Why my CB radio is on all the time, and why yours should be, too

Except for the fact that in Washington and California at least, it is illegal to use a mobile device while driving,unless it's in hands-free mode. There is no such restriction on CBs. That includes using apps (Google Maps, Waze, etc.).

 

The only problem with relying on that is when you get into areas where it flat out doesent work, due to limitations by the provider. Like I80 through Wyoming. I know with my service provider, Sprint, I wont see reliable signal from just about the UT/WY border till Cheyenne, Then from the outskirts of Cheyenne until near Grand Island NE. Alot can happen in that stretch. Especially in winter. Thats one of the areas where my CB gets turned up and the radio turned down.

 

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2001, heading down to Houston, missed the chatter on the CB about a bear rolling NB, I was SB, she whipped a U-turn and pulled me over. Asked why I didn't hear the chatter on the CB about her, pointed out that it was unplugged, and solely being used as a paperweight, she let me off with a warning. Nowadays, I just pay closer attention.

 

Everyone promoting Waze, true story about Waze, heading across I-70 in Denver one afternoon, Waze starts showing multiple speed traps ahead. Interesting, so the cops are levitating? See, the speed traps were alleged to be on the elevated portion of I-70, which has no shoulder, no place for the cops to park, not to mention it was 4:45 in the afternoon, rush hour traffic, traffic is crawling at maybe 20 mph. As I rolled across 70 heading to pickup in Golden, I see all these speed traps appear, literally every mile or so one would pop up. To believe Waze, you would think every police dept. along I-70 had suddenly decided to run speed traps during rush hour.

Waze derives the majority of it's information, 95% from users, all it takes is one person being a d-bag, to screw everything up by posting false information, or out of date information. I can sit at my house, 10 miles from the nearest interstate and post misleading information any hour of the day on that interstate, and nothing to verify or fact check it.

 

That is mostly correct. However, it is also edited by its users (see the "Not here" button when there's an alert? That's what it's for). Users with higher ranking are given more credence when posting reports or "Not Here". In areas with high commuter concentration, the odds of a crank posting false reports are usually quickly negated by one or more highly ranked users passing the same area in a similar time frame.

Also, in some instances you'll get many "Police" reports clustered on both sides along a certain stretch. That's a pretty good sign that there is one officer roving around, since people tend to post Police reports when there is a car pulled over, as well as when there is a speed trap.

 

I'm looking at Waze right now, according to someone on Waze, there is a traffic accident at the intersection two blocks from my house, I can see that intersection, there is no accident............three days ago, there was an accident.

BTW, that tapping on whatever buttons while driving to indicate that problem, accident or cop............IS CALLED DISTRACTED DRIVING. Nice.

 

Yeah but with Waze the PC snowflakes don't have to hear things that offend their fragile sensibilities--unlike that evil CB.

 

I never said anyone should rely on any advanced technology or give up old fashioned technology. Just saying it doesn't seem foolish to supplement your toolbox with any new tools that become available. Some asked why the CB seems to be in decline and I offered up some possible reasons.