Texting Whilst Driving

[Mullardman]

I only use my phone in the car for its satnav function and then only rarely.
I don't have a 'caddy' for my phone. It just sits on the passenger seat. I do not look at it. I just listen to the instructions
Not sure what the law would say about it..

 

[monkfish]

I only use my phone in the car for its satnav function and then only rarely.
I don't have a 'caddy' for my phone. It just sits on the passenger seat. I do not look at it. I just listen to the instructions
Not sure what the law would say about it..

I would think ok legally, I bought a caddy for mine so it didn't slide about the car, I also only listen to the the instructions, no interaction once the car is moving, any changes to be made - stop the car.

 

[bor]

A guy in a newish Merc SUV, holding his phone naturally, overtook me this morning on the way in. In honour of this thread I planned to tell him to use Bluetooth if I caught him in the traffic.

Then he turned across the cycle path.

I swerved around him and told him to put his phone down And use your bloody mirrors.

I only did it for fun, I wasn't really in danger. Then less than 300metres further along, a jogger sprinted around a corner, head on into me on the cyclepath.

I coulda been KILLED. There should be a LAW against it.

 

[kensalriser]

Sad to see that all the replies to the thread title agree on my observation of the prevelance of mobile phone usage by motorist. I think we at least need a government campaign reminding drivers of the potentially fatal consequences and of the penalties if caught should they ever see a policeman.

Unfortunately,, it is so widespread that it has become normalised behaviour for a lot of drivers now.

For example, recently during my early morning commute along country roads I encountered a driver of an American style pick up truck who was weaving all over the road often veering towards oncoming traffic. I was careful to select the right moment to overtake him and as I did I could clearly see he was head down texting so I shouted get off your phone. He was incandescent with anger and did all the usual stuff of driving to close behind me and then overtook me and tried a brake test. The episode finished when he sped of, pulled into a lay-by and was out of the car beckoning me to pull over so we could come to blows - needless to say I didn’t stop and continued on my journey.

I would have been minded to take the number and report.

 

[AnilS]

I have a touch screen AND a digital dash (photo if requested) but the heater controls are graduated knobs and very tactile. You adjust almost everything without distraction.

The new Arteon is a touch sensitive slider. Finger operated. Distraction city.

My phone stays in the door pocket.

If urgent, my family call me (Bluetooth) otherwise it is ignored.

I travelled back from Nottingham today, and a driver, several cars ahead swerved abruptly into the hard shoulder causing mild panic behind him as he abruptly rejoined the carriageway. I'm guessing he'd drop his phone and tried to retrieve it. When I passed him, we wasn't making eye contact with anyone. T**t.

 

[gintonic]

I keep misreading the thread title as "sexting whilst driving"

 

[Woodface]

Funny how there is general feeling that phone is is bad while driving, it really is, yet on another thread about CycleMikey the consensus of his reporting was the opposite?

I did see a driver hit a traffic island while texting, served her right & probably wrote the car off.

 

[miktec]

You need to look at a touch screen. Knobs or buttons can be accessed by feel without taking eyes off the road. I’ve been looking at car tests recently and just find it unbelievable touch screens are now the norm.

We have a centre touch screen in our Toyota - unless we are using satnav on holiday, it's switched off. Both of us find the glare distracting while driving.

The key controls you might need while driving (heater controls, demister, etc) are all accessible via physical knobs, sliders or switches. Controls for radio/audio playback are also accessible via buttons on the steering wheel if needed.
As long as these are retained I don't see this as a real problem .....

 

[Chops54]

Most cars usually have at least one knob in them

 

[Mike Reed]

Old Kent Road mostly smells of weed and fried chicken.

Would that be chickweed? Edible, of course, but who'd want to?

As I can't even see the function dials in front of me (despite new expensive and up to date 'script varifocals) I'd be lost with a screen and I'm too out of touch for a touch screen. Like Sue (and others?) I'd never have a car with one, and come to that, a satnav. My daughter has just driven from Kent to Norwich on satnav alone. Hasn't a clue about routes and geography (as a consequence, of course), but coming out of the Dart tunnel onto the M25 her satvav told her to turn left to Cambridge (????). She can't remember when, why or how she realised but did find her way back to the M25 She insisted she was on the North Circular, which was impossible. As both Cambridge and Norwich is simply straight on the M25 after leaving the tunnel I'm completely baffled.

I've always found that planning one's route with a decent road map, subsequently finding oneself lost, then consulting the map again to be mentally stimulating. Of course there's frustration and annoyance; even panic, but these are surely the building blocks of the driving experience.

 

[gintonic]

As I can't even see the function dials in front of me (despite new expensive and up to date 'script varifocals)

sure you should be in control of a vehicle?

When i had my new prescription contact lenses, distance was perfect but i couldnt see the dials on the dash. I went back to the optician who said that was unsafe and prescribed monovision contact lenses (one for distance and one for reading - your brain adjusts perfectly). So i dont need reading glasses for most things apart from really close up (like the phone)

 

[zeon]

My daughter once insisted on guiding me from the 46 bus stop to Paddington Stn with her iPhone. Well, I had a rough idea on directions and did my own thing.
Finished about 2 mins before her as she lagged about 100 mtr s behind, lol. Common sense / initiative 1... modern technology 0

 

[gintonic]

My daughter once insisted on guiding me from the 46 bus stop to Paddington Stn with her iPhone. Well, I had a rough idea on directions and did my own thing.
Finished about 2 mins before her as she lagged about 100 mtr s behind, lol. Common sense / initiative 1... modern technology 0

were you in a race? - does it matter? does anyone care? - Maybe she walked more slowly than you? or her stride pattern was shorter?

I was taught with maps, compass etc etc - now wholly rely on and embrace technology.....over the last decade or so my SatNavs have successfully got me (avoiding motorways) around lengthy road trips all over the UK.

 

[Cav]

I hate big touch screens which take you attention off the road for seconds at a time to do even the most mundane things.

What I do like is head-up displays so you don't have to take your eyes off the road at all in most normal driving.

 

[canonman]

I just use Merc's voice control and Siri. A girl friend drove last week from Poole to Kings Lynn and as we were meeting halfway for lunch she used Siri to send traffic updates, route, adjusted arrival time etc all voice controlled. Just brilliant.

 

[S-Man]

Texting etc. whilst driving is very high on the selfishness: consequence ratio. I'm struggling to think of anything less necessary with worse possible outcomes.

 

[Mike Reed]

sure you should be in control of a vehicle?

When i had my new prescription contact lenses, distance was perfect but i couldnt see the dials on the dash. I went back to the optician who said that was unsafe and prescribed monovision contact lenses (one for distance and one for reading - your brain adjusts perfectly). So i dont need reading glasses for most things apart from really close up (

Been there, done that; got the Tshirt. Just before the pandemic I got new plastic distance glasses, despite that I've always had high index glass varifocals. Just thought they'd suffice for tennis etc.. Surprise, but coordination suffered as the ball came close. T'other downside was that I couldn't see the speedo clearly. Reverted to old vari's until earlier this year when I got new prescription plastic vari's, with which I'm very pleased. Plastic lenses and/or coatings have come a long way in 30 odd years.

Because the window containing the fuel gauge, odometer and other non-essential driving info. is so small, it is difficult to see in most but not all light situations. As I first had spec's at the the age of 4 1/2 and am now approaching 82, I think I'm au fait with glasses, including cannibalising 3 old broken pairs to make one functioning pair during the Covid closures; very useful, keeping all one's old spec's !

 

[zeon]

were you in a race? - does it matter? does anyone care? - Maybe she walked more slowly than you? or her stride pattern was shorter?

I was taught with maps, compass etc etc - now wholly rely on and embrace technology.....over the last decade or so my SatNavs have successfully got me (avoiding motorways) around lengthy road trips all over the UK.

I only speak in Jest... a light hearted comment.. lol.... one thing I do know she s 40 years younger than me and should be able to keep up !

 

[PsB]

Currently in an intercity bus and the rather highly strung Spanish driver is texting while driving 50 people (in a take-no-prisoners style) around a winding French motorway. Occasionally takes calls, makes calls, chats up the 2 girls sitting behind him, etc. On the plus side, he’s ahead of schedule.

 

[zeon]

Currently in an intercity bus and the rather highly strung Spanish driver is texting while driving 50 people (in a take-no-prisoners style) around a winding French motorway. Occasionally takes calls, makes calls, chats up the 2 girls sitting behind him, etc. On the plus side, he’s ahead of schedule.

TAKE CARE ! lol