No, she stayed. It turns out she was in my English class the year before.

Both my sisters have done that before. Except the car wasn't on. Gotta love old cars with no shift interlocks. Luckly, I was there with them so I was able to put the car back in park. Kinda hard to reach the brake pedal when you're 10 y/o and the car's a floor shifter.

When I visited America recently (LA, San Francisco and Las Vegas), I noticed loads of people talking on cellphones while they were driving, far more than I see on British roads. I found it rather disgusting, and I can't believe they all get away with it, if I was a cop in any one of those cities I'd be pulling loads of people over. If you must talk on the phone while you're driving (I wonder how many people are making important calls while driving or are just being assholes making social chat calls), at least get hands-free kit (I'm not sure how they cost) so you can have both hands on the wheel while you're driving. Americans also seem to have a habit of driving too close behind each other.

Actually, beginning in 2008, it will be illegal for drivers in California to drive while talking on a cellphone. Bluetooths and other wireless devices are allowed, but cellphones will be banned while driving period. The law was supposed to go into effect earlier this year, but it got pushed back. Personally, I wouldn't want to waste my time pulling people over for that, unless I saw an imminent threat to others on the street. The CHP can handle that.

Ford Guy, are you a full time police officer? From reading your previous posts, I thought you were some kind of civilian support worker who went out in patrol cars with cops but wasn't actually a cop.

Yes, Drivers in America are like that, but I know I won't be.

Actually, I take that back. During the summer I was siting in my grandmother's Acura and a red 2003 Thunderbird pulls up. She misjudged her distance and left a dent on the front bumper. Also a few days ago, I saw an Accord back into a parked car on a dirt parking lot. Got away when the owner came back. No damage but it was a hit and run. At lease I got the plate number just in case.

That's embarrassing.

When I’m in the car, I leave my cell turned off along with the laptop PC. If someone needs to get up with me, they have to wait until I have reached my destination. I just use it in the car for any emergencies that may arise. The only problem is finding a damn cell phone that will actually work. Right now the cell phone I have and it’s network provider work better than any previous phone setup I have ever had.

I reply to my cell phone only after having parked the car. So if I cannot park the car quickly I do not reply to the phone.

Funny story, I was on vacation in LA recently when I saw an accident on Hollywood Boulevard. There was a movie premiere at Graumann's Egyptian theatre, and a girl who was distracted by it crashed her Jetta into a Honda Element, which in turn crashed into a Pontiac. The crowd of tourists nearby laughed at the girl, and she had to be consoled by the police officer.

I did start off as a volunteer support worker. Then I decided to become a reserve law enforcement officer, which I am right now. I don't get paid for my services, but I do hope to become a full-time member in a few years. Right now, I'm concentrating on finishing up school and doing a few other things. When you joing a profession like law enforcement, it's always good to have a back-up plan in case something happens, so school is important to me right now.

[quote=ford_guy,14115] When you joing a profession like law enforcement, it's always good to have a back-up plan in case something happens [quote]

You mean in case you get shot or injured in the line of duty?

In Britain part-time volunteer policemen are called Special Constables. They still have the same powers as regular police officers, but I don't think they recieve regular pay. Members of the Territoral Army (part-time soldiers) get paid for their time though.

Right, in case anything happens. Right now, I'm not quite ready to go full-time, but the Special Constables do sound like our counterparts across the pond by the way you describe them.

I went on holiday to Paris last year. A new Beetle cabrio was parked next to a Twingo and they were touching! It seemed that no one really
cared. Also a diplomat stopped in the middle of the road at the pont de l'alma and went to buy a newspaper !