How do YOU handle phone wielding drivers?

[carelesschucca]

Maybe I see the difference as;

a) They aren't giving a flying F*ck about other road users and couldn't give a damn.

b) Whilst I'm out there riding my bike (sometimes slightly over the speed limit) I'm giving the road and the other road users 100% of my attention because I care about their safety and my own...

Originally Posted by Fallout

Ok, bit of a mini rant ...

To be honest, they don't annoy me at all. As motorcycle riders who are occasionally frivolous with the throttle , we break the rules too. Who are we to decide that being on a mobile phone is more dangerous than that? It only upsets you lot because you see it as potentially dangerous for you, but you're happy to speed, overtake on white lines, have extremely noisey illegal exhausts, pop wheelies, undertake on motorways, etc.

Obviously not all of those apply to everyone. Some riders are nutters and some are much more restrained, but unless you're squeaky clean, it's the pot calling the kettle black. It's a selfish look at someone else's bad road habits. How dare they marginally increase the risk of them hitting someone?! HOW VERY DARE THEY! Because in your selfish world, that tiny increase in risk is far more important than any conversation they're having, no matter what is it. But that overtake you did a few rides ago which was a bit close and made someone brake or swerve a bit ... that's fine. We'll just forget about that. We won't stop overtaking to avoid those scenarios.

Just accept that you hardly care about the person in the car, and they don't even think about you. They're not going to extend you the courtesy of not using their phone on the very slim chance it results in an accident which injures you. I mean, why should they? Every time they use the phone, the chance is really small that they'll take out a biker, so why should they inconvenience themselves? What are you going to do for them? Save them from drowning? Enrich there life with a Christmas card? No, you're irrelevant in their life, just as they are irrelevant to you.

Am I justifying using a mobile phone? No. All I'm saying is, getting uptight about it doesn't make sense. Their crime is no worse than yours, imo. Indeed, the law gives them 3 points and £60 fine right? Same as if you got caught doing 80mph in that 60mph zone. The law obviously deems them as similar severity crimes. You're just as bad.

Just accept it happens and keep your eyes peeled. You won't change them, and why should they change for you? You aren't changing your riding, are you?

100% agree

Not all car drivers use the phone, just as not all motorcyclists ride dangerously, though it's probably fair to say that 99% of both break the law from time to time.

Not fair therefore to assume that a motorcyclist who complains about a driver using a hand held phone is a hypocrite who is just as bad himself.

There's a difference between breaking the law and being dangerous to other road users. That's why we have different severities of offences and punishments, from minor speeding which attracts a speed awareness course, right the way up to death by dangerous or drunk which can attract a jail term.

I view mobile phone use as dangerous, and I wouldn't agree that it marginally increases the risk of knocking off a biker, I'm a high mileage driver who spends a lot of time on the roads for my job, and the correlation between dangerous occurrences due to inattention, and the driver being on a hand held phone is very clear to see. It significantly increases risk of knocking off a biker. We are not seen at the best of times, never mind when a driver is distracted by something else, and can't turn his/her head properly to see out the side windows.

I do sometimes break the law, but I never put another road user in danger as a result. I think that gives me the right to complain about mobile phone use, without becoming a hypocrite.

I also think the law is insufficient on this and 3 points and 60 quid for hand held phone use is not enough. It is definitely more dangerous than a typical speeding offence and should be punished as such.

Hands free phone use is not quite as dangerous, at least the driver has both hands for controls (not holding wheel with knees whilst changing gear, etc) and has full use of neck movement (hold a mobile phone to your ear then try to turn your head a full 90 degrees towards that side, then put your arms on an imaginary steeling wheel and try it again), but it is dangerous none the less, particularly if the conversation requires a lot of thought.

I do use the hands free bluetooth via the car stereo myself, but only once settled into a cruise on a motorway where there are no junctions and all the traffic is flowing in the same direction at the same speed, or for very short conversations off the motorway such as 'home at 7, what's for dinner, do you need anything from the supermarket?' I won't touch the phone at all in town, or if the traffic conditions are changeable, or I don't have the person I need on voice dial. Unfortunately though many people don't apply any common sense to hands free phone use, so unfortunately I think that hands free car kits should be banned also.

Sure people have seen this before, but it's worth a reminder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4-4w5xTiEo

Another good one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbjSWDwJILs

BTW, texting is no different to dialling a number, or finding one in your phone book, without hands free voice dialling.

[yorkie_chris]

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't used a phone. If it's in my hand it's generally "f*** off I'll ring you back".

If it's in the cradle on handsfree and I'm driving some horribly boring road like 60mph down the motorway for 5 hours... quite happy to chat it's only the same as talking to a passenger, yeah I occasionally zone out when more attention is required on the roads... but I zone out of normal conversations when something more interesting is going on so people are used to it

I've also eaten sandwiches, rolled cigs, touched myself inappropriately and drank coffee while sat on the motorway... Still safer than falling asleep!

[Fallout]

Texting while driving is amazing (in the dangerous sense). That literally is Russian Roulette. Mind you, when I was a youngin' of 17 and just passed my test, I almost ran someone over on a zebra crossing, and I almost rear ended stationary traffic in the fast lane of a motorway. Both times the stereo was to blame. Looking down twiddling bass levels and volume, and skipping through tracks, swapping CDs etc.

There's plenty to distract you in the cabin. Stereo, sat nav, phones, climate control, people in the back seat etc. I think it's more down to the individual than the distraction itself. Disciplined hazard concious people could probably never take their eyes off the road and keep alert while using a phone. Less alert drivers (read kids, grannies, thickos, clueless girly girls (like in that vid)), make it much more dangerous.

That's why I don't think it's worth getting upset about. You could be all concerned with a guy on his phone, who's actually still very alert and knows you're there, while the guy behind him is drunk, the granny in front can't see any more, and the girl to your right is distracted by her mates. Everyone's a hazard. The mobile phone user is just an obvious one. Treat them all with equal contempt!

[flymo]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

BTW, texting is no different to dialling a number, or finding one in your phone book, without hands free voice dialling.

...or applying lipstick, or messing with the radio, or reading a map.

But how does this relate to somebody driving along with a phone in their hand actually looking where they are going? Why is it safe for a police officer to talk into a radio set but not for somebody to talk into a phone?

[Tigerrrr.......]

All good stuff, and interesting comments.

There's one thing I just don't understand about driving, and that's smoking.

Think about it. You're allowed to drive (at up to 70mph) with something that's burning and giving off smoke four inches from your eyes!

Explain that one to me!