When a series of videos were posted on Facebook of what appeared to be a blind woman getting into her Jeep and driving away, the internet went nuts. But when the last video was posted showing that the woman was actual a truck driver out to raise awareness about distracted driving, it wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
Patti Houston, a 55-year-old trucking veteran says she just got tired of constantly seeing people on their phones while driving.
“It has gotten ridiculous,” said Houston in an interview with KHOU 11 News. “I can even see people Facetiming and driving down the road!”
So together with her mother and sister, Houston came up with the idea to draw attention to the problem.
Houston put on a pair of sunglasses and used a walking stick to navigate her way to her Jeep in a Walmart parking lot. With her sister filming on her phone, Houston then climbed in to the Jeep and drove away. They uploaded the video to Facebook where it immediately started getting shared.
A short while later, they uploaded another video of Houston – still with sunglasses and cane – pumping gas and driving away again.
The videos were shared and viewed millions of times. Some commenters were horrified, others amused, and others convinced that the whole thing was a hoax. They weren’t left to wonder for long though as Houston’s sister uploaded a third video.
This time, Patti wasn’t wearing the glasses or holding the cane. Instead she was sitting on the hood of her Jeep.
“Whatever you do, please do not text and drive,” she says before reaching behind her, putting on the glasses, and taking out the cane. “It’s like driving blind.”
Source: khou, livetrucking, trucker, Facebook
Robert says
Good show but I really doubt it will do much. As a truck driver I see this everyday, distracted driving. Law enforcement won’t enforce the law although it’s illegal in most states. The fine for cars is not severe enough. New York state is the only one with a decent penalty, 3 violations, lose your license. I think the fine for cars should be similar to the fine for commercial vehicles. If they see you touch the phone, it’s a 3,000 fine. Maybe that will get people’s attention.
michael orourke says
Cops text amd dtove all the time who policing them terrorist
JudgeRightly says
Judging by your horrible spelling and grammar, I’m gonna say you have no idea what you’re talking about.
Police are trained to be able to multitask, listening to their radio (yes, even when speaking to other people), operating their computer, and driving. Joe Q Public is not.
Don’t text and drive.
Hammer Head says
“Distracted driving” ITS ALL FUN N GAMES UNTIL SOMEONE LOSES AN EYE!!
Glen says
It will never stop. You actually have to have law enforcement enforce the laws. I drive the same route 5 days a week. Approximately 4000 km a week. I’ll be lucky if I see a dozen police. People drive the way they do cause it’s rare to see a cop. Even if they get a ticket they can go to court and get it reduced. It’s no big deal.
CARL HORN says
GOOD JOB OUT THERE.
Eric says
Going to court to get it reduced IS a big deal. How many people are likely to keep doing the offense after having to take time to go to court? Very few.
David S. McQueen says
Like most “issues”, this one concentrates on cell phones, ignoring other causes of distracted driving. What happens when all states outlaw cell phone usage and people continue to NOT PAY ATTENTION WHILE THEY ARE DRIVING? You do-gooders, to feel sanctimonious, will then whine about something else and when THAT’S eliminated, you will whine about another thing. You want to craft legislation? Make a law that outlaws “driving while distracted” or “driving while not paying attention”.
Cat22 says
Distracted driving is already against the law (Here in Washington state anyway) and it did no good whatsoever. Jam the cellphones along I5 and I90 and the problem will be solved. Or better yet, modify the phones (future phones) so that they have to be moving below speed X (say below 1mph) before the phone can txt, phone call, web browse, twitter, facebook, instagram etc. disable the cell and wifi above 1mph.
Before someone argues that phones are essential, a safety item etc etc. no its not essential to have a phone, not even close to necessary. My God how did we survive before 1990? Its become the land of the drones? Everyone walks around with earbuds and their head buried in their damn phone
mousekiller says
How did we survive before 1990? That’s easy.We helped each other, There was no shortage of common sense. If you had a drivers license you actually knew how to drive and were taught and used the rules of the road.
If you fix it so no one can use a phone over 1 mph is down right stupid. Un safe.To say nothing about a passenger not being able to text. How many times ( or not) have you seen a drunk and or a accident and dialed 911 while in your truck? then again I didn’t need to ask did I?In FL they had some one run a cell phone jammer in his car on his daily commute I think on I -4 not sure tho. . His excuse was to limit the texting while driving. What he did not know to very narrow minded thinking was Several 911 calls could not be made for a medical emergency or accidents until he was a mile or so past. He was caught and heavily fined.
Stanley Shughart says
They have that technology on the samsung galaxy phones. Only problem is there is a way to deactivate it and override it. Why not have the same technology as say Qualcomm? Install technology in vehicles say once vehicle is in motion above x mph. Cell phone is jammed?
Neil Pawelczak says
Distracted driving is a BIG DEAL. I agree that its a psycological issue more than just cell phones. I commend her for speaking her voice even if in this unusual way. Its an issue people need to realize is an issue. BTW to all those who just dismiss this issue your probably one of them causing the issue. I had 4 very good friends on their motorcycles die because of the distracted driving issue.
They were stopped at a stoplight waiting for the green light. A 20 year old girl at 55 miles an hr texting plowed right through them and then through the intersection hitting 2 more cars to boot at high speed. 5 people died in an instant over a text message.
I know my story isn’t the only one out there and unless this issue is truly enforced properly and people take it to heart it will keep being more and more of an issue. What does it take! The death of someone in government before it starts becoming important enough to make sure people think twice? Probably.
And the more people dismiss it as “Nothing will change distracted driving so why try?” the more of an issue it will become.
I COMMEND HER FOR TRYING THIS. IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE THE MORE THINGS ARE BROUGHT TO LIGHT. SOMEDAY ONE OF THESE WILL FINALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Rocki says
Agree!
Scott says
If you ban talking on your phone while driving, then you should ban having passengers in your vehicle and radios as well because they’re more distracting. Especially for those who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time.
Laurie says
Before there were phones, people were still doing other things like reading the newspaper, doing their makeup, eating breakfast, changing their clothes. They’re always doing something other than driving, phones are just the latest thing.
mousekiller says
It was not rampant country wide like it is today. Today faster cars.Triple the number of car drivers sharing the road today. ( should be sharing the road) More electronics to ensure safer driving. ( yeah right) But far less common sense today.
Richard A. says
Perhaps the four wheelers should be subject to the same penalties as professional drivers.
In other words, zero tolerance policy. Get caught distracted driving, get charged by police, pay your fine, AND lose your job.
Tom Stiles says
Need to have more truck drivers call it in and the police TO DO THEIR JOB Hint: Flash on your. Camera and dash video cameras for them, not us.
mousekiller says
I try to be aware of my surroundings when driving. You never know when the flying deer is going to pounce. I use my mirrors a lot. While westbound on I -70 in Kansas. I noticed this dark car behind me a half mile or so using all of the left lane and then some. As it got next to me the female driver was texting on 2 phones. I honked the air horn, she put the phone in her right hand down, gave me the bird and then continues texting and using more than her share of the road.
Gail Morra says
I see truck drivers everyday texting while driving. Even if you beep the horn they don’t even look up. The quality of drivers has plummeted.
Vince P says
Agreed after being fun off the road by a distracted driver and rolling almost an 80,000 T&T.
That’s the day I voluntarily surrended my CDL A miss that job.
But there’s a lack of law enforcement.
Washington State Trooper first stated I fell asleep, i disproved that,
Then the trooper stated I was distracted reaching for something disproved that,
After all was said and done all he could cite me for was wheel off roadway $136 fine.
And the car that ran me off the road home they didn’t even look for the car.
Yet another driver who came upon my wreck had the same car come at him head on.
The troopers didn’t take his statement and I recieved a preventable.
So yea law enforcement doesn’t care when it comes to big trucks.
Happy highways all be safe out there with distracted drivers.
God bless.
Allen says
I commend her for trying but like most of y’all I don’t believe it’ll work and ask for law enforcement enforcing the laws they need to also a bay the laws in Virginia I’ve seen just as many law enforcement officers on their phone while driving as I do everybody else but this really is a big issue and as a truck driver I wish they would and could do something about it God bless all of y’all and may God always be with you
Prophecy says
Remember back in the 70s and 80s, how drunk driving became this HUGE political football, and then the penalties became so extreme that the lives of those caught were essentially destroyed, as they still are to this day?
When elites have the WILL to do something about a problem, something gets goddam DONE about it.
Texting etc while driving is every bit as dangerous, destructive, evil, and criminal as drunk driving, so the penalties and vigilance ought to be consistent across both— so that texting behind the wheel is made unthinkable, just like drunk driving was. But they’re treated completely differently. There is no public WILL to do anything about texting. The mass media propagandists are not howling in your face about it ten times a day… why the difference?
Simple: Rampant Corruption.
Politicians etc were outright cruel to drunk drivers because that was such an EASY way to get in some grandstanding, i.e. make themselves look “virtuous.” No politician needs this logic explained to him.
And they’re not doing a damn thing about texting because the political calculus is totally different. The problem is already totally out of control, with so many people doing it that vocal opposition would amount to political suicide.
And it isn’t just politicians, or elites as a whole.
It’s EVERYBODY.
America is in a death spiral. Forget about guns, terrorists, total nuclear war…
Mundane insidious corruption is a CANCER that will destroy this place from within more totally than any of them
Stanley Shughart says
They have that technology on the samsung galaxy phones. Only problem is there is a way to deactivate it and override it. Why not have the same technology as say Qualcomm? Install technology in vehicles say once vehicle is in motion above x mph. Cell phone is jammed?
Brian G. Benson says
It’s ALL in self discipline. Care or to be cared for. Sooner or later, the consequences get paid
mike C. says
has any one of us out here ever driven without a license ? I have. I didn’t get my license until I was 21 and already I had racked up a bunch of miles . Never got caught and no medical card either. Never once was I asked to produce either one so I found it unnecessary to have one . Finally I went to work for an O/O and he suggested that a license and med card would be preferable so I got one of each. The point I’am trying to say is this whether any one has or doesn’t have a license won’t matter because they will drive any .Today it will be kind of stupid but people will get away with and keep on driving . Now I’ll shut up .
bob says
Distracting children in the back seat cause more accidents. Filed under why distracted driving laws are nonsense.