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Original poster

Be honest! Do you use the phone while driving?

196 replies

SaturdayGiraffe · 29/10/2023 16:02

I’ve noticed sooooo many more drivers in London using their phones while driving post-Covid.

They are making calls (holding phone to ear), texting/typing at lights, and checking phone while moving. First hand I have seen this behaviour.

I do not, but I’m curious, do you do this?

Please be honest, I am curious if anyone gets caught TBH.

OP posts:
smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 29/10/2023 18:50

CormorantStrikesBack · 29/10/2023 16:06

Nope, never.

I have Apple Car Play in my car. I have a button on my steering wheel which activates the mic and I can talk to the system…..so ask it for directions, or to play a certain artist or ring someone. It will play any messages which come through if I accept them and will let me dictate a response if I want to.

Though to be honest I don’t bother ringing people or sending messages even via that and will often decline calls when driving. A friends brother was killed by a motorist on a hands free call who drifted over the centre line. The police said in court being on a hands free call was still a massive distraction, apparently more so than having a conversation with someone in the car. No idea if it’s true but it stuck with me.

This is completely correct and I know the person who did the research (psychologist).

It's because you know a passenger can see what you see so they naturally don't expect a response when you're merging lanes or whatever whereas on a hands free call you're attention is split in trying maintain the normal rhythm of conversation.

Hands free is NO EXCUSE

ANYONE WHO USES A PHONE WHILST DRIVING INCLUDING HANDS FREE SHOULD BE LOCKED UP

smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 29/10/2023 18:51

HundredMilesAnHour · 29/10/2023 18:44

No, I live in central London and my phone is in my bag while I'm driving. If someone rings, I only answer if I think it's important - I have handsfree and my dash displays the number/name calling and I press a button on my steering wheel if I want to answer.

Pls pls don't do this. Hands free is equally dangerous

vanillafudgecake · 29/10/2023 18:52

Nope and I rarely use it on hands free either.

It's not just phones that seem to be an issue when driving, I spotted a woman eating a pot noodle, or similar, on the motorway last weekend doing 70mph....mental!

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Driving & parking
smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 29/10/2023 18:53

SaltyGod · 29/10/2023 17:58

I use car Bluetooth so calls can be answered and made hands free if needed. I get my maps and playlist ready before I set off. I will happily have calls on quieter and simpler routes I know well on handsfree.

Very occasionally, perhaps twice a year, if stuck in totally stationary traffic I might send a WhatsApp to say I’ll be late, or pls call the school to let them know. I know it’s wrong.

I have a decent commute and don’t often see people on phones. If I do it’s mostly van or lorry drivers in moving traffic, or people in cars sat at the lights.

Pls pls stop. Handsfree divides your attention to roughly the same level as drink driving

Mightbeme · 29/10/2023 18:56

Never.

UndercoverCop · 29/10/2023 18:56

I use mine regularly hands free, it connects to the car, so I just use Google assistant (voice) to play music, make a call, send texts, the car will read a text to me if I say it's ok, I don't have it on autoplay as I don't know who will be in the car and what's coming through.

People saying I don't connect it because I can't talk/listen and drive, what do you do if you have passengers? Don't you listen to the radio?

ohtowinthelottery · 29/10/2023 18:58

I also happen to think that the digital touchscreen controls for radio/heating etc are equally distracting whilst driving. I far prefer my arrow and knob controls for my heating/defrosting of windscreen to DHs touchscreen controls which require him to focus on the screen for longer than I need to on my old banger car where I quickly twiddle a knob!

FrenchFancie · 29/10/2023 19:00

No
i have an Alexa auto that I yell at to play certain music, podcasts etc but only do so when I’m not having to think about things too much, so straight driving on well lit well known roads.

i won’t answer calls on my phone even though I have had a free, I find it too distracting. I have ‘do not disturb whilst driving’ set on my phone.

i have to turn the radio down to park in tight spots so I’m easily distracted. No way am I risking handfree calls or texts, let alone breaking the law by picking my phone up!!

43ontherocksporfavor · 29/10/2023 19:01

@ohtowinthelottery I agree as the only crash I’ve ever had was in 1991 and I was changing the cassette!

piscofrisco · 29/10/2023 19:01

Yes. Sometimes. When sitting at lights and such. I know it's awful.

HundredMilesAnHour · 29/10/2023 19:06

smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 29/10/2023 18:51

Pls pls don't do this. Hands free is equally dangerous

Show quote history

A brief handsfree call is safer than a driver repeatedly distracted by passengers/children in their car. I assume you're applying the same logic to that and don't drive with anyone else in your car then.

Menomave · 29/10/2023 19:07

Nope. Not worth the chance of killing someone. I don't even like talking on the built in hands free because I find it distracting

43ontherocksporfavor · 29/10/2023 19:09

Just realised there’s a do not disturb, I’m driving option on iPhone.🤦🏼‍♀️

ShanghaiDiva · 29/10/2023 19:14

Never.

Cincinnatus · 29/10/2023 19:15

Absolutely not. Disgusting behaviour. I catch people doing on my dash cam often and always hand the footage to the police.

clarepetal · 29/10/2023 19:15

I do on hands free and only through my car. Is that a bad thing?

lwishyouwould · 29/10/2023 19:18

It's not a London thing, I see it loads here.

The other day I saw behind someone for a while and they were very clearly watching something, it looked like YouTube.

I don't touch my phone but I do use Apple CarPlay a lot.

43ontherocksporfavor · 29/10/2023 19:21

My local police force have started using unmarked transit vans for catching phone users as they are higher up they can see in.

Greydog · 29/10/2023 19:25

Never. A good friend of mine was killed by a woman making an appointment with her hairdresser and didn't see him - ploughed across a duel carriageway and into him. How can people be so fucking stupid?

Fishandchipsatthebeach · 29/10/2023 19:26

No because I’m not a selfish idiot

Jellycatspyjamas · 29/10/2023 20:24

Just realised there’s a do not disturb, I’m driving option on iPhone.🤦🏼‍♀️

Thats what I use, it stops any notifications coming through while the car engine is on. Don’t get distracted by texts etc popping up on the screen while I’m driving, it’s so reckless to use the phone while driving.

Pedallleur · 29/10/2023 20:32

No. I commute to work by bike and I watch the antics every morning and evening. Plus people driving with e.g. their dog or large handbag on their lap. Hard enough driving without the phone distracting me.

Longma · 30/10/2023 07:34

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

Vet73 · 30/10/2023 07:43

The only time I’ve touched mine is when someone is calling/ a message comes up and I can’t see my directions. The phone is just to the side of my wheel so I can do this using my pinky and keeping the rest of my hand on the wheel

43ontherocksporfavor · 30/10/2023 07:44

@Vet73 you can disable messages while driving in the do not disturb function.

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