Eating / Smoking while driving.

keithclancy

I've seen a few doozys,

Saw a guy one day eating a full on Korma with Onion Bajis sitting on the dash while driving with his knees. :rolleyes:

Myself the worse i've done is eat a big mac while driving, fecking burger fell out when I went to bite it, slopped out all over my legs and onto the floor, had to drive for the next 10 minutes with gunk all over my legs to the next rest stop :pac::pac::pac:

Myself I consider Coffee/Can of fizzy drink to be 'safe' (best to open before driving off) , smoking to be the next most dangerous and then anything that requires a fork to be worse than talking on a mobile while driving.

I've seen a few smoking incidents on the motorway, where the person flicks it out the window, it flys in the back window, queue car weaving all over the road while they reach back trying to find it in case it burns a hole.

Anyone else have a bad car food / smoking experience ?

Personally I can't eat while driving, when I was a rep I tried it once or twice with a sandwich, didn't enjoy the grub at all and felt totally uncomfortable doing it, a drink is an option depending, anything with a straw is happy out, Capri Sun etc.

I smoke (cigars, cheap ones :pac:) the odd time when driving and don't think it's an issue.

Tallon

Are you seriously telling me that someone would use a fork while driving?

iirc, eating crisps was voted the worst thing to do when driving

PaddyFagan

I think despite having had the odd snack in the car on the move - anything that distracts you even slightly has to be dangerous if something happened at the wrong moment.

That said I've seen some shocking stuff recently - one guy on the N7 with a broadsheet paper spread out over the steering wheel doing 100kpm+ and a guy driving with a set of over ear headphones on (presumably hooked up to an iPod or some such) - so perhaps a coffee/mars bar isn't even at the dangerous races.....

Paddy

keithclancy

PaddyFagan wrote: »

That said I've seen some shocking stuff recently - one guy on the N7 with a broadsheet paper spread out over the steering wheel doing 100kpm+

I've see the very same on the A52 in Germany, guy in a Renault Scenic doing around 160km/h with a large map spread over the steering wheel.

fergiesfolly

Mate of mine recently admitted to studying for his exams while driving. Couldn't understand why I fecked him out of it.

EPM

I smoke but for the life of me cant do it while driving. The once or twice that I have tried it I was a danger as I spent more time worrying about burning something in the car or where the ash was going.

I regularly drink coffee while driving, I might eat some sweets from a bag the odd time but no way would I try a sandwich. Think of the crumbs...


//OCD kicks in

challengemaster

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Mate of mine recently admitted to studying for his exams while driving. Couldn't understand why I fecked him out of it.

Sort of did this once - apart from it was the GF beside me who was telling me everything, so not exactly like I had stuff open infront of me

Viper_JB

From my smoking days, I always found the most dodgy bit was lighting a ciggie with the inbuilt car lighter, just that moment as you cross your eyes so you don't burn the face off yourself, I also had a situation in the MR2 when I had the roof off I flicked a butt still lighting out the window, felt something wizz past my ear and hit off the head rest, over the next 20-30 seconds I felt a burning sensation in the small of my back :eek: the butt had come back in and was currently in the process of burning a hole in me, nearly went into the kirb in the ensuing panic. Nothing else on the road near me though as was going pretty slowly. I'd say after that, smoking can lead to dangerous situations behind the wheel. Should it be banned? definitly not .

VW 1

PaddyFagan wrote: »

I think despite having had the odd snack in the car on the move - anything that distracts you even slightly has to be dangerous if something happened at the wrong moment.

That said I've seen some shocking stuff recently - one guy on the N7 with a broadsheet paper spread out over the steering wheel doing 100kpm+ and a guy driving with a set of over ear headphones on (presumably hooked up to an iPod or some such) - so perhaps a coffee/mars bar isn't even at the dangerous races.....

Paddy

I cant see how earphones are any more dangerous than a radio
Some of the stuff you see on the roads can be shocking. As a non smoker myself I cant comment on the smoking, but I cant imagine being able to give near full concentration when trying to eat!

giant_midget

I was listening to radio nova one of the mornings this week and a fella called in and said that he had just spotted a woman in a Volvo with a bowel of cereal and a spoon on the M1 motorway.....stupid bloody woman :pac: :pac:

si_guru

giant_midget wrote: »

I was listening to radio nova one of the mornings this week and a fella called in and said that he had just spotted a woman in a volvo with a bowel of cereal and a spoon on the M1 motorway.....stupid bloody woman :pac: :pac:

...yeah.. I mean... A Volvo!

Matt Simis

Occasionally I eat something like a danish or drink a coffee when driving my Automatic. Would restrict it to mostly motorway/dual carriage way type situations.

Wouldnt really be keen on it in the manual nor food that requires utensils (anything that requires me to look at/co-ordinate what Im eating).

I know this technically can only subtract from safety...

RobertM

I only eat a sambo when I have someone with me in the car, and limit myself only to motorway driving.

Ocasionally when having a drink in the car, I have a sip at the traffic lights.

keithclancy

RobertM wrote: »

I only eat a sambo when I have someone with me in the car, and limit myself only to motorway driving.

Ocasionally when having a drink in the car, I have a sip at the traffic lights.

Does the Martini Glass fit in the cup holder ?

68 lost souls

VW 1 wrote: »

I cant see how earphones are any more dangerous than a radio
Some of the stuff you see on the roads can be shocking. As a non smoker myself I cant comment on the smoking, but I cant imagine being able to give near full concentration when trying to eat!

Well if you have headphones in then you cant hear anything else going on around you so it would be very dangerous. For example if some one was beeping the horn to warn you, you might not hear it.

VW 1

68 lost souls wrote: »

Well if you have headphones in then you cant hear anything else going on around you so it would be very dangerous. For example if some one was beeping the horn to warn you, you might not hear it.

I can't see why that would be any different to driving with the radio on loudly though.

Mint Sauce

Barr the odd bag of sweets in the driver door cubby hole thats it.

stevenmu

Tallon wrote: »

iirc, eating crisps was voted the worst thing to do when driving

That sounds right, when I eat crips I have to look around the bag for the nicest looking one, not a good idea while driving.

I'll eat something small while driving like a bar of chocolate, something I can just drop if needs be. I'll drink something cold too, I wouldn't risk spilling hot coffee on myself. I love those lucosade sport type bottles where they have the valve at the top to stop anything spilling unless you're actively drinking.

My gf used to watch movies on her iphone on long journeys up until she admitted it to me. I hope i am never as angry with her as i was then ever again!

Matt Simis

VW 1 wrote: »

I can't see why that would be any different to driving with the radio on loudly though.

Come on, not only does a low volume headphone insulate you more than high volume radio, but the complete exclusion of external noise impacts situational awareness. Have you never actually used headphones or something?

the culture of deference

I eat fruit when i am driving but i wouldn't try to eat a meal.

I dont smoke but I love watching people in petrol stations after they buy fags.

They get in the car, open the window, rip the plastic off th efag box and then the aluminium foil comes off, fu6k the rubbish out the window and then light up beside the pump, then one handed drive off while trying to put on a seat belt too.

Berty

The Cigarette, sandwich, Burger, Can of Coke, Breakfast roll is not the dangerous aspect of it.

It's the lack of common sense a driver has which is wrong.

When I used to eat a lot of crap I would often get a McMuffin in Shannon but I would ONLY eat it when I got onto the Motorway because the car would remain more or less straight.

The worst I do now is eat a bag of crisps or bar of something in the car.

I told the MO lads a story the other night. I was driving a truck and my new boss / accompanied full license driver had bought 2 breakfast rolls. We were driving from Kilrush to Lahinch up the back roads and he fell asleep. I was still eating my roll but the truck managed to weave to the left and the front left wheel went over the ditch and started to pull the truck in. The back wheel went in as well putting us at an awful incline. This was an old truck so no seatbelts at all. We hit a big bump of some type in the ditch and his unconcious body flew into the air, crashed into the roof and slammed back into the drivers seat. The window was wide open. Seriously, he could have gone straight out the window. I recovered the truck back onto the road. It was hilarious at the time as he didnt go out the window of course.

You live and learn.
You lose and die.

VW 1

Matt Simis wrote: »

Come on, not only does a low volume headphone insulate you more than high volume radio, but the complete exclusion of external noise impacts situational awareness. Have you never actually used headphones or something?

Of course, and occasionally on long trips I use headphones to listen to podcasts or whatever, never had any trouble with them.

keithclancy

VW 1 wrote: »

Of course, and occasionally on long trips I use headphones to listen to podcasts or whatever, never had any trouble with them.

The only issue I have with headphones is it screws up your ability to hear where noise is coming from, i.e. you can hear a noise but can't locate its directoin.

You still have stereo hearing when using the cars speakers instead

thom119

had an incident last year, i was a passenger and somehow the driver managed to drop her cigarette

scary moment at the time, luckily i was there so i could fish it out
funny looking back at it now

MetzgerMeister

RoverJames wrote: »

Personally I can't eat while driving, when I was a rep I tried it once or twice with a sandwich, didn't enjoy the grub at all and felt totally uncomfortable doing it, a drink is an option depending, anything with a straw is happy out, Capri Sun etc.

I smoke (cigars, cheap ones :pac:) the odd time when driving and don't think it's an issue.

Do you ever smoke your pipe while driving? :pac:

dr.fuzzenstein

When I was a "rep" (crapmerchant) in the early 90's, driving everywhere in my van I used to have donuts (Dunkins, miss them a lot, everything good here gets discontinued), doing a lot of mileage all over the country.
My personal best was drinking a coffee whilst rolling a fag.
I learned how to steer with my knees back then cause you need your hands for rolling the fag.
And there wheren't any cupholders, so you had to hold on to your coffee or put it on the dash and hope for no sudden braking/big potholes.
Since I lived in the van I had to learn how to have my breakfast/lunch and smokes whilst on the move.
Now I don't smoke during the day, so never smoke in my car.
But if it's late and I'm a long way from home I do allow myself one or two cans of redbull and a packet of Hamlets whilst on the move.

TestTransmission

einheisserschre wrote: »

Do you ever smoke your pipe while driving? :pac:

As long as he's not wearing his slippers aswell

-Corkie-

I often update my Facebook status after eating my breakfast roll.

Daegerty

That's a bit American isn't it. Drive your big old slushbox down the 'freeway' while jamming a big mac down your throat in order to fatten you up some more

mantaraver

einheisserschre wrote: »

Do you ever smoke your pipe while driving? :pac:

Pipe schmipe. Might as well go for broke and smoke a huge bong :rolleyes::rolleyes::D:D:D

(Disclaimer : I have never done this)

David09

Around this time last year I crashed my car. What happened was that a half-full mineral bottle had come adrift from the door pocket and was rolling around at the pedals. I momentarily took my eyes off the road to lean down and pick it up. As soon as I looked up I saw myself over the wrong side of the road heading for an oncoming car... Screech, swerve... Bang!! An expensive mistake!

Recently, I've had a few slow speed near misses with cars which weren't my fault. The common denominator in all were middle-aged women in Hyundais and daewoos trying to smoke and drive simultaneously.

fergiesfolly

Had an argument with same guy that reads in the car(see above) about mobile phone use. Bar the holding of it, he reckons its no more dangerous than a hands free, as the distraction was the same whether its up to your ear or coming through a speaker. We spent hours on that one. Whats ye're view?

MetzgerMeister

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Had an argument with same guy that reads in the car(see above) about mobile phone use. Bar the holding of it, he reckons its no more dangerous than a hands free, as the distraction was the same whether its up to your ear or coming through a speaker. We spent hours on that one. Whats ye're view?

At least when it's in a cradle, both your hands are free to be able to control the car if anything did happen.

fergiesfolly

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Whats ye're view?

Cork Harbour if I tilt my neck enough :pac:

Sparkie93

i tried drinking tea before i hit a pothole and it spilled all over my legs nearly swerved into a ditch
the worst ive seen is women putting makeup on especially at traffic lights in the morning

Vertakill

Berty wrote: »

I told the MO lads a story the other night. I was driving a truck and my new boss / accompanied full license driver had bought 2 breakfast rolls. We were driving from Kilrush to Lahinch up the back roads and he fell asleep. I was still eating my roll but the truck managed to weave to the left and the front left wheel went over the ditch and started to pull the truck in. The back wheel went in as well putting us at an awful incline. This was an old truck so no seatbelts at all. We hit a big bump of some type in the ditch and his unconcious body flew into the air, crashed into the roof and slammed back into the drivers seat. The window was wide open. Seriously, he could have gone straight out the window. I recovered the truck back onto the road. It was hilarious at the time as he didnt go out the window of course.

I got some hilarious mental images there. Brilliant!

VW 1 wrote: »

Of course, and occasionally on long trips I use headphones to listen to podcasts or whatever, never had any trouble with them.

Seriously... some of the ipod listening dumbas$es are the most dangerous things on the road these days.

MP3 players are for when you're out and about and not near something that plays music... you've a goddamn radio in your car - use it.
Wearing earphones COMPLETELY messes up your spatial awareness as well as leaving you completely reliant on just visually reading the road.
You're almost in a cocoon as far as sound is concerned.

And if you're someone who doesn't believe sound has an impact on your driving, then you must be a pretty ropey driver.


Only yesterday was I involved in a near miss but the fact I heard the tyres screeching from the car 3 cars in front of me (which I couldn't see), was I prepared to do what I did when the car directly in front of me decided to throw out the anchors.

It's almost as bad as the idiots that listen to their ipod when they're cycling... which I saw the day before yesterday.

Doesn't matter how good a driver you think you are, if some useless driver is driving in close proximity to you, and you're basically eliminating one of your senses... you're just asking for trouble.

dr.fuzzenstein

Vertakill wrote: »

Seriously... some of the ipod listening dumbas$es are the most dangerous things on the road these days.

MP3 players are for when you're out and about and not near something that plays music... you've a goddamn radio in your car - use it.
Wearing earphones COMPLETELY messes up your spatial awareness as well as leaving you completely reliant on just visually reading the road.
You're almost in a cocoon as far as sound is concerned.

And if you're someone who doesn't believe sound has an impact on your driving, then you're an awful driver.

Only yesterday was I involved in a near miss but the fact I heard the tyres screeching from the car 3 cars in front of me (which I couldn't see), was I prepared to do what I did when the car directly in front of me decided to throw out the anchors.

Completely idiotic to block out 1 of your senses for the sake of some music..

It's almost as bad as the idiots that listen to their ipod when they're cycling... which I saw the day before yesterday.

It's actually illegal in Germany to use headphones in your car for those reasons and, of course, you won't hear ambulances, etc...
Personally I don't get it.
Most radios have an AUX port nowadays, if you have an ancient cassette radio there are (crappy) adaptors and (equally crappy) FM transmitters, or for a few bucks you can get a radio in ALDI that is probably miles better than the ancient unit it will replace.
What pisses me off is people holding their phone to their ear while driving, E20 will get you a bluetooth headset, or for a few bucks more you can get a universal hands-free kit.
My grand total outlay for an AUX cable and a bluetooth headset where less than E50, affordable for even a poor bastard such as myself.

But worse than holding the phone to your ear to me is, upon hearing the phone ring, swerve immediately from the "fasht" lane that you've been holding up at 90 km/h to the hard shoulder with one jerking motion, without looking or indicating and take the phonecall half parked on the shoulder, half on the left lane.
I hope an artic collects you.

Dan Jaman

I've never had a problem smoking and driving - it'll probably kill me eventually, but not in the car.
As for drinking - the whisky glass spills too much so I neck it from the bottle.
Two stories...
A foaf wrote his car off and nearly himself, when he spilled a packet of toffees from the dash onto the floor and the stupid sod leant down to pick them up - at 60mph.

In England, on the M6 heading north, I was riding behind a small van in sh!tty atrocious weather, when I noticed the driver reach down (probably to fetch his spilled toffees), the van swerved a bit, put one wheel down into the gravel on the right of the outside lane, the driver wrenched the wheel to the left, the van shot across three lanes missing every car and truck therein and rolled three or four times along an embankment (just under where the Kegworth crash was).
Spectacular, it was, as the doors flew open and everything inside scattered to the four winds. Of course, everything on the m'way ground to a halt and I had to do a bit of quick maneouvering myself as anchors and steering was applied by all those around me.
Never found out what happened, but I stopped at the next emergency phone and called it in - before the days of universal mobies.

donkey balls

Depending on how far I travel within a days work 3/4 litres of water can be easily downed by me,Mainly on the motorways while I have the cruise control on sometimes a bit of fruit all within easy reach so I never loss spatial awarenes of my suroundings.