Mobile Phone Kits...

I'd like to know how many of you that have cars actually have a "proper" in car phone kit.

I have, it's the Sony Ericsson blue tooth kit which was only £120 fitted and I've had it for some time. That's combined with a cheap phone holder on the dash. I rarely make calls while driving, but am able to accept them, totally hands free.

I just look around at all the people I still see every day driving while holding a telephone to their ear and can't understand why... Most companies will pay for a phone kit for you if it's a company phone and they expect you to take calls "all day".

I've posted this here as I consider this to be a biking issue..... I'd be interested in how many of us actually practice what we preach.

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Are you considering the bluetooth headsets as "proper" phone kit? It's not docked to the car, but I can operate it completely handsfree, so I would say yes. I'm holding my vote until you clarify this.

[dirtydog]

If i need to make or take a call while mobile i always use my bluetooth headset as i don't need to do it that often.

No car and when I have had a car I didn't answer the phone at all while driving.
If I was doing a job that involved taking alot of important calls, then I would almost certainly get a handsfree kit.

I try not to make calls when I'm driving, unless I'm trundling along a motorway or dual carriageway and there is not much traffic about

I usually take calls, but try to be very careful, and will pull over if necessary to call back.

When I first got the kit I thought great now I can make calls with no probs
But then I had a bit of a near miss when trying to explain something technical to a work colleague, so I learnt my lesson pdq

A handsfree kit just means you can keep your hands on the wheel - it doesn't enable you to concentrate on 2 things at once

[timwilky]

Company policy, you have a co car, company phone you get a kit, like it or not. Been that way since before the law made phone use illegal, pity police don't enforce it though.

Proper piece of kit. wired in, charges phone, linked to external arial, cuts out radio when phone rings or is in use, remote speakers/mic etc.

My company was once enlightened. I was sent on a driving course because of the miles I rack up, they view driving as using any other piece of equipment and want to ensure your trained to use the provided equipment. Safety manager got his **** kicked as he used up his training budget sending the top 8 milage drivers on the course and there were 30 people with company cars plus 600 others who technically could be required to drive as part of their job.

I used to be a service engineer and had a full handsfree kit in the car, but i still tried not to make or recieve calls on the move.

I think while you are on the phone you arent paying 100 % attention to the road.

Originally Posted by mac

I think while you are on the phone you arent paying 100 % attention to the road.

I agree, I think that any mobile phone use while driving should be ilegal - handsfree or not - studies have shown that you are 4 x more likely to have an accident on hands free than no phone at all.

If going 5mph over the speed limit is considered so dangerous then why is chatting on the bloody phone considered OK?

Mobile phone laws are a bloody joke.....they are too lenient and not even enforced properly!

Saw a thing on "Myth Busters" on Discovery Channel a few weeks ago where they tested to see which was more dangerous, driving whilst drunk or driving whilst talking on a mobile phone without a handsfree kit.

THe test was to drive a slalom course and then avoid a hazzard.
I can't remember how much alcholol they had for the drunk test, but the conclusuin was that driving whilst on the phone was more dangerous.

Originally Posted by tricky

Saw a thing on "Myth Busters" on Discovery Channel a few weeks ago where they tested to see which was more dangerous, driving whilst drunk or driving whilst talking on a mobile phone without a handsfree kit.

THe test was to drive a slalom course and then avoid a hazzard.
I can't remember how much alcholol they had for the drunk test, but the conclusuin was that driving whilst on the phone was more dangerous.

they were just under the american drink drive limit.

and yes it was totally agreed mobile phones were a worse scenario.

i vote never use phone in car (never seen the need, pull over if you consider any call that important) and anyway i am a dinosaur from the age of no mobiles and by god we still managed to live our lives, arrange bike meets, meet women, ETC ETC.

also am not a big lover of loud music in cars (although i do listen to radio) just at a sensible volume , so i can hear what's going on around me.

might just be this old git here , but i have no one to impress with my mega woofers / rear window breakers.

short answer hands free or not mobile phones should not be allowed in cars full stop. and anyone with a radio over 80db should be hung drawn and quartered