Boris you say you think you're (probably) wrong (because of families opinions), but that you're happy to be be wrong and you dont see that as contradictory?
I can understand being familiar with people on the phone in cars that it doesn't make you feel worried for your safety as one thing, or that you dont worry and think it unlikely that mobile phone users will affect you. I think it unlikely to happen to me and dont lose sleep about it.
But I felt uncomfortable in cars with people on the phone pre-ban and pre-research. I dont see it as morally despicable but do get pretty peeved that it rarely gets clamped down on and so many people still do it and have seen poor driving directly as a result, especially when I'm on my bike and vulnerable.
This had better be my last post on this topic, but I have been asked to explain what appears contradictory to many CC members, some of whom are clearly bright, reasonable and tolerant.
So this is a poor final attempt to clarify:
1. Southern loop of the M25 near Sevenoaks in thick fog. A car whips past me doing 25-30mph more than I am doing. My heart jumps out of my chest and I find my blood pressure rises and a little anger wells up.
2. Wet, cold bicycle commute on the A417 on a frosty morning and a car swoops past me with opaque side windows and a small scraped circle on the windscreen. Same response.
3. Tanking down Oxford Street on a roadified MTB and a Black Cab pull an illegal turn across my bows at a traffic signal, causing me to almost stand the bike on its front wheel. Similar response.
4. Entering a coned lane-narrowing contraflow while cycling on High Holborn and despite the slow, heavy traffic a car pushes for the last-moment pass and nearly has me in the cones for no ultimate advantage.... Similar response.
5. Descending in the wet on the Malvern Hills on worn and patchy Shellgrip with leaves on the ground. A Transit sits about two feet behind my rear wheel at 25 mph, making me afraid to brake for a sharp bend for fear of being walloped. Similar response.
6. Inside lane of the M4 at 70mph and a car rushes past in the middle lane, brakes heavily and cuts in front for an exit. I have to brake hard. Similar response.
7. Cycling on a DC section of the A40 and being close-passed by an artic so that I could lick its spinning wheelnuts... despite an empty outside lane. Similar response.
8. I see a driver holding a 'phone to his or her ear while driving (as I do several times a day). It barely registers with me. I wish it made me cross, so that I fitted in better with the CC mindset, but it doesn't.
This may seem contradictory, but it may not be. If I'm wrong on this I can live with it. I hope I've lost this debate with good grace and without resorting to offensive posts.
Also (as ever) I am right and anyone whose view differs from mine is both wrong and (worse still) Welsh.