Texting when driving: when allowed?

[CommanderJameson]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Fine, but please also apply to:

• tiredness
• worriedness
• having children in the car (teenagers are fine, they're busy pretending you don't exist)
• needing a wee
• wondering whether that's a fart or not

[bonesX]

^ What about being so up themselves (seemingly like a few here) that they wouldn't be able to drive with the flow if they could recognise any :-)

[jmorgan]

It is a distraction and can be a big distraction. Drivers are usually unable to police themselves so not at the wheel. Ever. Not hard to do. Most drivers texting are lucky there are other drivers on the road looking out the car.

[Steve_F]

zebra said:

You just don't get it do you?

Go on then, educate me...

My point, and this may not have been clear enough, is that distractions happen. It's about how we manage them. Texting while driving is dangerous - no arguments here. BUT driving is also dangerous. All I'm trying to get at is the blanket ban is not always the best way. I'd say kids fighting in the car is a lot more distracting than checking a text on an empty road but banning kids from being in cars would be a stupid blanket ruling. I don't include taking calls in this thinking as holding a phone to carry out a conversation isn't as easy to judge timings and deal with using a quick check. Hands free options are so cheap too it's just a mental risk to take.

Fundamentally dangerous driving is dangerous driving. I'd like to see more done to stop all round bad driving (including use of mobiles when it is stupid to do so) rather than focussing one one thing and demonising it.

Using my example above, checking a text on an empty bit of road with no slip roads or openings to judge if pulling over to reply is needed (and this could be as simple as its from person X, they only ever send jokes so ignore, or its from person Y who I'm waiting for very important news from so stop and deal with it), this is a lot less of a distraction than an awful lot of things that go on around us while driving...

And just to be clear where I stand with this, there's a rule in place so I do try to follow it. I have hands free in my car and van and hardly ever get texts worth reading so it doesn't matter if they wait.

[jmorgan]

I get a text or phone it can wait. Simples. I think today people are more of the opinion that anything that comes over their g string enabled bothering device is an absolute must answer or the world will end.

[Issi]

So, what to do when you see one?

Tut
Beep
Wind windows down and shout 'Put your effing phone down!'
Ignore.

Personally I beep, which has often created a huge amount of road rage, one chap on the M4 went mental and if I interpreted his charade correctly, wanted me to pull onto the hard shoulder for a fight.

[jmorgan]

Personally I avoid ramming them with the sudden changes in speed and lane control etc. They can thank me later for saving their lives.

[LuS1fer]

Steve_F said:

Flawed logic

The point is that most distractions, like kids, are unavoidable but have to be managed safely.
Checking a text can wait forever because it is totally unnecessary, it creates a distraction you do not need to be distracted by.
Fortunately, I am from a generation that doesn't carry or need a mobile phone.

[dinkel]

It gives me an immense sense of freedom and power to just ignore my cell and check at the spot of arrival.