Personally I think we forget to enjoy and live life these days. Most people are way to concerned with staying in touch with everyone.

Moni

I have something not exactly the same but similar. With in the last year a dear friend was on his way to share with us and close friends a weekend in spiritual works and retreat. He called and left this message. "Hi guys I'm broke down in (a podunk town about 2 hr drive away) the bike should be fixed in and hr or so. I'll be a little late so if you want to start on schedule go ahead I'll show up asap. I have good feelings something is really special about tonight. I Love you both." We got the message on voice mail just about 1 hr after it was sent. We tried to call back but couldn't get thru to him. Rain was pouring hard in that area and signal was never good there anyway. We figured he was fixed and on his way or still waiting but he would call again when he got our message or show up. 3&1/2 hrs later we got the call from Highway Patrol his motorcycle had been hit head on by a drunk driver and he died instantly. I still have that message on my voice mail and I have had it copied to a file on my pc as well. I listen to it and feel better knowing he was looking forward to something "really special" and he Loves us. Sometimes knowing you were thought about and loved by someone who has moved on to the next realm (something really special for those of my beliefs) is a blessing. so Yes even if I didn't get the message until later I would want to have a message from a loved one if they could.

LIL

Sorry about your friend, Lil. That's very sad.

As to the OP, of course I would want to know my DH was thinking of me right before he died. I would then know that our relationship had given him some comfort in his time on earth and it was something he thought about above and beyond himself. Extra worry? Like you are not going to have a lifetime of worry anyway.

Yep. I'd want it. Most people don't look at texts while driving anyway, not sure why this would be a concern?

Lil, I can certainly understand how you treasure that message. I have some messages from a deceased loved on my pc and backed up onto a thumbdrive.

P&P - I think that the person who sent that was understandably panicked, had the texter taken a moment to think, he may have sent a message that simply said, "I love you". Texting someone that the "plane is going down" or something else that they absolutely can do nothing about it probably not the kindest thing to do. But, you say that you would have liked to have that information - so I guess the most important thing is to know your audience!

If you're reading your text messages while you're driving, odds are you're the one who will be buried before the person who sent it to you.

I see nothing wrong with what this man did. He wanted his wife to know, "I love you", and she was his concern while he thought me might die.

It would have been nice to know my husband was thinking of me also. That is the first texting I have seen that makes me think it's worthwhile.

I will not text, I will call on the phone so I can hear my loved one or friend's voice. I think people who can't get along without texting are addicted just as if it was drugs. I do like the other options on smart phones a lot, but for me it would be a very expensive toy.

Waaaaaa! I have to fly on Mon. and of course it's Southwest. I hate, hate to fly. Yes, I know they're checking the planes now. The thought of that flight puts a knot in my stomach.

"Most people don't look at texts while driving anyway, not sure why this would be a concern?"

?? Really?? It is common around here. And not just young kids. I was almost run down by a police car while walking in a crosswalk and the cop was texting (I could see him as he whizzed by me).

In that situation I think it would be better to send a text that says "I was thinking of you and love you". If the unthinkable does happen the person will but 2 and 2 together and realize when and why the text was sent. And if it doesn't happen the sender won't cause a heart attack, anxiety attack, or car accident with his text.

I think when the roof rips off an airplane, the last thing I would think about is, "where is my husband right now, and how should I word this?"

the city of Calgary has passed a bylaw that comes into effect July 1st. If anyone is caught on their cell phone while driving, they are fined. You are not even allowed to drink a coffee while driving. Even when parked at a red light. It's about freaking time! Although I find the police the worst offenders of talking on their cell phones while driving. Using a blue tooth is allowed.

Fines didn't work here, so the new punishment is points on your license for talking or texting while driving. DK if its a new local or state law. When it first went through, people were interviewed on the news and sounded like that would make a difference, but I still see them as much as ever on their phones.

In fact pulling off a busy highway into the Y parking lot several times a week, most of the people exiting are on phones.

Debby, that's strange that you can still use a blue tooth. (No coffee--eek!!) The act of talking on a cell phone, even hands free, is distracting. I'm just surprised with such a strict law that they would allow that.

They allow blue tooth here, too. We can drink coffee, though.

Since you're not supposed to even have the phone on while the plane is flying, I think that guy was a bit of a jerk. If the use of electronics can possibly interfere with the jets electronics, he sure didn't do them any favors by using his at that time. Plus he probably scared his wife to death with his overreaction.

I wouldn't need a phone or text message from a loved one to know that they loved me and they wouldn't need one from me either.

Here's the newspaper article about our new laws. For some reason, I thought it was a city bylaw. I was wrong. It's a provincial law.

I don't see blue tooth more distracting than having your child in the back seat and you talking to your child, or the person in the seat next to you. While it is proven you still hold your head different when using your blue tooth, it's a lot better than a coffee in one hand, phone in the other and doing 100kph in a 60 zone... Yeah, I've seen it.

Here is a link that might be useful: New Alberta driving laws

You can use your phone after take off. The stewardess announces when you can turn it on.

Sorry should I forgot to mention one thing. A lot of them do text while driving, I even saw a man reading his newspaper. He had it resting on the steering wheel, but that is really unusual. Having a hands free is safer than talking to the person next to you. My family worried about me driving alone on a family trip so they had someone ride with me. I found out it's more dangerous to have someone in the car than driving alone, we talked the whole way.

Every flight I've been on, in the US, requires cell phones to be turned off or switched to "airplane mode", which stops it from transmitting. I'm thinking it's an FAA and/or FCC requirement.

I saw on the news that a lot of people were actually filming all that was happening on their cell phones. I was astonished, to say the least. The last thing I would do would be to whip out my phone and start taking pictures. It was probably all young people. I'm not that comfortable with a cell phone.

Vala...you can not use your phone as a phone anytime on the plane...but you can put it on airplane mode and play or wifi with it!

I just pray I'm never in this situation...I honestly don't know what I would do...I know what I'm supposed to do but reality presents a whole nuther story...

I saw a bumper sticker that read something like "Honk if you love Jesus; If you want to meet him in person, keep texting"

That should be enough of a warning.......

I don't think there is anything wrong with what that man did. At the time a plane is already on it's way down, damaged that badly, it's hardly a problem that he turned on his phone. Remember the people who called loved ones from their cell phones during 9/11, from that plane that eventually crashed into a field? THe man on a plane going down doesn't have any way to know whether his wife is driving a car, at work, or doing the dishes. He wanted to tell her that in his last moments, he was thinking of her, and loved her, and what's wrong about that? No one ever said the wife was driving a car at the time. That was just speculation.

On my flight they said you can turn on your electronics now. They did not specify any type. one would assume it meant any kind. They should be more specific.

You are supposed to turn off phones and all electronics (that have on/off switch) during take-off and landing.
After that you are allowed to use any electronic device that does not transmit. (I believe at a certain altitude you lose connectivity to any cell phone towers anyway)
Even though you are supposed to turn OFF phones, you would be surprised at how many I have heard ring during descending/landing.
Knowing you are going to crash...well I would try like mad to call and talk to someone. My phone would be turned on, and I would try and try and try to get a signal. Texting can be done and sent without a signal, it will not transmit until one is found.

BTW - I think it is highly unlikely that any cell phone frequency can interfere with air traffic transmissions....but I'll play by the rules. I think turning things off has more to do with being able listen to direction and not have clutter in your lap or the aisle in case of emergency.

Salgal, I have thought the same as your last sentence. After all, if using an electronic could put everyone's life in danger by messing up pilot control, I would think that such things would be screened for as much as weapons and liquids.