Texting when driving?

[HomerJSimpson]

A number of issues. The penalties aren't severe enough, even if an accident occurs. Police only seem to police it randomly. People don't think its unacceptable yet and until TV and the press gets in on the act like it did with the graphic drink driving ads no one will get the message. I agree 100% that texters are worse than callers although neither is right

 

[chrisd]

I don't see anyone admitting to it on here though!

I'd need to wear reading glasses and it would be impossible to see the road

 

[richy]

I don't see anyone admitting to it on here though!

I'd need to wear reading glasses and it would be impossible to see the road

No one will ever admit to it on here but I bet several do it.

A bit like slow play

 

[guest100718]

You've lost me with that one

old skool texting....think about it....

 

[Joff]

I've done it. It's nigh on impossible with smart phones. So, yeah. Don't do it kids.

I will still do it in a traffic jam though.

 

[TopOfTheFlop]

Do a fair bit of work out in the states and in Houston it is absolutely everywhere. Every driver pulling onto the highway or off or at stop signs they are all on phones - it's incredible how Texas has no statewide law banning the use of cell phones while driving. It absolutely amazes me!

 

[Rooter]

old skool texting....think about it....

bloomin kids paddy, they dont know how lucky they are will their full qwerty keyboard layouts, no RSI in the thumb for these pups!

 

[woody69]

I text whilst I am driving occasionally. Not all the time and I take a number of factors into consideration before doing it, i.e. where I am (i.e. on a motorway versus driving past a school) how busy the road is, how important I feel the text is and if it can wait, how fast I am going, if I am alone in the car etc. I'm fairly proficient at being able to text without needing to look at the screen other than the odd glance and my phone is usually "smart" enough to work out what I am trying to say, but I won't write essays and where possible I'll get most written when I come to a stop. But I still do text whilst driving.

I know it's not big or clever. I also speed at times as well.

 

[Fish]

I text whilst I am driving occasionally. Not all the time and I take a number of factors into consideration before doing it, i.e. where I am (i.e. on a motorway versus driving past a school) how busy the road is, how important I feel the text is and if it can wait, how fast I am going, if I am alone in the car etc. I'm fairly proficient at being able to text without needing to look at the screen other than the odd glance and my phone is usually "smart" enough to work out what I am trying to say, but I won't write essays and where possible I'll get most written when I come to a stop. But I still do text whilst driving.

I know it's not big or clever. I also speed at times as well.

In coming.............

 

[cookelad]

I text while I'm driving but then I live pretty close to London so I'm never much more than 20 seconds away from a red light so I get plenty of chance, if I'm actually moving Siri is my friend or for anything much longer than "I'm on my way" get the hands-free on!

 

[Imurg]

I came across a Shogun going the wrong way up a one way street the other day.
I flashed my lights, hooted the horn, waved and shouted at her to warn her...

Her response?

Do you mind I'm on the phone................

We're doomed......

 

[Stuey01]

What about forum posting whilst driving?



(NB: I don't do this)

I used Siri via my handsfree the other day to tell my wife I was on the way home via the fish and sh!t shop. Stupid thing.

 

[North Mimms]

I text whilst I am driving occasionally. Not all the time and I take a number of factors into consideration before doing it, i.e. where I am (i.e. on a motorway versus driving past a school) how busy the road is, how important I feel the text is and if it can wait, how fast I am going, if I am alone in the car etc. I'm fairly proficient at being able to text without needing to look at the screen other than the odd glance and my phone is usually "smart" enough to work out what I am trying to say, but I won't write essays and where possible I'll get most written when I come to a stop. But I still do text whilst driving.

I know it's not big or clever. I also speed at times as well.

I mean this with the uptmost respect an' all... but you are a muppet.
What is so blinking important that you feel you HAVE to drive and text at the same time?
TBH, I'd forgive you making a phone call if it really was important- but a text?

Please tell me you don't live or drive anywhere in Buckinghamshire or Herts

 

[woody69]

I mean this with the uptmost respect an' all... but you are a muppet.
What is so blinking important that you feel you HAVE to drive and text at the same time?
TBH, I'd forgive you making a phone call if it really was important- but a text?

Please tell me you don't live or drive anywhere in Buckinghamshire or Herts

Thanks for respectfully calling me a muppet.

There is nothing that is so important that I HAVE to text and drive at the same time. I could find somewhere to pull over (safely of course) in order to send the text message, but as with all things in life we make assessments and form a decision based on the outcome. Most of the time (depending on the conditions etc) I feel I am enough in control and the risk is minimal that I feel I can safely send a text if I want to. You of course may have a different opinion on my assessment and believe I am taking an unnecesary risk, but that would be based on your own experiences and confidence in your own abilities. I believe that I'm in no less control then people who are eating at the wheel, or drinking, or talking to someone in the back seat, or lighting a cigarette and smoking or changing the music on their MP3 player etc etc.

I fully appreciate that some people may see it as reckless or stupid, but some people see speeding in the same light (and I speed) and some people see cycling on the pavement, tombstoning or bungee jumping as reckless or stupid (I don't do any of those things).

And no. You are safe from my irresponsible reckless driving in Bucks or Herts as I live in Wiltshire and often drive through Berkshire. But I'm quite sure I'm not the only "muppet" doing it.

 

[Fish]

I believe that I'm in no less control then people who are eating at the wheel, or drinking, or talking to someone in the back seat, or lighting a cigarette and smoking or changing the music on their MP3 player etc etc.

The thing that stands out with those comparisons is that none of them are technically illegal, other than being accused of 'undue care and attention' but using your mobile phone in any manner is I believe!

 

[Stuey01]

You have to take more than your own personal experience into consideration, otherwise everything is always fine and dandy and safe right up until the day that it isn't and someone gets hurt.
Learn from the mistakes of others.

 

[North Mimms]

The thing that stands out with those comparisons is that none of them are technically illegal, other than being accused of 'undue care and attention' but using your mobile phone in any manner is I believe!

I can also talk to passenger, change station on radio and eat a sweet while keeping my eyes on the road.
Texting normally involves one hand off the wheel for a prolonged period and eyes not on the road at all times.

The fact that other muppets are doing it does not make it ok. In fact it makes it worse.
People texting are relying on other people to drive safely around them, Several people texting on same stretch of road....

(bungee jumping and tombstoning usually don't kill anyone apart from the jumper)

 

[Fyldewhite]

I'm with Woody on this one. I remember getting my first mobile and nearly crashing into someone at a mini roundabout while looking at a text. I've also had similar lapses while changing a CD, tuning the radio, rooting in the glove-box for a map, glancing at a map etc etc over the 34 years I've been driving. I too have broken the speed limit on occasions and driven after consuming a small amount of alcohol. What the near misses do is act as a warning and add to life's rich experiences that inform our judgement of risk. So far, I've managed to get through. I don't drive recklessly but I do drive to the the conditions. Nowadays I have bluetooth and a mode on my phone that prevents texts while driving. This is good because it removes temptation. It IS dangerous to read/send them, especially in traffic. On a quiet, straight road, less so.

Whether something is reckless is always dependent on the individual circumstances not some arbitrary limit........what's worse, doing 85 in a 70 on quiet dry motorway or 50 in a 50 in torrential rain, busy traffic and poor visibility? I know which one the speed camera would catch and I sometimes feel there is a similar witch hunt about stuff like this. I'm fully in favour of the law but just like speed I think it's sometimes of minimal risk to break it.

 

[woody69]

I can also talk to passenger, change station on radio and eat a sweet while keeping my eyes on the road.
Texting normally involves one hand off the wheel for a prolonged period and eyes not on the road at all times.

The fact that other muppets are doing it does not make it ok. In fact it makes it worse.
People texting are relying on other people to drive safely around them, Several people texting on same stretch of road....

(bungee jumping and tombstoning usually don't kill anyone apart from the jumper)

I'm sure you are one of the few drivers that always has his hands at the appropriate position and eyes firmly fixed on the road and I commend you for it. Back in the real world with most other people though we drive with one hand off the wheel, whether it is resting on the gear stick, sticking out the window, or scratching your balls. We also get distracted looking out the window, seeing what the radio station is, the clock, the rear view mirror etc. We never keep our eyes on the road ahead at all times. Adding a glance (and it is only a glance) at a phone screen to see if the message makes sense is no different IMVHO. As I said though, you might think differently and that is your perogative, but I firmly believe I am capable of doing both if the other factors also make me think it is OK, i.e. I wouldn't be doing it when driving through town in traffic going 30 odd miles an hour and stopping and starting and it's raining etc.

Thanks also for pointing out the fact bungee jumping and tombstoning only tends to kill the person doing it. Not quite what I was trying to illustrate, it was more about a person making a decision based on a risk assessment, but I suspect you knew that and was just trying to be facetious.

 

[cookelad]

What amazes me, bearing in mind that if I had a mobile phone to my ear talking I'd pick up 3 points, is the scooter delivery people driving around London (probably other cities too but I was a country folk till I moved here) with a map stood vertically in-front of them attached to their bikes and it's perfectly legal????