Brake want to ban hands free phones
Discussion
Obviously, it isn't about banning all distractions, it is about banning a particular distraction - one that Brake feel they may realistically hope to do.
Brake et al aren't stupid, they know short of banning driving there will always be distractions in one form or another but what they are trying to do is tackle a distraction they feel they can influence.
I concur with others that talking on the phone is a distraction. More so than talking to passengers to my mind as it is more focussed - you are aware that you are on the phone and when the call is of a nature that commands your attention, no matter what people might convince themselves to the contrary, it is taking part of your focus away from where it should be: driving.
To reinforce the point: you get a call from your boss and he/she is having a go at you for something, or impressing upon you something that urgently needs resolving, or a family member calls with some urgent message or extremely interesting gossip - you will be focussing on the call. It will distract you to some degree whether you care to admit it or not.
Now screaming kids in the back can be just as bad, no doubt. Or the gorgeous girl to your left unzipping your trousers…but Brake see the phone distraction as one they can seriously have a go at with at least a chance of success in the long run if they go on about it hard enough.
Personally, I wouldn't want the ban. I'd like to think I can recognise when to take a call or not just as I like to think I can judge when and where it is less risk to drive a bit faster than I ought to. Problem is, too many people can't control themselves and hence the Big Brother-types out there.
Brake et al aren't stupid, they know short of banning driving there will always be distractions in one form or another but what they are trying to do is tackle a distraction they feel they can influence.
I concur with others that talking on the phone is a distraction. More so than talking to passengers to my mind as it is more focussed - you are aware that you are on the phone and when the call is of a nature that commands your attention, no matter what people might convince themselves to the contrary, it is taking part of your focus away from where it should be: driving.
To reinforce the point: you get a call from your boss and he/she is having a go at you for something, or impressing upon you something that urgently needs resolving, or a family member calls with some urgent message or extremely interesting gossip - you will be focussing on the call. It will distract you to some degree whether you care to admit it or not.
Now screaming kids in the back can be just as bad, no doubt. Or the gorgeous girl to your left unzipping your trousers…but Brake see the phone distraction as one they can seriously have a go at with at least a chance of success in the long run if they go on about it hard enough.
Personally, I wouldn't want the ban. I'd like to think I can recognise when to take a call or not just as I like to think I can judge when and where it is less risk to drive a bit faster than I ought to. Problem is, too many people can't control themselves and hence the Big Brother-types out there.
Certainly the system today is daft - there's pretty solid evidence that the actual act of holding the phone is irrelevant - that any decrease in concentration from talking on the phone comes from trying to hold a conversation with someone who isn't in a position to sympathise with what's going on outside the car.
IMHOKrikkit said:
Brake are morons, but...
Me too - sometimes I have to pause in a conversation with a passenger, never mind on the phone.Daniel1 said:
Just going to put this out there but.....
.... I find it's the talking, not the holding of the phone, that is the more distracting
I agree with this. I find a phone call incredibly distracting while driving. Maybe I'm crap at multitasking!.... I find it's the talking, not the holding of the phone, that is the more distracting
Tbh, it's not the reps on their phones making calls in their 320ds and A4 TDIs that are the problem.
IME, it's the 20-30 year old women who are constantly looking down (their faces illuminated) texting on their smart phones. An issue I've noted both in town and (more worryingly) on the motorway.
IME, it's the 20-30 year old women who are constantly looking down (their faces illuminated) texting on their smart phones. An issue I've noted both in town and (more worryingly) on the motorway.
henrycrun said:
No, but calls should be minimised.
Many motorists use it as an in car entertainment system and rabbit on for ages.
I appreciate this will be personal to the individual but I just don't understand. At what point is it difficult to have a conversation and drive at the same time? Many motorists use it as an in car entertainment system and rabbit on for ages.
Despite common consensus on PH, driving safely (not well) is not a challenging task for the vast majority of people on the road and I don't believe it is made more difficult by speaking on a hands free.
chrisgtx said:
Just seen the sky news report,have 1/2 million people been done for using a mobile phone?.
according to FOI request on their sitegood
But you see drivers doing it all the time from truck drivers to mums with kids in the back. If they realise they can do it without crashing they'll carry on doing it.
I cant get my head around how much of a problem it is compared with trying to get the radio to work. but it is a distraction if that 'important' call comes in
The worrying thing about brake is they seem to achieve a disproportionally high level of publicity with their crazy suggestions.
What motorists need is a similar organisation that promotes the other view, to help balance things out.
The motorist has no voice, what we need is something like PH to combine with RAC to promote an alternative view.
What motorists need is a similar organisation that promotes the other view, to help balance things out.
The motorist has no voice, what we need is something like PH to combine with RAC to promote an alternative view.
rallycross said:
The worrying thing about brake is they seem to achieve a disproportionally high level of publicity with their crazy suggestions.
What motorists need is a similar organisation that promotes the other view, to help balance things out.
The motorist has no voice, what we need is something like PH to combine with RAC to promote an alternative view.
They have a big corporate income. The RAC and AA sometimes speak for motorists, sometimes not. What motorists need is a similar organisation that promotes the other view, to help balance things out.
The motorist has no voice, what we need is something like PH to combine with RAC to promote an alternative view.
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