I could but I don't. The car has Bluetooth to enable handsfree calling... Much like yours has a radio so you can listen to the radio unless, of course, you turn that off while you drive as well?
Mobile phone usage
- Thread starter Steveocee
- Start date
I could but I don't. The car has Bluetooth to enable handsfree calling... Much like yours has a radio so you can listen to the radio unless, of course, you turn that off while you drive as well?
Having a (handsfree) conversation on the phone is far more distracting than listening to the radio. I think most people know that.
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Jun 2013
- Posts
- 1,531
Problem is there just aren't enough police around so everyone thinks they can do what they want, and for the most part they get away with it.
Changing it to a 6 point offence might stop a few people who are more worried about the points, but anyone just weighing up the risk of actually getting caught in the first place will just continue to use their phone.
Changing it to a 6 point offence might stop a few people who are more worried about the points, but anyone just weighing up the risk of actually getting caught in the first place will just continue to use their phone.
Driving back home last night on the M1, witnessed some guy blatantly texting (phone against the wheel) and not wearing his seatbelt. Wish there was a copy around for that.
Tbh, they need to make the punishments much harsher. Like Phantom Shadow said above, 6 points and a £1000 fine, or even just large fines. People don't like parting with money!
Tbh, they need to make the punishments much harsher. Like Phantom Shadow said above, 6 points and a £1000 fine, or even just large fines. People don't like parting with money!
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Jun 2013
- Posts
- 1,531
They don't.
OK, I'll play along. If you have a passenger in your car, do you both just sit in silence whilst you drive along?
Within your vision you can see your passenger and gauge what they are saying from their expressions and movements as well as hear them. That means you don't have to listen quite so much to exactly what they are saying. With someone on the phone, it is different and you can only rely on what you can hear, so it takes more concentration. Good debate on 5 Live about it when the changes were announced.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 5 Jun 2003
- Posts
- 91,805
- Location
- Falling...
Also a passenger can see what's going on so if you stop talking they understand why. When on hands free you generally concentrate harder on what is being said.
Seeing a definite rise when I head to the office. Clocked four cars in a row yesterday.
It's inevitable when there simply aren't any police on the roads though. I can't remember the last time I saw a traffic car on the A1 nevermind the local roads. Plus let's face it, the second anyone clocks a bright orange, blue and white car the phone goes away.
It's inevitable when there simply aren't any police on the roads though. I can't remember the last time I saw a traffic car on the A1 nevermind the local roads. Plus let's face it, the second anyone clocks a bright orange, blue and white car the phone goes away.
More unmarked cars and more severe punishments would soon send the willies up people.
Seen a woman on her iPad while driving in the middle lane of the motorway on my way to work yesterday. Now that's even worse as they are quite large to hold.
Never any police on the motorways on my 25 mile journey to work so that's why people just do wat they want, eg 100+ , undertaking , middle lane hogging, tail gating I see it all every single day.
Never any police on the motorways on my 25 mile journey to work so that's why people just do wat they want, eg 100+ , undertaking , middle lane hogging, tail gating I see it all every single day.
tbh even when I'm using the bluetooth handsfree, after I'm done, sometimes I can't recall the drive, only thing I'm sure about is that it was conscious safe driving lol, point is that its still a little distraction
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Oct 2010
- Posts
- 3,053
- Location
- ireland
Texting and driving is one of the most dangerous things any one can do, holding a phone and talking is no where near as bad imo.
I normally just put speaker on my phone and talk into it if i get a call, would never ever text and drive.
I normally just put speaker on my phone and talk into it if i get a call, would never ever text and drive.
Depends who is on Radio 2
It's a fair point, but there is something much more distracting about calls and messages, at lest for me. As others have said, when I've come off a call, I find I can't remember anything about the journey in those minutes I was talking. I don't particularly like talking to passengers in the car if I'm honest - at least in areas that require more concentration.
I'm happiest on my bike with no distractions!
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Jun 2013
- Posts
- 1,531
It's easy to be on a call and completely forget the last 5 minutes of driving.
It's easy to have the radio on and completely forget what has been playing for the last 5 minutes.
I think that shows what you're paying more attention to when you're on the phone or listening to the radio.
It's easy to have the radio on and completely forget what has been playing for the last 5 minutes.
I think that shows what you're paying more attention to when you're on the phone or listening to the radio.
Not really, when you make the same journey every day it is perfectly natural to not remember each point of the journey, because nothing actually happened. If a deer ran out in front of you you would react and try to avoid it, you would remember that. Even if you had no radio or phone you would still not remember your whole journey if nothing happens.
I would actually like to see fines come in for employers who call their employees when they know they are on the road. As a truck driver I am constantly bombarded by calls from my transport office, would be nice if every time a driver got pulled for using a mobile, a check should be made for who they speaking to, it was their employers office, then the company should get fined a £1000 or something, would soon cut down of number of phonecalls being made and answered on the road.