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Just wondering how many of you guys text while you drive/what your thoughts on it are. It seems most of my friend thinks its okay to do, even if it means that their driving goes to gak and they nearly get into accidents. I myself only ever do it if I'm stopped at a traffic light or in heavy traffic (and thus am not moving).

Using mobile phones whilst driving is illegal here.
Not that it stops the numpties from doing it.

It's illegal for the driver to use a mobile in non-handsfree mode here (and this also technically includes texting - althugh not specifically) too.

It was even written into one of our soapies - the dangers of text-driving - one of the characters was killed off while doing so.

Worth noting though, is that GPS units contribute to more traffic incidents than mobile use. Either drivers blindly following their directions (when their map is innaccurate) turning into a road that doesn't exist, or has become one-way (the other way), or drivers distracted by frantically re-entering waypoints.

Saw a chap belting down the M1 in the outside lane with a map spread out on his lap and a sandwich in his left hand.

Think he must of been using his right hand to have a shave. This was BM (before mobiles. I know. Some of you can't imagine how we ever managed without them! )

Dependent on driver skill. If I am a passenger in your car, and you text while driving with no noticeable impact on your driving..I don't care. If, on the other hand those oncoming traffic, ditches, trees, and guardrails are coming reeeeaaaal close and getting closer, expect me to rage at you. Threaten me with walking if you like, I have no tolerance for stupidity on the highway any more than I do on the firing line.

Doesn't matter if it is texting, eating, talking on the phone, admiring the scenery, reading a map, furious self-pleasuring sessions, I really don't care....but if you can't manage to control your vehicle GET OFF THE ROAD.

I flat out just don't want anyone texting while I'm in their car, unfortunately, its their car, and by getting into it I agreed to an unwritten contract that puts me at their mercy... I have only met one person who was capabl of driving basically flawlessly while texting, but she was evil... and a ginger...

But anyway, I feel like if someone is in my car I am ultimately responsible for their well being, and as such would never do anything that might even remotely jeopardize their well being, when I'm alone on the other hand, I feel more comfortable to relax a bit. By all means, I'm a safe driver, just I'm more willing to say eat food or fuss around with the radio/my iPod (played over the speakers of course, headphones are a dumb idea when driving IMO) when I'm alone.

There is no functional difference between texting while driving, and drinking a 6 pack before driving.

it is better to get in the car with someone stoned on weed than a drunk person or a texter/driver.

I think its illegal here in California... I forget...

I hate texting or using the phone while driving... but there are still times where I do it. It gets me all nervous... not because of cops but because gak can happen.

I think its illegal in most of the US, yes? Its illegal in NY/NJ at least. In regards to the drinking vs. texting/weed, is that actually established fact? If you have links to studies I'd love to see them.

I think the worst I've ever done is answer my phone to tell my parents I was driving (because they wouldn't stop calling me).

well, aside from having witnesses, weed simply makes you a bit floaty feeling.



alcohol reduces reaction time and effectiveness.
both bad, but I would go with the lesser of two evils.

I often text while driving. In fact I even post on dakkadakka while driving...oh adsfcuk crassshjj

LOL.

really.

Anyone who thinks it is a good idea to drive around without watching the road is asking to have an accident.

ineptus astartes wrote:well, aside from having witnesses, weed simply makes you a bit floaty feeling.

And you know this how?

I ask questions.

I got rear ended about a year and a half ago. A car 2 or so cars in front of me was turning into a parking lot. I looked in the rear view mirror when i stopped and sure as I saw some girl with her face glued to her phone. She didn't even look up until she was about 5 feet away.

But, she bought me a new truck, a brand new contractors cap, brand new 28 foot ladder, etc... so I guess I should have thanked her lol!

SOFDC wrote:Dependent on driver skill.

It really isn't, texting requires a bit of effort and draws a lot of concentration. Having a conversation with a person is one thing, but you should always have both hands available to drive the car even if you're not using them all the time. Also you shouldn't take your eyes off the road for more than a moment and I don't see how texting is compatible with that. Ask someone else in the car to do the text or pull over.

Anyone who thinks they have the skill to drive and text is exactly the sort of person who should be a worry, what else are they likely to do that involved not actually driving the damn car?

I can barely text when I concentrate my hardest with no distractions, never mind behind a wheel.

I don't text.

I do use the phone while driving, but that's no more distracting than listening to the radio or talking to a passenger.

No texting whilst driving and no phoning either, it's illegal here, but as was said earlier, idiots still do it.

Completely anecdotal but, most I've seen on the phone driving are in 4x4s.

while it is not illegal in my state it is in my county. i think that all cellphone use should be banned while you are driving unless you are using hands free.

to all of those people who use them while driving i will issue you my warning...

if your cellphone usage (calling or texting) is the reason you caused an accident with my vehicle, i reserve the full right to take said mobile device from you, beat you with it and smash it completely so that there is no usable part.

i will then sue you for using said mobile device while driving and causing an accident.

you have been warned.

A study was done a few years back (if I find the source I'll post it) where a tv presenter took part in a driving simulation under normal conditions. His driving was very smooth and observant throughout. They then redid the test and the guy controlling the simulation rang him on the presenters "handsfree" mobile (yes, I said a handsfree mobile)and had a conversation with him about some random topic, after completing the second part of the test they found the drivers reaction speed were very much slower and his lane control was wavery whilst talking on the handsfree phone. Basically he was not paying enough attention to the road.

Then just for argument sake because of all the nay sayers that say that if mobiles are distracting then so are passengers, they redid the test again only this time the guy controlling the simulation joined him in the car and had a random conversation, The guys driving was virtually the same as it was in the first test.

So if you aren't paying much attention when using a hands free then how the hell can you pay attention when physically holding a mobile phone with one hand to your ear or using it to text. The point they were trying to prove is that when talking on the phone to someone the conversation distracts you as the person calling will be talking normally without an idea of the surroundings your in .... whereas, when in the car with you, most passengers will stop talking when the driver reaches junctions or complex manovers as a natural reaction to allow the driver to concentrate as well as the driver ignoring the passenger when concentrating as well.


I would give my own personal view on people using mobiles, but I don't want to be banned. I've seen far to many programs on what happens for me to be polite about it.

I was wondering if there had been any scientific tests done.

While listening to radio, talking to a passenger and talking on the phone superficially seem like the same thing, I can well suppose there are different psychological processes in operation in the three cases, which would affect driver skill differently.

A 2009 experiment with Car and Driver magazine editor Eddie Alterman that took place at a deserted air strip showed that texting while driving had a greater impact on safety than driving drunk. While legally drunk, Alterman's stopping distance from 70 mph increased by 4 feet; by contrast, reading an e-mail added 36 feet, and sending a text added 70 feet.

Just stopping distance though.

This could be a fun read, it's by the Royal Society for Preventation of Accidents.

http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/info/mobile_phone_report.pdf

There's a sort of summary on page 11 (7 if you go by the documents own pages) of the things using a phone impairs.

If you text/facebook (yes I know people that have browsed facebook while driving, down winding narrow country lanes, at 3am)/whatever while driving you are a f#####g moron...

I can't imagine a more stupid thing to do while driving than concentrate hard on writing a message on a tiny screen instead of looking where the car is going. IIRC they did a study, and talking on a non hands-free mobile phone lowers your concentration and attention to the road as much as being drunk.

I just don't get why people do it, I mean, if it's not that important, it can wait until you have completed your journey. If it IS that important, then find a place to pull over, stop the car and then phone/text/whatever! It's not exactly a difficult conclusion to come to



edit: Thankfully, MrDwhitey seems to have ninja'd me with the source for the study I mentioned in the post

Kilkrazy wrote:I was wondering if there had been any scientific tests done.

While listening to radio, talking to a passenger and talking on the phone superficially seem like the same thing, I can well suppose there are different psychological processes in operation in the three cases, which would affect driver skill differently.

All I remember is it was 15min long and may have appeared on a program like "the One Show". The test was indeed to show that a driver handles a conversation differently when with a person rather than talking through a handsfree/mobile. As a driver I would assume that knowing that you need to concentrate more in certain area's than others its a natural reaction to stop talking when you are the passenger of anothers car. I often find I do so without even thinking about it. Whereas on the contary I also know people who will keep talking regardless, and funny enough all those people I actually class as bad drivers as well because they can't drive straight.

Never mind the distraction, how can you control the are with just one hand? The amount of times some prat pulls out on me without signaling or looking properly because they are on the phone and are not looking for a bike...

Don't do it. Ever. If you think your skilled enough at driving to manage it, your not. Whats the point? It only takes one lapse to kill someone.


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chaos0xomega wrote:I flat out just don't want anyone texting while I'm in their car, unfortunately, its their car, and by getting into it I agreed to an unwritten contract that puts me at their merc.

I disagree. I will tell someone if they are a danger. When I have someone else in the car I make sure I take more care, not less and would expect if someone was frightend by my driving (I hope they are not) to tell me. They have a duty of care to the passengers, who have no control over what the car is doing.

Last time my mate tried texting while driving I told him he had a posh looking phone and could I look at it, as soon as he handed it over I tossed it into the back seat. He kinda knew I was making a point and couldn't disagree so said nothing about it. Just because your a passenger doesn't mean you have to accept there way of driving. Obviously you can't always opt for this, but there is the option of getting out and walking if they refuse to stop acting like a douche

I don't don't know about unwritten rules but there is a WRITTEN rule about paying due care and attention to the road. Texting is not paying attention and therefore you shouldn't do it. If someone thinks its ok to do it then I'll put them in touch with a guy who spends a lot of his time going from place to place to talk to drivers on the dangers of using mobiles in cars when he ran over and killed a young girl while using his.

This is starting to remind me of a conversation I had with a (ex)friend who thought you can drink and drive as long as you drive slowly enough. But thats another story thoughly mildly relating

Kilkrazy wrote:Anyone who thinks it is a good idea to drive around without watching the road is asking to have an accident.

I think this says it best. My opinion is that people who text and drive (or do anything other than pay attention!) simply take for granted that they are strapped into a large metal can filled with gasoline hurling down the road. I guess it has something to do with relative luxery of most cars these days. My first car was an '84 toyata corola and when you were flying down the highway at 60mph you felt like you were going 100mph and you held on for dear life.