Using mobile phone when driving

[Dave48]

In spite of the generally accepted belief that using a phone while driving reduces concentration & the recent cases highlighted where drivers have caused fatal accidents due to using these at the wheel, I still see drivers daily using their phones.
There doesnt seem any point in government legislation that is practically unenforceable due to cut backs in police funding on the roads.
How about an automatic driving ban instead of some piddling fine or,at the very least, 11 points on licence.
As for the so-called professional drivers, lorry,coach,bus,van users-should be an automatic ban & compulsory retest
IMO phone use at wheel just as dangerous as drink/drug driving.

[darrsi]

There's a woman at my work, who in fairness is a shit driver anyway, we've all come to that conclusion watching her attempts at parking, but she will walk past me as i'm warming the bike up then start pulling away in her motor after just dialling someone up on the mobile AND then tries putting her seat belt on as well?
She looks like Harry Houdini trying to get out of a straitjacket in the front seat as she's swerving all over the place, it makes me quite mad.


The other day she's pulled up in front of a few of us, and the only space was next to my mates car.
As she pulled in i swiftly turned to look at my mate who's jaw just dropped when he realised the situation.
After she attempted the parking space at a 45 degree angle all you could hear was him growling "Don't you hit my car, don't you hit my car!!"
Then, after FOUR attempts, she gets the car in, then opens her door and hits his car. 


I shouldn't laugh, but the disappointment/anger on his face was simply a picture. 


The point is, she can't even sense the fact there's another bloody car in the way when she's trying to leave her stationary one, so what makes her think her attention span is any better when she's on the phone AND trying to put her seat belt on?
I think the dents all over her car answer those questions, and she literally is a danger to all once on the road.

[celticdog]

You right Dave,(&Darrsi) there's no excuse. I think long term it won't be an issue as the technology is being integrated within the car. E.g. your phone will automatically link with the car and all calls will go to car speaker with the caller's details displayed on the dash. In the meantime it seems as if we need to suffer these idiots.

[darrsi]

You right Dave,(&Darrsi) there's no excuse. I think long term it won't be an issue as the technology is being integrated within the car. E.g. your phone will automatically link with the car and all calls will go to car speaker with the caller's details displayed on the dash. In the meantime it seems as if we need to suffer these idiots.

But do we really need to chat whilst driving? Is it really that important? It wasn't 20 odd years ago and we seemed to get by okay.

[Dave48]

You right Dave,(&Darrsi) there's no excuse. I think long term it won't be an issue as the technology is being integrated within the car. E.g. your phone will automatically link with the car and all calls will go to car speaker with the caller's details displayed on the dash. In the meantime it seems as if we need to suffer these idiots.

But do we really need to chat whilst driving? Is it really that important? It wasn't 20 odd years ago and we seemed to get by okay.

Now I am an old foccer but what gets me is how people cant even walk down the street without their phone on talking to someone. Young & not so young women pushing buggies into road without looking for traffic. Even so-called "intelligent" university students walking out from pavement without any awareness of danger. As celticdog says the vehicle technology is here or on the way-I had an onboard central console that functioned as satnav, phone display & audio centre with phone buttons on steering wheel in a Merc Sprinter 9 years ago.
I am not a "Luddite"but wonder if the technology is ahead of the average humans attention span. I see kids leaving primary school without basic literary/language skills but they know all about their smartphones/facebook/etc

[slappy]

You right Dave,(&Darrsi) there's no excuse. I think long term it won't be an issue as the technology is being integrated within the car. E.g. your phone will automatically link with the car and all calls will go to car speaker with the caller's details displayed on the dash. In the meantime it seems as if we need to suffer these idiots.

But do we really need to chat whilst driving? Is it really that important? It wasn't 20 odd years ago and we seemed to get by okay.

And that is the real problem, too many people who cannot drive , walk, or even sit in a hospital waiting room  without their phone clamped to their ear.
There should be a law that if a driver is on the phone anyone can reach in , take the phone off them and then smash the phone on the floor 

[darrsi]

You right Dave,(&Darrsi) there's no excuse. I think long term it won't be an issue as the technology is being integrated within the car. E.g. your phone will automatically link with the car and all calls will go to car speaker with the caller's details displayed on the dash. In the meantime it seems as if we need to suffer these idiots.

But do we really need to chat whilst driving? Is it really that important? It wasn't 20 odd years ago and we seemed to get by okay.

Now I am an old foccer but what gets me is how people cant even walk down the street without their phone on talking to someone. Young & not so young women pushing buggies into road without looking for traffic. Even so-called "intelligent" university students walking out from pavement without any awareness of danger. As celticdog says the vehicle technology is here or on the way-I had an onboard central console that functioned as satnav, phone display & audio centre with phone buttons on steering wheel in a Merc Sprinter 9 years ago.
I am not a "Luddite"but wonder if the technology is ahead of the average humans attention span. I see kids leaving primary school without basic literary/language skills but they know all about their smartphones/facebook/etc

One thing i notice a lot when reading daily online news, is that reporters can't spell these days.
In fact they are so appalling at it, i make a point of making them aware of how shit their grammar has consistently been every day.
This must have something to do with not putting pen to paper, but even still they'll release stories that even their spellchecker hasn't resolved? 
And now we have phone/laptop/tablet technology where you don't even need to type any more, you just speak to the gadget instead!
Yes, it is a very quick and brilliant concept, but i can't help feeling it's making people so lazy that they're not learning or refreshing their own skills as much as they really should be.


(typed with my own fingers)

[fazersharp]

I think long term it won't be an issue as the technology is being integrated within the car. E.g. your phone will automatically link with the car and all calls will go to car speaker with the caller's details displayed on the dash.

I have a 16 plate car nothing special and very cheep and that has what you describe, the only time I have called anyone was when I sat in the dealers forcourt and tested it.
I have had a few calls come through it to me and find it strangely distracting when compared to talking to someone next to me in the car.

I think what happens is when I am talking to a person in the car and there is a particularly tricky junction or situation I shut up and concentrate and the person next to me can see the reason for my silence but I feel I have to keep talking when its to the person on the phone.   

[Bretty]

It riles the foc out of me seeing cars covered in dents. My street is subject to onstreet parrallel parking on both sides. There are two cars regularly parked in my street that are covered in a rainbow of scuffs and scrapes, obviously because the owners either don't give a foc, can't park or both! Every couple of months either my car gets another scrape or my motorbike gets knocked over. I think part of the insurance quoting process should take into account the condition of the car and signs of crap driving!

[Bretty]

Meanwhile, back on topic...
Seeing people using  phones while driving generally doesn't bother me... except when I am on my motorbike and then I find it infuriating!!

[fazersharp]

I remember being on holiday some where and every car had dents and hooters were constantly going off and because all the cars seemed to have dents no one gave a foc which I think is the way to go, get a slight scuff on a TYRE here and its "right your insurance details please"
I have a new car and am fitter now that I ever was because I park miles away from the supermarket away from all the other cars in case I get a door ding.

[darrsi]

Meanwhile, back on topic...
Seeing people using  phones while driving generally doesn't bother me... except when I am on my motorbike and then I find it infuriating!!

Just the fact that my bike can rumble up to their window while they're on the phone, and be totally oblivious that i'm even there, spitting feathers 'cos they just previously cut me up, then when i give them a quick blast of the air horn and they nearly jump into the passenger seat, this shows how unaware they are of their surroundings whilst on the phone.


And the other one that bugs me, is when they're texting, which is quite obvious as they look blatantly downwards, but then they miss the break when the lights go green. They get a special and personalised full length version of the air horn.

[darrsi]

I remember being on holiday some where and every car had dents and hooters were constantly going off and because all the cars seemed to have dents no one gave a foc which I think is the way to go, get a slight scuff on a TYRE here and its "right your insurance details please"
I have a new car and am fitter now that I ever was because I park miles away from the supermarket away from all the other cars in case I get a door ding.

You leave it in your driveway don't you! 

[Bretty]

I think the 'using phone while driving' fines and laws have made things more dangerous. In the olden days at least when sending a text you would hold the phone up near the windscreen. Now you have to have the phone hidden down on your lap.

[BBROWN1664]

 

Do we really need mobile phones at all?
30 years ago we never had them and survived.

[darrsi]

Do we really need mobile phones at all?
30 years ago we never had them and survived.

I still manage without it on the bike!

[johnakay]

all very well disabling the mobile whilst in the car but what if you've crashed in the middle of no where and can't get out of the car?
yes by all means do it but once the motor is stopped then you should be able to use the mobile.


http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/mobile-phones-cars-block-ban-moving-vehicles-government-technology-a7483871.html

[BBROWN1664]

all very well disabling the mobile whilst in the car but what if you've crashed in the middle of no where and can't get out of the car?
yes by all means do it but once the motor is stopped then you should be able to use the mobile.


http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/mobile-phones-cars-block-ban-moving-vehicles-government-technology-a7483871.html

What about passengers? They shouldn't be blocked from using their phones.

[darrsi]

all very well disabling the mobile whilst in the car but what if you've crashed in the middle of no where and can't get out of the car?
yes by all means do it but once the motor is stopped then you should be able to use the mobile.


http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/mobile-phones-cars-block-ban-moving-vehicles-government-technology-a7483871.html

I'm old school, i just scream like a girl.


And people need to realise, "stopping" does not count at traffic lights.

[YamFazFan]

I have a new car and am fitter now that I ever was because I park miles away from the supermarket away from all the other cars in case I get a door ding.

I've always done that, even with old cars.

I find that whole driving round and round to get a few feet closer to the door thing laughable

[darrsi]

You right Dave,(&Darrsi) there's no excuse. I think long term it won't be an issue as the technology is being integrated within the car. E.g. your phone will automatically link with the car and all calls will go to car speaker with the caller's details displayed on the dash. In the meantime it seems as if we need to suffer these idiots.

But do we really need to chat whilst driving? Is it really that important? It wasn't 20 odd years ago and we seemed to get by okay.

Now I am an old foccer but what gets me is how people cant even walk down the street without their phone on talking to someone. Young & not so young women pushing buggies into road without looking for traffic. Even so-called "intelligent" university students walking out from pavement without any awareness of danger. As celticdog says the vehicle technology is here or on the way-I had an onboard central console that functioned as satnav, phone display & audio centre with phone buttons on steering wheel in a Merc Sprinter 9 years ago.
I am not a "Luddite"but wonder if the technology is ahead of the average humans attention span. I see kids leaving primary school without basic literary/language skills but they know all about their smartphones/facebook/etc

One thing i notice a lot when reading daily online news, is that reporters can't spell these days.
In fact they are so appalling at it, i make a point of making them aware of how shit their grammar has consistently been every day.
This must have something to do with not putting pen to paper, but even still they'll release stories that even their spellchecker hasn't resolved? 
And now we have phone/laptop/tablet technology where you don't even need to type any more, you just speak to the gadget instead!
Yes, it is a very quick and brilliant concept, but i can't help feeling it's making people so lazy that they're not learning or refreshing their own skills as much as they really should be.


(typed with my own fingers)

Here's a perfect example of more embarrassing reporting. I'm looking at it wondering what he'd be retrained in, then realise it's meant to be "restrained", and this is a headline as well so they should easily spot the error. I see this so often, and although it's general laziness by not checking it before releasing it, it is also people becoming more reliant on technology. 

[joebloggs]

An old survey suggested that up to two million drivers fall asleep at the wheel, maybe if they had been texting this number could have been reduced..................ahem

[mr self destruct]

You right Dave,(&Darrsi) there's no excuse. I think long term it won't be an issue as the technology is being integrated within the car. E.g. your phone will automatically link with the car and all calls will go to car speaker with the caller's details displayed on the dash. In the meantime it seems as if we need to suffer these idiots.

I love this!
Back in the summer I was filtering through a jam and stopped by this guy in a big Audi with his window open, his stereo blasting out some, like, well wicked bass innit, when his phone went off through his speakers.
I heard him say hello, then a woman's voice came booming out "Oh don't forget you need Canesten!"
His windows went straight up and I couldn't ride for the tears in my eyes.

[maddog04]

interesting.....those who advocate bans etc...

do you talk to your passenger, do you have the radio on etc.......all of these plus others come under the term "distraction"

I see the Police on hand held radios whilst driving, do you think that's a distraction or are they barley?



driving when tired probably causes more accidents/deaths

[darrsi]

interesting.....those who advocate bans etc...

do you talk to your passenger, do you have the radio on etc.......all of these plus others come under the term "distraction"

I see the Police on hand held radios whilst driving, do you think that's a distraction or are they barley?



driving when tired probably causes more accidents/deaths

Police are exempt if on blues.
Don't need a seatbelt either.