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First of all, I love being able to talk on my Bluetooth phone while riding to and from work. I get a lot of the necessary conversations out of the way on my commute . I also find it extremely useful when I need to call someone in case I'm stuck in traffic getting home and won't be in time to pick up my kid.

Okay.....
Positives are endless but there are a few things that piss me off about this unit as well.

The positives and some negatives:


I love the remote on the handlebars. This is by far the best feature as my hand never leaves where it is supposed to be. There are 5 buttons on the remote: >, <, +, --, and a source button on the back (controlled by your thumb).
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At first I found that this got in the way of my turning indicator controls but I quickly got used to that. You can toggle between "FM", "Bluetooth Stereo", and "Phone" as the "Source". Supposedly you can wire in a device as well (ie iPod or other) as an additional "Source", but I have yet to try this. (For those with GPS: You can connect this to a Garmin Zumo).
The one caveat about the handlebar remote is that sometimes (literally not more that 2% of the time) the buttons have a delayed effect and freeze. For instance I press the source button and nothing happens until another 2 seconds or nothing happens at all. In which case I turn the unit off and on (which requires my hand going up to my ear to hold down the button) and I'm all set.

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

If you are in the middle of listening to music on any of the "sources" and the device is connected to you phone (via Bluetooth) it will automatically interrupt your music and announce who is calling, when you hang up it will resume the music.

The Parrot automatically imports your phonebook upon connection to your phone and then gives you the option to voice dial. Which is a really nice !
Unit: Who do you want to call
Me: "name"
Unit: Home, Work, Cell Phone
Me: Cell phone
Unit: Calling "name" cell phone
Ring... you get the idea

The unit also has an option to increase volume as the ambient noise increases so you can go from a stop light to cruising at 60mph and still here the radio or other person on the line. This function is great but doesn't react real-time to the ambient noise levels, so it lags about a 1 or 2 seconds behind which makes me say "I'm sorry can you say that again" as I'm accelerating, and makes the other person voice exceedingly loud when I decrease my speed quickly.

The sound quality is good and the volume goes high enough for me. I find volume mostly depends on the helmet as opposed to the speakers. In my few months old HJC IS-MAX the volume is plenty, but in my old Hawk helmet the volume seemed a bit low.
⚠️ Last edited by DaniFly on UTC; edited 1 time
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Regarding the FM radio it pisses the shit out of me that if I want to toggle between station 1 and station 2 i have to manually go through all the channels 92.8>100.7. I wish they would add a preset function on this unit as that was the only real reason I was thinking about not getting it.
But....

I got it anyways and I'm very happy with it.

Hope this helps.

Dani
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The main negative is that you are riding distracted.

If the only one you were endangering was yourself, I'd keep my mouth shut... but -- even on a scooter -- you are endangering others, and that's everybody's business.
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SILVER GPS systems could be considered a distraction also but a lot of people have them. Personal choice like anything else
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Sorry, Judy, I don't buy it.

I've been hit three times in six years -- twice in the cage and once on the scoot -- by distracted drivers on cellphones, never by a GPS user.

I'm all for the personal choice argument when the only one affected is yourself, but not when you are making yourself a menace to others.
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I just like the name.

I foresee Jimmy Buffett putting a Margaritaville wrapper on it and selling it for twice as much. Clown emoticon
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1drunkparrot wrote:
I just like the name.

I foresee Jimmy Buffett putting a Margaritaville wrapper on it and selling it for twice as much. Clown emoticon
haha =1

sad but true on the Buffett comment.
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Silver Streak wrote:
Sorry, Judy, I don't buy it.

I've been hit three times in six years -- twice in the cage and once on the scoot -- by distracted drivers on cellphones, never by a GPS user.

I'm all for the personal choice argument when the only one affected is yourself, but not when you are making yourself a menace to others.
How many times were you hit on by a driver using a voice activated cell phone?
Maybe we should ban radio listening in cars as it distracts drivers....

I wear a FF helmet, do you? what? that right its none of my Fucking business, because it's you choice. I never passed judgment on you.

If you find yourself distracted dont buy one.
But for everyone else, I thought it would be nice to share my experience, as this is a review.

PS- I like the speakers because they allow you to hear what is going on, much better then the ear buds IMO.
And i also like not being distracted by vibrating, chiming cell phones because it just announces who is calling . and you dont have to take your eyes of the road to dial either.

IMHO there is a big difference between a cell phone that you either have to look at to dial or answer, and a cell phone that you never have to look away from the road (such as the parrot). I;d be interested in a study that takes that into account (but that besides the point, this is a REVIEW of a product that some if not many have thought of purchasing)
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DANI thanks for taking the time to review and post. I think GPS units yabbering away or me having to look at them, are way more distracting than cell phones. I will stand by my personal choice statement. I'm with you and personally can't see how the parrot would be distracting. IMHO I had a kenwood stereo system in my honda helix years ago and i loved it The helix had a windshield which allowed me to hear it surprisingly well when at higher speeds I miss that scooter
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Silver Streak wrote:
The main negative is that you are riding distracted.
Well, since your being all bitchy about safety, I won't share my review of my ride home wearing my new Myvu video Shades.

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judy wrote:
I think GPS units yabbering away or me having to look at them, are way more distracting than cell phones.
I find looking for street signs way more distracting than a voice saying "in 400 feet turn right"
Only time I need to look at the GPS is if the intersection in confusing, and a quick glace to see which way the purple line is going takes about half a second.

Wayne B
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For what it is worth, one generally does not know one is distracted until the distraction results in a noticeable consequence. That is why we would turn off reception of the aircraft radios to the pilot at the controls during hovering, takeoff and landing. Lots of research on the subject, and the NHTSA has recently presented legitimate research data showing that "hands free" cell phone usage is a hazardous distraction.

I do have to throw my vote in with Silver Streak. Any distraction voluntarily accepted on roads where others are driving is a highly questionable act, as the results can be injurious or deadly to another driver. What you do to yourself is a different issue.

Al
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Aviator47 wrote:
For what it is worth, one generally does not know one is distracted until the distraction results in a noticeable consequence. That is why we would turn off reception of the aircraft radios to the pilot at the controls during hovering, takeoff and landing. Lots of research on the subject, and the NHTSA has recently presented legitimate research data showing that "hands free" cell phone usage is a hazardous distraction.

I do have to throw my vote in with Silver Streak. Any distraction voluntarily accepted on roads where others are driving is a highly questionable act, as the results can be injurious or deadly to another driver. What you do to yourself is a different issue.

Al
Al,
I agree with you that everything has the potential to distract a driver/rider from his/her main task of operating the vehicle.

CD's, GPS, Radio, Cell Phone, "Hands free" cell phones etc all have the potential to distract the operator of the vehicle making him a hazard to everyone else on the road.
Even Modulators that flash bright lights into oncoming traffic, highly reflective gear that does the same, or simply that your likelihood of getting into an accident on two wheels (sand, leaves gravel etc) is a hazard to everyone else on the road.

So in the interest of decreasing the hazard shouldn't a voice activated cell phone be a good thing??
I know that NO CELL PHONES would be better. Maybe we should ban scooters/MCs for the sake of other drivers. We all know that you more likely to distract other driver on you're new GTS Super, and an accident on a scoot leaves unnecessary debris in the road. Benito just left some oil on the road courtesy of a bad dip stick......
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Aviator47 wrote:
For what it is worth, one generally does not know one is distracted until the distraction results in a noticeable consequence. That is why we would turn off reception of the aircraft radios to the pilot at the controls during hovering, takeoff and landing. Lots of research on the subject, and the NHTSA has recently presented legitimate research data showing that "hands free" cell phone usage is a hazardous distraction.

I do have to throw my vote in with Silver Streak. Any distraction voluntarily accepted on roads where others are driving is a highly questionable act, as the results can be injurious or deadly to another driver. What you do to yourself is a different issue.

Al
So you are saying, it's more distracting to look up and try and find a street sign, than to look down at my GPS for 1 second?
Hum?
That makes no sense at all. If I knew where I was going I wouldn't be using the GPS. So looking at the GPS, that I know exactly where it is, is safer than looking for a street sign that I don't have a clue where it is, Right?
And I don't have to try a read the GPS, just see where a line is going.

Wayne B
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Remember when you had to pull off the road to look at a map, or when you had to pull into a gas station to use a phone?

I'd fucking ban everything in cars other than a stereo that only goes to a marginal degree of volume.
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That makes a lot of sense
If you ever run for office let me know. I will do everything in my power to make sure you don't get elected.

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Al & WAYNE. What's distracting for one person may not be for another. Getting on a scooter when your mad makes you distracted IMHO. For me GPS units are a distraction. I don't use them. Just my thoughts and DANI shouldn't be getting jumped on for doing a review. Blue Tooth devices are legal. Don't know if all states allow it but NY and HI do. Just my opinions.
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Wayne B wrote:
So you are saying, it's more distracting to look up and try and find a street sign, than to look down at my GPS for 1 second?

Wayne B
With a road sign your focus is still on the road?

Interesting article in this mornings NYTIMES updates....

TECHNOLOGY | October 01, 2009
Driven to Distraction: At 60 M.P.H., Office Work Is High Risk
By MATT RICHTEL
For those who have turned their vehicles into wired offices, constant contact and work efficiency outweighs the risk of a wreck.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/technology/01distracted.html?emc=eta1
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judy wrote:
Al & WAYNE. What's distracting for one person may not be for another. Getting on a scooter when your mad makes you distracted IMHO. For me GPS units are a distraction. I don't use them. Just my thoughts and DANI shouldn't be getting jumped on for doing a review. Blue Tooth devices are legal. Don't know if all states allow it but NY and HI do. Just my opinions.
I used my bluetooth phone in Las Vegas traffic everyday for ten years. I would have argued for it's safety. I do find it very different on a scooter. I'm not quick enough to handle the distraction scooting. So I don't....but that doesn't earn me any high ground.
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LOUIS i don't use my bluetooth on my scooter either. Don't use it in my car very much either. Walking and talking on the cell gets me in trouble
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It's amazing we got as far as we are without being instantly reachable all the time and anywhere.

I mean we put a man on the moon when we had paper maps and black and white TV.

We won two world wars with little better than the telegraph and the postal service.

I think people just like the idea that they're very important and that people will need their input all the time.

It's a car (scooter), not a living room.

My outlook is: You can wait. I am not available when you want to talk to me, I am available when I decide I want to be.

It's strange we built up the country when if you missed a phone call you had no idea you missed one unless they called back when you were there.

I always ask at meetings: Can you have the meeting without me? If the answer is yes I don't go.

I think I use about 15 minutes a month on my phone plan. I send about 200 texts a month - the majority of those are 2 am booty calls.
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I confess to using bluetooth quite a bit in my car. But I do find it distracting when there's a delay, or for some reason I have to start fiddling with the buttons to do a reset or just waiting and nothing happens at all. I would only use a bluetooth device on my scooter when I was not moving. It's better than taking my helmet off and digging my phone out of some pocket where it's buried. I also don't use my iPod when I ski. I've also never had an an accident on the road, so personally I consider other drivers much more dangerous than I am. IMHO
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CORSA IFP wrote:
It's amazing we got as far as we are without being instantly reachable all the time and anywhere.
No ones disputing that
Quote:
I mean we put a man on the moon when we had paper maps and black and white TV.

We won two world wars with little better than the telegraph and the postal service.
and the relation this has to how good or bad the Parrot SK4000 is?
Quote:
I think people just like the idea that they're very important and that people will need their input all the time.
Some people are(obviously not you).
or......here is comes..... CONVENIENCE!.

You can't count how many times I was 10 minutes from work when someone called me and i had to go back. Better then going all the way home and then finding out I need to go back to the office, or it's to late etc.
Quote:
I think I use about 15 minutes a month on my phone plan. I send about 200 texts a month - the majority of those are 2 am booty calls.
Do you really expect anyone here to believe you get any ass when you have to keep reminding everyone of how much booty you get.

"What cracker is this same that deafs our ears With this abundance of superfluous breath?" -Will S.
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Quote:
Walking and talking on the cell gets me in trouble
And so it does everybody else. Just watch standing or walking people on the phone. Totally oblivious to the world around them, Bluetooth or handheld--no difference. Why should they be better when driving or riding?

Duh, wake up, before it is too late for you, or worse, for an innocent stranger.
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windbreaker wrote:
Duh, wake up, before it is too late for you, or worse, for an innocent stranger.
Wha? emoticon That was my point in previous threads! I guess we all have our own paths to safety.... Laughing emoticon
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louisq wrote:
windbreaker wrote:
Duh, wake up, before it is too late for you, or worse, for an innocent stranger.
Wha? emoticon That was my point in previous threads! I guess we all have our own paths to safety.... Laughing emoticon
there is a diff btwn ignorance and a calculated risk.
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DaniFly wrote:
Silver Streak wrote:
Sorry, Judy, I don't buy it.

I've been hit three times in six years -- twice in the cage and once on the scoot -- by distracted drivers on cellphones, never by a GPS user.

I'm all for the personal choice argument when the only one affected is yourself, but not when you are making yourself a menace to others.
How many times were you hit on by a driver using a voice activated cell phone?
Maybe we should ban radio listening in cars as it distracts drivers....

I wear a FF helmet, do you? what? that right its none of my Fucking business, because it's you choice. I never passed judgment on you.

If you find yourself distracted dont buy one.
But for everyone else, I thought it would be nice to share my experience, as this is a review.

PS- I like the speakers because they allow you to hear what is going on, much better then the ear buds IMO.
And i also like not being distracted by vibrating, chiming cell phones because it just announces who is calling . and you dont have to take your eyes of the road to dial either.

IMHO there is a big difference between a cell phone that you either have to look at to dial or answer, and a cell phone that you never have to look away from the road (such as the parrot). I;d be interested in a study that takes that into account (but that besides the point, this is a REVIEW of a product that some if not many have thought of purchasing)
Dani... hissy fits aside, you're missing the point completely and your logic definitely falls into the "does not follow" category.

As has been discussed in these pages before and as is documented by much research, the dangers of multitasking and the distractions that go along with it are a result of the brain's inability to deal with anything other than serial tasks... it has very little, if anything, to do with whether the hands are involved. Hands free... whatever... your brain is still somewhere else in moments when it needs to be focused on the road.

To respond to your totally irrelevant remarks concerning my helmet choices (to try to paint me as some sort of hypocrite, apparently), I'll reinforce a point that Al has often made about how a lot of folks -- you included, apparently -- confuse personal crash protection with safety. Safety involves the actions taken to prevent a mishap. Choices of gear to protect oneself in the event of a mishap have nothing to do with safety unless you happen to choose gear that might actually increase one's likelihood to have a mishap. In my case, I choose a helmet that I believe allows full use of my peripheral vision and head mobility to avoid mishaps, and I accept any risks that might befall me should I get into a mishap anyway. To my way of thinking, that makes me LESS of a hazard to others, so my helmet choice is not hypocritical or inconsistent with my philosophy at all.

On the subject of GPS, I'm somewhat ambivalent. I don't own one because I don't want my brain turned to mush by turning over all my reasoning powers to some machine, and I'm perfectly happy to pull over and consult a map if those powers fail me, but I can see where being spoon-fed directions might prevent some mental distractions. On the other hand, the few times I've used GPS in other folks' vehicles, I still find myself looking for street signs despite the directions.

If you like to ride, why spoil the experience and increase the danger to others by allowing distractions? Riding safely requires constant focus, and -- for me -- no cell phone calls, GPS, MP3 players, or radios are allowed to intrude. If your priorities deem cell phone calls so important that they must be dealt with while riding, then you shouldn't be riding... for the sake of everyone else on the road.

Some may read my attitude as arrogance; to me it's passion. Besides the three times I've actually been hit, I've had more close calls with distracted drivers than I can count. So... this is more than just a pet peeve with me... it's self-defense. And it IS my "fucking business".
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Silver Streak wrote:
I've been hit three times in six years -- twice in the cage and once on the scoot -- by distracted drivers on cellphones, never by a GPS user.
Anecdotal and backwards reasoning, unfortunately. Here's an example: how many of the people who hit you were white? black? Does that mean white people are bad drivers? This is actually precisely why I kept on pushing on the boots thread - your own personal experience is important, especially as it relates to your own driving and the safety of everyday experiences.

But your experiences in extraordinary circumstances (e.g., crashes) are almost always too unusual by their very definition to draw generalizable conclusions from them.

On the other hand, "I ride listening to music all the time and I'm fine" is just as anecdotal as "I don't wear a helmet, and I'm fine". So what I'm saying is: clearly distracted driving adds to your risk, but we're not sure by how much (or at least that risk elevation hasn't been substantiated in the thread, and I'm too busy to troll the NTSB reports looking for data). Taking absolute positions in either direction is premature.

As to whether or not technology has improved our lifestyle, that's an entirely different thing. Yeah, we put a man on the moon with the computational equivalent of an iphone. But then again, we're having this conversation *right now*, and couldn't have had it back then. As a matter of fact, I'm composing this post while I ride. I have a computer projector installed in my helmet and a virtual keyboard on my pants.
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windbreaker wrote:
louisq wrote:
windbreaker wrote:
Duh, wake up, before it is too late for you, or worse, for an innocent stranger.
Wha? emoticon That was my point in previous threads! I guess we all have our own paths to safety.... Laughing emoticon
there is a diff btwn ignorance and a calculated risk.
Exactly! The same point bluetooth users make.
I'm beginning to realize this discussion falls into the same realm as politics, religion and helmets.

My bad for getting in this thread.
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louisq wrote:
windbreaker wrote:
louisq wrote:
windbreaker wrote:
Duh, wake up, before it is too late for you, or worse, for an innocent stranger.
Wha? emoticon That was my point in previous threads! I guess we all have our own paths to safety.... Laughing emoticon
there is a diff btwn ignorance and a calculated risk.
Exactly! The same point bluetooth users make.
I'm beginning to realize this discussion falls into the same realm as politics, religion and helmets.

My bad for getting in this thread.
Yeah, I should have steered clear myself. But you know, I've gotta do something while I ride. Razz emoticon
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Razz emoticon
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UTC quote
Wayne B wrote:
So you are saying, it's more distracting to look up and try and find a street sign, than to look down at my GPS for 1 second?
Hum?
Wayne B
Did I address GPS in my post? I addressed the current research on cell phones, both hands on and hands free. At 30 mph, you travel 44 feet in one second. You tell me if taking your eyes off the road for one second poses a hazard.

Al
@silver_streak avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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UTC quote
pfooti wrote:
Silver Streak wrote:
I've been hit three times in six years -- twice in the cage and once on the scoot -- by distracted drivers on cellphones, never by a GPS user.
Anecdotal and backwards reasoning, unfortunately. Here's an example: how many of the people who hit you were white? black? Does that mean white people are bad drivers? This is actually precisely why I kept on pushing on the boots thread - your own personal experience is important, especially as it relates to your own driving and the safety of everyday experiences.

I was bringing this up to explain my personal interest in this issue (cell phones) and lack of much interest in the GPS argument, not to make a statistically valid point. Of course it's anecdotal.

Interestingly, though, the ONLY times I've been hit have been by cellphone users, so that does probably increase the statistical validity somewhat, despite the small sample size.
OP
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UTC quote
Silver Streak wrote:
Dani... hissy fits aside, you're missing the point completely and your logic definitely falls into the "does not follow" category.

As has been discussed in these pages before and as is documented by much research, the dangers of multitasking and the distractions that go along with it are a result of the brain's inability to deal with anything other than serial tasks... it has very little, if anything, to do with whether the hands are involved. Hands free... whatever... your brain is still somewhere else in moments when it needs to be focused on the road.

To respond to your totally irrelevant remarks concerning my helmet choices (to try to paint me as some sort of hypocrite, apparently), I'll reinforce a point that Al has often made about how a lot of folks -- you included, apparently -- confuse personal crash protection with safety. Safety involves the actions taken to prevent a mishap. Choices of gear to protect oneself in the event of a mishap have nothing to do with safety unless you happen to choose gear that might actually increase one's likelihood to have a mishap. In my case, I choose a helmet that I believe allows full use of my peripheral vision and head mobility to avoid mishaps, and I accept any risks that might befall me should I get into a mishap anyway. To my way of thinking, that makes me LESS of a hazard to others, so my helmet choice is not hypocritical or inconsistent with my philosophy at all.

On the subject of GPS, I'm somewhat ambivalent. I don't own one because I don't want my brain turned to mush by turning over all my reasoning powers to some machine, and I'm perfectly happy to pull over and consult a map if those powers fail me, but I can see where being spoon-fed directions might prevent some mental distractions. On the other hand, the few times I've used GPS in other folks' vehicles, I still find myself looking for street signs despite the directions.

If you like to ride, why spoil the experience and increase the danger to others by allowing distractions? Riding safely requires constant focus, and -- for me -- no cell phone calls, GPS, MP3 players, or radios are allowed to intrude. If your priorities deem cell phone calls so important that they must be dealt with while riding, then you shouldn't be riding... for the sake of everyone else on the road.

Some may read my attitude as arrogance; to me it's passion. Besides the three times I've actually been hit, I've had more close calls with distracted drivers than I can count. So... this is more than just a pet peeve with me... it's self-defense. And it IS my "fucking business".
Bravo Clap emoticon Clap emoticon

Don't you think as a fellow poster that this would have been a discussion much more appropriate in a Safety thread or cell phone thread instead of a review thread?
That is what my "hissy fit" is really about as I've stated before in bold.

Personally insulting my logic : priceless
So your telling me M/C's that get into accidents (bec. there is sand, gravel or what have you) on a local roads and causes harmful debris to an oncoming vehicle, doesn't follow your line of reasoning..... I see.

I'm sorry that I took the time to review something. That clearly wont happen again.
@silver_streak avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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UTC quote
DaniFly wrote:
Bravo Clap emoticon Clap emoticon

Don't you think as a fellow poster that this would have been a discussion much more appropriate in a Safety thread or cell phone thread instead of a review thread?
That is what my "hissy fit" is really about as I've stated before in bold.

Personally insulting my logic : priceless
So your telling me M/C's that get into accidents (bec. there is sand, gravel or what have you) on a local roads and causes harmful debris to an oncoming vehicle, doesn't follow your line of reasoning..... I see.

I'm sorry that I took the time to review something. That clearly wont happen again.
Hmm... by that line of reasoning, if I were to post a review about my favorite beer to sip while riding, I should take offense if someone criticizes my habit of drinking beer while riding. Okay...
@windbreaker avatar
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UTC quote
pfooti wrote:
So what I'm saying is: clearly distracted driving adds to your risk, but we're not sure by how much (or at least that risk elevation hasn't been substantiated in the thread, .
I can change that. IIRC, talking on the phone while driving is tested to be equally disabling as driving drunk with 0.08% of alcohol in your blood.

Argue that this is not hazardous.
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UTC quote
I am fairly disappointed that the OP took the time to offer a review of a product and was rewarded for his trouble with a referendum on whether he was a safe rider or not.

Way to encourage contribution, guys.

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