Do you drive n’ talk?
I recently wrote an article for my column in The Costco Connection magazine about cell phone accessories and I included Bluetooth and speakerphone solutions for drivers. Well, I received a couple of emails from angry readers about suggesting anyone use these products.
I recently wrote an article for my column in The Costco Connection magazine about cell phone accessories and I included Bluetooth and speakerphone solutions for drivers. Well, I received a couple of emails from angry readers about suggesting anyone use these products.
Their issue lies in the fact that drivers shouldn’t be on the phone at all – whether they’re holding it or not – and by me writing about solutions for those who do is (inadvertently yet irresponsibly) encouraging it.
So my question to you, oh valued Sync reader, is: Was I unfairly lambasted or do these readers have a point? Do YOU pull over and talk when you need to use your cell phone? Do you differentiate between holding a phone while driving or hands-free options, or are they basically the same?
C’mon now, be honest about your behind-the-wheel habits!
Bleus should read Bing's response. Talking a person in a car compared to someone on a phone while driving is NOT the same.
To paraphrase Bleus own words, "Please, PLEASE think about this stuff before you open your trap on it… " you obviously are self righteous and probably drive like you own the road and god help anyone that has to share it with you…
I drive, talk and smoke at the same time. Sometimes I also type stuff into my laptop agenda. I drive with no hands and steer the car with my knee when I'm bored. I have a sunroof, which is convenient for throwing stuff out and thus keeping the car clean. I'll blow a red light here and there, when I feel like it. If there's no cars, why not? After all, if they put a red light in a desert, would you stop and wait like an idiot? Full stops? Never! It's no good on the brakes. Hey, it's all good!
Never had an accident, but I will say this: "cellphones combined with a third element (such as dropping your cigarette, or fidgeting with the radio) can be a problem."
If you're only talking on the cell and paying attention to the road, you'll be fine (provided your a good driver like me). Just don't bring a third element into the equation because most people overload at that point and start stressing.
NOW,
Let's see one of you losers drive stick in the middle of Athens or NYC during peak rush hour.
OR,
Pull a parking job that has people stopping mid-stride on the sidewalk to see if it can actually be done… and then break out clapping when it is.
AND THEN,
Come talk to me about driving!
I'll take a cool driver on a cell phone any day over all these geriatrics doin 80km on the highways or all these slow-witted imbecils clenching their steering wheels with both hands as if their lives depended on it, scared to change lanes, coming to a quasi-standstill before changing lanes, can't anticipate flow around them, slam on the brakes abruptly because the guy in front of them is turning and they didn't forsee it.
When I drive, it is poetry in motion.
BTW, I vote for Bluetooth
I have to laugh – has anyone looked at that small photo posted above closely? Not only is the driver using his cell, he's holding a drink with the other hand, AND he's not wearing his seat belt. If he's not pulled over – he's just a recipe for disaster. I'm thinking this photo is probably staged to make a point & to see if we're paying attention. If he's really driving, I hope he doesn't hit anything.
Using a single point (cell phone use and driving) as a scapegoat for dangerous driving is poor argument at best. There is no yes/no answer. It is a circumstancial decision to be made depending on the prevalent conditions. This is not even the point of the post. It's whether hands-free are better than no hands-free. And that is a clear yes. Using hands-free is safer. One reason is it is much easier to check blind spots (rotate neck/shoulders) when your hand isn't held to your ears.
To the rest of you on the cell phone ban crusade, good luck. Also good luck on banning radios, cup holders, paging equipment for taxis/cops/ambulances, and carrying other passengers in a car who can speak.
http://taghlub.blogspot.com/
Hey hey for "Billy Boy"!! Not to sound arrogant, or over confident, but with 25+ years in the transportation industry, we seem to be leaving the most important ingredient out–SKILL! A skilled-safe-defensive driver should be able to safely multi-task WHEN necessary! Of course it should not become a way of life, NEED is what is at the heart of the matter! But in all my years of driving 1000's of miles weekly in many capacities, cities, airports, driving various sizes and types of vehicles, in ALL kinds of weather & road surfaces, including a daily school bus with 70+ passengers [talking!]I have never found my NEED to communicate with a cell phone or 2 way radio a concern that compromised SAFETY!! WHY? Because I am a trained professional in the transportation industry and I know HOW to keep the DRIVING TASK in focus at all times–even, when things within or beyond my control can become distrations! The biggest problem I THINK–is that we are throwing many new, inexperienced, unskilled drivers on the road and then ADDING cell phones, etc to the equation. THAT, my friend is when it becomes a recipe for disaster! Obtaining a "license" does not a SKILLED driver make! It simply makes it LEGAL! Perhaps our energies would be better spent training our young, and old, drivers about WHY & HOW the DRIVING TASK requires their full attention and remind them that they have only MASTERED the skill of safe driving when they have hung up their keys after a lifetime of SAFE driving! That means not only never HAVING a collision–but also never CAUSING one!! I recommemd ALL drivers take an honest look at themselves first! There is much room for improvement! Become a part of the SOLUTION by cleaning up our own [lack of] SKILLS first! I do so– daily!! So there's my challenge to all you critics!!
I think there will always be someone driving with a cell phone, from now until the end of time, the best we can do is make sure we know how to drive ourselves, and if a situation occurs, we are ready to adapt to it.
For instance someone else causes a crash, the best we can do is react to that and not hit something ourselves. If you're not a fan of driving while talking on a cell phone, don't drive and talk at the same time, and watch out for those who do.
That said, I feel that hands free devices are no different than having a conversation with a passenger in the car. Really, where's the difference between talking to a passenger, and talking to air, then having the speakers talk back? Or listening to the radio. Some people have figured out how to give driving priority over listening to music or talking.
If I drove, I definatly wouldn't dial the phone while driving, however I would answer provided I had an easy, one touch, hands free device hooked up.
.J
Did not read your initial article. Main problem I can see when talking on the phone compared to talking with someone in the car, is that the person in the car can see the situation on the road and therefore adjust conversation accordingly(pause conversation when you are making a left turn at a busy intersection etc). Person on the phone can't, and will keep talking through it. On the other hand, "hands free" cell phone I believe is a minor distraction complared to many other situations (e.g. kids arguing in the car etc)
The problem with cell phones or hands free phones are simply that they are a distraction. A poster asked that someone please tell him how talking on a handsfree is different from speaking to someone in the backseat – it's simple. Someone is in the backseat. If you get too heated in your argument or too distracted by the conversation there is another set of eyes to warn you of impending doom for you or anyone else in your vicinity the person on the phone is not going to help you avoid the child that just darted in front of your car. This is NOT a question of SKILL. No amount of skill can rescue you if you are being distracted. Being distracted by a phone call for a split second can cause death. That is what this is about. Vehicles are potential killers, drinking and driving is illegal because you are not fully present when driving, the exact same case can be made for someone on a telephone.
At least with bluetooth and hands-free, the driver can maintain physical control of the vehicle. How is someone talking wirelessly any different than talking to another passenger in the vehicle; even singing along with music would not be much different.
I think the real danger is the physical operation of the cell phone which takes the driver's physical control away from the vehicle. It takes the same motor skills as someone applying make up, trying to eat a salad, etc…
Even though hands free is a mild distraction, it's no worse than listening to your favorite song on the radio while driving.
True the passenger involved in the conversation is an extra set of eyes to watch the road, but what about responsibility? If you are choosing to talk on the phone while driving, you should be responsible enough to ask them to hold on if you are making a critical motion (i.e. left turn), and if you're getting so heated that you can't focus on driving, pull over, finish the conversation, calm down, then pull back into traffic and resume your journey. If you don't have time to pull over, don't get involved in the conversation.
Let there be no talking at all. I have seen people just changing the lanes, without any indicators. You just find another car ahead of you. Those, who use the cellphone, while driving, invariablly don't bothered about the surroundings. In many a cases, they would just go at a fixed speed, blocking the entire lane. If there is an emergency, let them stop the car and talk.
Please don't make the highways, as your family room.
I can't say I know the results of the research done on this, but my personal experience suggests that driving while holding a cell phone to your ear is bloody dangerous. 9 times out of 10 when I see someone making a dangerous driving move they are holding a cell phone to their ear. I have no problem with blue tooth and the other hands-free options because I think an argument can be made that ther eis not much of a difference between that and talkign to the passenger in your car.
Marc, I agree with most of the comments you have received. Driving requires full concentration on your surroundings, things happen too fast to go from partial cell concentration to full driving concentration. I can't count the number of times at a stoplight when someone on a cell doesn't even realize it has changed to green and looks in the rear-view mirror to see why people are honking at them!
Some people have no prblem multi-tasking, others do. Some even can drive well with one hand. However, I would suggest that talking on a blue tooth or other handsfree device is quite different from holding the phone in one hand. Outlawing all phone conversation while driving, would make it illegal to even put a blue tooth on. In other words you would be punishing careful people. How many people would really ignore their cell phone when it rings.
There are many distractions while people are driving: the radio, bill boards, spectacular sight on the road, etc.
The best solution is to ensure that drivers have both hands on the wheel.
If my cell phone rings while driving I leave it till I'm able to pull off and answer it. At first my family and friend were not to happy with that, now they let it ring till I can pull off or call me later. To me it makes more sense to continue to concenrate of my driving than to cause an accident or be in one myself because I'm not paying attention. Happly my family and friends now agree with me, whether it just to keep me happy or not I don't care it is my life and the life of others that I have to take care of while I'm driving.
As far as passengers being alert to what is going on on the road. NOT. During many close calls and not so close calls I, as the driver, have been the ONLY one to see what is ahead. Once, years ago, both my mother and sister did not see what was ABOUT to happen down the road and asked why I was stopping and pulling off; I did see what was going on and an accident was avoided. Another time a friend and I were engaged in heavy conversation and a moose (VERY large and VERY fast) came out of the woods just ahead of us and stopped on the road. My friend questioned why I hit the brakes. I said: "LOOK!" On a more recent ocassion, while talking to a friend while using a bluetooth hands free device another moose came trotting up onto the road; the conversation was probably all that kept me alert as I was very tired at the time. My conclusion? It depends on the person. Just look at fighter pilots and the multitasking they do while FLYING at very high speeds. That said, if you are going to talk on your phone while driving, hands free is the ONLY way to go. No new laws are needed as existing laws cover those who don't pay attention – reckless driving, driving with undue care, etc.
First, as written before it is no different than carring on a conversation with a passanger. At least if I am on the phone I won't be distracted by trying to occasionally make eye contact with it. Second, I have always built a phone stand in my vehicles so that I can see and operate the phone at line of site with a handfree device, and third, mayby using a phone while driving should be part of the driving test. If a person can't pass that part of the test, there will be a restriction on their licence.
The issue isn't about talking, or smoking, or eating, or tuning the radio. It's concentration. Here in England there is a hatred for cars among the mindless masses who believe that laws will solve the problem (just as drink driving laws have stopped alcohol related accidents). Humans are simply incapable of maintaining 100% concentration. In time, technology will eliminate this need, but until then we need to bring in a new law each week for a new "crime". My vote for the next law is to ban people listening to "Hip Hop" music. We should all listen to classical like me!
Billi Boy was not loved as a kid. looks like he needs a hug :)..
i see risk of having a cell phone, trying to dial at the same time steer but it all depends on skills too. but its not easy to test those skills so easy solution is to ban cell phone use while driving except with hands free type of devices.. and a definitely a no no for Blackberry type messaging.. if u think your work is so important then stay in the office more for 10 minutes don't put my life in danger
Hands free talking seems to me to be no different than talking to a passenger. Infact at least you do not have the eye contact as you do while talking to a passenger.