Was I being too Harsh? -Driving whilst using phone

[Fat Audi 80]

Following on from the sliproad thread:

Yesterday a fella in a Ford Galaxy came down the "on" sliproad onto the M4 (J12) approaching to join at the same speed as me (approx 70), motoway traffic was light so no need for me to move out of lane one. I glance across to see Ford Man is dialing on his phone, so as he passes close to me ready to join I give him a few loud blasts on the horn and take an imaginary phone from my ear whilst mouthing get off your ing phone!. Ford man Joins in front of me, winds down the window and gives me the two fingers salute... (Phone must of been in other hand by now)

Should I have expected anything less? Why can't people respect SOME of the laws of your road, especially when joining the motorway, a potential more dangerous move than most?

[gh0st]

Have you ever sped in your life?

Not your job to enforce the law. If they are not hurting you or doing anything actually DANGEROUS then leave them to it.

I picked up the phone the other day whilst in near-stationary traffic going into Torquay. Man in a royal mail van behind me decided to have what looked like some kind of fit in demonstrating his dismay at me using a telephone.

If you have never sped, never copied a cd and never broken any law no matter how silly in your entire life - go for it!

Gh0st

[Apache]

Leave it be, you'll end up in bother otherwise, you'll be flashing at fog light numptys, coffee beans to non indicating roundabout numpties, one fingered salutes to light flashers when you overtake.........f**k! that's me!

[Mrs Fish]

I'm afraid I have to agree with gh0st

[gh0st]

Mrs Fish said:

I'm afraid I have to agree with gh0st

[Fat Audi 80]

Never Copied a CD.
Yes, have broken the speed limit (sometimes by a lot, but appropriately... )
I Don't break any other laws and try to drive as well as possible.
Yes I do flash fog light people.
Yes I do flash people with no lights on.

Buying a hands free phone kit cost £7.99

Thanks for the advice.

Steve

[Fat Audi 80]

Apache said:

Leave it be, you'll end up in bother otherwise, you'll be flashing at fog light numptys, coffee beans to non indicating roundabout numpties, one fingered salutes to light flashers when you overtake.........f**k! that's me!

Me too.

[wiggy001]

Fat Audi 80 said:

Never Copied a CD. Yes, have broken the speed limit (sometimes by a lot, but appropriately... ) I Don't break any other laws and try to drive as well as possible. Yes I do flash fog light people. Yes I do flash people with no lights on. Buying a hands free phone kit cost £7.99 Thanks for the advice. Steve

Just playing Devil's Advocaat here but...

You speed when you think it's appropriate yet this bloke is not allowed to use his phone when he thinks that is appropriate and safe?

Double standards?

Speeding, on it's own and taking nothing else into account, is not necessarily dangerous (I'm sure most on here would agree?). The same goes for using a phone on the move, as discussed to death not too long ago.

Also, if you were paying so much attention to him using the phone and taking time, effort and (presumably) your eyes off the road to inform him of your displeasure, can you say that you were concerntrating on your own driving 100%?

[blademan]

Fat Audi 80 said:

Following on from the sliproad thread: Yesterday a fella in a Ford Galaxy came down the "on" sliproad onto the M4 (J12) approaching to join at the same speed as me (approx 70), motoway traffic was light so no need for me to move out of lane one. I glance across to see Ford Man is dialing on his phone, so as he passes close to me ready to join I give him a few loud blasts on the horn and take an imaginary phone from my ear whilst mouthing get off your ing phone!. Ford man Joins in front of me, winds down the window and gives me the two fingers salute... (Phone must of been in other hand by now) Should I have expected anything less? Why can't people respect SOME of the laws of your road, especially when joining the motorway, a potential more dangerous move than most?

fataudi
Yes there are drivers on the road who do annoying things, but TBH these days, by and large, I tend to just slowly raise an arm, and say something like " arrh, nice move mate...really considerate." and then let it go. My blood pressure is more important than venting my anger on every stupid and inconsiderate driving maneavure that I see. Try to stay calm mate. Can see where you coming from and agree with your appraisal of the situation, but getting stressed only makes YOUR driving worse for others that follow
eg I made a mistake years ago, and cut someone up, supposedly (didnt think I had but he did ); this lead to the other car tailgating me, and then pulling out onto oncoming traffic giving me the various hand signals.

[Fat Audi 80]

wiggy001 said:

Fat Audi 80 said: Never Copied a CD. Yes, have broken the speed limit (sometimes by a lot, but appropriately... ) I Don't break any other laws and try to drive as well as possible. Yes I do flash fog light people. Yes I do flash people with no lights on. Buying a hands free phone kit cost £7.99 Thanks for the advice. Steve Just playing Devil's Advocaat here but... You speed when you think it's appropriate yet this bloke is not allowed to use his phone when he thinks that is appropriate and safe? Double standards? Speeding, on it's own and taking nothing else into account, is not necessarily dangerous (I'm sure most on here would agree?). The same goes for using a phone on the move, as discussed to death not too long ago. Also, if you were paying so much attention to him using the phone and taking time, effort and (presumably) your eyes off the road to inform him of your displeasure, can you say that you were concerntrating on your own driving 100%?

All very true Sir!

However personally I think there is a difference between concentrating and driving above the speed limit and trying to use a phone whilst entering a fast moving (although as I concede, quiet) motorway.

Re: My observation / lack of concentration of Mr Ford, simply involved my normal look over my shoulder at the approaching traffic on the slip road and then a brief release of one hand from the vehicle controls to use horn and gestiulate....

Point taken though

[swilly]

gh0st said:

If you have never sped, never copied a cd and never broken any law no matter how silly in your entire life - go for it! Gh0st

Ohhh damn I have sped in the past.

Does that mean it would be hypocritical of me to intervene in a road rage incident, or reprimand an idiot driver attempting to kill himself, myself and others by his idiot driving with a big hoot of the horn?

[edc]

gh0st said:

Have you ever sped in your life? Not your job to enforce the law. If they are not hurting you or doing anything actually DANGEROUS then leave them to it. I picked up the phone the other day whilst in near-stationary traffic going into Torquay. Man in a royal mail van behind me decided to have what looked like some kind of fit in demonstrating his dismay at me using a telephone. If you have never sped, never copied a cd and never broken any law no matter how silly in your entire life - go for it! Gh0st

So unless you are holier than God you just let all things slip by?

How and where should you draw the line?

[Raify]

gh0st said:

Not your job to enforce the law. If they are not hurting you or doing anything actually DANGEROUS then leave them to it. Gh0st

You don't think it's dangerous to merge onto a motorway whilst driving with one hand, looking down at your handset and dialing a number?????

In the same situation, I would probably have just commented on his onanism, loudly but to myself. Only to avoid road rage. That idiot got everything he deserved.

I think the "Never sped? never copied a cd?" argument is a little.... inflamatory, and daft.

all IMHO of course

[gh0st]

swilly said:

gh0st said: If you have never sped, never copied a cd and never broken any law no matter how silly in your entire life - go for it! Gh0st Ohhh damn I have sped in the past. Does that mean it would be hypocritical of me to intervene in a road rage incident, or reprimand an idiot driver attempting to kill himself, myself and others by his idiot driving with a big hoot of the horn?

If someone is actually putting your life in danger then that changes the goalposts a little dont you think...

If someone is doing something wrong but is not harming anyone (doing 77 on the motorway, taking a phone call, whatever) then i leave them be. If someone swerves across a roundabout without warning almost running me and others off the road then I am merely alerting them to my presence as stated in the highway code. No problem with that.

[gh0st]

Raify said:

gh0st said: Not your job to enforce the law. If they are not hurting you or doing anything actually DANGEROUS then leave them to it. Gh0st You don't think it's dangerous to merge onto a motorway whilst driving with one hand, looking down at your handset and dialing a number????? In the same situation, I would probably have just commented on his onanism, loudly but to myself. Only to avoid road rage. That idiot got everything he deserved. I think the "Never sped? never copied a cd?" argument is a little.... inflamatory, and daft. all IMHO of course

I have joined a motorway whilst being on the phone before.

No problems.

Nothing inflamatory about the remark, just a matter of cause.

Next time you drop some litter or let your dog poo on the grass and "forget" (or really forget because it was an accident) to pick it up, would you want some wierdo following you round shouting at full volume - "LOOK WHAT HE DID!!!! UMMMMM IM TELLING ON YOU"

Let it go. These things happen. They will always happen. and there will always be someone out there willing to point it out to make themselves feel better...


>> Edited by gh0st on Thursday 23 September 14:07

[Nightmare]

I would say its a personal judgement thing to a large extent....I wouldnt bother commenting on things like this...UNLESS they were clearly being dangerous (like the woman in 4x4 today who nearly killed me and friedn as she changed lanes accross us without looking or indicating and was on her phone... she got quite a lot of abuse!

[gh0st]

Nightmare said:

I would say its a personal judgement thing to a large extent....I wouldnt bother commenting on things like this...UNLESS they were clearly being dangerous (like the woman in 4x4 today who nearly killed me and friedn as she changed lanes accross us without looking or indicating and was on her phone... she got quite a lot of abuse!

Spot on! She is causing an obvious problem therefore needs intervention of some kind before she intervenes with the nearest lamppost / pedestrian.

If she was just on her phone but her driving was otherwise reasonable, is there a problem? like if someone is exceeding the speed limit but are otherwise in control, is there a problem?

Same thing really.

[Fat Audi 80]

gh0st said:

Raify said: gh0st said: Not your job to enforce the law. If they are not hurting you or doing anything actually DANGEROUS then leave them to it. Gh0st You don't think it's dangerous to merge onto a motorway whilst driving with one hand, looking down at your handset and dialing a number????? In the same situation, I would probably have just commented on his onanism, loudly but to myself. Only to avoid road rage. That idiot got everything he deserved. I think the "Never sped? never copied a cd?" argument is a little.... inflamatory, and daft. all IMHO of course I have joined a motorway whilst being on the phone before. No problems. Nothing inflamatory about the remark, just a matter of cause. Next time you drop some litter or let your dog poo on the grass and "forget" (or really forget because it was an accident) to pick it up, would you want some wierdo following you round shouting at full volume - "LOOK WHAT HE DID!!!! UMMMMM IM TELLING ON YOU" Let it go. These things happen. They will always happen. and there will always be someone out there willing to point it out to make themselves feel better... >> Edited by gh0st on Thursday 23 September 14:07

If its any consolation, I NEVER drop litter, Don't have a dog cause I don't like cleaning up shit, and drive with consideration for others at all times. I think its perfectly reasonable to expect someone to actually JOIN the motorway BEFORE using thier phone.
[cracked record] A handsfree kit cost £7.99[/cracked record]

If everyone let every minor incident go without even expressing some kind of displeasure people will think they can do what they LIKE all the time. At least Mr Ford MIGHT think about not doing it again, not guaranteed admitidly, but possible....

Cheers,

Steve

[Apache]

I don't give a rolling donut wether someone is on the phone or not, the point is are they driving safely?

This damn govt has got everyone thinking back to front, some of us can't drive in a straight line while changing gear others can do a multitude of tasks while remaining situationally aware. Everyones ability varies

[gh0st]

Fat Audi 80 said:

If everyone let every minor incident go without even expressing some kind of displeasure people will think they can do what they LIKE all the time. At least Mr Ford MIGHT think about not doing it again, not guaranteed admitidly, but possible.... Cheers, Steve

Totally see your point and I used to think the same way up until a couple of years ago. Then I realised that unless you are a police officer (and sometimes not even then ) people really and seriously wont give a what you think because they will always be "in the right" as far as they are concerned.

Be totally honest for a minute - if someone flashed at you for overtaking them on the motorway at 90MPH, would you start driving at 70 on the motorway in future?

Gh0st

(not trying to start one, just putting across my point of view and trying to save you some serious blood pressure in the future like I almost had )