To think that most people would agree that driving on the phone is stupid

[PseudoBadger]

Why then, do I see so very many people doing it on every journey I take? Does no one actually give a shit?

I went on a driver awareness course (34 mph in a 30 mph zone) and when we were asked to raise our hands if we considered ourselves better than average drivers the whole class put their hand up.

exactly!

34 in a 30 zone? Christ that was harsh!

I just wonder, leaving aside the phoning while driving issue, what people seem to feel the need to phone about all the time.

"I doubt very much that all the drivers that has posted so far have NEVER made a call/text while driving. including me. have you ever applied lippy? eaten a bar of chocolate? had a coffee while driving?"

I have never done any of those things while driving. I wouldn't even consider doing those things while driving. Why do people think it's normal? When you're driving a car, you should be concentrating on driving a car. Not a difficult concept to grasp, I'd have thought.

I can hand on heart say I have never used the phone while driving. I put the phone in my bag behind the driver's seat. I may have eaten some Minstrels/Maltesers/Revels as they are safer than a bar of chocolate IMO. I don't drink coffee or anything while driving either.

I can't imagine texting while driving

I also wonder what all these important calls are.

A few years back my dh was with our dd and nearly got hit on a zebra crossing by a twat on his phone. My dh yelled at him, driver yelled some abuse back and then raced off to join the back of a traffic jam, while dh casually followed him up the road tapped on the window of a police car that happened to parked there and reported the twat driver while the driver was stuck in traffic and couldn't go anywhere. Twat driver got done.

hackmum its not a difficult concept to grasp i just doubt very much people are being honest. if you are, fair play. but i have had a can while driving (red bull before i'm accused of driving under the influence), read directions on a letter of appointment, answered calls etc. the only thing i do is wait til its a straight stretch of road or i will pull in where safe. why is it legal for the police to be on the phone? may invest in a car kit actually. don't want to add to my 2 speeding points

but sparkling the idea is that it takes your concentration away from driving .. so why isn't eating while driving banned or drinking or even smoking?!

I was crossing a road at the lights with a friend and our two four year olds last month.
Driver on the phone drive straight through the lights.
One step further forward and our children would have been hit by that inconsiderate bastard.

And no I've never done those things as I don't have a licence and when I do pass so many years of being a pedestrian has taught me not to act like a selfish twat on the road because its dangerous.

I can delve into my bag of Minstrels without taking my eyes off the road though.

Changing CDs shouldn't be attempted though. I don't get why drinking isn't banned though-that involves concentration.

Also Sat Navs. How is having a screen attached to your windscreen legal? I chuck mine in the door pocket and just listen to the voice.

I have never done any of that stuff but I passed my test 2 months ago so I still drive to the letter of the law, hands in the 10 and 2 position, speed perfect, signals consistent etc. It is pretty amazing how few people drive within the law actually. To take dd to school, I go through a 20mph area, then a 30mph, then a 40, then national speed limit (60 in this case). Very rarely is the person in front of me not pulling away from when I'm doing the speed limit bang on and the person behind me is usually on my tail. I usually get overtaken in the 30mph zone and the overtaker zooms off. 20mph is nearly always ignored ime, 30 people do at least 35-40 and as soon as the national speed limit signs are visible in the distance, people speed up so they're doing 60 as they hit them, 65-70 I'd guess within seconds of passing them. The pedestrian crossings, schools, traffic lights and roundabouts aren't given due care by at least 50% of drivers I reckon. I see so many near misses, people cut up, gesticulating and honking horns/flashing lights.

The other problem is that even if you know it's illegal and you get a hands free set, I don't think you're safe. I won't go in the car with MIL as she has a hands free ear thing and generally it goes like this:

"HANG ON, HANG ON, ARE YOU COMING THROUGH? I CAN'T HEAR YOU. WAIT, IT HASN'T CONNECTED"

"WAIT. ARE YOU THERE? CAN YOU HEAR ME? Oh you're there now, I can hear you. Hang on, the radio's still loud, let me turn it off"

"What? OMG!"

I'm not surprised you won't go in the car with her. My Mum was a bit like that and it's a constant amazement to me that I made it to adulthood.

Someone I know was hit by another driver, got a mouthful of attitude. My friend says she's sure the woman was on the phone.

The police/insurance companies do check records to see if the phone was in use.

I hope she gets the book hurled at her!

What about having squabbling children in the car while driving. That is far more distracting than eating something. I never ever phone while driving (it's not illegal where I live), but have often spent a boring drive munching away (especially on a wide straight US freeway). If you are doing a long drive, there are times when it is fine.

Glancing at a SatNav is safer than being confused, or doing what I used to see people doing and reading directions or maps.

Making a quick call if you are stuck in a traffic jam isn't dangerous, if you are sensible and don't take your eyes off the road (I wouldn't do it myself).
The problem is that people don't use common sense.

I can't glance at a screen while I am driving. It's offputting.

YY the Police can find your call/text history even if you have deleted it.

YY claraschu that's exactly it ... not using common sense.

"but sparkling the idea is that it takes your concentration away from driving .. so why isn't eating while driving banned or drinking or even smoking?!"

I believe if you have an accident whilst doing those things you could be charged with driving without due and and attention or whatever the offence is called.

Anyway I hate this attitude of everyone else does it so it's ok. What happened to people having their own conscience and doing the right thing because it's the right thing?

i would assume and hope so Pseudo. thing is some people can actually multi task safely and if you use common sense and not do it in heavy traffic or a place that needs total concentration as opposed to motor way in middle of night then singling out those that use phone only when driving is hypocritical. the person and the surroundings are to be taken into account. however its the law and if caught so be it. nothing you can do. but i would like more penalties and action taken against those not concentrating full stop whether its turning around to kids in back seat, applying make up, eating a roll ... not just those on a phone.

i didn't say it was ok. i said that i didn't think people were being totally honest, admitted I do it (safely as I can in my eyes), and pointed out using a phone shouldn't be the only offense.

Mythbusters compared mobile phone use while driving versus driving drunk.

Mobile phone was worse than driving while intoxicated.

My mil was driven into the back of. They were in a queue of about 6 cars waiting to turn right.
A lorry driver on the phone drove into the back of them without breaking. Even with decent gaps all the cars ended up shunted.
My eldest ds then 3 was in the back of the car as I was in hospital and my gmil was in the passenger seat.
Luckily it was an estate car as the rear end was crumpled and was a right off.
I just asked him if he remembered it and he said yes 'it was bang bang bang' complete with jerky actions 'and I got to sit in a fire engine'

He's 10 now and remembers it clearly

Stupid twat lorry driver was prosecuted but I don't know what happened as life was hectic at that time.

fluckered, interesting that you mention getting an in-car kit. I was watching a programme the other day about the Transport Research Laboratory that has done studies on driving while on the phone and hands free kits and using a mobile normally in the car - there is virtually NO difference in the dreadful affect they have on people's driving and response times.

In other words hands free kits are just as dangerous.

It is the act of making or taking a call that is dangerous and takes your attention away from the road.

Hands free kits should be banned too IMO.

Dh's company now has a blanket ban on making/taking calls on mobile phones while driving. Very sensible.

All those other things are also illegal, they're classed as driving without due care and attention. If you get caught doing those you can still be prosecuted but not given a fixed penalty for them.

Driving using a mobile was made into a separate offence so the police can issue fixed penalties for it without having to prosecute every dickheaddriver they catch doing it (more costly and harder to enforce).