Drivers using mobile phones

Gassage

As an aside, I watched a copper texting whilst riding a horse around St Katherine's Dock the other day, on one of the public roads. Great example. I seriously don't trust any copper in UK.

VimFuego

Gassage said:

As an aside, I watched a copper texting whilst riding a horse around St Katherine's Dock the other day, on one of the public roads. Great example. I seriously don't trust any copper in UK.

to be fair, I think it's probably illegal and certainly cruel to fit a hands free kit to a horse.

ICBM

Gassage said:

As an aside, I watched a copper texting whilst riding a horse around St Katherine's Dock the other day, on one of the public roads. Great example. I seriously don't trust any copper in UK.

The difference is that a horse doesn't veer off and cause an accident while its passenger is texting.

I agree with you by the way, about setting a bad example. I've seen plenty of bad driving from the police too - although I doubt they were on the phone at the time, just arrogant.

Col_Decker said:

Axe_meister said:

I've seen truck drivers watching porn whilst driving

like this ... http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2014/06/05/familys-heartache-over-shropshire-porn-crash-truckers-jail-term/

That is tragic, but it shows something important… the young couple *did* do something wrong when they got out of their car and waited behind the barrier.

Never wait forward of the car or parallel with it, always behind it. For the car to hit them after it was hit by the lorry, they must have been in front of it.

Sambostar

We need a few '70's vigilante shotgun shooting maniacs on the Motorways and A roads, take a few mobile phone users out.  Then they will learn.

Woke up this morning to see a Black Beamer in the copse by the main road, a load of skid marks on the verge, a sign and a few small trees taken out.  About three metres from where the last person died.  Might have been something dead in there or not.  Either way I was gonna recover it home this afternoon for parts, take the Vin off, chop it up and weigh it in, but someone obviously got there first.

beed84

imalone said:

beed84 said:

jonnyburgo said:

Also loads of cyclist listen to music on headphones whilst cyclng which is well dangerous too. The other day I saw my mate cycling the same route as me to work, I shouted him but no response, I eventually caught u with him and discovered he was blasting out music on his headphones. I was surprised as he is an intelligent chap and a "proper" cyclist who does 1000's of bike miles a year.

I notice this too and I simply cannot comprehend it. Why in the name of God would anyone be prepared to distract one of their senses whilst riding on busy roads? Yeah, I'm sure it feels great listening to favourites tunes whilst peddling like mad, but surely it'd be preferable to hear where exactly the traffic is and coming from.

While I don't listen to music while cycling any more I've never quite understood this "distract one of your senses" business. People in cars are listening to music or the radio too, and I've never been able to have headphones at a safe (non-hearing damaging level) without being able to hear what's going on around me. 

True, however, cyclists don't have the luxury of rear view mirrors; instead they have to rely on their hearing to have an idea of what's behind them.

HAL9000

I drive for a living. Whenever I see a vehicle ahead driving erratically, there seems to be a very high likelihood that the driver is on his or her mobile. Although the government recently increased the penalties for using a phone whilst driving it really won't make a difference while the chance of being caught is pitifully small. It seems that the law goes after speeders as they're easily detected and caught. Yet more dangerous driving habits such as tailgating, using a phone, cutting in, etc are essentially ignored. Speeding in itself isn't dangerous - but bad driving is.

littlegreenman

I see hundreds of people a week using their phones while driving, and that's just walking a few hundred metres through the city centre on my way to work. And on average 2 or 3 near misses where the driver has had to brake hard or swerve to avoid a collision.

The "entitlement" of some people just beggars belief that their lives are just "soooo" important that they should be allowed to risk lives just to take that call is astonishing.

musicegbdf

Interesting, and agree it is very easy be distracted. I admit when I am driving I am usually uncommunicative. My wife used to think I was sulking, but she has learnt that a like to concentrate on my driving. Not sure why. Maybe it goes back to my early training, which includes earning a full racing licence and trained by Met Police to become an advanced instructor/examiner on bikes.
It might also be that as I have got older I can feel my reactions and concentration is not as good as it used to be. I know using a phone is distracting , you can see it on any high street how people struggle to even walk and talk!!

Gru

^^^
Same for me, normally concentrating to much to have a conversation.

Axe_meister

Yep kids coming out of school, head down in their phone crossing the road. What ever happened to "Stop, Look, Listen"

not_the_dj

Axe_meister said:

Yep kids coming out of school, head down in their phone crossing the road. What ever happened to "Stop, Look, Listen"

Isn't David Prowse doing a new series of Green Cross Code Man adverts?

crunchman

HAL9000 said:

I drive for a living. Whenever I see a vehicle ahead driving erratically, there seems to be a very high likelihood that the driver is on his or her mobile. Although the government recently increased the penalties for using a phone whilst driving it really won't make a difference while the chance of being caught is pitifully small. It seems that the law goes after speeders as they're easily detected and caught. Yet more dangerous driving habits such as tailgating, using a phone, cutting in, etc are essentially ignored. Speeding in itself isn't dangerous - but bad driving is.

This is true.

They should triple the number of traffic police, and let the police keep all the money they make from fines to fund the increase.  I think driving behaviour is worse than it's ever been, and it's because they rely on cameras to enforce things.

VimFuego

not_the_dj said:

Axe_meister said:

Yep kids coming out of school, head down in their phone crossing the road. What ever happened to "Stop, Look, Listen"

Isn't David Prowse doing a new series of Green Cross Code Man adverts?

what do you think they're watching on their I phones?

Axe_meister

It will only get worse with wearables like google glass, etc.

Which is probably why google are making the driverless car

speshul91

On the odd occasion I drive my phone is on silent and linked to the hands free which being a new car the controls are on the steering wheel for changing track and volume for music and accepting or rejecting calls. Unless it's a life or death situation I always reject calls. If it's important they will leave a voice mail I never listen to but will ring back whilst waiting for the mother or Mrs to finish shopping

stickyfiddle

I take calls via bluetooth in my car, but never hold the phone. I'll occasionally prod the satnav app but always prefer to set it before I go

guitarfishbay

I just don't get why anything is that important that they reckon it is worth the risk?

I just feel - if something is important then it has to be dealt with vocally - either in person, or on a phonecall/skype etc.  

Texting/Facebook/Emails etc... that kind of communication form says to me 'this isn't urgent, it can be done whenever'.

So my brain just doesn't understand why people text and drive?  You're doing something important (concentrating on driving) but overriding it with something very likely to be unimportant or at least not time critical (replying to a message)...