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Original poster

People using mobile phone whilst driving

93 replies

CouldIBeAnymoreHungry · 12/12/2018 16:24

What is the mentality behind people still using their mobile phones whilst driving despite the dangers & the fact it's illegal?

Casually chit chatting without any thought that they are putting other road users lives in danger.

AIBU to wish these people a slow painful death?

OP posts:
MyOtherProfile · 13/12/2018 07:55

I’ll include people on hands free as well, they too can burn in hellfire for all I care.

What's wrong with hands free? I do a long drive twice a week. I call my sister before I set off, put the phone on loud speaker and chat to her as I go. I don't touch the phone as I'm driving. When we are done chatting she hangs up. I can't see anything wrong with that. It's no different from talking to someone sitting in the car.

PeridotCricket · 13/12/2018 08:12

I think the difference with hands free and chatting in the car is that a Redon in the car with you will also be reading the road too. So might go quiet if it gets busy....for example

MyOtherProfile · 13/12/2018 09:42

Really? Have you ever driven with children who just want to chat? Mine don't read the road!

whatsthecomingoverthehill · 13/12/2018 09:50

DayMan, whilst I'd probably agree that the cyclist shouldn't have been confrontational, I don't see how you can say it is their fault. The driver should still be in control of his vehicle. In any case, it is the irony of the driver saying how good he is and then driving into the back of the car.

DGRossetti · 13/12/2018 11:15

the difference with hands free and chatting in the car

I think when chatting we process a lot of clues that aren't available when you're on the phone.

That said, it would be a fascinating experiment to try and discern what - if any - differences there are. It's such a bleeding obvious question, I'd be amazed if there isn't already some research and statistics available for people to ignore .

ChikiTIKI · 13/12/2018 13:13

Someone overtook us in the fast lane the other day while texting. I have seen someone eating a full chippy tea while driving too before

Satsumaeater · 13/12/2018 13:18

People are addicted to their phones to the point of foolishness and selfishness. I work in central London. The amount of people looking at their phones and walking on the street is very high now, a norm

Yes this. And when I said on another thread that I play a sort of chicken with the mobile phone gazers to see if they'll look up before they collide with me (I do move at the last minute) I got a nasty comment from someone. Clearly, it's my responsibility to avoid the mobile phone gazers, rather than theirs to put their phones away.

The other day we had a fire drill at work. I am on the top floor and we were heading down the stairs and a lady in front of me was walking down the stairs very slowly - you guessed it, looking at her phone. We knew it was a drill because our office manager let it slip but I am not sure she would have known that. Anyway it doesn't matter, you get the hell out.

I would give people a lifetime ban for being caught on their mobile phones in the car if they are texting. A year if talking.

Craft1905 · 13/12/2018 13:23

I have seen someone eating a full chippy tea while driving too

Driving whilst holding your phone is bad. But using the phrase "chippy tea" is worse.

Oliversmumsarmy · 13/12/2018 13:26

I can’t see the point of the video.

Driver was using his mobile and didn’t have an accident.

Cyclist harangues the driver and caused an accident.

Not too sure what this guy was trying to prove

RedPanda2 · 13/12/2018 13:26

An old friend thought it was hilarious that her boyfriend watched shows on his ipad whilst driving. Scumbags

Raspberry88 · 13/12/2018 13:27

YADNBU!

Mozartinmyfanjo · 13/12/2018 13:37

The other l saw a cyclist going down a hill, very busy road with bus lane and cars pulling out of side streets every few metres, headphones on and both hands and eyes on mobile phone texting Shock.

DGRossetti · 13/12/2018 13:39

Meanwhile ...

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/drivers-wearing-headphones-face-5000-15530663

Drivers wearing headphones face £5,000 fines and nine penalty points - and even a BAN, it has emerged.

(contd)

It's health and safety gawn mad I tell you !!!!!!

whatsthecomingoverthehill · 13/12/2018 14:17

Oh dear Olivers. You don't think a driver should be in control of their vehicle then?

Whatdoesitmatteranyway · 13/12/2018 14:21

Prepared to be flamed here.....

I will admit to using my phone if I'm in static queue of traffic or at lights with the break on.

Whilst I know that is also illegal if the car isnt bloody moving I can't actually get worked up over it.

The minute I pull away, I don't touch the phone.

I actually think if the law was framed more as - you can't use the phone whilst the car is moving, people might respect i more.

The whole having to be parked with ignition off seems faintly ridiculous which I think is why some people might think well if I'm going to break it in one way I may as well go the whole hog.

DGRossetti · 13/12/2018 14:30

I actually think if the law was framed more as - you can't use the phone whilst the car is moving, people might respect i more.

Didn't realise we only had to obey laws we respected. Wonder when that happened ?

The whole having to be parked with ignition off seems faintly ridiculous

Quite a few of our laws are faintly ridiculous.

MiddlingMum · 13/12/2018 14:31

People are addicted to their phones to the point of foolishness and selfishness. I work in central London. The amount of people looking at their phones and walking on the street is very high now, a norm

I watched someone walk into a lamp post doing that recently. It was obviously going to happen, but they needed to learn a lesson. Quite a bad bump but not needing hospital treatment.

JustABetterPlayer · 13/12/2018 14:37

To answer I hate hands free as from personal experience morons nattering away seem quite happy to sideswipe my loud horrendously yellow bike. I also listened to a report into it about as to the reasons why it’s considered a risk, It was a while ago but I’m sure one of the reasons was that our wee brains try to visualise the person we are talking too (Hence the additional brain fart actions I assume).

As to the above of course wearing headphones is daft if you can’t bloody hear what’s around you (horns, sirens).

DGRossetti · 13/12/2018 14:44

As to the above of course wearing headphones is daft if you can’t bloody hear what’s around you (horns, sirens).

Although being deaf is not a bar to holding a driving license for a car or motorbike www.gov.uk/deafness-and-driving

What's that all about ?

ivykaty44 · 13/12/2018 14:53

Op, a high percentage of drivers think it’s safe to do so - like this motorist
reviews.mtbr.com/video-cell-phone-driving-motorist-crashes-car-after-telling-cyclist-hes-safe

ivykaty44 · 13/12/2018 14:59

Tbh any texting driver that kills, it should be treated as murder

DGRossetti · 13/12/2018 14:59

that video also appears here:

rate-driver.co.uk/

interesting site ....

IndigoSpritz · 13/12/2018 15:07

Amazing that mobile phone use whilst driving still happens. The other week I saw a woman driving a very large horsebox down a main road, left hand on steering wheel, right hand holding phone to her right ear. She was driving a little quickly, pedestrians on both sides of the road and she had a young female passenger. Quite likely a horse on board as well. That alone would not have made a pretty accident. Ignorant, irresponsible tart.

DGRossetti · 13/12/2018 15:13

Amazing that mobile phone use whilst driving still happens

Made me smile that you typed that this far into the thread, where some posters have told you they do it ....

IndigoSpritz · 13/12/2018 15:15

Just voicing an opinion...

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