Spotted another one last night

[madboy]

I agree with the sentiment here that driving while talking/texting on the phone is dangerous. Studies have also proven that having a handsfree kit makes either little or no difference to the risk. As others have stated more eloquently than myself, it's the brain input not the physical that creates the risk.

In saying that, I still talk or text while driving. I would like to think that I do so in a more considered and less dangerous way than others, but then that's just my opinion.

[Beemer]

I am self-employed so do answer the phone when driving or I could miss out on work - but if I have the chance to pull over safely to take the call, I always do. If I am in heavy traffic or going through traffic lights, etc., I will explain that to the caller and ask if I can call them back, or if they can hold for a few seconds until I can pull over and take the call. If I ever thought it would be dangerous to take the call, I'd let it go to the answering service.

I agree that it takes concentration - I'm fine with the "what time do you want to meet for lunch?" type calls but if someone was trying to give me complicated instructions or ask me lots of questions, I'd prefer to be stopped.

As for texting when driving - big no no! I take ages to text anyway, and always have to look at the keys so wouldn't even contemplate it! That is the biggest problem - it's bad enough people making/taking calls when driving, but looking down at the keypad while texting is crazy.

My mother also talks with her hands and if you hold onto them, she is speechless!

[Triumphy Chik]

What do you mean ‘woman drivers’? This is from a bloke….

“This morning while driving to work on the motorway, I looked over to my left and there was a woman in a brand new BMW doing 100 kph with her face up next to her rear view mirror putting on her eyeliner.
I looked away for a couple seconds and when I looked back she was halfway over in my lane, still working on that makeup.
As a man, I don't scare easily. But she scared me so much; I dropped my electric shaver, which knocked the donut out of my other hand.
In all the confusion of trying to straighten up the car using my knees against the steering wheel, it knocked my cell phone away from my ear which fell into the coffee between my legs, splashed, and burned Big Jim and the Twins, ruined the damn phone, soaked my trousers, and disconnected an important call.
Damn women drivers”

[Str8 Jacket]

On my way home yesterday I was riding up Broklyn hill as I do almost everyday. There is a passing lane half way up the hill, and it ends on a bit of a corner. I was in the left lane, with no one in front of me, and 1 car behind me, and she was quite far behind me. Anyway had almost got to the end of the passing lane, so I look over my shoulder to check if anyone is coming up close behind. And holy f*ck not only was she right behind me, she was practically driving over me. (in her 4WD) Lookin up I see she is not even starting to take the corner, she in fact txting while trying to put her babies dummy in its mouth. I just about shit my pants, the only thing I could do was ride up over the curb onto the grass verge, she had to do the same thing - her 4WD scraped my leg (only a little tho). If it wasnt for her three young kids I would have given her a bolloxing!

[DemonWolf]

holy shite.. thats freaking bad. You should have given her a bolloxing! She might have realised she not only put your life in danger but her childrens as well!

[Str8 Jacket]

holy shite.. thats freaking bad. You should have given her a bolloxing! She might have realised she not only put your life in danger but her childrens as well!

I probably should have had a "word" to her, but trust me the only ones that I could think of were pretty damn nasty, with the mixture of relieve and all that adrenalin I just wasn't thinking too straight! I just don't believe in "carrying on" like that in fornt of young children, the oldest was prob 5 or 6, that and her kids looked like a HUUGE handful, and I think that was punishment enuf!

[SPman]

Whats wrong with txting on the motorway?
I do it all the time . . .

Well, it helps to pass the time . . .

[Ixion]

Never could see why talking on a hands-free phone was any worse than talking with a passenger m'self. Less so, because there's not the tendancy to look round at the conversant. (NB - "Hands-free" there)

Personally, don't do either. Good thing about the bike is it's an excuse not to hear the phone "Oh sorry I missed your call - on the bike you know".

And if you're a passenger when I'm driving you'll get told (politely) to shut up, sit still, and keep your eyes closed.

Driving, and riding, is a job of work. And I want all my attention for it. Can't stand talking passengers, stereos, radios or any other distraction.

But still can't see why talking into a speaker is worse than talking to a passenger. Claimed that people have to "concentrate". Maybe but no more than if a passenger asks the same question.

And I see often a car load of old biddies tootling along, all rabbitting on ninety to teh dozen, as women will, and the driver paying no attention at all to where sh'es going.

[myvice]

The use of cell phones in cars will drop as more people put TV's in their cars...
And yes, you now CAN get a WoF with them installed!

[Kickaha]

Never could see why talking on a hands-free phone was any worse than talking with a passenger m'self. Less so, because there's not the tendancy to look round at the conversant. (NB - "Hands-free" there)
.

Because the handfree phone can't look out your front window and alert you to the fact you're just about to rear end someone

I'm not sure if they do it in NZ but some companies overseas have a cell phone off policy and you turn it off as soon as you get in the vehicle,at any of your stops you are required to turn it on and check messages,in the event of an accident the company pulls the cell phone records and if you were talking on it at the time you're fired

[myvice]

Because the handfree phone can't look out your front window and alert you to the fact you're just about to rear end someone

I'm not sure if they do it in NZ but some companies overseas have a cell phone off policy and you turn it off as soon as you get in the vehicle,at any of your stops you are required to turn it on and check messages,in the event of an accident the company pulls the cell phone records and if you were talking on it at the time you're fired

Vodafone have that policy!

[Coyote]

Cars should come fitted with those mobile jammers. If you want to use your mobile, you have to go to the side of the road and turn the ignition off

[Brian d marge]

The use of cell phones in cars will drop as more people put TV's in their cars...
And yes, you now CAN get a WoF with them installed!

Our car ( Honda Elision ) has a DVD player and Tv and Navigation unit all biult in to the dash ..the controls are on the steering wheel , Plug you phone into the dash and it becomes hands free . Though when you ask( voice recognition) the Navi for directions you get some bizarre results,,,
The thing I like about the car is it has a camera in the back so when you reverse ,,you can see whats behind you on the tv ..and there are yellow lines on the tv showing where the rear door will open to ,,,real handy that ,,,
I often put a dvd on,,as there usually nowt on tv ,,, while waiting for the lights ... as you can wait a long time ,,, But then everyone here is doing the same thing and no one cares if the lights change to red again ...You may get a toot from the car behind but not often .

As I am a bloke I can only do one thing at a time ..ie drive ,,,any more than that I have to stop one activity to process the other one ...

The thing I get annoyed about is trains ,,,here its Very impolite to talk on the phone in the train ,,,,SO I use my PDA and beam a signal ,,,which makes an Awful humming noise in the phone ,,,,and if I set the pda to repeat ,,,,,they hang up real quick )

Talking about hanging up real quick ...the wife says I ve got to hurry ...we are going out ,,,, shes putting on makeup ,,,which means I have about 30 min spare ,,,,,

Stephen