Texting whilst driving

[swakelin91]

On my way to uni this morning (as a passenger) I was caught in a fair bit of traffic, and as we drove past numerous cars, quite a few people were texting, mainly women to be honest. This was only when stationary, but I still think you shouldn't do it.

Just wondering what others think?

[Patrick Bateman]

I don't think there's a problem with it at all while stationary.

[falkster]

I followed a lady on my way to work and I could tell by the way she was hardly looking at the road ahead she was texting!
People also think you can't see them when they're holding their phone and clearly talking on speaker!!

[Willy Nilly]

I've not seen him for a while, but there was a guy around here that I saw texting while riding a Fireblade. I saw him doing it a few times

[ambuletz]

I'll admit i used to do it when I could do it without looking down. Back when a mobile phone had actual tactile buttons. But don't do it anymore though, its not easy on touch-screen phones as you don't have that tactile feel so you can't really judge. *puts up flame shield*

[FisiP1]

No excuses, seen all sorts of stupid things done by people texting.

Worst was someone texting in a jam on a dual carriageway adjacent to my car, traffic pulled away as lights changed, they looked down for a couple of seconds to finish their text i suppose, rear ended at 60 by a lorry that could see the lights on green and the traffic largely pulling away.

Always, always maintain your awareness in a car on the road.

[Prof Prolapse]

swakelin91 said:

On my way to uni this morning (as a passenger) I was caught in a fair bit of traffic, and as we drove past numerous cars, quite a few people were texting, mainly women to be honest. This was only when stationary, but I still think you shouldn't do it.

Just wondering what others think?

Did any of the offenders involved in or cause an accident?

If not it wasn't a problem.

[*Al*]

I think texting whilst driving is far worse an offence than talking on a mobile phone, really fks me off when i see this. Mandatory 6 month ban, effective instantly if i had my way.

[shipley]

Very very easy for Plod to find out if they've been texting when an accident occurs. The records are very accurate and mobile phone companies will release them to investigating plod on request.

I'm amazed people don't realise this.

Ho hum.

[sebhaque]

shipley said:

Very very easy for Plod to find out if they've been texting when an accident occurs. The records are very accurate and mobile phone companies will release them to investigating plod on request.

I'm amazed people don't realise this.

Ho hum.

I wonder if this new Siri (on the iPhone 4S) will complicate matters for Police - after all, you can just shout a text at your phone and it'll send it for you, but is there any way to prove that you sent it via Siri and not through your own fingers in the event of a crash?

[Baryonyx]

I always find that the morons that do this have no awareness at all of what is going on around their car. When stationary you shouldn't be taking you eyes off the ball, you should be checking the mirrors behind, looking for filtering bikes, getting your view up ahead and preparing yourself to go. The feckless buffoons who text whilst stationary always miss the lights and never look in their mirrors or over their shoulders before pulling away.

I dismay at the fecklessness of these sort of people, who sadly share the roads with decent drivers who actually care about what they're doing.

[va1o]

I do it occasionally when I'm stationary in traffic, but otherwise not

sebhaque said:

I wonder if this new Siri (on the iPhone 4S) will complicate matters for Police - after all, you can just shout a text at your phone and it'll send it for you, but is there any way to prove that you sent it via Siri and not through your own fingers in the event of a crash?

Or iMessage, which means it never goes through the operator as a text...

[martin84]

Well im sure its still included under 'using phone while in charge of vehicle' offence but its hardly crime of the century if the car isnt moving i suppose. One could argue its no different to programming the Sat Nav for a new destination or changing the radio station but the real question ought to be what do these women (and it is mostly women in my experience) have to say so urgently that they need to text while driving too?

Hop on Facebook with 'OMG driving atm LOL xxx'

[poing]

sebhaque said:

I wonder if this new Siri (on the iPhone 4S) will complicate matters for Police - after all, you can just shout a text at your phone and it'll send it for you, but is there any way to prove that you sent it via Siri and not through your own fingers in the event of a crash?

No idea but I've used siri a couple of times this week. It works through the cars bluetooth as well so I don't even need to have the phone in my hand or anything. I have noticed it's not so accurate through bluetooth and causes some amusing results but that's part of the fun.

[GTIAlex06]

Willy Nilly said:

I've not seen him for a while, but there was a guy around here that I saw texting while riding a Fireblade. I saw him doing it a few times

Probably dead as a result

[TimJMS]

Seems worth the risk to me. Kill someone while texting and serve a fortnight

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire...

[Terminator X]

Is it an offence to have the phone in your hand albeit not being used for a call or text?

TX.

[deadmau5]

What if your phone is in a cradle/holder and it's not in your hand and you're texting? Does the same law still apply?

[aizvara]

Prof Prolapse said:

Did any of the offenders involved in or cause an accident?

If not it wasn't a problem.

I think that's a little bit simplistic. Many examples of bad driving and deliberate inattention do not cause accidents every time, but they do increase the likelihood of problems.

On one of the few occasions I could be bothered to drive the daily commute, I was following a girl in some hatchback through very slow/stop start traffic. She was texting the whole time. What would happen is that she'd sit there for a while whilst the gap ahead of her built up (no problem with that, within reason) then move off finally after noticing. She'd then apparently resume texting whilst crawling along, as there'd be a sudden slamming on and dipping forward of her car when she realised the one in front had stopped again. Happened about four or five times in a twenty minute queue.

[Randy Winkman]

Prof Prolapse said:

swakelin91 said:

On my way to uni this morning (as a passenger) I was caught in a fair bit of traffic, and as we drove past numerous cars, quite a few people were texting, mainly women to be honest. This was only when stationary, but I still think you shouldn't do it.

Just wondering what others think?

Did any of the offenders involved in or cause an accident?

If not it wasn't a problem.

I drove home from the pub completely pissed tonight. Didn't crash - result! Might as well keep doing it.