AIBU to believe that using your phone while driving is absolutely unacceptable?

[Anonymous2003]

The other day the topic came up about how so many people nowadays seem to send texts, take Snapchats and video themselves while behind the wheel. My friend expressed that she uses her phone all the time while driving and would use Snapchat and watch TikToks while on the motorway... She said it so noncholently too as if this was no big deal. I was horrified and told her I thought that was a terrible thing to do. I do think it's different if you're sitting with the handbrake on in a long queue of traffic or at a red light which is taking ages... But in a moving vehicle to me is different. However I have seen more and more of this behaviour on the likes of YouTube shorts with people videoing themselves while driving or sending photos of themselves behind the wheel, is this just something that a lot of people do now???

it's illegal where i live. with the e-vehicles that have integrated ipads and messages popping up via voice command you can reply hands free.

might be a bit of a grey area.

People are basically addicted to phones. They can’t put them down for a second, even when driving. It’s truly pathetic.

When I’m in the car, it stays in my pocket, bag, or in the pocket in the door.

I'm not sure where you live but in the UK it is illegal and I think a £1000 fine.

It’s totally unacceptable and illegal to have a phone in your hand whilst driving, even when stopped at traffic lights, etc. Penalty is 6 points and a £200 fine in the UK but that is far too lenient IMO. Should be at least a £1000 fine and/or a ban. (The penalty can be higher if the police deem it that you did not have a clear view of the road at the time.) The arrogance and recklessness of it is off the scale. Unfortunately there just aren’t enough police on the roads to enforce it vigorously everywhere.

Illegal. Stupid cow.

No you are not BU. Using your phone at the wheel, even in traffic or when stationary, is enormously dangerous. Not to mention illegal and subject to heavy fines and 6 penalty points.

Nobody has any need to use their phone when driving. If you need to make a call and don't have hands free, or need to look something up, pull over to a safe place and do it. People who continue to use their phone while driving are ignorant and dangerous.

And I'm not going to be apologetic about my tone in the above for a single second. There is simply no excuse.

A friend of mine was killed by a stupid bitch who was busy chatting to her hairdresser and booking an appointment, so failed to see him. I hate and detest anyone who is stupid and selfish enough to do this, and she would no longer be any sort of friend.

Yes, it is completely unacceptable. There's simply no need for it. Find somewhere to pull over and stop if you need to use the phone.

I live near a massive hospital near a dual carriageway. A lot of the staff are on their phones as they drive in (both moving cars and stationary).

I see it everyday as I walk on the pavement alongside the traffic.

Not too long ago I used the pedestrian crossing and someone drove through the red light while on the phone. She looked a bit confused but just carried on towards the hospital staff car park.

Very complacent and a bit scary

I don’t agree it’s “extremely dangerous” to use your phone while stationary with the handbrake on, but it is illegal and people shouldn’t do it. Using your phone while in moving traffic, especially on a motorway, is disgusting.

Jesus. She cannot be off TikTok while driving? She has a serious addiction to her phone. What is wrong with people.

It’s illegal because it’s extremely dangerous. No exceptions and no excuses when you’re meant to be in control
of a vehicle.

I can, and do, listen to and dictate messages, control my sat nav, play music & audio books etc though apple play on my vehicle. Most newish (newer than 10 years) cars have it and if they don’t it’s fairly cheap to retrofit. It always amazes me how many people still use their phones while driving but it’s incredibly common… sometimes it’s every other vehicle in drive past ( I drive a van so have a better view than I would in a car)

It's scary how many people I pass coming the other way that are clearly staring down to their phone on their lap. It's like they know talking on the phone is dangerous so to mitigate it they're going to do something just as (if not more dangerous) by taking their eyes off the road. Definitely not just a young person issue either.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/heavily-pregnant-mum-killed-crash-12646328.amp

A man cut us up a couple of weeks ago because he failed to give way at a roundabout. His phone was in his hand and he was using it as he sailed across the roundabout. We were behind and when we got to a set of traffic lights, he went into the right filter lane, then drove straight ahead when the lights turned green.

Last week, on our road, a woman failed to stop at a T junction and wrote off another car, driving into the driver’s side.

This was a horrendous read! That poor family. Made even harder because the little boy has the same name as my little boy. 😔

Driving whilst on your phone is just unacceptable. There are no excuses and there is no reason at all to use it. The punishment needs to be much harsher.

I certainly wouldn't be able to concentrate on the road if I was listening to and dictating messages, legal or not.

Your friend who uses their phone is a twat.

Totally unacceptable to EVER be on your phone whilst driving. If that addicted get a taxi or the bus. There are no excuses that cover their selfishness and entitlement.

If you do those things, especially listening and dictating messages, you cannot possibly be concentrating 100% on driving. Something to be ashamed of, not to boast about.

How do you think you're much different to someone on the phone whilst driving? Your disassociation is incredible

Can you explain how listening to and dictating messages is any different to listening to the radio or having a conversation with a passenger?

You're passive listening to the radio, conversations - people often signal for their passenger to stop talking for a moment whilst concentrating. Dictating messages is very different, you're concentrating on the content not the road. Can't believe you can't see the difference

It’s no different to having a conversation. And if I’m listening to an audio book I’m not passive listening, I’m concentrating on the book, and the driving.

I can’t believe you think there is such an enormous difference between the two.

Interesting.