Reporting mobile use while driving

[DaveReading]

Why do you believe that likely?

If a poster based in South Wales asserts that most mobile use is in slow moving environments, that may well be true there, but it doesn't match my experience further east on the same motorway.

 

[Etern4l]

Indeed. Goodnight.

Having reviewed your recent postings, very happy to reciprocate. Adieu!

 

[Alex321]

If a poster based in South Wales asserts that most mobile use is in slow moving environments, that may well be true there, but it doesn't match my experience further east on the same motorway.

Perhaps you need to review your understanding of the word "most".

I know perfectly well that there are idiots using mobile phones while driving in pretty well all circumstances. But I see people with phones to their ears more often in city traffic than on the open road (including motorways).

 

[Roseland triker]

Perhaps you need to review your understanding of the word "most".

I know perfectly well that there are idiots using mobile phones while driving in pretty well all circumstances. But I see people with phones to their ears more often in city traffic than on the open road (including motorways).

So get a 4x4 with bull bars and ram them

 

[DaveReading]

Perhaps you need to review your understanding of the word "most".

I know perfectly well that there are idiots using mobile phones while driving in pretty well all circumstances. But I see people with phones to their ears more often in city traffic than on the open road (including motorways).

Fine - I think we have simply established that our respective experiences differ. That's life.

And I think I'll pass on the English lesson, thanks.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Is the penalty for using a phone whilst driving the same as that for drink driving? If not it ought to be.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

“In the UK sample, there was a range of different types of secondary task observed during driving, with nearly three-quarters of the trips viewed containing at least one secondary task interaction (73%). Almost all drivers (92%) engaged in a non-driving-related task in at least one out of the 15 trips coded for them, showing that distraction from the driving task is a frequent and common occurrence. Mobile phone use was the most common secondary task in terms of proportion of drivers engaging with it (69%).”

69% of drivers using mobile phones in the UDrive research where they mounted multiple cameras in cars. So, despite knowing they were being filmed, from multiple angles, they still used their phones!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Plus look at how long they were using their phones

“The duration of a single phone interaction varied from less than one second to in excess of 40 minutes. Most distractions due to phones were a prolonged activity with only 40% of all phone interactions lasting less than 2 minutes (28% of interactions lasted less than 30 seconds and 12% of interactions lasted less than 10 seconds).”

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Hands free phone calls considerably longer

“The mean duration for a hands-free conversation was considerably longer than for a handheld conversation (243 seconds vs. 77 seconds). Furthermore, only 3 of 11 handheld phone calls lasted for longer than 90 seconds. In contrast, only 2 of 9 hands-free calls were shorter than 90 seconds. The longest hands-free call lasted for over 13 minutes, compared to 4 minutes for a handheld call. This may suggest that drivers are aware that handheld phone use is illegal, and thus try to keep these types of calls brief, to minimise the chances of being observed or caught.”

 

[Alex321]

Is the penalty for using a phone whilst driving the same as that for drink driving? If not it ought to be.

No, it isn't.

6 points max penalty (which does mean loss of licence if you have had a full licence for less than 2 years, or if that accumulates 12 points), while drink driving is an automatic loss of licence (in theory!).

And yes, it probably should be.

 

[Alex321]

Fine - I think we have simply established that our respective experiences differ. That's life.

Fair enough, though I have to say it does surprise me very much that you don't see more people with handheld mobiles in an urban environment than on the motorway. I've certainly seen too many on the motorway as well, but not nearly as often.

Though that could be down to observation as much as anything. I don't tend to peer into vehicles I'm passing or that are passing me on the motorway, I'm concentrating on the road and traffic ahead. While in stop start traffic, I will look around a lot more - and other vehicles are often passing sideways across my path at junctions.

If somebody is driving erratically on the motorway, then I'll more often take a look, but that is relatively rare IME.

 

[Alex321]

Hands free phone calls considerably longer

“The mean duration for a hands-free conversation was considerably longer than for a handheld conversation (243 seconds vs. 77 seconds). Furthermore, only 3 of 11 handheld phone calls lasted for longer than 90 seconds. In contrast, only 2 of 9 hands-free calls were shorter than 90 seconds. The longest hands-free call lasted for over 13 minutes, compared to 4 minutes for a handheld call. This may suggest that drivers are aware that handheld phone use is illegal, and thus try to keep these types of calls brief, to minimise the chances of being observed or caught.”

I do occasionally make or receive hands-free calls, but I can't recall the last time one will have lasted anywhere near 90 seconds. They are almost always just a quick ETA call. And when I say occasionally, I doubt it is as many as half a dozen per year.

 

[Badger_Boom]

I just leave mine on the factory 'do not disturb when driving' setting. Which suits my employer who 'banned' all mobile calls when driving years ago, off the back of articles like this one.

All of the above discussion makes me wonder how on earth we managed to exist before mobile technology become so ubiquitous. I know I'm rapidly heading into old fartdom but I don't get the need to constantly 'update' each other with our whereabouts and remember having to drive from sites to a phone box to make important calls. We seem to have allowed the technology to force us into a position where we MUST be instantly available to anyone at any hour of the day or night.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I know, and all the shock horror what if scenarios people come up with if you say you go for a bike ride without a phone. Far too many mobile phone addicts out there.

 

[Alex321]

I know, and all the shock horror what if scenarios people come up with if you say you go for a bike ride without a phone. Far too many mobile phone addicts out there.

I wouldn't describe myself as a mobile phone addict, but I still wouldn't go on a bike ride more than a mile or two from home without it in my pocket.

It very rarely comes out of that pocket, but it is there on those rare occasions I need it (or want!) it. There is no inconvenience to me in carrying it, just sitting in the pocket of my jersey.