Driving Whilst Using Mobile 'phone

[whiskeryron]

I recently encountered a young woman ( I won't say lady) who was using her mobile whilst driving, I gestured to her with my thumb in ear & little finger to mouth ( demonstrating using a 'phone) & shook my head. This is the answer I got. http://tinypic.com/r/j8dw7c/5

WR.

[Paulsy]

continuing on from this, is it illegal to smoke when driving? I've always wondered that because it is very distracting plus dangerous too

[mrs_overall]

That says it all Chuck

[Sammy48]

I saw a girl drive past my house looking down at her phone with both hands off the wheel last week. It infuriates me that talking or texting on the phone is more important than driving a potential killing machine. If something is so important that you have to take your eyes off the road, then pull over in the car and stop.

[ChuckFickens]

To be clear... the motorbike rider was also speeding and should have realised they were approaching a junction and slowed down.

[mrs_overall]

paulsy, no it is not illegal to smoke whilst driving.....yet

[society]

I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been nearly run over by people talking on their mobiles, even by the police too. Thank goodness I'm quick on my feet.

[Paulsy]

I think it should be then, potential hazards are as bad if not worse than anything else like eating, using phone, etc. Haven't driven (or smoked for that matter) for years but some ash in the eye or the burning tip of a fag in lap are enough to be a danger

[magicmick]

The latest thing I have noticed is the amount of people driving with head phones in their ears, I know we have radios in cars but I am sure those people must be in another world. It is something I have never tried does any of you do this? If so do you feel it a safe thing to do, you must be cut of from traffic sounds around you I do not feel this is safe, sorry for the ramble and change of track

[SpikeyBush]

mrs_o & Paulsy I once had a woman in a Rover 400 drive into the back of my Vauxhall Belmont with such force it bent the boot floor in half. She was trying to light a cigarette at the time of impact. Anything that takes your eye off the road is dangerous, be it the phone, mapreading, rolling a spliff, personal pleasure etc...

[Cloverjo]

My god. That's terrible, chuck. I can understand why people might think they can concentrate on a phone call and driving equally, (though I don't condone it in the slightest), but texting while driving is sheer lunacy.
I was going to say that I hope the people in that accident got out ok, but by the look of it, they didn't. So awful.

[ChuckFickens]

magicmick, no, I don't see that as a huge problem, I've been a professional driver and hearing isn't a huge part of road awareness at all. vision and concentration on your surroundings are though... take away the vision (overly tinted windows!) or concentration (texting!) then you have a problem.

[Paulsy]

That's awful spikey, my point exactly. Its ridiculous the things some people do, it should be banned lighting up in vehicles full stop as it is dangerous whatever way you look at it

[hc4361]

I agree that smoking whilst driving should be banned. Apart from the fiddly bits of extracting cigarette from packet and lighting it and stubbing it out, a dropped lit cigarette is a real hazard, as is smoke in the eyes, a coughing fit and a burning butt thrown out of the window blowing back in to the car.
Then there is fumbling for the dropped lighter; struggling to get the cellophane off the new pack - I have even seen a driver rolling his own.
I've witnessed all of these things, many times.

[SpikeyBush]

magicmick no I would never wear headphones. I'll have Chris Evans or Ken Bruce on quietly on the radio. It worries me seeing cyclists, walkers and joggers too wearing headphones. They are missing out on so many potential warnings of something nasty about to happen.

[sunny-dave]

True enough Chuck - I don't hear an enormous amount inside the crash helmet (many bikers wear ear plugs to cut wind noise anyway) - but I reckon I'm looking and concentrating a damn sight harder than most car drivers ...

[sunny-dave]

You don't half go through a Park Drive quickly at 60mph on a bike though ;+)

[magicmick]

Spikeybush you and I are on the same wavelength, and mrs mm likes your avatar, sorry rambling again:-)

[jno]

magicmick, I often listen to my Ipod while driving, but I don't have it loud enough to drown out, say, the sound of a siren (which is probably the only thing on a road that you have to hear). I'd say 95% of driving is about eyes; ears don't contribute much.

[ChuckFickens]

Deaf people are allowed to drive :)

[sunny-dave]

Some of the dozy buggers I see round here could do with their guide dog driving ...