Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! 
Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to 
Being a GenXer, I am in the nebulous region between technophobe and technophilic.
I ride with my smartphone always on an X-grip. Other than the initial set up prior to riding off, once my gloves are ON, I don't interface with it much, if ever. And unless I'm using it for GPS, the screen stays dark. It does light up when I get a call, which is rare but good for checking the number and screening the call. It's even rarer that I actually take the call while riding, but I do think the ability to do so can be invaluable.
Texting is just another form of communication. There is nothing inherently evil about it. Before my oldest left for college, quite often I actually prefer to text him, even if he is just upstairs in his own room. It's more discrete, saves me a trip up the stairs, and heck of a lot better than yelling on top of my lungs. Now that he's in college, it works even better. The flexibility of being able to mix synchronous/asynchronous actually makes communication far more efficient, if utilized appropriately.
That said, like any form of communication, there are proper etiquette. If I am in a face-to-face conversation, I do not check my phone. People that do irks me to no end. Even when my phone rings, I just click it off and check later.
Smartphone is a powerful tool. As with any powerful tool, the temptation to over-use and abuse is great. When I taught my son to drive, I told him if I ever catch him texting while driving, he can kiss his car goodbye... and he knows I wasn't kidding. Tool is just a tool. It's he who wields the tool that can be dangerous.
I ride with my smartphone always on an X-grip. Other than the initial set up prior to riding off, once my gloves are ON, I don't interface with it much, if ever. And unless I'm using it for GPS, the screen stays dark. It does light up when I get a call, which is rare but good for checking the number and screening the call. It's even rarer that I actually take the call while riding, but I do think the ability to do so can be invaluable.
Texting is just another form of communication. There is nothing inherently evil about it. Before my oldest left for college, quite often I actually prefer to text him, even if he is just upstairs in his own room. It's more discrete, saves me a trip up the stairs, and heck of a lot better than yelling on top of my lungs. Now that he's in college, it works even better. The flexibility of being able to mix synchronous/asynchronous actually makes communication far more efficient, if utilized appropriately.
That said, like any form of communication, there are proper etiquette. If I am in a face-to-face conversation, I do not check my phone. People that do irks me to no end. Even when my phone rings, I just click it off and check later.
Smartphone is a powerful tool. As with any powerful tool, the temptation to over-use and abuse is great. When I taught my son to drive, I told him if I ever catch him texting while driving, he can kiss his car goodbye... and he knows I wasn't kidding. Tool is just a tool. It's he who wields the tool that can be dangerous.
.