Everyone is texting whilst driving!
Discussion
philmots said:
Why do a reasonable number of cyclists turn into the road police?
It's not your job to tell her to get off her phone, it's not right and I wouldn't do it, but I'd of told you to F-off too.
Wait a minute. Someones actions in your vicinity, in a tonne and a half of car, which could leave you with a wrecked bike, hospitalised or even dead, and you don't think this justifies boll0cking them? It's not your job to tell her to get off her phone, it's not right and I wouldn't do it, but I'd of told you to F-off too.
philmots said:
It's not your job to tell her to get off her phone, it's not right and I wouldn't do it, but I'd of told you to F-off too.
It's my job to try and stay alive. I'll tell whoever to do whatever to that end. The only reason anyone reacts in the way you say you would is because they're embarrassed to have been caught being a moron or they're completely bloody brainless. Which are you? Pothole said:
t's my job to try and stay alive. I'll tell whoever to do whatever to that end. The only reason anyone reacts in the way you say you would is because they're embarrassed to have been caught being a moron or they're completely bloody brainless. Which are you?
Some of us manage to stay alive without having to pointlessly tell people off and call people names!! Try it, far less stressful.Willy Nilly said:
Sump said:
Why does everyone insist on sticking their beaks into everyone else's business?
Considering that most crashes are caused my not paying attention, it's every much everyones business I realise this is of little use to a cyclist but bikers have a secret weapon in the war on distracted drivers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8VWwssMuc4
Many thanks to the Royal Jordanian.
Many thanks to the Royal Jordanian.
I'm never convinced fines actually prevent this from taking place, and judging by the number of comments it doesn't.
I'd like to see the Police change tack, when someone is caught using their mobile phone, the Police then make the culprit drive over said phone rendering it useless and at the same time notify the service provider / insurance co the phone has not be lost or stolen, the owner destroyed it willingly. Yes, I know, some people will choose not to, in that event, then the phone is simply confiscated, wiped and donated to charity.
its got to be about inconvenience...
I'd like to see the Police change tack, when someone is caught using their mobile phone, the Police then make the culprit drive over said phone rendering it useless and at the same time notify the service provider / insurance co the phone has not be lost or stolen, the owner destroyed it willingly. Yes, I know, some people will choose not to, in that event, then the phone is simply confiscated, wiped and donated to charity.
its got to be about inconvenience...
clarki said:
Pothole said:
t's my job to try and stay alive. I'll tell whoever to do whatever to that end. The only reason anyone reacts in the way you say you would is because they're embarrassed to have been caught being a moron or they're completely bloody brainless. Which are you?
Some of us manage to stay alive without having to pointlessly tell people off and call people names!! Try it, far less stressful.
Meridius said:
Should raise the fine to a minimum of 6 points.
The only way it will be cut is if it carries a mandatory ban, like drinking. Maybe 20 days first offence, a year subsequently. People are being and will continue to be killed because of this. 50 years ago everyone drank and drove and it was kinda "whoops, sorry" when they crashed and/or killed someone. To me, this phenomenon is the same and it won't change until really tough measures are introduced.
The fact of the matter is that driving is more dull now than ever before.
With ever reducing speed limits, ever increasing isolation of the driver from the road and ever increasing safety systems of cars (even if you don't consciously think about it, it does affect your driving, see the old "Put a sharp spike on the centre of the steering wheel" Clarkson quote), we just don't pay attention as much as we should because it doesn't feel like we need to. Driving is no longer REQUIRES much of our attention and consciousness, which applies to even the most airheaded muppet - pootling along in 1962 in their Morris Minor they would naturally be paying more attention than their equivalent airhead today in a 2014 VW Polo, just because the car requires it - it's less refined so you feel the road more, you're more in connection with what you're actually doing (piloting a tin box down a road at a speed faster than a horse can run), more in connection with the machinery itself, and in the very back of your subconscious mind so far that you rarely ever acknowledge it, you're aware that if you stuff it up you're very likely to die.
People haven't gotten more stupid - they always were, it's just now the natural stupidity is allowed to come out.
What do we do about it? I don't think you can go back to the old way of doing it with naturally more engaging cars - that's an undesirable side effect of an imperfect machine (which we enthusiasts came to enjoy). Most people don't WANT to be in connection with the machine and the road, they just want to get to work as effortlessly as possible. It's like arguing we need to make more involving washing machines. No, that ship has sailed.
As with any attempt at changing a behaviour, there's carrot and stick. Either punish the behaviour that you want to discourage, or encourage the behaviour that you wish would replace it. It's clear that punishment doesn't work that well, and requires enforcement, which is never perfect. It also encourages resentment because people *feel* they're safe texting and driving and the Nanny State is interfering. Other people aren't safe to text and drive, it's dangerous, but I'm fine! I'm safe! I just need to quickly text Celia back about that lunch tomorrow.
I think the only thing that'll realistically reduce accidents caused by inattentive drivers is autonomous systems - so it doesn't even matter if they're attentive or not. That's the only way to sell it as a positive, as a change that people WANT.
With ever reducing speed limits, ever increasing isolation of the driver from the road and ever increasing safety systems of cars (even if you don't consciously think about it, it does affect your driving, see the old "Put a sharp spike on the centre of the steering wheel" Clarkson quote), we just don't pay attention as much as we should because it doesn't feel like we need to. Driving is no longer REQUIRES much of our attention and consciousness, which applies to even the most airheaded muppet - pootling along in 1962 in their Morris Minor they would naturally be paying more attention than their equivalent airhead today in a 2014 VW Polo, just because the car requires it - it's less refined so you feel the road more, you're more in connection with what you're actually doing (piloting a tin box down a road at a speed faster than a horse can run), more in connection with the machinery itself, and in the very back of your subconscious mind so far that you rarely ever acknowledge it, you're aware that if you stuff it up you're very likely to die.
People haven't gotten more stupid - they always were, it's just now the natural stupidity is allowed to come out.
What do we do about it? I don't think you can go back to the old way of doing it with naturally more engaging cars - that's an undesirable side effect of an imperfect machine (which we enthusiasts came to enjoy). Most people don't WANT to be in connection with the machine and the road, they just want to get to work as effortlessly as possible. It's like arguing we need to make more involving washing machines. No, that ship has sailed.
As with any attempt at changing a behaviour, there's carrot and stick. Either punish the behaviour that you want to discourage, or encourage the behaviour that you wish would replace it. It's clear that punishment doesn't work that well, and requires enforcement, which is never perfect. It also encourages resentment because people *feel* they're safe texting and driving and the Nanny State is interfering. Other people aren't safe to text and drive, it's dangerous, but I'm fine! I'm safe! I just need to quickly text Celia back about that lunch tomorrow.
I think the only thing that'll realistically reduce accidents caused by inattentive drivers is autonomous systems - so it doesn't even matter if they're attentive or not. That's the only way to sell it as a positive, as a change that people WANT.
CAPP0 said:
Meridius said:
Should raise the fine to a minimum of 6 points.
The only way it will be cut is if it carries a mandatory ban, like drinking. Maybe 20 days first offence, a year subsequently. People are being and will continue to be killed because of this. 50 years ago everyone drank and drove and it was kinda "whoops, sorry" when they crashed and/or killed someone. To me, this phenomenon is the same and it won't change until really tough measures are introduced.
It is a problem that seems to be getting worse.
Without wishing to go off-topic, I have also noticed a lot of drivers clearly smoking cannabis whilst driving. The smell is very obvious as the cars pass me when I am on the bike (and no, I am not a militant cyclist - just a cyclist and a driver). Very often, the driver is the only one in the car. I am no vigilante, but this does worry me - just as it would worry me if I saw a driver with a can of beer on the go.
Andy
Without wishing to go off-topic, I have also noticed a lot of drivers clearly smoking cannabis whilst driving. The smell is very obvious as the cars pass me when I am on the bike (and no, I am not a militant cyclist - just a cyclist and a driver). Very often, the driver is the only one in the car. I am no vigilante, but this does worry me - just as it would worry me if I saw a driver with a can of beer on the go.
Andy
Gorbyrev said:
I realise this is of little use to a cyclist but bikers have a secret weapon in the war on distracted drivers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8VWwssMuc4
Many thanks to the Royal Jordanian.
Some of his riding is awful and he shows excessive speed in his videos too. I used to enjoy his daily observation videos but not anymore...Many thanks to the Royal Jordanian.
philmots said:
It's not your job to tell her to get off her phone, it's not right and I wouldn't do it, but I'd of told you to F-off too.
Just b
ks, people who text-drive are as dangerous these days as people who drink-drive.....ANY driver should as a very minimum tell them to GET OFF the FRACKING PHONE
If you do, I thank you very much as you may of saved my life in a head on crash
Good Job philmots
Best moronic comment I have seen this week, have a peanut.
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