gttghh]

Yes, some cell phone use/distracted driving is allowed for adults in most states[0], but most states do not allow 'young drivers' to use a cell phone at all[1]; and texting is specifically banned or partially banned for all drivers in all but two states (Montana and Arizona)[2].

[0]http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/cellphonelaws/maphandhe...

[1]http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/cellphonelaws/mapyoungc...

[2]http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/cellphonelaws/maptextin...