The pilots are getting steering instructions when they are on the radio. That is part of "driving" the plane.

Also, pilots have autopilots and collision warning alarms to help them when they are not near airports.

What you are hearing on that scanner is not pilot talk over air traffic control frequencies. Such talk is banned.

You are hearing the airport maintenance, luggage, and plane towing crews on their frequencies. You will hear them identify with the planes they are servicing at the time, for location purposes. These people are often waiting to be used at the time they are yakking.

I agree completely. When I took driver's ed in high school, I can remember my insructor saying: "When you get behind the steering wheel of a vehicle, the ONLY thing that should have your undivided attention is the road and the others drivers on it." I used to eat while driving but I came to realize that I was engaging in similar behavior that cellphone users do. Recognizing my own hypocrisy, I now only drive when behind the wheel.

I both eat and drink (pop, not booze) while driving. I drive long distances, and my wife prepares the sandwiches or whatever, and puts them in a convenient place so I need not even look down to grab the food with one hand.

I only do it out in the open areas, where no cars are within maybe 30 seconds of me, and there are no nearby traffic risks.

Again, mindless, inflexible rules equally applying to all conditions are nonsense.

Anyone who eats; talks on the phone; fiddles with the radio; or any other distraction while driving in a close group of cars or trucks is engaging in dangerous practices. When the highway is wide open, you are pretty much alone, and you can see a mile ahead and a mile back, minor tasks are not dangerous at all.

I multi-task in my car all the time and while I've got my "rules" for keeping it as safe as possible (eye-makeup ONLY at red lights), rules were made for breaking. (But not that one) I try to only dial my cell when I'm stopped, then talk while driving... personally i think it's horrific that we do all the things we do while driving in cars - make-up, cells, reading the Wash Post behind the steering wheel during the morning rush; changing CD's, TEXTING!!!!! 15 yrs ago we didn't have all this technology in every home, car and teenagers' hands - what does that say about the STRESS level in our society. Why the need to have a phone glued to our ear - almost literally w/ those BORG looking earsets? But I have a related pet peeve, not so much a safety thing, just highly irritating -- Ever find yourself looking for a parking spot in a small, or not so small, parking lot and it's COMPLETELY FULL. Try counting up how many people are hanging out, in a parking spot, shooting the bress via wireless!!! Go to Starbucks, go home, GET OUT of the parking spot b/c somebody else needs it. Yesterday I saw this at a gas station. The car was right at the pump, 3 cars behind it; she wasn't pumping gas, just chatting up a buddy on the phone!!! thank you - i had to put that out there. seriously - i think businesses that depend on customers have a place to park need to be putting new signage in their parking lots "This lot has limited parking and is for customers only, not your personal phone booth. We appreciate your business, but kindly vacate your parking spot so as another customer is able to park."

Pilots on the radio are talking to the air traffic control to get instructions on where to fly. And oncoming planes are not just feet caway from their planes.

Clowns on cell phones are just yabbering (or worse, trying to do business, with all kinds of facts and figures).

Driver training won't help... ever been to Europe? Despite high fees and extensive training, Germans and Italians have got to be the WORST drivers on the planet!

Not having been to Germany; we cant say for sure but we know they have an autobahn were cars can go pretty fast. Yet to hear about massive car wrecks however due to yakking on the phone. Fog yes.

Anyone know if you can talk on the phone and drive in Europe?

I just came from europe this past Christmas. You are not allowed to talk and do pretty much anything else but driving. My counsin got a ticket of250 euros for talking on the phone. Also they got high speed cameras and high res ones to see if you do and stay on the fway. They also check for the vigneta, which is a day pass to use on the fway. Another thing that I loved is people moving out of your way as fast as they can to let you pass and you always have to drive on the right, unless you pass or drive faster to pass everyone else.

While I cannot speak from first hand experience, the many comments I have read about driving in Europe, especially on German autobahns, are consistently favorable. The biggest difference between here and there is that Europeans expect you to pay attention to surrounding traffic. The American attitude of "I'm in front; too bad for anybody behind me who wants to drive faster." isn't tolerated over there. Before changing lanes, take a good long look behind to make sure you won't cut off someone moving 50 mph faster. I do know that, despite generally higher speeds, the fatality rate is western Europe is no higher than it is over here.

Have you ever been behind someone who thinks talking on their cell phone causes accidents, so when their phone rings they slam on the brakes and swerve to the side of the rode to answer it "safely"?
Please! Talking while driving, cooking, or any other activity is not multi-tasking because your brain is constantly working. When you talk you are simply vocalizing your thoughts. Now when someone stops to think...that is when problems arise.

EXACTLY. I learned to fly before I learned to drive, and I was horrified, frightened, and aghast when I found out how little you have to learn before they hand you a DL.

On the other hand, pilots are a self-selecting crew, and drivers mostly aren't. It's not much different from K12 ed. I used to teach community college, and I will never forget spending 20 minutes on "What is a noun?" I mean you'd think this is simple, right? Person, place, thing? Half the class couldn't get it. Point to a chair. "Noun, yes or no?" Silence. "Is it a person?" Silence. "Is it a place?" "No." "Is it a thing?" "No." All native English speakers, mind. They'd all graduated high school.

The DMV people understand that there are limits to what you can expect from people who don't care.

There are at least 2 pilots, and conversation doesn't go on forever. It's short and concise.

Cell drivers never seem to know whose turn it is to move at a stop sign.

Just give them a call when it's their turn.

The good folks over at Morning Edition did a story on this just a few days ago: http://www...d=13781479

New York statistics from 2005 attribute less than 1 percent of traffic accidents to cell-phone use. But nearly one-quarter were noted as "driver inattention or distraction." Some studies have it as high as 80 percent. 

Yakking away, passing you in the right line with kids in the back seat -- makes me wonder. Yet, here in MA some of the drivers are horrible enough without cell phones. I personally never do, too distracting, even with the headset.

Has anyone been a passenger with the driver on the cell phone in a heated disscusion and your trying to tell them to pay attention , that they just almost sideswiped the old lady on the corner,and they look at you like ( no i didn't, your crazy) and DO YOU MIND i'm on the phone here...
I no longer drive with a ( Gabber)....
or in public transportation , had a driver of a bus on the phone asking her 5yrold what she did today....
there needs to be some ( not much ) refinement.

I'd grab the phone and throw it out the window.

i guess it depends on how the conversation is going as to if they have an accident of not...
Honey...you slept with who?-- will cause bodily harm
oh Honey, yes ..oh...yes...--- will also cause bodily harm....

My wife totalled my 2000 Honda Accord last year in April when she made a left turn into the path of a Chevrolet Suburban that was going 45mph. She swears that she looked before she turned, started to turn and then WHAM-O. She was quite fortunate and suffered only minor injuries (a testament to the safety of airbags and Hondas).

I took the time to drive to the crash scene and noticed that she had a sightline of over half a mile so it would have been IMPOSSIBLE not to see the Suburban.

Yes, she was on the phone when she turned into the path of the Suburban. The police say that if she had turned a half second sooner she would be dead due to the dynamics of the crash. She was so intent on her phone conversation (and she was even using a hands free ear piece) that she could have DIED. If using a hands free phone can make you NOT see a Suburban headed your way at 45 mph imagine what dialing a phone must do!!!

Unfortunatly I have had many occasions when someone has drifted into my lane or sat at a green light while talking on a cell phone. So far I have not been involved in any accident related to them, but I am sure many have.

I for one would hang up on someone if I knew they were calling me while driving (except for the rare occasion where they are getting directions to someplace they don't know and then they should dial while parked.).

It should be illegal and it should be prime facie evidence of guilt in an accident.