Unbelievably scary

Another tragic — and unnecessary — death as a man driving-while-texting hit and killed a thirteen-year-old boy who was riding his bike on the side of the road.

Texting and driving strikes me as a danger to pedestrians, bikers, other drivers, passengers, &c. of totally different magnitude than we've seen. It's a total distraction. Look no farther than the driver in the story above who thought he'd hit a mailbox. Texting is becoming more and more of a mainstream activity, so the temptation to text while driving and the incidence is only going to grow. And, there doesn't seem to be any way to physically prevent it.

When I'm riding my bike, I assume that the people driving behind me are aware of my presence. I ride so people can see me. I wear bright clothes. And, I use lights at night.

I rely on the fact that drivers are paying some attention to the road in front of them.

In the case of texting drivers, the reliance is misplaced. I don't know how, as a biker, I can get the attention of someone with their eyes and one hand on their cellphone for an extended period.

That changes the dynamic.