Drivers to be banned from picking up mobile phones

[Deleted member 65149]

No......I am sorry if any offence is caused, however, I wont be doing this..... ..........

Clearly there seems to be some significant misunderstanding.........I have NOT claimed evidence exists which disproves the dangers of "hands-free phone use" Any inferences drawn or made that I hold such views are wholly incorrect.

Anyone unclear re my, (middle ground), stance may wish to read or revisit my earlier posts.

None caused. Sorry if I did to you. You unfortunately caught the brunt of my annoyance at people in general who so frequently contest evidence on a subject but fail to produce any opposing evidence.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

I like to phone(hands free)while I'm in the car, its a place where I feel relaxed and talkative.

Why should I not be allowed to do that? Im only driving my car for pleasure, chatting to my partner while I do this is frowned upon now?

Im no saint and don't pretend to be, I'll drive 35 in a 30 etc etc, but by and large im very reasonable and responsible in my car.....yes I break the law, probably everytime I drive my car if I'm honest.
I've only done 4k miles in my personal car this year, but probably 15k in other vehicles.

I'd hate to be behind some folk on here who by all accounts are the perfect law abiding driver evertime they go out.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

I like to phone(hands free)while I'm in the car, its a place where I feel relaxed and talkative.
............

I'd hate to be behind some folk on here who by all accounts are the perfect law abiding driver evertime they go out.

Hopefully you don't kill an unwary pedestrian while doing 35 in a 30 and being relaxed, talkative & chatting on your hands free instead, of paying attention to your driving. You'll have lots of time to chat but, I'm sure it will not be relaxed or on a handsfree.

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

I don't get what people are saying... it will still be fine to use the phone if it's 'hands free'.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

Hopefully (for you) you don't kill an unwary pedestrian while doing 35 in a 30 and being relaxed, talkative & chatting on your hands free instead, of paying attention to your driving. You'll have lots of time to chat but, I'm sure it will not be relaxed or on a handsfree.

So you think because I drive like 95% of the uk driving population I'll end up in prison?

If a pedestrian is unaware then I wont be to blame.

I've so far had a 30 year clear driving history(non blame), not saying I'm perfect( like some, wink wink) but I am observant, what with having a HGV licence, and have driven heavy haulage, a motorcycle licence and have ridden all my life, and also my job as a professional driver, I think I'm have an acceptable level of driving. Lived through the technology growth from my wife expecting and me having a pager....to the latest mobile status.
In no way am I saying I am right, but I am not what you are labeling.

If you can lay your hand on your heart and say you drive within the law 100% all of the time I will totally respect you.....I will also think you are lying, just my opinion obviously.

But I am realistic.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

So you think because I drive like 95% of the uk driving population I'll end up in prison?

If a pedestrian is unaware then I wont be to blame.

I've so far had a 30 year clear driving history(non blame), not saying I'm perfect( like some, wink wink) but I am observant, what with having a HGV licence, and have driven heavy haulage, a motorcycle licence and have ridden all my life, and also my job as a professional driver, I think I'm have an acceptable level of driving. Lived through the technology growth from my wife expecting and me having a pager....to the latest mobile status.
In no way am I saying I am right, but I am not what you are labeling.

If you can lay your hand on your heart and say you drive within the law 100% all of the time I will totally respect you.....I will also think you are lying, just my opinion obviously.

But I am realistic.

Yea mate, I've been driving a lot longer than you on multiple contintenents & road types. I've driven everything from tracked military vehicles to 18 wheelers. I've also attended multiple driving refresher courses and advanced driver courses and the one thing they have all had in common was "do not talk on the phone while driving". Because I've lived in multiple countries, I've also been retested several times. How many times have you been tested? Like you, I have a clean track record and have never been "at fault".

We all break the rules from time to time but, chatting on the phone while driving is just plain foolishness and is a long lasting distraction while driving.

Handsfree is not against the law but as previously stated, nor is sticking your head in the fire. Common sense should prevail but sadly most drivers think they are better than they really are . I'm experienced enough to realise that chatting on the phone while driving is not a good idea. I've travelled with and observed enough bad driving by people, on the phone, to know that it is just stupid to be on the phone while driving.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

And I respect your opinion.

But I don't agree with it.

There are much worse things than talking while driving.

 

[AW8]

OMG...really?

Yes Really !

Please justify your desire to use your phone while driving. Surely your time is not that valuable! The motoring bodies all agree that it (handsfree) is unsafe and just because the law allows you to stick your head into a fire does not mean you should do it! Apparently, you are one of those that does!

I have many examples I can give but no point in me sharing them as I have no doubt you would be entirely dismissive of all of them. I justify to myself btw.

Ironic that motoring bodies also sell in car hands free kits & satnav !!!

I think the RAC still sell road Atlas's though !

Do you have a motoring body ?

I cannot be ar$$ed to research links for you to read, I'm sure your fingertips are more than capable. The information is there, If you choose not to believe it, that is on you!

You appear to be getting annoyed...I just checked my fingers (but lost count at two). Thanks for the capability validation though.

ONE MORE TIME - I AM NOT SAYING IN CAR TECH OR PHONES DON'T CAUSE DISTRACTION

The problem with common sense, is that it it not very common!

Thread issue here not Common Sense but more a reluctance to find Common Ground


Members on here have cars crammed with tech. I can agree that sensible use of this is key but this is 2020. I no longer subscribe to the notion of driving along whilst balancing a road atlas & looking for the next lay-by or payphone if I need to make an important call.

I am not some simple child driving around with my phone glued to my ear. I am capable of sensible reasoned discussion. Its is ironic you seem to be arguing about legal activity when the thread is about proposed changes in 2021 & which I comply with already.


Back in post 70 I said ........
"I could expand more, but sense you might not be open to considering views at variance to yours"

Hmm

 

[Deleted member 150136]

Serious point.
I don't see how phoning the Mrs to discuss how long I'll be or what's for tea etc, which takes no concentration is worse than say listening to pop master, which takes a lot on concentration.

I press a button to activate lingatronic, I turn a dial to turn up pop master.
I sit back, drive and answer questions.

What's the difference.

A heated debate on Jeremy vine or a heated debate with her indoors?

Touching my 8 inch(or whatever size it is) touch screen in my car, or my 5 inch screen on my phone.

Phones used in bad ways are bad, cars used in bad ways are bad.

But that doesn't always mean it can't be done sensibly.

 

[AW8]

Horse to water.................

I went to the Butt.......but found shallow offerings. (l read links & gave a courteous reply)
.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

And I respect your opinion.

But I don't agree with it.

There are much worse things than talking while driving.

There are worse things than shooting someone; slowly torturing them to death for example. But that doesn’t make it ok to shoot someone. Obviously I’ve used an extreme example, but the outcome of shooting someone or chatting on your hands-free whilst driving COULD have the same result (except, unfortunately, the penalties would differ.)

Like you, I’m not a perfect driver and like you I’ve been a professional driver (cars, not HGV). In my nearly 60 years of driving I’ve had one speeding fine (in Australia) and not a single point on my licence. It’s nothing to be proud of; I’ve just been lucky.

However I can’t claim to never having had an accident for which I wasn’t at least in part to blame. The time when a drunk cyclist fell off his bike in front of me in the snow causing me to swerve to the other side of the country road and into a ditch was partly my fault. I should have been more aware of his unsteady progress and slowed down far more than I did to pass him. People said that I was in no way to blame, but I believed that I could have avoided it by being more alert.

Since that incident I’ve received quite a lot of driver training and assessment. Amongst other things I’ve been on a skid control course, attended a week long ambulance driving course, and most recently been graded excellent by IAM Roadsmart. What all these learning opportunities have taught me is that I’m far from perfect, there’s always room for improvement. It’s those who believe themselves to be really good drivers who are the greatest worry - they’re not aware of their shortcomings so do nothing about them. They believe that their driving is good enough to be able to chat on the phone without impairment.

When people such as Lewis Hamilton tell their engineers to “Shut up so I can concentrate”, it’s obvious that even limited chat is a distraction to the best drivers.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

I’m honoured to be sharing a forum with such perfect ‘Holier Than Thou’ members.

 

[markjay]

I don't get what people are saying... it will still be fine to use the phone if it's 'hands free'.

This depends on what the new regulations will say. At current that's a grey area.

The guidelines say that calls while driving (using hands-free obviously) should be kept to essential and short conversations (e.g. calling your spouse on the way back from work to let him/her know that you will be late due to being held-up in a traffic jam etc).

So while no one will be prosecuted for talking on the phone per-se, if you were engaged in a telephone conversation while driving and are involved in an accident it will be held against you and may even be used as 'proof' that you were distracted and therefore at fault - it might mean the difference between conviction and acquittal, or it might mean a harsher sentence.

Interestingly, a driver has been found guilty of causing a crash that occurred a couple of minutes after he read an incoming text message, so while reading the text message was an offence, it didn't directly cause the crash (because it happened prior to the accident), but he was still convicted on the basis that his mind was distracted due to the content of the incoming message.

So the fact is that a driver can be found guilty due to being distracted by his/her phone regardless of the legality of the use at the time of the crash.

But again, distracted driving prosecution is unlikely without being involved in a crash.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I’m out of this thread. When a concern for safety generates “holier than thou” accusations instead of even an apparent modicum of understanding, it’s time to worry. I’ll just have to be even more alert to those who consider themselves above such concerns. Knowing there are so many such people on our roads who are otherwise completely caring has been a wake up call for me.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

I’m out of this thread. When a concern for safety generates “holier than thou” accusations instead of even an apparent modicum of understanding, it’s time to worry. I’ll just have to be even more alert to those who consider themselves above such concerns. Knowing there are so many such people on our roads who are otherwise completely caring has been a wake up call for me.

Don’t leave on account of my post Tim. It was not directed at you.

 

[markjay]

And I respect your opinion.

But I don't agree with it.

There are much worse things than talking while driving.

The issue isn't if you are a safe driver while talking on the phone.

The law aims at the lowest common denominator.

Equally, you could argue that when the road is clear, visibility is good, and there are no other cars in the junction, jumping a red light isn't unsafe.

Or, that in some circumstances, speeding isn't unsafe.

And, I am certain that some people may even be able to scientifically demonstrate that when they are legally over the limit, they are still safer drivers than many sober ones. In fact, I am certain that a driver with 30 years experience who is a pint over the limit, is a safer driver than an 18-years old who just passed hos/her driving test.

So the issue isn't whether a particular driver will be safe or unsafe in certain circumstances.

If you choose to break the law because you deem it safe in the circumstances, you are simply making a conscious decision to take the risk of a fine if caught, and the bigger risk of being found guilty if you are involved in a crash. And that's factual, i.e. even without challenging your assertion that you have not done anything which is unsafe.

And I think that if caught and fined, you'll just say 'fair cop' because you will accept and understand that the legislators can't make individual laws to suit different levels of drivers.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

When people such as Lewis Hamilton tell their engineers to “Shut up so I can concentrate”, it’s obvious that even limited chat is a distraction to the best drivers.

To be fair Tim LH is driving at max speed right on the edge not stuck in traffic, bumper to bumper phoning the wife to say he’ll be late home.

 

[AW8]

I like to phone(hands free)while I'm in the car, its a place where I feel relaxed and talkative.............
...........................I'd hate to be behind some folk on here who by all accounts are the perfect law abiding driver evertime they go out.

Fair play for being open and honest. Fwiw I have driven with up tight skilled on paper types that left me far from relaxed as a passenger. I have yet to sit next to the perfect driver.

I've so far had a 30 year clear driving history(non blame), not saying I'm perfect( like some, wink wink) but I am observant, what with having a HGV licence, and have driven heavy haulage, a motorcycle licence and have ridden all my life, and also my job as a professional driver, I think I'm have an acceptable level of driving.

I wont dismiss your mere 30 years of driving more vehicles than most.

And I respect your opinion.

But I don't agree with it.

There are much worse things than talking while driving.

Please mind the upholstery ! ..............or get a room

Phones used in bad ways are bad, cars used in bad ways are bad.

But that doesn't always mean it can't be done sensibly.

Apparently not

I’ve had one speeding fine (in Australia) and not a single point on my licence. It’s nothing to be proud of; I’ve just been lucky.

Fair play for being open & honest

.....People said that I was in no way to blame, but I believed that I could have avoided it by being more alert.

Been there.

there’s always room for improvement.

Every day is a school day whether in the car, on the internet ( not at the same time) or in life.

When people such as Lewis Hamilton tell their engineers to “Shut up so I can concentrate”, it’s obvious that even limited chat is a distraction to the best drivers.

Yes agreed....Maybe we should add Formula 1 drivers to the ban (naughty) list

I’m honoured to be sharing a forum with such perfect ‘Holier Than Thou’ members.

Bless you my son ! .....Oh sorry I forgot.. I am not a driving God.



Apologies to anyone if my editing of quotes offends, Not tactical....I wanted to focus on key points for my replies.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

So.....can I phone while left foot braking if I'm wearing a mask before 10pm if there are less than 6 in my minibus?

 

[Deleted member 113659]

So.....can I phone while left foot braking if I'm wearing a mask before 10pm if there are less than 6 in my minibus?

Do you know how many RTA’s were caused in 2019 whilst the driver was juggling 15 red snooker balls?

Zero.

Obviously completely safe.