Banning Hands Free Phones

[joggerjayne]

So the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have found that there is no significant difference in the incidence of accidents involving motorists holding their mobiles, or using a hands free.

ROSPA's conclusion ... it is not holding the phone in one hand that causes accidents ... it is being distracted by the phone conversation.

This is fairly obvious. If taking one hand off the wheel to do something was dangerous, then the Govt. would have to ban CD players, radios, sat navs, coffee, and manual gearbox cars.

So how long before there is a blanket ban on car phones, including hands free?

[erin-x]

Thanks Paul. I have to do that with passengers as well because some of them, the non-drivers in particular, don't know when extra attention is needed. I'm always telling my mum to be quiet when she is in the car and the same is easy to do over the phone as well. I don't agree with music being banned. I feel that music helps me concentrate, especially on a long boring road when there is nothing else to keep your mind occupied.

[New Judge]

There can be little doubt that engaging in conversation takes up part of the brain’s processing power and so leads to less concentration being given to driving. ROSPA’s report clearly confirms this.

So, Evianbaby, perhaps your business should be rearranged so that your drivers do not have to constantly take calls whilst driving. It may save an accident or two in the long run. After all, businesses managed perfectly well before mobile phones were available.

The notion that conversation with passengers in the car has the same effect is flawed. As has been pointed out by hc, the conversation in the car can be adjusted to suit the driver’s concentration requirements and he can postpone the conversation when periods of more intense concentration arise. This cannot be done when taking a phone call.

[EvianBaby]

"After all, businesses managed perfectly well before mobile phones were available."

They might have done, but as I said before times have changed and whether it's a good thing or not people want immediate responses to things these days. Apart from the guys not being able to contact each other, which they have to often it would mean clients wouldn't get through to us and may well just call someone that will answer and give them the job.

If one of our guys in working somwhere he can't get signal, he then has to spend hours going through all his missed calls and messages which is a waste of time.

[LeMarchand]

There are many things that distract car drivers: passengers talking, music (I'm sure I read somewhere that fiddling with car stereos was a huge factor in road accidents), the necessity to watch what the "I know my limits and those of my car, so I will drive at the speed I feel I am entitled to" brigade are up to, children playing up, smoking, smoking hot ladies on the pavement etc etc.

I totally agree that talking on a phone is a distraction, but cannot see how it is a worse distraction than any of the above. A person in the car with the driver will demand more of their attention than one on the phone; one can always turn the phone off if necessary - that doesn't work on the mother-in-law.

As for the business aspect, things have changed - we all expect deliveries next day and even in a certain time frame - so either we give that up, or we allow some form of communication to drivers. Thinking about it, cab drivers used to use those hand-held mikes all the time without causing mass road carnage. Maybe it's the drivers rather than the talking...

[craft1948]

I think cyclists should be banned from using ipods............

[vulcan]

and using phones on disability scooters.

[carrust]

Cyclists should also be banned from riding with no hands whilst they are texting, in the pitch dark with no lights.... I nearly hit one the other night on a main road :-@

[New Judge]

I think cyclists should be banned from using bicycles.

[craft1948]

Disability scooters are ace..............you can drive wherever you want.

[joggerjayne]

Cyclists and runners should at the most wear a single ear phone.

I got one from the States from a company called "One Good Earbud" or something. It's a mono ear phone, which reproduces the sound as well as stereo ear phones (most mono ear phones are a bit tinny, because they don't work very well with stereo recordings).

[vulcan]

I know that craft, one drove over me.

[netibiza]

It's the talking and not concentrating on the driving that is dangerous, hands free or not. I found when driving with my child, she could distract me, so I just switched off from her on roundabouts and places where I needed all my concentration.