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[MarkG]

no pictures???

[OzzyKP]

El Transcripto:

Fox News - Teen Cell Phone Bans
June 28, 2005



Host: A lot of studies out there showing that driving and talking on the phone is a very dangerous mix, but what happens when you add youth and inexperience to all that? Some people now want to ban cell phones for teen drivers. Is that the answer to keeping us all safer on the roads or is it age discrimination? Joining us now, President of the National Youth Rights Association, Alex Koroknay-Palicz, and also here, Barbara Harsha, she's the Executive Director of the Governor's Highway Safety Association. Barbara, first you, should teen drivers be treated any differently than the rest of us?

Barbara Harsha: Yes, they should. Um, teen drivers are 6.4 percent of all licensed drivers, but they're involved in 18.4 percent of all motor vehicle crashes that result in 13 percent of all fatalities.

Host: Ok, so let's just get the stats in there and see how Alex responds. Alex, it's hard to respond to statistics like that.

Alex Koroknay-Palicz: Well, I mean, those statistics don't really talk about the issue here, which is cell phones and cell phone use is distracting for all drivers whether you're 30 or 40 or 50 years old, or whether you're 16, so to put a ban just on one segment of the population, we think is unfair discrimination and we shouldn't stand for that. And whatever law you're gonna have, you should treat the population equally.

Host: Barbara, what about it? Is it because of the attention span of teenagers or what?

Barbara: Well, it's mostly because they are, um, inexperienced drivers. They, they don't, uh, have, have the, judgement, they don't have fully developed judgement, are easily distracted. We know from the research that passengers also distract, uh, young drivers, so anything that distracts a young driver is something that should, uh, be gotten rid of and we really wanna help young drivers focus on the task of driving.

Host: Well, Alex, there is a learning curve to everything, particularly with driving, something as complicated as that. While you're in that beginning stage of the learning curve, shouldn't you have all your attention focused on driving and not be distracted by a cell phone?

Alex: Well, two points. First of all, that learning curve can start at any point. Y'know, there are new drivers that start driving at 18 or 25 even and they don't have to have any of the restrictions that teen drivers have.

Host: Lemme stop you right there. Barbara, what about that? Shouldn't this apply to anybody, no matter how old, if they're a beginner driver?

Barbara: It, it should. It should apply to any novice driver and I think some states are considering doing that.

Host: Alright, so Alex you won on that point, what's your next point?

Alex: Ah, the next is that, y'know, studies show that the problem with teens using cell phones while driving is there reaction time is the same as a senior citizen. Now, think about that as, if a senior citizen not on a cell phone has poor reaction times, what we're doing is penalizing youth for being no worse or not better than senior citizens we, y'know, let off the hook.

Host: Let's throw that back to Barbara. What about senior citizens if, in fact, their reaction time is the same as teenagers, shouldn't they have the same restrictions, Barbara?

Barbara: Um, well, um, very few senior citizens use cell phones that I know of [nervous laugh], um, and what we wanna do is not penalize teens but protect them. Um, they're clearly over-involved in crashes. Uh, we know that there are things they do that distract them from the driving test-- task, so why not, um, prevent them from driving distracted.

Host: Understood, but if, in fact, senior citizens have the same attention deficit problems that teenagers do. If seniors have the same as teenagers, shouldn't both groups be disallowed here?

Barbara: No, actually, older drivers are, on a per capita basis, are far less involved in crashes than, than teenagers. So, that doesn't--

Host: Probably because of the speed they're driving at, I would suspect, but that--

Barbara: Well, they're self-limiting drivers as well.

Host: Ok, alright, well, Barbara Harsha and Alex Koroknay-Palicz, we thank you both for coming in and let us know how this shakes out, ok.

Alex: Thank you.

Barbara: Thank you very much.

[OzzyKP]

And here is the audio: http://www.snipeme.com/sounds/Alex_FoxNews_June28.mp3

[Jaguar]

Meh, they should give you longer segments.

[mrmitchell]

Ozzy, you're my hero.

Maybe if you keep filling bits every now and then for them they'll give you a big part. They seem to like you.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Reading the transcript, I don't see the promised pwnage . The point about Seniors being involved in less crashes (whether or not it is because they drive so) is a good point on her side.

Frankly it seems they wanted someone to back only have cell phone/teenager restrictions and picked someone who wants restrictions on all new drivers (which would mostly affect teens, after all).

[JohnT]

The pwnage wasn't necessarily in the argument, but how the interviewer went over to Ozzy's side and started cracking jokes at Barbara's expense:

Barbara: No, actually, older drivers are, on a per capita basis, are far less involved in crashes than, than teenagers. So, that doesn't--

Host: Probably because of the speed they're driving at, I would suspect, but that--

Taking control of a televised debate is classic pwnage. ;

[DRoseDARs]

Christ, has this Barbara person ever taken a public speaking class? So many Ums and Uhs...

[Lawrence of Arabia]

remember that time OZZYKP PWNED FOX NEWS??

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Jaguar
Ozzy

[Provost Harrison]

Over here it is illegal to drive and talk on a mobile at the same time full stop...the number of dickheads I see doing this and their driving seems to be significantly compromised...

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
Christ, has this Barbara person ever taken a public speaking class? So many Ums and Uhs...

She wasn't very smooth or polished, but honestly transcripts of these things always look worse then they sound. Listen to the audio, she doesn't sound that bad. Everyone has some uhs and ums. Beyond that though she was very monotone and wooden. She didn't come across well on camera either. I was lighter and more charismatic. But don't fault her some uhs.... too much at least. hehe.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Over here it is illegal to drive and talk on a mobile at the same time full stop...the number of dickheads I see doing this and their driving seems to be significantly compromised...

Not even with a hands-free device?

[Agathon]

Ozzy pwned Shrub's appearance. What a crap performance. Of course the CNN '***** are raving about it. Does anyone believe this **** any more?

Ozzy 4 Prez

[OzzyKP]

Thanks everyone for all the positive feedback. I really do appreciate it.

btw, if anyone was interested in what I had to say, or interested in the cause that I respresent I very much encourage everyone to go to http://www.youthrights.org and join the organization.

In one week we are having our annual election, all dues paying members are entitled to vote, and dues are just $10 a year. I'm running for Board again and I'd very much appreciate everyone's vote.