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Using Mobile Phones While Driving - New Laws

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I think someone is flying a kite here.  I can’t think that it can or will ever be enforced however much I’d like it to be (with my work background).

There are the usual well-worn arguments of kids in car and/or missus being more of a distraction.  Yes, that’s possible - I know that from my work on NDIS/NDAC courses.

 

The additional risk potential for distraction (on top of everything else) given by the explosion in the use mobile phones is what the authorities are having to tackle and they’ve come to realise, it seems, that in many respects holding a phone (without texting, FB’ing or emailing) is not particularly an issue for many drivers.  It’s similar in risk to driving with one hand and, in most of my days at work, I don’t even mention that.  It’s plainly the conversation that can distract at a far more dangerous level.

(Distracted driving is one of the Police’s FATAL FOUR, let’s not forget.) 

 

What now needs to happen is a sensible discussion on what sort of conversations are most distracting (whether on the hone or in the car) since driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do regularly.

I would venture that the most distracting of conversations involve a driver VISUALISING and INTERNALISING, processes that have been proven to reduce in depth and width a driver’s visual scans.  

Once a driver realises this, he/she is in a good position to decide to pull over and not have that distracting conversation whilst still driving.  Self-regulation works better than law enforcement.

 

What will happen most likely, though, is that with today’s headline news some more of my corporate clients will start thinking of joining the number of companies that have already banned all mobile phone conversations in their fleet. 

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11 hours ago, DT Ralge said:

What now needs to happen is a sensible discussion on what sort of conversations are most distracting (whether on the hone or in the car) since driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do regularly.

I would venture that the most distracting of conversations involve a driver VISUALISING and INTERNALISING, processes that have been proven to reduce in depth and width a driver’s visual scans.  

Once a driver realises this, he/she is in a good position to decide to pull over and not have that distracting conversation whilst still driving.  Self-regulation works better than law enforcement.

Agree with this.

 

I imagine a public information campaign re: the importance of focus and attention while driving, and highlighting some common distractions, would be far more effective than outlawing hands-free phone usage and trying to police that.

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16 hours ago, Waldo said:

They're saying hands free phone calls, while driving, are now not safe! (has been on news today, sorry don't have a link or soure).

 

Just wondering how the police and ambulance service will cope without being able to stay in voice contact with base, while driving?! I mean, if it's not safe for the public, it's not safe for people at work? Surely?

Copper on telly yesterday said, they are very highly trained and can drive and talk at the same time.  So for my former profession and it's drivers (HGV) who have probably driven further in reverse than any Copper has driven forwards, they must be well able to use hands-free without issue.

 

Angel1.

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Yes very much one rule for them and one rule for the rest of us.

 

 

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1 hour ago, ANGELFIRE1 said:

Copper on telly yesterday said, they are very highly trained and can drive and talk at the same time. 

Top police officer Kerrin Wilson crashed Mini head-on into another car as she phoned MP husband on mobile

https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/top-police-officer-kerrin-wilson-3193114

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Surely this is impossible to enforce unless they take out all forms of handsfree calling installed in every car that has it. Unless my windows are down and the volume high how will anyone know I'm talking anyway and not singing...or talking to myself, perhaps I'm rapping which is basically talking anyway. 

 

Is singing distracting? should all stereos be banned, I get far more interested in the music than I do the conversations I have via phone. What about touchscreens in cars, they're dreadful to use whilst driving but you still can operate it. 

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An RAC rep on Talk Radio said exactly what many on here have said before - a handsfree phone is less distracting than passengers in the car.

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14 hours ago, willman said:

An RAC rep on Talk Radio said exactly what many on here have said before - a handsfree phone is less distracting than passengers in the car.

Must be right, then. 

.. it all depends, surely.  

Drivers just need to manage the distractions from whichever direction they come.

What I’m sure about is that some drivers look upon hands-free as legal and, therefore, as safe when clearly it isn’t absolutely.   This is recognised, pleasingly, by many of the drivers that I meet in my work.  Those on here who haven’t yet recognised the risks of hands-free (visualisation, internalisation to name just two risky cognitive processes) are either brilliant, near-perfect drivers or in possession of less driving experience and a lot less self-awareness behind the steering wheel.   I think I know which it is. 

 

The authorities are coming just now to deal with huge numbers of drivers talking hands-free with varying levels of additional distraction over and above kids, CD, radio, missus etc. 

Enforcement won’t work.  Self-awareness and self-regulation coming from the drivers themselves will work. 

Edited by DT Ralge

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^That's basically it.

Won't be that long before we can watch feature films whilst our cars drive us anyhow.

 

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1 hour ago, DT Ralge said:

Must be right, then. 

.. it all depends, surely.  

Drivers just need to manage the distractions from whichever direction they come.

What I’m sure about is that some drivers look upon hands-free as legal and, therefore, as safe when clearly it isn’t absolutely.   This is recognised, pleasingly, by many of the drivers that I meet in my work.  Those on here who haven’t yet recognised the risks of hands-free (visualisation, internalisation to name just two risky cognitive processes) are either brilliant, near-perfect drivers or in possession of less driving experience and a lot less self-awareness behind the steering wheel.   I think I know which it is. 

 

The authorities are coming just now to deal with huge numbers of drivers talking hands-free with varying levels of additional distraction over and above kids, CD, radio, missus etc. 

Enforcement won’t work.  Self-awareness and self-regulation coming from the drivers themselves will work. 

visualisation, internalisation and the other cross cognitive processes applies to any aspect of our lives.    There is always going to be risks when the brain is multi-tasking.   You cannot erradicate that by wrapping humans in bubble wrap and telling them to keep still. 

 

Goodness sake - the exact same cognitvie functions apply if people are using a phone whilst walking down a street or making a cup of tea or typing an email.   That MIGHT result in someone having  a split second blip and nearly walking into a lamp post or spilling some hot water or mistyping some narrative.    But that's life. 

 

Unless you are going to seek to enforce that phone users can only take calls when sat absolutely still in a controlled padded room there will always be a calculated element of risk.   Unless you are going to demand that drivers can only drive in complete silence in a protective soundproof bubble with no other visual or audio distraction other than the sound of the engine and views of the road ahead and mirrors then there will always be a calculated risk in driving. 

 

Its pretty obvious that physical risks i.e. failing to maintain control by not having both hands on the wheel is high - so the handheld ban is a perfectly good thing.   BUT, to try and now bring in a human's cognitive distraction into the mix is wholly excessive. 

 

Humans are not robots.  They are not and never will be able to be on point 24/7 365 days a year.   

 

The world has moved on and communication is expected whereever and whenever people are.    Some people's modern day livelihoods depend on it -  not just the emergency services who according to some are these superhumans who are robustly trained to somehow manage the ability of hearing/speech and driving all at the same time.   As if that sort of function is beyond the capability of everyone else.   It clearly isn't because millions of people do it every day.

 

I would be very interested to see a proper independent breakdown of specifically how many accidents have been caused as a direct result of HANDS FREE phone use.    The ambiguous statistics I have seen so far just doesn't cut it.

 

I smell a whiff of government fine money making and backhanders from lobbyists here.

 

 

 

 

Edited by ECCOnoob

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20 hours ago, ECCOnoob said:

 

 

Goodness sake - the exact same cognitvie functions apply if people are using a phone whilst walking down a street or making a cup of tea or typing an email.   That MIGHT result in someone having  a split second blip and nearly walking into a lamp post or spilling some hot water or mistyping some narrative.    But that's life. 

 

 

 

 

My edit (rather than having the whole post quoted)

 

You think being distracted with these activities is comparable to being distracted whilst driving?

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