How do you treat your 'friends' that use their phones when driving?

[I like Skol]

Tonight my wife has fallen out with me!

A friend of hers/ours phoned and I told my wife to say goodbye and hang up. The person that called often does so as she is driving home from work in central Manchester and fancies a chat. On several occasions I have strongly suggested that she refuses to talk to this person when driving. Even though she uses a handsfree set up, so claims the phone use is legal & safe, I know the person involved doesn't have great awareness when driving and using a phone, handsfree or otherwise, is a big distraction even for the best of drivers.
Tonight I talked loudly over their conversation and told the other person that she shouldn't be calling people to 'chat' when she is driving. My behaviour forced them to end the call and now I am on the receiving end of some serious 'cold shoulder'!
On several occasions in the past I have told my wife not to make casual use of the phone when driving as it is a safety issue and I have said the same thing to her friend a couple of times, so it's not like my behaviour is really unexpected.

In my experience and opinion any use of a phone, handsfree or otherwise, while driving is a distraction and unsafe. If you must make or receive a call then it should be brief enough only for the essential details to be communicated (I'm running late, I'm driving and will call you later, etc). I've seen far too many drivers slowing down inexplicably or weaving from side to side as they try to concentrate on a phone conversation rather than the activity of driving.

How should we be treating people we know that use a phone while driving? IMO it should become an activity that is as socially unacceptable and discouraged as drink driving. I'm sure that there have been studies that show handsfree phone use to be at least as dangerous as drink driving?

 

[dan_bo]

If a driver can't judge when it's ok to use a phone then they shouldn't be driving.

 

[derrick]

You got it right

 

[dan_bo]

If a driver can't judge when it's ok to use a phone then they shouldn't be driving.

With all the obvious caveats.

 

[I like Skol]

If a driver can't judge when it's ok to use a phone then they shouldn't be driving.

This is the problem. We think we are the safe ones, think it is ok, right upto the point where 'Oh sh1t' it isn't!

 

[sheddy]

Show them this https://www.sharetheroadtozero.com/video-campaign/driver-carelessness/

or this https://www.sharetheroadtozero.com/video-campaign/you-decide/

or this https://www.sharetheroadtozero.com/video-campaign/i-cant-take-my-eyes-off-you/

 

[dan_bo]

You got it right

Who did

 

[dan_bo]

This is the problem. We think we are the safe ones, think it is ok, right upto the point where 'Oh sh1t' it isn't!

Yes you're right obviously but life isn't like that. Just because there's a risk involved in an activity- even to other people potentially- doesn't mean it shouldn't happen at any cost.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

In terms of reaction time It's the equivalent of drinking 2 to 3 pints of lager and then driving. You wouldn't encourage someone to have one more for the road and drive, so you're in the right to discourage it.

It's a difficult conversation though, my wife is vehemently against texting and using phones when driving, but she sees the hands free differently, like it's the same as talking to someone else in the car. She sees motorway time as prime chatting with family time. It's hard to change their mind and at the same time not be the bad guy. I do sympathise.

 

[Sea of vapours]

I have little to add as your last paragraph summarises it nicely. Plenty of studies have shown that conversations on phones are equivalent to quite a high degree of alcohol intoxication (well over the UK limit). It has nothing to do with whether the phone is held or not and everything to do with the driver's focus being on the conversation. Also, it is not comparable to talking to a passenger as the passenger will understand if the driver breaks off mid-sentence to focus on a junction or other hazard, whereas the person on the other end of the phone can't see what's happening so the driver's focus is more on the phone conversation than it would be with their passenger.

I used to be involved in conference calls where some people would phone in from cars. Truly appalling as people really don't want to sound distracted when they're on a work call. The solution to that is not to do it and when I had the authority to do so I'd kick people off calls if they were driving a car.

 

[dan_bo]

In terms of reaction time It's the equivalent of drinking 2 to 3 pints of lager and then driving. You wouldn't encourage someone to have one more for the road and drive, so you're in the right to discourage it.

It's a difficult conversation though, my wife is vehemently against texting and using phones when driving, but she sees the hands free differently, like it's the same as talking to someone else in the car. She sees motorway time as prime chatting with family time. It's hard to change their mind and at the same time not be the bad guy. I do sympathise.

Can be yes.

 

[si_c]

No complaints about that from me.

You could always try the reverse - give Mrs Skol the cold shoulder when she talks to her friend if she's driving

 

[steveindenmark]

If a driver can't judge when it's ok to use a phone then they shouldn't be driving.

I must have missed that section of the law. The number of times drink drivers told me they werd ok to drive. It must be the same with phones.

Its not multiple choice. It says you dont use the phone when driving. It negates those who cock up.

 

[mustang1]

My SO has not had an accident so she thinks she's a safe driver. I find it better to not tell her anything otherwise she becomoes very erratic and a far worse driver. She goes through cross roads on the wrong side of the road and things like that.

 

[mustang1]

Show them this https://www.sharetheroadtozero.com/video-campaign/driver-carelessness/

or this https://www.sharetheroadtozero.com/video-campaign/you-decide/

or this https://www.sharetheroadtozero.com/video-campaign/i-cant-take-my-eyes-off-you/

Effin heck, that put tears in my eyes.
I know people who will still watch that and deny they are drivinig dangerously. It p-sses me right off, their stinking attitude and stupid excuses. Their blxxdy selfishness putting other people's lives in jeopardy.