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[tidla]

popped out in the escort van this evening.waiting at the lights for the right turn filter. 5 seconds late big 4x4 straight across without batting an eye lid.kinda like life myself so put the anchors on. if id been in the mig it could have been a different story..

pretty sure the distraction was phone call. see it all the time, vehicle not quite looking in control, bingo! there on the phone.

3 points and a fine dont seem to be a deterrent.if its more of a distraction than drink driving, apparently.. shouldnt the penalty be the same?? :-? :-?

[Nickbat]

popped out in the escort van this evening.waiting at the lights for the right turn filter. 5 seconds late big 4x4 straight across without batting an eye lid.kinda like life myself so put the anchors on. if id been in the mig it could have been a different story..

pretty sure the distraction was phone call. see it all the time, vehicle not quite looking in control, bingo! there on the phone.

3 points and a fine dont seem to be a deterrent.if its more of a distraction than drink driving, apparently.. shouldnt the penalty be the same?? :-? :-?

It clearly isn't a deterrent and there are few police around to enforce it anyway. Far more dangerous than simply exceeding the speed limit by a few mph, IMHO. But it's much easier to catch the speeders.

And yes, I do think it is comparable to drink-driving, if not worse.

How ever did we manage before the invention of the cell phone? 

[Andy B]

.....
And yes, I do think it is comparable to drink-driving, if not worse. ....

I just can not agree with this at all. IMHO no more so than talking to someone else in the car.

[Nickbat]

.....
And yes, I do think it is comparable to drink-driving, if not worse. ....

I just can not agree with this at all. IMHO no more so than talking to someone else in the car.

Sorry, but I have to disagree. Talking on the phone is way different to talking to someone in person. The brain acts in a different way.

For example, if a child interrupts you when your talking face-to-face, you are very likely to cease a conversation immediately and address the child. The other party will note the interruption and accept it. In other words, the other party is aware of the circumstances in which you find yourself. If you are talking on the phone, however, you WILL almost always, apologise to the caller for the interruption first before addressing the child.

Equally, when a road situation occurs, the brain automatically tries to address two situations at once: i.e the road danger and the caller on the mobile. It can't do that, and vital nanoseconds are lost before it assesses that the road danger has priority over courtesy to the mobile caller.

Definitely as dangerous as drink-driving in my book.   

[tidla]

does it not depend on the content of the conversation.
i remember a time talking on the company hands free(ok at the time) and driving past two junctions too far on the motorway.

i also remember rowing in the car with the girl friend at the time and not seeing a speed camera (flash)on a crossing.

(now the wiser)

quote andy b

[hotel21]

.....
And yes, I do think it is comparable to drink-driving, if not worse. ....

I just can not agree with this at all. IMHO no more so than talking to someone else in the car.

Sorry, but I have to disagree. Talking on the phone is way different to talking to someone in person. The brain acts in a different way.

For example, if a child interrupts you when your talking face-to-face, you are very likely to cease a conversation immediately and address the child. The other party will note the interruption and accept it. In other words, the other party is aware of the circumstances in which you find yourself. If you are talking on the phone, however, you WILL almost always, apologise to the caller for the interruption first before addressing the child.

Equally, when a road situation occurs, the brain automatically tries to address two situations at once: i.e the road danger and the caller on the mobile. It can't do that, and vital nanoseconds are lost before it assesses that the road danger has priority over courtesy to the mobile caller.
Definitely as dangerous as drink-driving in my book.   

In a comparisons point of view, how about drinking your scalding cup of morning java whilst driving and getting into a similar scenario?

Does your subconcious allow you to:-
a) Continue drinking happily whilst avoiding wee Johnny stepping into your path.
b) Hold your thermos encrusted mug in mid air whilst steering around wee Johnny, allowing him to travel to school to become a brain surgeon.
c) Drop the mug of steaming contents into your exposed 'dangle berries' whilst allowing the car to take its own course into wee Johnny and the rest of the surgical team as they meander their way along the road?

discuss...... 

[tidla]

talking on the phone,
talking (heated) in the car to someone else,
eating/drinking(which have had prosecutions in the media)
tuning the radio,
all distractions i suppose/fact :-?

[Nickbat]

In a comparisons point of view, how about drinking your scalding cup of morning java whilst driving and getting into a similar scenario?

Does your subconcious allow you to:-
a) Continue drinking happily whilst avoiding wee Johnny stepping into your path.
b) Hold your thermos encrusted mug in mid air whilst steering around wee Johnny, allowing him to travel to school to become a brain surgeon.
c) Drop the mug of steaming contents into your exposed 'dangle berries' whilst allowing the car to take its own course into wee Johnny and the rest of the surgical team as they meander their way along the road?

discuss...... 

H21, are you saying that people hold hot beverages while driving? Truly, I have never seen that, but given your background, I bow to your greater knowledge.

 

I suppose it rates with shaving or putting lippy on. Unbelievable. 

[hotel21]

In a comparisons point of view, how about drinking your scalding cup of morning java whilst driving and getting into a similar scenario?

Does your subconcious allow you to:-
a) Continue drinking happily whilst avoiding wee Johnny stepping into your path.
b) Hold your thermos encrusted mug in mid air whilst steering around wee Johnny, allowing him to travel to school to become a brain surgeon.
c) Drop the mug of steaming contents into your exposed 'dangle berries' whilst allowing the car to take its own course into wee Johnny and the rest of the surgical team as they meander their way along the road?

discuss...... 

H21, are you saying that people hold hot beverages while driving? Truly, I have never seen that, but given your background, I bow to your greater knowledge.

 

I suppose it rates with shaving or putting lippy on. Unbelievable. 

erse.......   

[tidla]

popped out in the escort van this evening.waiting at the lights for the right turn filter. 5 seconds late big 4x4 straight across without batting an eye lid.kinda like life myself so put the anchors on. if id been in the mig it could have been a different story..

pretty sure the distraction was phone call. see it all the time, vehicle not quite looking in control, bingo! there on the phone.

3 points and a fine dont seem to be a deterrent.if its more of a distraction than drink driving, apparently.. shouldnt the penalty be the same?? :-? :-?

It clearly isn't a deterrent and there are few police around to enforce it anyway. Far more dangerous than simply exceeding the speed limit by a few mph, IMHO. But it's much easier to catch the speeders.

And yes, I do think it is comparable to drink-driving, if not worse.

How ever did we manage before the invention of the cell phone?

never seen minder, sit around in the winchester waiting for dave to tell you "youve had a call"

[doog]

i had a copper waggle his finger at me for eating a roll on sausage while driving 

[Mr Skrunts]

i had a copper waggle his finger at me for eating a roll on sausage while driving 

This makes me laugh, the fact that they fit a cigerette lighter for the drivers to light up and smoke whilt driving, whats the difference, either both hands on the wheel or changing gear, or winding down the window, or tuning the radio, or having a smoke, or eating a sausage roll.

[JamesV6CDX]

i had a copper waggle his finger at me for eating a roll on sausage while driving 

This makes me laugh, the fact that they fit a cigerette lighter for the drivers to light up and smoke whilt driving, whats the difference, either both hands on the wheel or changing gear, or winding down the window, or tuning the radio, or having a smoke, or eating a sausage roll.

Mobile phones aside, It's not the act of holding/handling something itself, that's the offence... the problem can arise from any of those acts, when it affects your standards of driving and concentration to the extent you're not in proper control of the car...

[Andy B]

.....
when it affects your standards of driving and concentration to the extent you're not in proper control of the car...

Which affect some who drive with both hands on the wheel & are clueless as to what's going on in the world around them. 

[doog]

It wasnt like this in the old days when it was legal to drive along  with no seat belt on,smoking a fag with a can of fizzy juice on your hand as well as reading a map  and talking on the phone  and stearing with your knee.

aaah the good ol days   bloody nanny state eh