Driving on the phone.

[au350hp]

I was talking to a Ford enthusiast the other day who mentioned that like me, he was also hit by a driver on a phone resulting in his car, like mine, been written off. We both also know one other person this has happened to in the last 12 months. So, to tally up, that is four older Ford's in great cond with a lot invested in them all written off by irresponsible drivers who believe their entitled to use a phone whilst driving. How many others know of this happening recently to themselves or someone they know? What is it going to take for people to take driving seriously?

[Maka]

Drivers who are visibly on their phone while driving is my one pet hate while driving, i see all sorts doing it when out & about..

Is there a app yet that alerts the police that someone is on the phone while driving, it would probably fix the economy if there was...lol!

cheers, Maka

[Itsme]

Until mobile phones is banned from society I cannot see peoples attitude changing using phones while driving!!!

[mike_nofx]

Originally Posted by Officemanager

Until mobile phones is banned from society I cannot see peoples attitude changing using phones while driving!!!

Being an office manager, wouldn’t a phone free society be detrimental?

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

Being an office manager, wouldn’t a phone free society be detrimental?

No, you might get more productivity from your workers instead of them gas bagging on the phone.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

Being an office manager, wouldn’t a phone free society be detrimental?

We managed quite well before mobile phones.

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

We managed quite well before mobile phones.

Ahhh, the days of pagers.....

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

Ahhh, the days of pagers.....

... And public phone booths.

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

Ahhh, the days of pagers.....

And log books and Super and Standard petrol and water in the radiator

[Olbucko]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

We managed quite well before mobile phones.

But then we were all in the same boat, now a tradie or contractor working from his car would be totally uncompetitive without a mobile.
Back then urgent meant some time by the end of the week, today it means in the next hour.

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by Olbucko

But then we were all in the same boat, now a tradie or contractor working from his car would be totally uncompetitive without a mobile.
Back then urgent meant some time by the end of the week, today it means in the next hour.

Within the next 5 minutes

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by Olbucko

But then we were all in the same boat, now a tradie or contractor working from his car would be totally uncompetitive without a mobile.
Back then urgent meant some time by the end of the week, today it means in the next hour.

Funny thing is, 30 years ago tradies actually turned up when they said they would

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Olbucko

But then we were all in the same boat, now a tradie or contractor working from his car would be totally uncompetitive without a mobile.
Back then urgent meant some time by the end of the week, today it means in the next hour.

To me it means in the next six months, I don't even answer the phone on site, that's what messagebank and emails are for.
I figure, if you can employ a Stonemason next week there must be something really wrong with him to be available.
I see builders who spent all day on the phone and I'm the one who has to listen to their "on speaker" conversations all about nothing they could have arranged when they got home.
I wonder why owner builders pay these guys hourly rates to talk relentlessly on the phone its been 2 weeks for 2 guys to build a small deck I could have built by myself in a week.

rant over.

[jpd80]

in my part of the world texting while driving is even worse, people cannot put down their phones.

And where i am, it's illegal to even touch your phone while driving, let alone put it to your ear or text.
We even have surveillance cameras at traffic lights that look down on cars and catch drivers on their phones.
Officers on police motorcycles have helmet cams to catch drivers on their phones and stuff..

I just use Siri paired to my car's radio, works like a treat and totally legal
so there's no excuse for people not using a hands free kit.

[Rallye Sport]

I worked with a bloke that I would have said was a pretty good driver, no worries holding a physical two way conversation and could drive all manner of heavy machinery, tractors, loaders, graders, trucks etc but put him on the hands free in a Falcon ute and he'd drive oblivious though red arrows, stop and give way signs.
The technology is out there to block phones in cars but the emphasis is on the tech to use them behind the wheel. We looked at a new car for the mrs a while back and the first thing the dealer did was spruke the connectivity abilities it had. He even had his phone sync'ed in and tried to take a call while we were test driving.

[aussiblue]

I've been hit 8 times in the last 20 years by people on mobiles while stopped at lights or stop signs. Three times where I was in a queue and the car behind me was pushed into mine by someone on a mobile. It all cases I had been stationary for some time so not sudden stops by the victims was involved; offenders on phones simply sailing along at the speed limit or oblivious to what was in front of them. I hate people who do this. Then there is this: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/six...unity-service/

[commodorenutt]

2 of my colleagues had the same thing happen to their own vehicles. One was the wife of one of the guys, who works at a high school, hit by a student from the same school. She watched him in the rear view mirror, head looking in his lap when he hit - no attempt to brake. He denied he was on the phone to the cops, but a day later one of his passengers (also a student) told her he was sending an SMS, and agreed to be a witness.

I can sit at traffic lights, and out of 4-5 cars where I can see the driver, at least 3 of them will be on the phone - not talking, browsing facebook, or typing messages. It's disgusting how they think nobody will notice them looking down, and holding up a queue at a green light. At least twice on every commute I have to honk someone caught up on their phone screen, instead of looking at a green light. And don't they get ****ty about it.

I was in the '28 Chev in Gunnedah last October, following a young moron wandering all over the road, and clipping 2 of the roundabouts in the main street. His driving was that bad I thought he was drunk. It would drift over towards parked cars & then reef arcross to the centre again. Got to the lights, right near the cop shop, and he went in the right turn bay. I pulled up beside him, to see his phone in his left hand, resting on the console, typing an SMS. I yelled out (his LH window was down) to get off the f-ing phone, and you should have heard the tirade of abuse out of him. A bloody green P-plater who isn't even allowed to be on a hands free call!!!

Ph****ers (as we call them at work) are easy to spot on the freeway - doing 80km/h in the 100 zone with no-one around them holding them up, drifting across the lane until they hit the audible lines, then they over-correct back into the lane, and repeat it agaon 5-10 seconds later.

The cops on motorbikes will lane split at red lights, and carefully check each car they pass for phone use - I think it's great when they do it. I've seen 3 people get pinged at the lights at Norwest & Windsor road in the last 12 months - 2 of them P-platers too.
There should be more of them doing it to stamp out the rampant disease.

[blackf6]

I use my phone while driving. And will continue to do so. It is not illegal. Hands free and bluetoothed.

[CoupeKing]

Originally Posted by blackf6

I use my phone while driving. And will continue to do so. It is not illegal.

I read that then seen your avatar before finishing your post and thought ''*&^& me dead''

[blackf6]

Originally Posted by CoupeKing

I read that then seen your avatar before finishing your post and thought ''*&^& me dead''

I never use the phone whilst driving the fuel tanker. Company policy. Maxi's off(handbrake), Phone Off. The phone is actually wired to the maxi's. And has no power when your driving. They also have a camera in the cab, and if caught using your personal phone. Instant dismissal. I know three drivers at my depot that have been dismissed for the phone.

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by blackf6

I use my phone while driving. And will continue to do so. It is not illegal. Hands free and bluetoothed.

^^ Agree with bluetooth and a voice call. Voice dialling is great too - no need to even touch it to make a call. 100% legal. I am the same.
Even though I do use bluetooth for voice calls whilst driving - I give precedence to what's happening on the road, even if I go quiet (or loud) or appear to be ignoring the person on the call for a short period. I've done nearly 450,000km commuting in the last 10 years, and the only accident I've had is when a skip-bin truck lost it's load & damaged my car (whilst I was on the phone I might add - on a voice call).


My post above is only referring to people using their phones, in their hands, looking at the screens. ie, text messaging, scrolling facebook, status updates etc etc.

Actual voice calls I have no problem with. No worse than driving with a passenger and having a conversation - actually that can be worse.... the number of numpties I see driving along, turning to face their passenger to converse whilst driving down the freeway is downright alarming. Even worse are passengers holding up a phone to show the driver a funny meme on farcebook...

[Rallye Sport]

Just because its legal doesn't make it a good idea. I can split stationary freeway traffic on a motorbike at 100kph but is that a good idea?
I've started playing with people now, I'll pull up well short of the car in front, if I see someone in my rear view mirror with their heads in their lap I'll pull off the brake and roll forward. They're immediate reaction is to look up and follow me. Do it a couple of times and they soon give up on the phone.
I did it to a car next to me, head down, poll position at the lights, rolled forward a metre, heads up, go, almost drove through the red light, should've seen the look on her face.

[davenl5l]

Hard to get people to stop when every second cop is on the phone whilst driving

[uniacidz]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

Hard to get people to stop when every second cop is on the phone whilst driving

Don't go there

They are allowed during the course of their duty and trained

Legally allowed.

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[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by uniacidz

Don't go there

They are allowed during the course of their duty and trained

Legally allowed.

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I keep hearing that and i have to wonder at the 'course content' lol......

[davenl5l]

Originally Posted by uniacidz

Don't go there

They are allowed during the course of their duty and trained

Legally allowed.

Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using Tapatalk

With radio communication and on board computers why would they need to be on the phone while driving ?

[uniacidz]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

With radio communication and on board computers why would they need to be on the phone while driving ?

Have a really good think about it

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[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by uniacidz

Don't go there

They are allowed during the course of their duty and trained

Legally allowed.

Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using Tapatalk

lol they are still subject to the laws of cause and effect. Seen a video of a nsw police HighUndies iMax Van slam into a row of stationary cars at a traffic light. You guess it, mr constable was using his phone while driving.

[Fed]

Strangely I find hands free is more distracting than physically holding & talking on a phone, I guess it's what you're used to.

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by Fed

Strangely I find hands free is more distracting than physically holding & talking on a phone, I guess it's what you're used to.

That's because you can change gears and use indicators with your 2 free hands.

Holding the phone eliminates one of those tasks - freeing up brain capacity for a conversation. /sarcasm.

Probably 50% of the "lack of indicator" continual repeat offendors I see are older vans where the driver is holding the phone to his right ear, whilst pretending to simply be leaning his head against his hand. With small phones, you could almost get away with it, but smart phones are now too big to hide like that.