BentMikey and a Subaru Driver

[thomas]

Using a mobile phone whilst driving has been shown to have the same effect on driving ability as alcoholic intoxication, a fact of which those drivers who persist in breaking the law in this way seem to be in constant denial. Of course, if one of those mobile-using-moron's family were to be mown down by a drink driver they'd quite likely want that driver's head on a plate now, wouldn't they?

Yes, a sense of proportion hurts nobody.

I'd rather have someone on their mobile phone behind me than a drunk driver.

 

[blazed]

Using a mobile phone whilst driving has been shown to have the same effect on driving ability as alcoholic intoxication, a fact of which those drivers who persist in breaking the law in this way seem to be in constant denial. Of course, if one of those mobile-using-moron's family were to be mown down by a drink driver they'd quite likely want that driver's head on a plate now, wouldn't they?

Yes, a sense of proportion hurts nobody.

If they were just as bad they would carry the same penalty. Being on the phone is 3 points. Being drunk is often a ban, hefty fine and possible prison time.

Its not a fact at all, just because one study showed that doesnt make it a fact. There are conflicting studies on everything.

 

[BentMikey]

Just because you don't want it to be a fact doesn't make it so. There's fairly robust and convincing evidence that mobile phone use is a big impairment, roughly similar to driving drunk.

Apparently there are around 500,000 A&E visits a year due to pedestrians on the phone tripping over street furniture.

 

[Tinuts]

Surely if a pedstrian steps out in front of a motor vehicle without looking it is hardly fair that the onus then falls on the driver to prove his innocence rather than the authorities to prove his guilt.

All the more reason to get one of these, then:

http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/X_Driven

 

[Tinuts]

Just because you don't want it to be a fact doesn't make it so. There's fairly robust and convincing evidence that mobile phone use is a big impairment, roughly similar to driving drunk.

Apparently there are around 500,000 A&E visits a year due to pedestrians on the phone tripping over street furniture.

Exactly.

 

[BentMikey]

BM, we may not see eye to eye on things, but please be careful, this guy is a complete idiot and next time may be even more extreme.

Did the police look at your video btw? If so what did they say?

Thanks for your concern! I have to commute along the same main road that's pretty much the only entry to Biggin Hill from the north.

As you're an experienced driver, what do you suggest I change to increase my safety w.r.t. D4N?

No news from the police yet, I dropped the video off Tuesday night, and left a message yesterday.

 

[purplepolly]

I'd rather have someone on their mobile phone behind me than a drunk driver.

Last week I turned onto a through road into a traffic queue, behind me was a 4x4 and the driver was on the phone. The traffic moved off, he overtook me, approaching the next lights he was in the right hand lane then swerved left forcing the car in that lane to slam on the brakes. The lights turned to red when he was still a reasonable distance away from the lights but he managed to overshoot the stop line, went through the ASL and stopped halfway on the pedestrian crossing. As there was no left turn I used the cycle lane to undertake the 3 cars ending up alongside him. He was still on the phone. Lights changed, he went off, last thing I saw he was about a meter over the center line causing the oncoming traffic to take evasive action.

Had I not seen the mobile, I would have assumed he was drunk as the effect seems to be pretty much the same.

 

[thomas]

Just because you don't want it to be a fact doesn't make it so. There's fairly robust and convincing evidence that mobile phone use is a big impairment, roughly similar to driving drunk.

I've only used my mobile phone while driving once. Friend stuck their phone on loud speaker so I could ask someone something, but I found it really distracting and couldn't talk.

However, like Blazed said, if they are similar in how bad they are, mobile phone use should result in loosing your license, fine, etc. It won't be taken seriously otherwise.

 

[blazed]

Just because you don't want it to be a fact doesn't make it so. There's fairly robust and convincing evidence that mobile phone use is a big impairment, roughly similar to driving drunk.

Apparently there are around 500,000 A&E visits a year due to pedestrians on the phone tripping over street furniture.

The studies ive seen are done at the minimal drink drive limit, which is about 1 pint of beer for a man. The average drunk driver has had a lot more than 1 pint of beer.

 

[f1_fan]

Thanks for your concern! I have to commute along the same main road that's pretty much the only entry to Biggin Hill from the north.

As you're an experienced driver, what do you suggest I change to increase my safety w.r.t. D4N?

I am resisting the urge to be flippant and say get the bus, but seriously BM I don't think there is anything you can do as regards D4N on the road.

Leaving aside my personal opinion about your methods as they aren't relevant here if D4N if he is wound up enough to jump out of his car like he does in this video and clearly drives too fast as per the independent witness's account then he is one of those few drivers that needs the law to deal with him.

I really feel that instead of enaging him again your best bet is to follow up with the police daily until they at least go and talk to him. I think having an officer of the law turn up and caution him will make him think whereas another altercation with a cyclist is only going to further entrench his already skewed mindset.

I will post again on Scoobynet and ask anyone who might know him (as Scooby drivers tend to be enthusiasts of the marque) to tell him or even he himself might be reading (although I doubt he can) to calm the **** down.

 

[BentMikey]

However, like Blazed said, if they are similar in how bad they are, mobile phone use should result in loosing your license, fine, etc. It won't be taken seriously otherwise.

I think the disparity in punishments probably comes from the fact that drink driving has been socially unacceptable for a very long time, and we've come to understand the consequences better. Mobile phone driving isn't yet as unacceptable, and people haven't yet connected doing so with the possible consequences in accidents.

 

[Tinuts]

Had I not seen the mobile, I would have assumed he was drunk as the effect seems to be pretty much the same.

I've seen it so many times it just isn't worth even arguing about.

The penalties for this offence are, IMHO, far too meagre.

 

[f1_fan]

All the more reason to get one of these, then:

http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/X_Driven

Oh very funny

 

[Dan B]

Using a mobile phone whilst driving has been shown to have the same effect on driving ability as alcoholic intoxication

That's not actually true, at least according to the study I'm aware of: it would be fair to say "as profound an effect" but the actual characteristics are quite different. Strayer, Drews & Crouch 2006, put drivers in a simulator and found

Results:
When drivers were conversing on either a handheld or hands-free cell phone, their
braking reactions were delayed and they were involved in more traffic accidents than
when they were not conversing on a cell phone. By contrast, when drivers were intox-
icated from ethanol they exhibited a more aggressive driving style, following closer
to the vehicle immediately in front of them and applying more force while braking.
Conclusion: When driving conditions and time on task were controlled for, the im-
pairments associated with using a cell phone while driving can be as profound as
those associated with driving while drunk.

 

[Tinuts]

I think the disparity in punishments probably comes from the fact that drink driving has been socially unacceptable for a very long time, and we've come to understand the consequences better. Mobile phone driving isn't yet as unacceptable, and people haven't yet connected doing so with the possible consequences in accidents.

Yes, most certainly. It doesn't help that the TV adverts encouraging drivers to desist aren't nearly as hard hitting as the anti drink-drive ones.

Perhaps we could have one like that shown last Xmas (the blokes drinking in a bar swiftly cutting into a scene of drink-drive effected carnage but actually in the bar). Maybe that would change people's minds a bit more.