Do you ever use your mobile whilst driving?

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

Survey suggests that 10% of us do:

One in ten break mobile phone traffic law

One in ten Irish drivers continues to break the law, by using their mobile phone while driving.

Easytrip monitored more than 1000 cars during peak commuting times, and found that more than 10% used their mobiles.

Of that ten percent, more than half (53%) were texting or checking their phones while driving or stationary at the lights, and just under half (48%) were speaking on their phones.

Men were almost twice as likely to use their phones (63% compared to 37%), and men were more likely to be talking, than women, who were more likely to be texting.

The survey also showed a significant number of truck and van drivers, mostly male, were talking on a hand-held phone while driving.

Using a mobile phone to type while driving carries a mandatory court appearance, while holding a mobile phone while driving will result in three penalty points - or five on conviction.

In a separate survey carried out by uSwitch, it was found ease of use and battery life are more important to users than things like 3D graphics, fingerprint ID and curved screens.

More than half of people reported never using their phone's voice-control software.

I have never, and would never, take a call when I'm driving but have to admit to checking texts at lights and replying the odd time also. Have used and still access my Sat Nav at lights also.

How about yourselves?

AnonoBoy

The fact that you used the word 'whilst' in the thread title deserves a cracking first reply.

I however am not the poster to supply that reply.

Sorry.

You deserved better.






But to answer your question - no, I don't use my car while mobiling.

jimgoose

Yes. I have a car-kit. Poll needs car-kit option!

vicwatson

Checking texts and replying is an offence op. The offence is holding the phone in your hand no matter what you are doing with it.

arybvtcw0eolkf

No, I ride a motorbike.

Trebor176

I tend to see more cars pulled over, while drivers make calls, rather than motorists using them while driving. The latter does still happen a good bit, however. For example, a woman passed me on the M50 southbound on ramp from the Red Cow one day last week, doing a good speed, while chatting away on her mobile. Somehow, she managed to signal while changing lanes (inside, to middle, to outside, back to middle, back to inside. . .) while controlling the steering, and chatting on the phone. It's true that women can multitask. . .

I hate peoples' "I don't give a toss" attitude towards certain things, such as being on a mobile while driving, knowing bloody well that it is illegal, and does indeed carry a fine and/or penalty points. This is how accidents occur. It can be so easy to be distracted while on the phone. I'd love to have seen how quickly the above driver would have reacted had someone suddenly braked in front, or cut in front of her.

auldgranny

It is againts the law. Of corsue nodoby would do thst.








Sorry for spellling miztakes. Hard too swipe and dirve.

Nib

Flynn Tinkling Spaciousness wrote: »

No, I ride a motorbike.

Badass.

NotASheeple

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller wrote: »

Survey suggests that 10% of us do:

I'd say it's possibly even higher that that.

Avada

I have checked my phone whilst stopped in traffic, dont see a major problem with it. Thats just my opinion though

mikeyjames9

auldgranny wrote: »

It is againts the law. Of corsue nodoby would do thst.








Sorry for spellling miztakes. Hard too swipe and dirve.

that's so wrong!


















"Sent from my car using Tapatalk"

RayM

I'm guilty of checking texts or missed calls when I'm stopped at traffic lights. No real harm. I don't touch the phone while driving though.

Ok, I'll be the first to own up to talking on phone whilst driving. Use loudspeaker and my eyes are on the road. Wouldn't text as I wouldn't be looking where I should be looking.

If a car slammed on the brakes in front of me? Wouldn't think of the phone tbh, i'd be in emergency stop mode.

The Th!ng

A quick glance at the speedometer tells me I'm currently doing over 143 KPH, and heading north-bound in the south-bound lane.

auldgranny

The Th!ng wrote: »

A quick glance at the speedometer tells me I'm currently doing over 143 KPH, and heading north-bound in the south-bound lane.

Kamikaze

PizzamanIRL

I was playing 'Draw Something 2' today behind the wheel. I'm a stupid bastard.

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

Flynn Tinkling Spaciousness wrote: »

No, I ride a motorbike.

That's no excuse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE3XsZaL-zo

Seriously though, check out this nut:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYqU5nx2fDI

endacl

Well, yes. I suppose.

Does listening to a podcast count?

My phone is always used as a Sat Nav on the windscreen mount. I do take calls via the cars integrated Bluetooth occasionally. The phone is never in my hand whilst driving.

I see lots of people driving with their phone against their ear. Especially van drivers. I can't understand how anyone could possibly text and drive at the same time.

Potential-Monke

vicwatson wrote: »

Checking texts and replying is an offence op. The offence is holding the phone in your hand no matter what you are doing with it.

The offence is now for using a mobile phone, so even having it in a cradle and tapping the screen is illegal. Even if it's in airplane mode and being used as a sat-nav.

Also, just because the car is not in motion, does not excuse the use of it. Stopped at lights, regardless, is using your phone while driving.

Then again, is being on a call any more dangerous than, say, eating a bag of Tayto, taking a drink, changing the radio station (even with the on wheel controls), being all old school and changing a CD, etc? They all involve not giving driving 100% concentration.

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

vicwatson wrote: »

Checking texts and replying is an offence op. The offence is holding the phone in your hand no matter what you are doing with it.

Aye and that's why I said: 'I have to admit..'.

duckcfc

Yes I use phone when driving

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Yep

WilyCoyote

Yes, I take and make calls. Never text. I cannot see the problem but I know people who could not whistle and piss simultaneously.
Incidentally, I'm not breaking the law:
There is no prohibition on cell phone use while driving in New Hampshire. However, all New Hampshire drivers are prohibited from texting.
Cell Phone Use
There is no cell phone prohibition for New Hampshire drivers.
Texting Laws
All New Hampshire drivers are prohibited from texting while driving. The law states: "A person operating a moving motor vehicle who writes a text message or uses two hands to type on or operate an electronic or telecommunications device, is guilty of a violation. A person does not write a text message when he or she reads, selects, or enters a phone number or name in a wireless communications device for the purpose of making a phone call."
Bus Drivers
As with all New Hampshire drivers, bus drivers are prohibited from texting while driving.
How is it Enforced?
There is a $100 fine for text messaging while driving. New Hampshire’s text messaging laws are considered “primary” laws. A primary law means that an officer can pull you over for the offense without having to witness some other violation. That is, the officer sees you texting and issues a citation.
Read more about New Hampshire’s distracted driving laws.

"Hello dear! Meatloaf and String beans tonight? Hello? Hello? I think the problem is at your side. Hello? Fuck it, it's not turned on."

WilyCoyote

Oops! Not au fait with the new rules. "Sorry Sheriff, wasn't aware of the rule change.":o

Del2005

Potential-Monke wrote: »

The offence is now for using a mobile phone, so even having it in a cradle and tapping the screen is illegal. Even if it's in airplane mode and being used as a sat-nav.

That was what they wanted you to believe or was widely misreported in the press.

The actual law is only for text and MMS messages being sent or received, you can still happily surf the internet once it's in a hands free cradle.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/pdf/2014/en.si.2014.0178.pdf

WilyCoyote

I honestly believe that this is beyond the powers of the Gardai.
A red herring to skew the figures.
Crime is out of control and all the boys in blue think of is 1) Grabbing any overtime on an easy shift, 2) Staying closer to a rising star - who may pull you up with them, and 3) Pension and tax-free payoff.


Corrupt officers at the top -

That earned their stripes from ......... you know who,
That instill this way of thinking in their stations,
That corrupt young idealistic Gardai from straightening things out

Is it any wonder that law and order is gone haywire!

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

Potential-Monke wrote: »

The offence is now for using a mobile phone, so even having it in a cradle and tapping the screen is illegal. Even if it's in airplane mode and being used as a sat-nav.

No, that's not true. The law makes it illegal to send and receive text messages and emails. You can access all other information on a device that you wish, as long as you are not holding that device.

Testament1

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I can't understand how anyone could possibly text and drive at the same time.

Old Nokia's used to be great for texting while driving. Once you had the button placements memorised and predictive text on you could text without even looking at the phone. Great job!

suicide_circus

Yes I do. However I am referring to one of those baby toys which hangs above a cot, not a cellular phone.

No Pants

Trebor176 wrote: »

I hate peoples' "I don't give a toss" attitude towards certain things, such as being on a mobile while driving, knowing bloody well that it is illegal, and does indeed carry a fine and/or penalty points. This is how accidents occur.

I don't understand the logic here.

BionicRasher

Potential-Monke wrote: »

The offence is now for using a mobile phone, so even having it in a cradle and tapping the screen is illegal. Even if it's in airplane mode and being used as a sat-nav.

That's not true
The law is that you cannot type a message (SMS or email) on a mobile whilst in a vehicle. It also says you cannot read a message unless you open the message by voice activation. It is an offence to hold a phone while driving but there is no law against a phone being used in a cradle and via Bluetooth etc. You can happily tap away and make and take calls in a cradle and by the looks of things you can surf the net on the phone once you are not holding it.

€20 or €30 quid will buy you a cradle and Bluetooth headset so I really don't understand why people don't use these especially all the van drivers I see nattering on the phones

_Redzer_

Nope, never do.

Was hitching back to town with the lads a few weeks ago and a lad pulled over to give a lift. He was half watching a video on his phone on the dash the whole way. I thought that was a bit crazy.

Chattastrophe!

I'll admit to texting while stopped at the lights. And if my phone rang while driving, I'd probably have a glance to see who it was (but wouldn't answer.) To me, that's no more distracting than changing the radio station or using sat nav.

I don't see the problem with people chatting on handsfree sets while driving. Not really any different to chatting to passengers in the car.

Reading/sending texts while the car is moving seems like madness to me, though.

No Pants

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

I don't see the problem with people chatting on handsfree sets while driving. Not really any different to chatting to passengers in the car.

It is. Passengers in the car, the more clued-in ones anyway, will observe you and your driving and will adjust according to the driving conditions. Someone on a phone will not.

Chattastrophe!

No Pants wrote: »

It is. Passengers in the car, the more clued-in ones anyway, will observe you and your driving and will adjust according to the driving conditions. Someone on a phone will not.

But isn't it the responsibility of the driver to adjust if necessary?

I don't chat on the phone while driving, but I do sometimes chat to passengers. I've sometimes had to tell them to shut up for a minute because I'm concentrating on something else. It's up to the driver to avoid distractions, it's not the responsibility of the passengers or of whoever is on the other end of the phone.

No Pants

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

But isn't it the responsibility of the driver to adjust if necessary?

I don't chat on the phone while driving, but I do sometimes chat to passengers. I've sometimes had to tell them to shut up for a minute because I'm concentrating on something else. It's up to the driver to avoid distractions, it's not the responsibility of the passengers or of whoever is on the other end of the phone.

I'm not talking about responsibility, I'm talking about perception. Your passengers should be able to tell when things are slightly more tricky than normal. The person at the other end of the phone will have no clue.

Sunnyisland

For the most part I don't , but sometimes I will make or receive a call.

Dravokivich

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller wrote: »

That's no excuse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE3XsZaL-zo

There was a hell of a lot of shít driving in that video. Even the car recording it was doing things wrong.

Arthur Beesley

No.

SaoirseRose

It's not just about it being illegal, it's about it being fcuking stupid. Buy a hands free kit, use it and reduce the risk of actually killing someone because you fancied a chat about what to have for dinner. Logic ensues.

Teyla Emmagan

Would never take a call, but I do check the odd text message.

I am always amazed by people driving with a phone stuck under their ear. It's so 'I don't give a **** about anyone but mself'.

Arthur Beesley

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Would never take a call, but I do check the odd text message.

I am always amazed by people driving with a phone stuck under their ear. It's so 'I don't give a **** about anyone but mself'.

Some people think the same when they see drivers checking their text messages.

foxy farmer

Is it true that 2 way radio systems are exempt?

No Pants

Never do it. The phone stays in my pocket until I reach my destination. Doesn't even get checked. I did once pull over to take a call from work, but that was because I was on-call that week. Hadn't even managed to make it as far as the gate before the phone rang as it happens. :mad:

Question; an increasing number of cars have stop/start technology. This means that when the car is stationary, the engine switches off. Do the mobile phone laws take that into account at all?

BionicRasher

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Would never take a call, but I do check the odd text message.

I am always amazed by people driving with a phone stuck under their ear. It's so 'I don't give a **** about anyone but mself'.

Checking a text requires way more interaction than taking a call hence the new laws banning this exact thing

Talking with the phone stuck to your ear is dangerous and stupid but picking up the phone and opening an reading a text is worse IMO

seamus

It never fails to amaze me the number of professional drivers you see using their mobile held to their ear. Surely every company would have installed handsfree kits into their fleet at this stage?

Vincent Vega

Such a depressing sign of the times that people cannot seem to go any more than a few minutes without whipping out the phone.
I'd imagine the majority are driving for a relatively short distance too, probably no more than an hour.
Are we that well whipped?

Alun

seamus wrote: »

It never fails to amaze me the number of professional drivers you see using their mobile held to their ear. Surely every company would have installed handsfree kits into their fleet at this stage?

Not only that but I regularly see drivers of new(ish) top of the range cars that almost 100% guaranteed have Bluetooth fitted as standard using their phone.

foxy farmer

Vincent Vega wrote: »

Such a depressing sign of the times that people cannot seem to go any more than a few minutes without whipping out the phone.
I'd imagine the majority are driving for a relatively short distance too, probably no more than an hour.
Are we that well whipped?

A lot of the conversations and texts are banal mindnumbing rubbish anyway. I was in a passenger in a car doing 100 kph with the driver sending a text on a iPhone. When the car started hammering the cats eyes in the centre of the road I had to tell her to stop. Said she was saying goodbye to her mother after the nice weekend. She just said the same thing to her face 30 mins earlier. Some people have an incessant need to be in contact with people imo.

No Pants

foxy farmer wrote: »

A lot of the conversations and texts are banal mindnumbing rubbish anyway. I was in a passenger in a car doing 100 kph with the driver sending a text on a iPhone. When the car started hammering the cats eyes in the centre of the road I had to tell her to stop. Said she was saying goodbye to her mother after the nice weekend. She just said the same thing to her face 30 mins earlier. Some people have an incessant need to be in contact with people imo.

I was once a passenger on the M50 with this woman. She called another woman...who was in the lane to her left. At 120km/h+ :rolleyes: