Conference calls

Sporky

Axe_meister said:

a customer needs a call it will be at their convienience.

Is this another "business" euphemism?

Chalky

Axe_meister;1097529" said:

I do not get to manage my diary, a customer needs a call it will be at their convienience.

Dear God, that sounds pathetic. Obviously you're a minion but are you a slave?

Note that UK corporate lawyers are now adjusting Company Car and Company Phone policies to clearly state that employees must NOT use the phone while driving. At all, ever. Part Social Responsibility but mainly to help limit liabilities - if the employee causes an accident while on a corporate call then the employer can be sued, much more lucratively than suing the driver. The lawyers are also adding that failure to comply with this policy is considered as Gross Misconduct.

PolarityMan

Sporky said:

I was responding to the rash generalisation that most business is done via conference calls - hence using the same "most business" phrase. I had thought that the "euphemisms aside" bit would clearly indicate a less-than-po-faced-tone.

To be honest I have no idea who you are, but clearly you're not a very observant chap or you'd see the context, know my fondness for flippancy, and not think that being a patronising twit would make you look superior. I assume if it happens again you'll be equally confused.

I will certainly concede that a smiley at the end of my post would have been useful for the slow amongst the audience.

Yeah but that's a bit like saying it's ok to call someone a cunt if you tell a knock-knock joke first.

Sporky

It's more like saying avocado backflip nonchalant hedgehog monopoly.

PolarityMan

Sporky said:

It's more like saying avocado backflip nonchalant hedgehog monopoly.

That's the last straw.....swords or pistols sir?

Sporky

I'll have the pistols.

PolarityMan

I think your normally expected to bring your own

Sporky

I'm not normally even allowed scissors!

PolarityMan

You shouldn't keep running with them then

fretmeister

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/talking-while-driving-is-incredibly-dangerous-even-when-using-hands-free-new-study-finds-a7070486.html

fields5069

My modern phone does it all for me, even when the invite isn't sent in the correct format for it to appear in the Webex calendar widget. I bloody hate conference calls, I'm stuck on at least 20 hours' worth a week.

PC_Dave

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36475180

Interesting article. Brief quote:

"Drivers using a hands-free phone get just as distracted as those holding it in their hand, researchers have found.

Scientists at the University of Sussex found conversations can cause the driver to visually imagine what they are talking about.

This uses a part of the brain normally used to watch the road, the University of Sussex study said."

This is the interesting bit...! "The findings made the case for all phones to be banned from cars, according to the lead researcher."

Axe_meister

If he did the same study with, passengers in the car or Radio 4 on. No doubt he would have come to the same conclusion.

So ban passengers and radios.

PC_Dave

Axe_meister said:

If he did the same study with, passengers in the car or Radio 4 on. No doubt he would have come to the same conclusion.

So ban passengers and radios.

Nope.

fretmeister

Axe_meister said:

If he did the same study with, passengers in the car or Radio 4 on. No doubt he would have come to the same conclusion.

So ban passengers and radios.

That's already been done, and it was confirmed that being an active participant in a conversation was very different to listening to entertainment.

However, IF at some point there was a study that suggested listening to a radio was as dangerous as telephone use then I would hope that ban would happen.

I personally wouldn't use it as a flippant response to criticism of my own life endangering behaviour.

Sporky

Axe_meister said:

If he did the same study with, passengers in the car or Radio 4 on. No doubt he would have come to the same conclusion.

So ban passengers and radios.

You seem very invested in defending behaviour you know isn't safe. Sounds a bit cognitive-dissonance-y.

Axe_meister

Sporky said:

Axe_meister said:

If he did the same study with, passengers in the car or Radio 4 on. No doubt he would have come to the same conclusion.

So ban passengers and radios.

You seem very invested in defending behaviour you know isn't safe. Sounds a bit cognitive-dissonance-y.

As somebody who has kids/dogs/wife in the car on a regular basis and somebody who has to talk to customers on the phone (hands free) between face to face meetings.

My own observation is that if anything being on a conference call listening in and piping up when needed, is less distracting than having a car full of family/dogs (yes the dogs have their own seat belts).

BTW I take driving seriously, I have an advanced driving license, I used to do a lot of track days so yes I am confident in my driving ability. I have not had an accident in 25 years (and that one was weather related and I was an inexperienced driver).

And no points on my license either.

Sporky

Exactly.

You know that being on a conference call has been proven to be distracting, but because you do it you're arguing against the evidence.

Axe_meister

I'm not arguing against the evidence, just saying the evidence doesn't really tell you much as it is not compared to other distractions such as other people in the car.

I'd rather not take call to be honest. I'd rather drive in peace, some nice tunes on the radio and the roof down and enjoy my drive

Sporky

Axe_meister said:

I'm not arguing against the evidence, just saying the evidence doesn't really tell you much as it is not compared to other distractions such as other people in the car.

Firstly, that is arguing against the evidence.

Secondly it's not true; there are plenty of studies showing that calls are more distracting than passengers.