Texting driver who killed biker jailed

[Bob]

A driver who struck and killed a motorcyclist as he was texting while driving has been jailed for three years.

Stephen Rawlinson, 26, of Bradford, UK, was reported as “Being seen driving at speed” in Saltaire. Rawlinson had told police he could not understand how he failed to see the motorcycle. His mobile was taken from him at the scene and was examined by the police and it was discovered he had sent a text shortly before the accident.

Jailing Rawlinson at Bradford Crown Court, Rawlinson, Judge Jonathan Rose told him he was distracted by the message and said: “Even the time to text eight characters is the time it takes to kill a man.” Rawlinson was further banned from driving for four years and ordered to take an extended re-test before he is allowed behind the wheel.

[YellowDog]

That's a strong message for many that needs wider exposure.

Thanks for sharing.

[unstuck]

Good. Amazing how many(mainly young females)that are txting while driving.

[StoneY]

Good. Amazing how many(mainly young females)that are txting while driving.

Dude the guys are just as bad, don't try make it a gender thing, its a generation thing.

Seems anyone I meet under 25 years old thinks they are so awesome at multi tasking the txting laws do not count to them regardless of the gender they are.

My missus had to talk to one of her team about reading the map book while he was driving... and he is a 30 something health professional! His smug comeback to the verbal reprimand he received was
'I am surprised someone as competent at so many things as you are cannot do two things at once just because you are driving.....'

Her reply:
'Driving is the ONLY thing you should be doing in ANY vehicle you are operating, it's nothing at all to do with multi tasking, its common sense and also it's now the LAW. So.... about this dent on the front left guard, can we return to how that happened?'

[oneofsix]

'I am surprised someone as competent at so many things as you are cannot do two things at once just because you are driving.....'

His quote says it doesn't it. Driving isn't a single task, it is multi-tasking in and of itself. I think this goes to the hub of the matter and is often reflected in the posts. The way we bleat on about how on a bike you have to concentrate on the riding but cages have distractions like radios, conversations etc. Driving is multitasking, monitor the speed, the conditions, the throttle setting, the road conditions, etc etc etc.

Yes they can text those 8 characters the judge refered to without looking at the phone, F'd if I can but I know my kids can (or think they can, try decyphering the results some times ), but it is still eating into their available tasking resources. The proof the judge was right and not the driver is that the driver can't understand how he didn't see the bike! The shame is i suspect he hasn't learnt because he hasn't realised that the text eat up the but of concentration he required to see the bike.

[Haggis2]

Three years clink and a four year ban - what would he have got here? Bugger all I suspect

[Hoon]

It's been proven that humans can't multitask. All we do is switch quickly between individual tasks to maintain the illusion that we are doing several things at once much like a single CPU computer. At any given time we are only focussed on one task and oblivious to all others. Accidents happen when our attention is consumed and we fail to switch back to other tasks in a timely matter.

[HenryDorsetCase]

in NZ he would have been given a replacement car, an "attaboy" award from his local chamber of commerce and discharged without conviction.

[GrayWolf]

It's been proven that humans can't multitask. All we do is switch quickly between individual tasks to maintain the illusion that we are doing several things at once much like a single CPU computer. At any given time we are only focussed on one task and oblivious to all others. Accidents happen when our attention is consumed and we fail to switch back to other tasks in a timely matter.

As much as I hate to disagree with that statement given the very emotive topic it is concerned with. That isnt strictly a true statement, there ARE people who can 'multi task' in that manner.... and usualy they are EG: fighter pilots, and interestingly M Scumacher had the same ability.
The RAF (and I would guess most airforces) have some interesting 'tests' for multi tasking and concentration. One that was shown on TV was test of identifying colours and shapes on a computer screen and hitting 'enter' when the correct one(s) appeared, at the same time doing mathmatical calculations on the PC.
This ability is required as a fighter pilot must be able to fly the plane under extreme conditions AND still think, outwit and out manouvere his opponent.
But I agree for 98% of us 'mere mortals' it is a no brainer...... My own employer banned cell phone usage for the drivers in the cab.

[Mark Nansett]

As much as I hate to disagree with that statement given the very emotive topic it is concerned with. That isnt strictly a true statement, there ARE people who can 'multi task' in that manner.... and usualy they are EG: fighter pilots, and interestingly M Scumacher had the same ability.
The RAF (and I would guess most airforces) have some interesting 'tests' for multi tasking and concentration. One that was shown on TV was test of identifying colours and shapes on a computer screen and hitting 'enter' when the correct one(s) appeared, at the same time doing mathmatical calculations on the PC.
This ability is required as a fighter pilot must be able to fly the plane under extreme conditions AND still think, outwit and out manouvere his opponent.
But I agree for 98% of us 'mere mortals' it is a no brainer...... My own employer banned cell phone usage for the drivers in the cab.

NONE of these people could multitask as the word means...but perhaps they could be "task switching"...at best. Even within the computer brain - multitaking is handled in a less than true multi-tasking fashion, with the brain "partially" switching off and allocating resource to the other tasks. So the more tasks..the less brain allocated to each. In the human case....driving + cellphone = no brain function.

[unstuck]

Dude the guys are just as bad, don't try make it a gender thing, its a generation thing.

Only ever seen one guy txting while driving, but around here I see maybe 3-4 young females txting while driving every day. Maybe I'm just a perv and only notice the females.

[NordieBoy]

Only ever seen one guy txting while driving, but around here I see maybe 3-4 young females txting while driving every day. Maybe I'm just a perv and only notice the females.

Dude, it's Gore. The guys are lip syncing to country music instead...

[unstuck]

Dude, it's Gore. The guys are lip syncing to country music instead...

, yeah funny as fuck seeing the hoon mobiles crusing around with the sounds up louder that a jumbo jet and blasting out some kenny rodgers.

[Katman]

As much as I hate to disagree with that statement given the very emotive topic it is concerned with. That isnt strictly a true statement, there ARE people who can 'multi task' in that manner.... and usualy they are EG: fighter pilots, and interestingly M Scumacher had the same ability.

Most London motorcycle couriers have that ability as well. If they don't, they don't last long.

Try riding in some of the most conjested traffic in the world, with a controller on shoulder constantly giving you more pick-ups, forcing you to constantly do a mental replan of your whole route, all while trying to avoid becoming a hood ornament.

[ducatilover]

Maybe I'm just a perv and only notice the females.

I have this problem also.

I'm under 25 and I don't text/drive. I'm too busy picking my nose, saving petrol or wondering how one manages to wear a cap backwards in a car. (Typical Corolla driver aren't I?)