The message from recent news of car/pedestrian encounters is very clear: it is open season on anyone except motorists.  There should be heavy penalties for injuring anyone with an automobile, including loss of license, and more severe ones for a death.  And yet we debate and debate the point. When did distracted driving, for any reason, become all right?  A distracted driver is riding an unguided missile, and we can only hope no one gets in the way.