Phone Drivers: Men Or Women

Drax

Firstly I want to try and keep this a serious post.

Reading HelterSkelter's post earlier about stuff that pisses me off when I drive I have to say from the whole list the one thing that aggravates me are people on the phone. I dont know what it is particularly. Maybe its the fact that you know they are not paying attention and possibly putting your life in danger.

I can now say without a shadow of a doubt that I see more women than men nattering on the phone. Today for example 3 women, no men. First one was a mommy in her jeep on the M50 just past the Tallaght, second was some 'office worker' having a good old yap while simultaneously trying to filter onto the M50 at the Red Cow, followed by number 3, some nordy-reg'd 6-series beemer driven by some oul one. She was on the phone from the airport to at least the Balbriggan exit on the M1.

There has definitely been a drop in the number of people using phones while driving but I think it has made it more annoying when you see one.

So what do you reckon, more men, more women, or equal?

deman

I don't think Ireland is so much different to here in Finland but I have to say that, here, it is definitely women. I don't want all you women coming on here to defend yourselves by calling me/us male chauvanistic but it's a fact here in Finland. And it really pisses me off too when I see anyone using their mobile and driving at the same time. Especially those in big expensice cars. If they can afford a big expensive car, then surely they can get a "hands free" device too! :mad:

mik_da_man

On My daily drive to and from work I am amazed at the amount of people who still have their phones stuck to the side of their face
And I have to say it is mostly women who I spot on the fone.
and I'm not trying to be sexist it's a fact:cool:


Mik

Alun

Pretty much equal, I'd say, and also I can't say I've noticed any change at all in people's habits since the penalty points came in.

Chonker

Alun wrote:

Pretty much equal, I'd say, and also I can't say I've noticed any change at all in people's habits since the penalty points came in.

I agree, drive for an hour and you will see quite a few people still yapping and driving.
Honestly Ive seen more men, van and truck drivers to be exact.

Are there any figures available regarding the amount of drivers caught so far?

Healio

Women think they can multi-task.

mmenarry

I see it about equal.

One think that *does* seem strange though, it's very predominant with owners of high end mercs, bmw and the like. You can afford a 50K car with all the extras, excpet that hands-free kit. Never could figure that one out

M.

Robbo

It's mainly women I see talking on the phone whilst driving. If I were to put a stereotype on it: blonde, Pug 206, St Tropez, pink clamshell Motorola phone.

CrowdedHouse

Chonker wrote:

Honestly Ive seen more men, van and truck drivers to be exact.

Agree with this one.

You'd think that compared to the price of a truck a hands free kit would be small change.There's no way they should be driving a vehicle that size and using the phone,particularly as most truck drivers aren't exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer

fenris

Robbo wrote:

It's mainly women I see talking on the phone whilst driving. If I were to put a stereotype on it: blonde, Pug 206, St Tropez, pink clamshell Motorola phone.

Lol you have just described the idiotic slapper that ran the car in front me onto the footpath in Ranelagh yesterday evening. Her lane vanished and she swerved left into a solid line of traffic without even dabbing her brake as any other attempt at controling the car would probably have necessitated her letting go of her phone or at least pausing her very importand conversation. She then went straight through a red light and sat in a box junction. So if you know little miss Pug 206 XX -D- 3913 read her a copy of the rules of the road, and ask her if the two car lengths progress she made was worth nearly taking out two cars. The sad thing is that the only part she probably noticed was getting stuck in the yellow box!

Alun

mmenarry wrote:

One think that *does* seem strange though, it's very predominant with owners of high end mercs, bmw and the like. You can afford a 50K car with all the extras, excpet that hands-free kit. Never could figure that one out

That puzzles me too, and I've seen it in the cases of cars worth many multiples of 50K too which probably have bluetooth handsfree capabilities built-in for 'free'.

DublinWriter

In my recent experience it tends to be more the guys in vans that are yakking away.

My recent investment in a top-end Pioneer head-unit with built-in Bluetooth was more than worth it for me. I was yaking away to someone on it when I drove around the corner into a Garda random breathalyzer check where I was customer #1 that afternoon.

byte

I'd say equal. Mostly men in work vehicles, or women in their X5's or other high end motor!

bazz26

I have found it equal to be honest.

But what I have noticed is the amount of drivers of heavy goods vehicles with a mobile phone in their hand while driving. While it is dangerous enough with people in cars talking on the phone image trying to concentrate on driving a big artic truck or van while yapping on the mobile phone. Only last week I seen a guy go through a red traffic light in a big tipper truck while he was talking on his mobile phone. The mind boggles.

To make the point though, it is pointless introducing legislation to ban the use of mobile phones without a hands free facility in vehicles if the law is not enforcable. Has anyone or does anyone know someone who has been fined and issued points for using a mobile phone since it became law?

the_syco

They call it "MultiTaksing". Talking on the phone, applying their makeup, and driving down the motorway.

unkel

bazz26 wrote:

I have found it equal to be honest.

But what I have noticed is the amount of drivers of heavy goods vehicles with a mobile phone in their hand while driving

Agree on both counts

Chonker

DublinWriter wrote:

In my recent experience it tends to be more the guys in vans that are yakking away.

My recent investment in a top-end Pioneer head-unit with built-in Bluetooth was more than worth it for me. I was yaking away to someone on it when I drove around the corner into a Garda random breathalyzer check where I was customer #1 that afternoon.

My recent investment in a cheap low-end Aldi one did the same job

Your not going to stop people from having their phones on in the car, maybe all new cars should be sold with some kind of blue tooth system installed. It's not that expensive anymore.

Archeron

I find its more blokes on the phone. Although, despite the recent legislation I think talking on the phone pales in comparison to driving at 80kmph and putting on mascara. I mean, how the hell do you drive safely while waving a small pointy brush millimetres away from your own eyeball? If they got bumped while doing that, there could be a nasty injury in the works.

Eating ice cream also seems hazardous while driving as most people see, more pre-occupied with not dripping it on themselves.

Stephen

I find the white van men are the worst single group for this, but overall it seems fairly gender-neutral in my experience.

Lynfo

Fairly equal I'd say, I did see a woman yesterday though driving down the N4, with her phone in one hand and lighting a cigarette with the other - unless she's some kind of freaky 3 armed woman - who the hell was driving the car???

Fey!

I reckon about equal.

kdevitt

Probably see slightly more women, but worst example I've seen was actually the day before yesterday - bloke in Peugeot 406 coming towards me on the phone, doing about 80 in a 50 zone (Clonsilla Road) , completely oblivious to the fact that there was a traffic warden guiding kids across the road, almost ploughed straight through them.

J.R.HARTLEY

Chonker wrote:

I agree, drive for an hour and you will see quite a few people still yapping and driving.
Honestly Ive seen more men, van and truck drivers to be exact.

i agree completely, i've seen more men too

franksm

Thought about this on the way home yesterday, because I voted "half and half" in the poll - my memory tells me it's about even. But last night, what I saw with my eyes was that way more than half the phone users were women.