Driving on the phone.

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by mr smith

The amount of P platers I see texting is growing. A clown blew by me driving a newish Audi on Saturday, he would have been doing 140 and was slumped back texting.
Generation d..khead.

In Daddy's car no doubt. Does anybody notice a higher rate of 'bad driving' from people in hi end Euro cars? My wife swears owners of Beemers & Benz's etc, believe they have rights the rest of the road users don't, such as phone use , cutting in, failing to use indicators etc.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Roostercam

Does anybody notice a higher rate of 'bad driving' from people in hi end Euro cars? My wife swears owners of Beemers & Benz's etc, believe they have rights the rest of the road users don't, such as phone use , cutting in, failing to use indicators etc.

I don't know if they're worse than the rest of us or just more noticeable.

One thing for sure is that there's lots of people who won't give them the benefit of the doubt. Or maybe there's a bit of envy and/or prejudgement involved?

One of my daughters owns a 12 month old Evoque and where peeps would give me a go in my lousy old Falcon or Commodore they tend not to extend the same courtesy to her (or me if I'm driving it).

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by Roostercam

In Daddy's car no doubt. Does anybody notice a higher rate of 'bad driving' from people in hi end Euro cars? My wife swears owners of Beemers & Benz's etc, believe they have rights the rest of the road users don't, such as phone use , cutting in, failing to use indicators etc.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've hit the wipers instead of indicators.

When you see one fail to indicate, wait for the wipe.

Indicator on the left stalk syndrome.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

I've lost count of the amount of times I've hit the wipers instead of indicators.

When you see one fail to indicate, wait for the wipe.

Indicator on the left stalk syndrome.

Thats european indicators. Its when expensive car brands cheap out on right hand drive conversions. I learnt to drive on 2 cars with indicators on the wrong side. For the past 15 odd years ive been back with the correct orientation. Left hand indicators are a bigger pain when people dont know the indicator direction is opposite and in the same direction as you turn the steering wheel and indicate left when turning right.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

I've lost count of the amount of times I've hit the wipers instead of indicators.

When you see one fail to indicate, wait for the wipe.

Indicator on the left stalk syndrome.

Ha!

The first time I drove daughter's car was at night, in the rain, to the airport to pick up her husband.

I had wipers going every which way. I don't how how I got the rear one on but I couldn't have turned it off if my life depended on it.

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by Roostercam

In Daddy's car no doubt. Does anybody notice a higher rate of 'bad driving' from people in hi end Euro cars? My wife swears owners of Beemers & Benz's etc, believe they have rights the rest of the road users don't, such as phone use , cutting in, failing to use indicators etc.

I notice it more from the "cheap" ones lilke A&B class Mercs, baby Audis, and the 1 series Beemers. It seems they think buying the badge is buying them the right to be a knob on the road.

Hardly see any poor driving from those in E-class, S-class or 5/6/7 series Beemers.

But the biggest negative trend I'm seeing is the X-class BMW and GL class Mercs - they seem to have the impression that regardless of the spend, they can do what they like.

3 times in the last few days I've watched a GLE and GLS Merc change lanes onto another car - whilst the mirror is lit up red and flashing like a beacon telling them there's a car there. Seems no amount of money can accomodate pathetic driving. At least the Volvo will steer you back into the lane to avoid the accident - seems the Mercs are too easy to over-ride the lane warnings.

But getting back to phones - the only time I've ever seen someone send an SMS in what I would consider is a safe manner, is on the old Nokia keypad phones, where you pressed the keys multiple times for letters - you could write out your 160 character message without looking at your phone at all.

This afternoon I watched a girl at the lights who had a large iPhone (7+or 8+) in a cradle on the windscreen, in the corner near the door. At the red light she flicked from having maps on the screen, to her facebook feed, and started scrolling. After being honked to go, she flicked it back to maps, and repeated it at the next set of lights. Are people that bloody deperate they can't leave farcebook until they get home??? FFS if it's that important, get the bus and FB your life away, but keep it off the road.

I think stopping mobile data (but still allowing cellular calls) through on the phone whilst driving should be the next step. Even if it's linked to the bluetooth, so when your bluetooth connects to the car, data (and the capability to scroll FB) is prevented. There would need to be work-arounds for map data, but that shouldn't be too hard to achieve. Sure, people will get around it simply by turning off bluetooth, but then they risk having to hold their phone to their ear and get busted.

I love this video - especially at 1:24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_h_ZCseHCc

And another one like it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N1iw5Vdim8

One of the comments in that is "Catching ppl looking at their phones at lights is like shooting fish in a barrel............just look around you next time you our driving....."

He is so right. On the days I see the cops splitting stopped traffic on bikes, they never get to the end of the line without stopping beside someone for a chat & a ticket. Makes good fodder for the "what made you feel good today" thread....

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by ronwest

I don't know if they're worse than the rest of us or just more noticeable.

One thing for sure is that there's lots of people who won't give them the benefit of the doubt. Or maybe there's a bit of envy and/or prejudgement involved?

One of my daughters owns a 12 month old Evoque and where peeps would give me a go in my lousy old Falcon or Commodore they tend not to extend the same courtesy to her (or me if I'm driving it).

Could be ronwest. I am in Castle Hill area & with the amount of wealth around, you do tend to see more expensive cars on the road. In the local carpark spots in shopping centres, there is definite 'Euro driver types' especially around give way & parking etc.

[Olbucko]

A letter in the paper today suggested that people caught using their phone while driving should have it immediately confiscated for a few months, that would really hit them where it hurts.

[Junkyard-Dog]

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by Olbucko

A letter in the paper today suggested that people caught using their phone while driving should have it immediately confiscated for a few months, that would really hit them where it hurts.

I really think the only way to make people sit up & take notice, is to confiscate their licence for 3 months. Unfortunately though, the self entitled attitude displayed by these drivers to begin with means most would probably continue to drive.

[Tassie f100]

I really feel that phone use should be different offences according to what is being done.Talking on the phone is totally different to texting and the penalty should reflect this.Talking on the phone is very similiar to talking to a passenger,so isn,t really a crime as such,BUT texting should be classed as a serious offence and should be penalised much more.Make the talking penalty a couple of hundred dollars.As for texting a minimum penalty around $1000 for a first offence ,then maybe 3 months licence suspension plus maybe $2000 fine might make the d$#$4heads wake up to themselves

[.:4:.]

For starters my ex wife lost her licence for touching her phone. Powers rd for anyone who knows 7 hills. She isn't the kind of person who let's the truth get in the way of a good story so i dont know the details. But. Being a mobile service guy i do answer calls on the road. Its all bluetooth and I dont have to touch the phone. The structure at work is if its not urgent its an email and you see it when you see it. If it is important its a phone call but its not a social call. I have a windscreen mount so i can see how many emails I get between jobs, i can't read them but atleast it can depress me on the drive between sites. If I leave one site on an hour drive to the next and get a call to turn back or for an emergency call out then thats what the bluetooth is for. Not that anything can be done about it but we have one service guy on his p plates and he cannot answer whilst driving and wont because he will lose his licence on the spot. Its extremely annoying from a work perspective but he is doing the right thing so you cant argue with it. I only have my work phone connected to the ute so on the weekends when i leave that phone at home if my personal phone rings i dont bother to answer. It can't be that important. Personal calls are more distracting.

[ljf12]

There is a lot of studies that indicate that a legal handsfree conversation is just as distracting as holding your phone. From what I have read over the years having a conversation with a passenger is not as distracting as a phone call, before everyone rips in to me google it.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by ljf12

There is a lot of studies that indicate that a legal handsfree conversation is just as distracting as holding your phone. From what I have read over the years having a conversation with a passenger is not as distracting as a phone call, before everyone rips in to me google it.

I can understand that, but a 15 second call to turn you around because an office has lost power beats the hell out of finding that out an hour later, same as saying a road is flooded in the middle of nowhere on a cb radio. Its the personal calls that take your attention away from driving. If your kid us sick for example yeah you want to know, but not on the road. I think most agree on texting or Facebook or whatever. But phone calls it cannot be 2 sets of rules as you cannot inforce that. Its bluetooth or nothing. By that I mean you can use bluetooth for calls or no calls at all. Regardless. And the latter would make work suck for me.

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by ljf12

... From what I have read over the years having a conversation with a passenger is not as distracting as a phone call,...

They're obviously not counting the growing trend I see where the driver turns to face the passenger during the convo, taking their eyes off the road for several seconds at a time.

You can clearly tell they're distracted, because their speed is 20km/h under, and they're wandering. Watched a Lube-Mobile van this arvo - he must have been a European, as he was taking with both his hands off the wheel and gesturing to his passenger, all while cruising the M7 in the right lane doing 80-85, completely oblivious to the people all pouring around him down the left.

If I'm having a conversation with passengers, my eyes stay on the road - it's not that hard to prioritise your attention.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

They're obviously not counting the growing trend I see where the driver turns to face the passenger during the convo, taking their eyes off the road for several seconds at a time.

I was following a car recently, dual lane, both lanes busy but at the speed limit and old mate's speed fluctuated by 20kph (100 > 80) depending on how animated his discussion with passenger was.

It's bloody annoying being stuck behind some tool as the gap in front of him grows to 300m or more

[uniacidz]

Originally Posted by ronwest

I was following a car recently, dual lane, both lanes busy but at the speed limit and old mate's speed fluctuated by 20kph (100 > 80) depending on how animated his discussion with passenger was.

It's bloody annoying being stuck behind some tool as the gap in front of him grows to 300m or more

Mate that happens to me in the past.

When the mother says to go right then says I meant left
Or wanted to go the ring road instead of a straight direction

Directions from her drive me nuts and she is banned from directions now and GPS only now.

See her a few times a year but when we drive the anxiety goes up. Even has the nerve to say the GPS is wrong. Lol

All good now. Praise the GPS

Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using Tapatalk

[b0son]

I'm not too concerned about talking and driving, cops do it all the time. Its texting that is the real problem.

I do find it bizarre that for all the enforcement activities directed against driver distractions like phones, and we still have ADRs for manufacturers to comply with despite no longer having a local industry, yet we don't have rules about the way touch screens function??? I cant cancel warnings/etc in any way other than the touch screen. how is this not considered dangerous but physically interacting with my phone is?

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by b0son

I'm not too concerned about talking and driving, cops do it all the time. Its texting that is the real problem.

I do find it bizarre that for all the enforcement activities directed against driver distractions like phones, and we still have ADRs for manufacturers to comply with despite no longer having a local industry, yet we don't have rules about the way touch screens function??? I cant cancel warnings/etc in any way other than the touch screen. how is this not considered dangerous but physically interacting with my phone is?

Don't castrate me for this, but taking a hand off the wheel to press something that has made an audible noise that you only have to momentarily look at beats taking one hand off the wheel for an extended period. Same as reading a text or email takes your focus away for an extended period. To be fair I drive a manual so i often have to lose a hand to shift, but in an emergency i dont have to drop anything to get that hand back on the steering wheel. And dropping things can make things either get into compromising positions like behind the brake pedal or phones costing what they do for high end ones people may be silly enough to hold on to them for dear life making the situation worse. I'm of the same opinion for food in the car. Drinking water or whatever at a red light i think should be allowed but seriously, if you cannot factor in a lunch stop then its just bad planning. Having to eat is something that people have always known when it is necessary. To me texts or emails (I dont have Facebook and dont care what anyone else is doing at all times of the day) can wait until I find time to see it, a phone call means its something important. And if its a time wasting call when I'm in the car i always conveniently happen to be pulling into the servo to fill up. And if the same time waster calls back 20 minutes later, the previous fake servos diesel pump was out of order and conveniently im now fake pulling into another servo.

[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.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

They're obviously not counting the growing trend I see where the driver turns to face the passenger during the convo, taking their eyes off the road for several seconds at a time.

You can clearly tell they're distracted, because their speed is 20km/h under, and they're wandering. Watched a Lube-Mobile van this arvo - he must have been a European, as he was taking with both his hands off the wheel and gesturing to his passenger, all while cruising the M7 in the right lane doing 80-85, completely oblivious to the people all pouring around him down the left.

If I'm having a conversation with passengers, my eyes stay on the road - it's not that hard to prioritise your attention.

Now you' getting a bit picky. Hey, they do it in the movies don't they, so, why not in real life on the real road?. Yeah, you're right...can't let safety get in the way of a good time.

[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

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

... And public phone booths.

Yes. What has happened to those?

[Big_Daz]

Originally Posted by ronwest

Ha!

The first time I drove daughter's car was at night, in the rain, to the airport to pick up her husband.

I had wipers going every which way. I don't how how I got the rear one on but I couldn't have turned it off if my life depended on it.

My wife's Jeep has the Indicators on (what I consider) the wrong side and no stalk at all on the right hand side of the column.. My commodore is normal so every time I drive he damn car and want to indicate I get a whole lot of fresh air when I try to use a stalk that's not there....

As for "driving on the phone", when I get into the car the first thing that happens is my phone gets plugged into the USB and put in the centre console.. I don't even look at the thing when I'm in the car... I have a a button on my steering wheel for both Picking up and Hanging up the phone and, if I need to call someone, another button to use voice control... Depending on how long I hold the button for I can either use Holdens voice system or Siri... My heads up display tells me who is calling as well so I don't have to A) move my hands off the wheel or B) look at the centre screen to know who is calling... Bloody great system...

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by Roostercam

Yes. What has happened to those?

Many of them where getting vandalised and with most people having a mobile nowadays, they were no longer profitable to maintain as a public service, so Telstra got rid of most of them.

[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

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

Many of them where getting vandalised and with most people having a mobile nowadays, they were no longer profitable to maintain as a public service, so Telstra got rid of most of them.

Except for the ones that have been retro-fitted with the bright pink "hotspot" beacon to try and convince Telstra customers to stay with them for free wifi when they're out & about.

Seems all they do is cause teenage kids to gather around it, like the old days of phone boxes.