Drivers on the phone

[BSRU]

I think we have a huge mountain to climb in terms of winning the battle for hearts and minds. By 'we' I mean those of us who recognise how selfish, dangerous and anti social driving whilst using a mobile actually is.

I think that most motorists, whether they will actually admit it in public or not, don't see it as a problem, rather like ignoring speed limits.

My most recent YT clip, which is a very boring 24 second clip I captured whilst waiting at a red light, has elicited the response



" Wtf, Why you are supporting your shithole country which have developed to Big brother country?? Get the f*****g life and start think things that REALLY MATTER".

I don't think this attitude is that atypical. Clearly there is a disconnect between the illegal act and the potential, all too often actual, outcome. How can road safety 'not matter'?

As with ignoring speed limits, some drivers consider it safe but what they mean is it is safe for them in their protective metal cage.

 

[Gandalf]

I don't see how talking on a phone hands-free is that much different from talking to a passenger. It's possibly less distracting because you are not turning to look at them occasionally. Do we ban passengers?

I don't have hands-free and I don't use my phone whilst driving, but I do sometimes have passengers!

It is by no means unusual for me to ask my wife, or indeed other passengers to' put a sock in it' if I am driving.

I find it very distracting, particularly when she has her mother in the car. A deadly combination of volume and banality

 

[Tinuts]

I don't see how talking on a phone hands-free is that much different from talking to a passenger. It's possibly less distracting because you are not turning to look at them occasionally. Do we ban passengers?

I don't have hands-free and I don't use my phone whilst driving, but I do sometimes have passengers!

Passengers can also be distracting and, according to research referred to here, can certainly be a factor in causing accidents. As drivers, we all have the choice as to whether we interact with our passengers on a level that doesn't distract us from the importance of the task at hand, namely the driving. I have, on a number of occasions, requested that passengers not distract me as I needed to concentrate on the driving. I'm sure others have done the same. The trouble with mobile phones is that they are perceived by a considerable number of users as an insignificant distraction from the process of driving when the research very clearly indicates that the contrary is the case.

I can only assume that the reason the government hasn't banned mobile use of any sort whilst controlling a vehicle is down to their usual reluctance to "alienate" drivers. Currently we're stuck with the highly unsatisfactory situation where the enforcement and punishment for such use is the only thing that can be termed insignificant about the whole problem. Of course, kill someone whilst distracted from your driving by a mobile phone call and you'll probably get the book thrown at you but, by that stage, it's a case of stable doors and bolting horses. It's pathetic really!

 

[Dave Davenport]

I don't see how talking on a phone hands-free is that much different from talking to a passenger. It's possibly less distracting because you are not turning to look at them occasionally. Do we ban passengers?

I don't have hands-free and I don't use my phone whilst driving, but I do sometimes have passengers!

There have been studies that have shown that hands free phone use is significantly more distracting than talking to a passenger in normal conversation. Obviously differnent if you're having a heated argument or something.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I don't see how talking on a phone hands-free is that much different from talking to a passenger. It's possibly less distracting because you are not turning to look at them occasionally. Do we ban passengers?

I don't have hands-free and I don't use my phone whilst driving, but I do sometimes have passengers!

It is something to do with the sense of remoteness when talking on the phone. I used to do it a lot in a previous job and it always felt different to talking to a passenger.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

There's a roundabout near where I live. I've lost count of the people who barrel across it on the racing line.
They can't steer, they can't indicate, they can't change gear, they can't look left or right - so they hurtle across oblivious to the potential carnage nattering away on the phone.

It's the only thing worse than the straight-armed, fist at 12 o'clock on the wheel, tailgating dimwit that I see every five minutes as I travel about thinking I'm the only one that sees the speed limit signs.
I dread to think what they're doing with the other hand while they're driving like that, they certainly aren't in control.
Look in the mirror, there's another windscreen with a fist behind it.

Don't get me started on:
failing to indicate left, especially on roundabouts,
putting an arm by the head so they can't see you as they pull out in front of you
driving with the seat so far reclined they can hardly see forwards
daytime foglights (thanks Audi and Citroen for starting the daytime dazzle war)
using roundabouts to overtake
overtaking on the inside
...etc...
...etc...
sorry, given up, boring myself now

 

[Mad at urage]

I don't see how talking on a phone hands-free is that much different from talking to a passenger. It's possibly less distracting because you are not turning to look at them occasionally. Do we ban passengers?

I don't have hands-free and I don't use my phone whilst driving, but I do sometimes have passengers!

I agree, it isn't the (use of the) device that is at fault, it is the drivers who are unable to prioritise correctly.

It is by no means unusual for me to ask my wife, or indeed other passengers to' put a sock in it' if I am driving.

I find it very distracting, particularly when she has her mother in the car. A deadly combination of volume and banality

Indeed, passengers who don't know me have become quite irate in the past, when I've simply stopped responding because the outside has become more 'interesting' .

Passengers can also be distracting and, according to research referred to here, can certainly be a factor in causing accidents. As drivers, we all have the choice as to whether we interact with our passengers on a level that doesn't distract us from the importance of the task at hand, namely the driving. I have, on a number of occasions, requested that passengers not distract me as I needed to concentrate on the driving. I'm sure others have done the same. The trouble with mobile phones is that they are perceived by a considerable number of users as an insignificant distraction from the process of driving when the research very clearly indicates that the contrary is the case.

I can only assume that the reason the government hasn't banned mobile use of any sort whilst controlling a vehicle is down to their usual reluctance to "alienate" drivers. Currently we're stuck with the highly unsatisfactory situation where the enforcement and punishment for such use is the only thing that can be termed insignificant about the whole problem. Of course, kill someone whilst distracted from your driving by a mobile phone call and you'll probably get the book thrown at you but, by that stage, it's a case of stable doors and bolting horses. It's pathetic really!

In the same way, when speaking on the hands-free, I'll tell people that I'm driving and if I suddenly stop responding it will be expected. I'll also ask them to call back later if I anticipate an increase in activity outside.

Anything at all can distract a driver who lets themselves be distracted. I've seen plenty of references on CC to being distracted by girls in summer clothes: Cause a collision (or fail to avoid one) because of this - or any other reason, and you are driving without due care and attention and punishment should be meted out - unfortunately we all know that 'I was distracted' or 'I must have fallen asleep' are currently viewed as mitigating circumstances!

There have been studies that have shown that hands free phone use is significantly more distracting than talking to a passenger in normal conversation. Obviously differnent if you're having a heated argument or something.

The studies that I have seen which reach these conclusions, have the participant engaged in mental calculations on the handsfree, which are not comparable to the 'normal conversations' they are compared to. The studies also require the participant to attain a particular score in the mental activities, again not allowing them to prioritise as a driver should.

I use my handsfree to listen into a conversation in the background (no different to listening to the radio) or to pass information ("Yes I'm on schedule, should be there by xx" or "I'm running 40 minutes late") with appropriate selection of a suitable time to do this. This is IMO less dangerous than having my SIL in the car, yacking away ...

 

[gaz]

A collection of research about the dangers of driving whilst using a mobile can be found at Don't Phone and Drive

 

[mickle]

Most of the time I can scarcely talk to my passengers when I'm driving - it dilutes my attention too much.



That's what I tell them anyway......

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Is this a new fad?
I only become aware of it recently when a woman I work with had banned her 17 year old son for driving for a fortnight, after she caught him driving with the seat too far reclined for the umpteenth time. She reckons he reclines the seat so far she doesn't know how he can see over the steering wheel.
Since then I have been taking notice and certainly the noisy exhaust pratts all seem to be driving in this stupid reclined position. Scary stuff if you're a cyclist!

Been going on for years.

 

[mickle]

Boy racers that can afford race seats mount them as low as possible - obviously it's important to lower your C of G for going around supermarket car parks. Those that can't afford racing buckets 'get the look' by simply reclining the seats that came with the car.

Twattery.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Boy racers that can afford race seats mount them as low as possible - obviously it's important to lower your C of G for going around supermarket car parks. Those that can't afford racing buckets 'get the look' by simply reclining the seats that came with the car.

Twattery.

They also proof their knowledge of physics by fitting spoilers to FWD cars!!!

 

[JohnHenry]

It will be interesting to see how THIS CASE turns out.

A jury at Warwick Crown Court found her not guilty of that charge (dangerous driving), and she was convicted instead of careless driving.

Judge Richard Griffiths-Jones banned her from driving for 12 months and fined her £2,000.

 

[gaz]

They also proof their knowledge of physics by fitting spoilers to FWD cars!!!

That can still be useful but not for normal road use.

 

[Mad at urage]

A collection of research about the dangers of driving whilst using a mobile can be found at Don't Phone and Drive

A site with a mission, thanks. I sampled a couple of them, the second for example:

the participant’s task was to follow the intermittently braking
pace car driving in the right-hand lane of the highway. When the participant stepped on the brake
pedal in response to the braking pace car, the pace car released its brake and accelerated to normal
highway speed. If the participant failed to depress the brake, they would eventually collide with the
pace car. That is, like real highway stop and go traffic, the participant was required to react in a
timely and appropriate manner to a vehicle slowing in front of them"

Yep, agreed - high-speed, stop-go traffic is not a safe time to use a hands-free. Nor is it a safe time to converse with your passengers, nor to look at the pretty scenery...

In the summary:

When drivers were conversing on either a hand-held or hands-free cell-phone, their
reactions were sluggish and they attempted to compensate by driving slower and
increasing the following distance from the vehicle immediately in front of them. By
contrast, when drivers were legally intoxicated they exhibited a more aggressive
driving style, following closer to the vehicle immediately in front of them and
applying more force while braking. When controlling for driving difficulty and time
on task, cell-phone drivers exhibited greater impairment than intoxicated drivers.

In other words the sober drivers reacted correctly to what they correctly interpreted as less concentration on the task of driving, by increasing following distance and slowing down. "Impairment" in this study was measured as gentler application of the brakes (at greater distance) when the pace car slowed down and less quickly speeding up again when the pace car speeded up.

Hang on - increased distance, slower speed and gentler acceleration is "greater impairment"? Sounds more like safer, sober driving to me!