Forum menu
What happened to the stigma around using phones while driving? It seems now that everyone has smartphones, it has become a necessity and so everyone has accepted it.
I know we see it all the time, people texting away on the motorway or whatever. But I've been genuinely shocked by some of the comments made by people over the past few weeks. They were running interviews with people on the radio today and the comments were frightening. People just don't believe they're doing anything wrong. And yet it has got to be almost as dangerous as drunk driving.
People should go to prison for repeated offences if you ask me. There are no excuses for it.
FWIW, my current job involves driving cars, each pick-up and delivery being anywhere between fifteen miles to over two hundred, and I have to be able to answer calls, usually just a location update or ETA, sometimes a tipoff about a big traffic holdup.
When I do get one, I'm using a BT headset, and I never initiate a call, reason being my phone is my satnav, screen mounted, so it's just not possible to do, although I guess if I could be arsed I could set up Siri to do it, but it's just not that much of an issue, I'll find somewhere to stop if it's really important.
The most important call would probably be to inform my team leader I'm stationary in traffic due to a pile-up ahead, so it wouldn't matter anyway!
One good step would be to allow video evidence from non-police to be used to convict. If the police cant do it, then just send evidence of company vehicles been driven whilst on the phone to the head office. Good PR for the company, even if it shows that their drivers are idiots.
I sent some footage to a national coach company from my in car video (just use the phone camera set to video mode when you start.. as you aren't going to use it for anything else!!) and they just responded with a stock "we are sorry you felt our driver was acting inappropriately, however our drivers are trained to a high standard and will be spoken to." How about a weeks unpaid leave.... that would stop him.
If company drivers thought that they could lose a weeks wages they'd soon stop.
Fully appreciate the police have been cut, but I'd happily make a statement against any driver I saw on the phone.
Given that the Police and Crime Commissioners are democratically elected and accountable - let's not divert this as to the whys and wherefores - how about we start there? Social media campaigns, Cycling UK setting up a "contact your PCC" campaign like they do with MPs?
The Audi does have a small rotary volume control on the console by the gear selector, which is handy, but other controls are very confusing.
None of which aids driving safety, in my view.
Good point, changing channels on the radio is an IQ test these days, although I see the latest generation have put a key pad back in.
been looking at new cars and my end choice is likely to include one with an 8 inch touch screen and a data link, which apparently can put my iPhone screen up and access apps etc. Presumably this means I can open, read and type work emails while hooning down the motorway... 🙁 Not researched it enough yet, but hope it has an override to stop it functioning when moving or something...
Good point, changing channels on the radio is an IQ test these days
wait until you see these 'video recorders' they have now 😉
** (I drive my car about once a fortnight and can barely work the stereo. honestly, I've used studio mixing desks that are more intuitive 😆 )
Interesting little video - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37643994
Just shows it's pure arrogance and "don't give a shit-ness"
utterly inefectual and pointless with police numbers only likely to decrease further
DezB - MemberInteresting little video - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37643994
Just shows it's pure arrogance and "don't give a shit-ness"
Saw that this morning. There's no comparison in terms of the act but their excuse and willingness to justify their actions is exactly the way people act if you challenge them about parking in disabled bays or parent and child.
Women and 3 children killed on the A34 near us recently. Lorry driver admitted being distracted by his phone.
They have no place being used or even available as temptation in the car, and I'm not convinced by hands free either.
[i]exactly the way people act if you challenge them about parking in disabled bays or parent and child.[/i]
..and driving like a dick in general.
What angers me is these idiots who film themselves with their phone whilst driving then post it on social media. The amount of people commenting on videos defending these complete tools raises the temperature of my urine to the point of becoming gaseous. It seems that dicking about with your phone whilst driving is acceptable if no-one gets killed.
** (I drive my car about once a fortnight and can barely work the stereo. honestly, I've used studio mixing desks that are more intuitive :lol:)
Exactly! There's just nothing intuitive about many cars' instrument and control layouts; I have roughly fifteen-twenty minutes to do a condition appraisal of each car I collect, and many are either completely new to me, or I've only driven one once or twice before, maybe several weeks ago, and I have to sus out what various controls do, and where they are, before I set off to drive maybe 100+ miles, and it's often a nightmare trying to figure out even basic functions!
Even things like locking filler cap covers; on one occasion I had to pick up a VW Touran, and as usual it had about fifteen-twenty miles worth of fuel in the tank.
I spent a significant amount of time trying to figure out how to open it, (and before anyone suggests looking in the handbook, a), I shouldn't have to, and b), often the cars I pick up from a certain charity don't have any documentation left in them), so I asked one of the valeting blokes, who had to think for a minute, before saying 'ah, I think I know', and groped around inside the driver's door pocket; and there it was, hidden right at the back of the door pocket!
WT actual F? 🙄
I have developed a new tactic to help calm my rising anger at being tailgated by persistant phone users .
Firstly I will stop / not pull away when the traffic moves off, and as most people stop too close to pull round they are blocked in. They then get the paddington stare in the rear veiw mirror.
This is usually met by a 'WTF just let me get on with my drive and phonecall you idiot' type of hand jesture .
Fine by me . But I dont want Kevin talking into his flippen phone like he's reporting in to Dermot O Dreary on the X factor so at a safe for me point , generally with a stream of oncoming cars I indicate and stop.
Kevin is still engrossed in his call, so he stops too . Poor Kevin then has to do some complex driving , like changing gear and steering and waiting for a gap in the oncoming traffic. Once Kevin has eventually found a gap and done one up the road I can continue with my journey.
There is a very low chance that Kev will hit my car if I stop at a Zebra , or If a kid runs out and I have to stop suddenly Kev will hit my car and punt me forward into the kid , or Kev hits my car and punts me into the stationary traffic in front of me. But there is a chance and by stopping that chance is removed .
Works equally as well with tail gaters
Apologies to all Kevins reading this