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Why I Write
When I write, I draw on my experiences as a woman with a painful past, a rapturous wife and mother, a world traveler, and a spiritualist. For me, writing is an art form. Like an artist, the work becomes more than I imagined it would be. When I set out to write a story with a particular idea or character in mind, words I cannot claim as my own flow from a magical and mysterious place through me and onto paper. The work takes on a life of its own; it is living art. The process fascinates me, satiates me, and makes my life more meaningful. Please read my stories! If you would like to offer me feedback on my work, please click here and sign up for a free membership: https://heftynicki.Writing.com I hope to see you there!
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Blog, Blog, Blog
#702870 added August 1, 2010 at 5:48pm
Restrictions: None
Don't Do It...Evah!
Please Never Text and Drive...
...Distracted Drivers Are As Deadly As Drunk Drivers!


Other distracting activities include:


*Bullet* Using a cell phone
*Bullet* Eating and drinking
*Bullet* Talking to passengers
*Bullet* Grooming
*Bullet* Reading, including maps
*Bullet* Using a PDA or navigation system
*Bullet* Watching a video
*Bullet* Changing the radio station, CD, or Mp3 player.

Did You Know?
Research on distracted driving reveals some surprising facts:


*Bullet* In 2008, slightly more than almost 20 percent of all crashes in the year involved some type of distraction. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - NHTSA).

*Bullet* Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted driver, and more than half a million were injured. (NHTSA)

*Bullet* The younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.

*Bullet* Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

*Bullet* Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)

(The above facts were copied from the Official US Government Website For Distracted Driving.
Please visit the site today: DISTRACTION.gov  Open in new Window.)



I have a steadfast rule in my car: NO CELL PHONE USAGE. I won't answer a call, not even with a blue tooth accessory. I won't read or respond to a text message. If my kids are in the car with me, and if it's appropriate, I ask them to type a text I dictate, or answer the phone. Otherwise, I wait until I'm parked, engine off, to use my phone.

My cell phone voice mail message is: "Hello! I'm either away from my phone or driving the car, but I'll call you back as soon as possible. Until then, have a great day!" Of course, I worry that someone may take me for a snooty Oprah-wannabe. But if that message-leaver is a friend or family member I love, making the call from her car, and she is reminded not to risk her life or the lives of others by driving distractedly, then I don't care if labels are cast on me.

Some things are worth that climb atop the soap box *Smile*



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