> "I've also noticed that when they notice movement in their peripheral, they start driving forward even when the light is red."
This has been the case for years. When people aren't paying attention they are pavlovian in staring forward when they notice movement around them. But this doesn't necessarily have to coincide with cell phone usage, just bad driving.
> They aren’t paying attention and when the light turns green they may either hit a pedestrian as they hurry to move...
This sounds like a different issue that can arise without phones being involved. Just because you look at your phone does not mean you need to be sheepish when you look back up. The problem is people are more worried about getting going than being safe.
> ...or not notice the green and be rear ended by a driver who expects them to begin moving.
If someone rear ends you when the light turns green that is 100% their fault. You can't start moving if the car in front of you is stopped. This has been the case long before the existence of phones.
I think his point is that the consequences of climate change are still down the road and just how bad it will be is yet to be seen. Harder to get people around on big changes due to climate change since we're a couple years off from big consequences. The impact from deforestation of the Amazon can be seen right now.
I'm right there with you. Most people write it off as paranoia and give the tired "Doesn't matter if you have nothing to hide". I think the problem is the only reason we have to convince people to change is just principles. There is no existential reason right now to convince people to change their behavior. Sure it's scary having large entities vacuum up our data and spy on us but so far there are no real bad effects on the users being spied on that I know of.
> The focus was fighter jocks, but I doubt most will end up flying commercially
My understanding from folks I've talked to in the airline business is that they generally want people who flew fighters. Those people who have previously taken aircraft to their maximum limits are not as freaked when things go wrong in the cockpit of an airliner.
Is it not unreasonable to believe that some things worth knowing or doing (A) are worth the prerequisite work (B)? If your class on data mining requires fundamentals in advanced databases why is it unreasonable to require people have taken that course to ensure the whole class is on the same page? Besides in most colleges you can sometimes skip those prerequisite courses if you can demonstrate adequate knowledge in those prerequisite.
This has been the case for years. When people aren't paying attention they are pavlovian in staring forward when they notice movement around them. But this doesn't necessarily have to coincide with cell phone usage, just bad driving.