Dangers of calling while driving

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Modern society demands that people be contactable during working hours and this is largely thanks to the mobile phone. But the one place that should be cellphone-free is the car.

Dangers of calling while driving
 
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Phoning / speaking on the phone while driving is still against the law, right?

That's what hands-free kits are for, or even car-kits. Although some people can still not do that either.
I only take calls in the car, since that is almost like no effort, pressing one button.
I very rarely make calls from the car, and then I am not using my phone either.

Plus, the US is a bad example / comparison to SA, since virtually everyone uses their cell-phones while driving, especially using the speaker-phone and speaking into the phone, etc. without using any car-kits or hands-free. This is because a very high-percentage of cars are automatics too, which gives you more hands, so to speak.
I also got in the habit of being on the phone while driving an auto when I was there.
 
"It is not only holding a phone that is distracting but the act of communicating while driving that is a threat to road safety."

I have said this for years, even to a traffic cop who booked me for talking on a cell phone whilst driving without a hands-free. He didn't see my point. I maintain it is the conversation which is the distraction, not the holding of the phone which is dangerous. If that were so, it should be illegal to smoke or eat a banana whilst driving too.
 
All for banning cellphones in the car myself.

Had quite a few close shaves with people nattering away on their cellphones whilst driving - and nearly wiped me out on my scooter.

I don't answer the phone when it's ringing and I'm in the car. It can ring its head off, I just throttle it :D
 
Grouter said:
"It is not only holding a phone that is distracting but the act of communicating while driving that is a threat to road safety."

I have said this for years, even to a traffic cop who booked me for talking on a cell phone whilst driving without a hands-free. He didn't see my point. I maintain it is the conversation which is the distraction, not the holding of the phone which is dangerous. If that were so, it should be illegal to smoke or eat a banana whilst driving too.
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They're both bad but its the cognitive (mental) distraction of holding a conversation with a person who is not in the car which is more significant a distraction. Anything which distracts you is bad, even if its a kid in the back seat, a beautiful woman who walks past or changing stations (even by using your steering wheel).
 
The_Librarian said:
All for banning cellphones in the car myself.

Had quite a few close shaves with people nattering away on their cellphones whilst driving - and nearly wiped me out on my scooter.
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You do drive in the centre of the lane (not centre of the road) right?
You don't duck between cars in busy situations?

It's the motorcyclists and scooter riders who are usually the problem. You don't get taught in driving school to drive dead centre in your lane, - as long as you don't cross the line on either side of the lane you can drive how you want - now with all these idiots on bikes driving abreast of cars you really need a steady surgeon's hand to keep the car from drifting for only a few centimeters to avoid hitting these idiots.
 
PeterCH said:
You do drive in the centre of the lane (not centre of the road) right?
You don't duck between cars in busy situations?

It's the motorcyclists and scooter riders who are usually the problem. You don't get taught in driving school to drive dead centre in your lane, - as long as you don't cross the line on either side of the lane you can drive how you want - now with all these idiots on bikes driving abreast of cars you really need a steady surgeon's hand to keep the car from drifting for only a few centimeters to avoid hitting these idiots.
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Couldn't agree more with your point. There have been situations where a guy on a bike has even brushed my car at an intersection... If i had a faster car i would've chased him :o.

Oh, and what's up with cyclists? I'm all for fitness but please, try keep to the damn rules of the road! Hate those fools always using half the lane while there is a even, tarred walkway right next to him.

Soz for derail.
 
There have been a few tests like this. My dad sent me the results of some about 5 years back. Communication via cell phone for some reason creates greater distraction than just speaking to a person next to you in the car. This holds true regardless of hands free kits vs holding it against your ear. Makes no sense but it is true. We use different parts of our brain when speaking on a phone compared to speaking face to face and speaking over a phone does distract drivers more than being just over the legal alcohol limit. I do not talk on a phone unless my car is standing still, as I have noticed how much attention I divert to the conversation myself.

As to bikes, that is OT and perhaps a new thread is what is needed. I have had some pressure put on me recently to stick a think bike sticker on my car. I resisted and started taking some notes while driving to test my potentially biased perspective. Over a month period I saw an average of 5 bikes a day and on average 95% of them where breaking rules of the road that put them in danger so I politely declined the sticker. The most common infractions where:

Splitting moving lanes of traffic (it is legal to split stationary traffic apparently but not moving)
Speeding
Overtaking on a solid white line with and without oncoming traffic
Not having headlights on
Not wearing proper safety equipment and clothing
Doing illegal maneuvers like wheelies etc while in moving traffic

This is why I do not support think bike as I think it detracts from the real problem which is lack of regard for road rules among bikers, followed by cars. Bikers always seem to be in a big rush to their destination, be that where they are going or their funerals. Well done to those responsible bikers though that obey the rules of the road! I do look out for you!
 
I hate using the phone in the car even with a hands free kit. It only takes a momentary lapse in concentration for there to be disastrous consequences.
Battery said:
Oh, and what's up with cyclists? I'm all for fitness but please, try keep to the damn rules of the road! Hate those fools always using half the lane while there is a even, tarred walkway right next to him.

Soz for derail.
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Surely the rules of the road state that cyclists belong on the road and not on a walkway? :confused:
 
The_Librarian said:
Ook?
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Ook!

I'm sure the constitution ought to be protecting the rights of orang-utans.

If talking on a hands-free phone is illegal, not only eating a banana but also having kids in the car should be illegal. There's no way you can show that a cellphone conversation is more of a draw on your attention that a 4-year-old.
 
I have been told that research has shown that when speaking on a phone, up to 70% of your concentration is spent on trying to imagine what the other person is doing. This mostly happens subconsciously, but still takes a lot of brainpower. This in turn leaves you with only 30% of your available concentration to; talk, drive, eat, listen, observer, and react to your surroundings. Now I know there are many many South African super heroes out there who truly believe that they are more than capable of doing all these things at once, and they are willing to die trying to proove it. Even worst still, they are willing to sacrifice someone elses life to try and proove it...

We as South African drivers really need to catch a wake-up when it comes to traffic safety. It should not be the last thing on our mind, it should be the first.
 
In South Africa our roads are hazardous enough without drivers upping the risk of an accident by calling while on the road. I’m all for banning cellphone use in motor vehicles.
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Deal with the taxis and buses first, then we can turn our attention to cellphones. They're probably more likely to cause an accident than someone on their cellphone.
 
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