Drivers on the phones: its getting scary!!

Arequipa

Hi there!
I commute to work most days through Dublin city and out the south side.
I am just becoming more aware of drivers looking at/ texting/ talking on their phones while driving.
Regularly I see a car veer towards the opposite lane and then correct.. as the driver is on the phone....
it seems on the traffic lined up.on the far side... at least 50% of drivers are glued to their phones while waiting in traffic...

Last weekend, I was cycling on tge bike path to Sutton Cross and traffic was moving very slowly to my right side... one car was moving at about 7-8kmph but gradually cutting across the bike lane and towards the kerb... the lady driving.. had a phone high up on the steering wheel and was fully engaged with it.. i looked in the window and her poodle started barking at me...


any of you experience this?

I am getting nervous commuting as many people seem really distracted...


A

iwillhtfu

Arequipa wrote: »

Hi there!
I commute to work most days through Dublin city and out the south side.
I am just becoming more aware of drivers looking at/ texting/ talking on their phones while driving.
Regularly I see a car veer towards the opposite lane and then correct.. as the driver is on the phone....
it seems on the traffic lined up.on the far side... at least 50% of drivers are glued to their phones while waiting in traffic...

Last weekend, I was cycling on tge bike path to Sutton Cross and traffic was moving very slowly to my right side... one car was moving at about 7-8kmph but gradually cutting across the bike lane and towards the kerb... the lady driving.. had a phone high up on the steering wheel and was fully engaged with it.. i looked in the window and her poodle started barking at me...


any of you experience this?

I am getting nervous commuting as many people seem really distracted...


A

I'm more surprised you're only starting to spot this now. It's an everyday occurrence on every road in Ireland and the Gardai do sweet FA about it. The best one if the artic drivers on the motor way that like to watch movies as they're driving along :eek:

What Username Guidelines

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I'm more surprised you're only starting to spot this now. It's an everyday occurrence on every road in Ireland and the Gardai do sweet FA about it. The best one if the artic drivers on the motor way that like to watch movies as they're driving along :eek:

Yeah, and it's been getting so much worse in the last year. A harsher penalty and some enforcement might make a difference but not holding my breath. Passed a guy writing an email on an iPad a few weeks back as he coasted slowly in traffic. Insanity.

But those bloody cyclists, eh?

I’ve seen two drivers in the last month looking at YouTube videos on their phones which where stuck to their windscreens. I’d love to be a traffic Garda for the day

Tenzor07

Drivers! They should make them pay tax and insurance, make them take lessons and a test... Oh wait..!

vicwatson

It’s as rampant and broken lights and number plates covered in mud that can’t be read.

Needs stamping out for the safety of pedestrians, motorists and cyclists, all road users

iwillhtfu

I was delighted to see this today but it's only a drop in the ocean of idiots

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/963367055021039616

LollipopJimmy

The amount of people I see watching videos is what I find the scariest.

PowerToWait

It's at least as dangerous as drink / drug driving, possibly more. Though socially it's completely acceptable.

Grab All Association

I challenge you to show at least 5 road fatalities be it driver, cyclist, or pedestrian caused by someone using a mobile phone in Ireland. Not speculation actual prosecution by the courts or determination by the coroners court into the cause of the accident.

Samuel T. Cogley

TBH there are now two things we should be following the UK on. First is stiffer penalties for careless and dangerous driving, second is 6 points and a €250 fine for mobile phone use. There is absolutely no excuse for it with Bluetooth and hands free kits.

Kaisr Sose

vicwatson wrote: »

It’s as rampant and broken lights and number plates covered in mud that can’t be read.

Needs stamping out for the safety of pedestrians, motorists and cyclists, all road users

Agree totally. The number of cars, with obscured reg plates and broken headlamps is unreal ( I see multiple cars every day) .

The enforcement is non-existent. What a joke. It an absolute certainty that if you don’t enforce/police for 10 years you loose control and the Irish chancer/rogue just takes advantage.

The Royal Scam

I put this thread up in the motors forum last month. It is staggering what you can see drivers doing while driving every single day.

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057828926/1/#post105803640

07Lapierre

Grab All Association wrote: »

I challenge you to show at least 5 road fatalities be it driver, cyclist, or pedestrian caused by someone using a mobile phone in Ireland. Not speculation actual prosecution by the courts or determination by the coroners court into the cause of the accident.

I challenge you to show at least 5 road fatalities be it driver, cyclist or pedestrian caused by anything other than a motorised vehicle. Not speculation actual prosecution by the courts or determination by the coroners court into the cause of the accident.

Kaisr Sose

Grab All Association wrote: »

I challenge you to show at least 5 road fatalities be it driver, cyclist, or pedestrian caused by someone using a mobile phone in Ireland. Not speculation actual prosecution by the courts or determination by the coroners court into the cause of the accident.

What sort of question is that? Its illegal to do it because it’s dangerous. Nobody should be holding a phone, or texting, or on social media or playing games or watching movies while driving.

Arequipa

Yea ... I agree we need more enforcement... it is difficult as Garda resources are limited,..

Also, it is an issue for us all that these devices are addictive...
Pedestrians too walk along like zombies glued to their phones..


But with a 2 tonne vehicle there should be zero tolerance...

kooreczka

I do realise beeing on the phone is dangerous while driving and people should't do it under any circumstances but pedestrians ans cyclists with earphones listening to the music on crossing roads or cycling on the roads are even worse!!!! They are like cows in India!

Tenzor07

Prime Time on RTE1 now, drivers and cyclists...

jjpep

kooreczka wrote: »

I do realise beeing on the phone is dangerous while driving and people should't do it under any circumstances but pedestrians ans cyclists with earphones listening to the music on crossing roads or cycling on the roads are even worse!!!! They are like cows in India!

The nearly two tonnes in difference would suggest otherwise.

Grab All Association

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

What sort of question is that? Its illegal to do it because it’s dangerous. Nobody should be holding a phone, or texting, or on social media or playing games or watching movies while driving.

E-cigarettes are banned on trains yet there’s no single case of anyone dying due to second hand exposure to vapour.

I want to see a linked prosecution of someone who caused a fatality between 1996 and 2018 whilst using a mobile phone in this country who was convicted and sentenced for it.

07Lapierre

kooreczka wrote: »

I do realise beeing on the phone is dangerous while driving and people should't do it under any circumstances but pedestrians ans cyclists with earphones listening to the music on crossing roads or cycling on the roads are even worse!!!! They are like cows in India!

Cows in India are worshipped!

07Lapierre

Grab All Association wrote: »

I want to see a linked prosecution of someone who caused a fatality between 1996 and 2018 whilst using a mobile phone in this country who was convicted and sentenced for it.

Me too! ....we really need better enforcement of all ROTR for ALL road users.

kooreczka

07Lapierre wrote: »

Cows in India are worshipped!

Yep. Just beeing sarcastic...

Grab All Association

Btw I’m a cyclist myself and I find the biggest danger to us on the roads is the assholes who swerve at you or throw stuff out the window at you. My dad is in his 70s and was hit in the head with a can of cider. We got the reg and the Gardai done deck all about it.

LollipopJimmy

Grab All Association wrote: »

E-cigarettes are banned on trains yet there’s no single case of anyone dying due to second hand exposure to vapour.

I want to see a linked prosecution of someone who caused a fatality between 1996 and 2018 whilst using a mobile phone in this country who was convicted and sentenced for it.

E-cigarettes smell poxy to those of us that don't smoke or use them so sitting on a train while some lad puffs out some funky fake blackcurrant smell is a pain. It doesn't have to cause death for it not to be allowed

Grab All Association

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

E-cigarettes smell poxy to those of us that don't smoke or use them so sitting on a train while some lad puffs out some funky fake blackcurrant smell is a pain. It doesn't have to cause death for it not to be allowed

Nothing compared to nail polishes/removers yet women are allowed to use that. I once seen someone having an asthma attack on the train because of it.

Samuel T. Cogley

Grab All Association wrote: »

I want to see a linked prosecution of someone who caused a fatality between 1996 and 2018 whilst using a mobile phone in this country who was convicted and sentenced for it.

Why do you want that?

Do you not believe there is a causal link? The studies done would indicate otherwise.

Grab All Association

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Why do you want that?

Do you not believe there is a causal link? The studies done would indicate otherwise.

Truth is they don’t have the proof and this is another stealth tax on people. I’d say woman putting on makeup is far more dangerous than using a mobile phone behind the wheel.

Samuel T. Cogley

Grab All Association wrote: »

Truth is they don’t have the proof and this is another stealth tax on people. I’d say woman putting on makeup is far more dangerous than using a mobile phone behind the wheel.

Good one. Gave me a chuckle.

Kaisr Sose

Grab All Association wrote: »

E-cigarettes are banned on trains yet there’s no single case of anyone dying due to second hand exposure to vapour.

I want to see a linked prosecution of someone who caused a fatality between 1996 and 2018 whilst using a mobile phone in this country who was convicted and sentenced for it.

Do your own research so. It’s a stupid question. The research is there that proves they are a distraction. Distracted drivers are dangerous drivers. Dangerous drivers kill people. Whether there is a prosecution or not is irrelevant, the victim is dead and a lot of lives are affected.

No idea where you are going on e-cigs. They are banned. People should not have to breathe in vapors with dubious content while on public transport or wherever. Big tobacco is just trying to muscle back in on the public at large.

robyntmorton

There is a series airing on RTE1 on Mondays at the moment - How’s Your Driving. It will be looking at things like drink/drugs, speeding, and mobile phones, using a cross section of drivers on a closed test track.

It will show all the cause and effect you want.

Rubberchikken

This is so common here its become commonplace and tbh noticing a driver who isnt on their phone is a surprise.
Its illegal and dangerous and arrogant but until the driver is caught or involved in an accident. Their disregard for other road users is shameful.

meeeeh

Grab All Association wrote: »

I challenge you to show at least 5 road fatalities be it driver, cyclist, or pedestrian caused by someone using a mobile phone in Ireland. Not speculation actual prosecution by the courts or determination by the coroners court into the cause of the accident.

It's not in Ireland but I know of an accident that wiped out a family. They stopped the car on hard shoulder of motorway, a truck driver who was watching something on phone/iPad veered out of the lane into them at full speed. At first they thought there were 3 fatalities until they found a body of a five years old child wedged under the front seat because of the impact. The truck driver disappeared from location of accident and was later found dead, he committed suicide. I guess that makes it 5 fatalities in one go.

Using phone while driving is extremely dangerous but special place in hell should be reserved for those who text/type, watch something on the phone or use face time and similar.

meeeeh

Rubberchikken wrote: »

This is so common here its become commonplace and tbh noticing a driver who isnt on their phone is a surprise.
Its illegal and dangerous and arrogant but until the driver is caught or involved in an accident. Their disregard for other road users is shameful.

That's a bit of hyperbole.

magicbastarder

Grab All Association wrote: »

E-cigarettes are banned on trains yet there’s no single case of anyone dying due to second hand exposure to vapour.

urinating in public is verboten. it's not because it's fatal to passersby.

loyatemu

Grab All Association wrote: »

Truth is they don’t have the proof and this is another stealth tax on people. I’d say woman putting on makeup is far more dangerous than using a mobile phone behind the wheel.

yeah, research schmesearch! It's no match for a good reckon, or an "I'd say"

Pinch Flat

Regularly see crazy stuff with people on phones.

Caught a guy watching the last ireland soccer game in traffic, as you do, a while back. I’d say about a third of drivers are on phones in central Dublin. Either stuck to their ears or texting / twitter / Facebook.

Passed two cars on the motorway driving to Galway a few weeks back. Swerving inside 2 wheels well within the hard shoulder. Both engrossed on their phones at 120 kph. My wife drove me as a passenger on the same route last winter - the glow of phones from cars as you passed them was unbelievable.

But hey. Cyclists are out there breaking red lights, weaving in and out of traffic and generally bothering joe “road tax” public.

NewApproach

Arequipa wrote: »

Hi there!
I commute to work most days through Dublin city and out the south side.
I am just becoming more aware of drivers looking at/ texting/ talking on their phones while driving.
Regularly I see a car veer towards the opposite lane and then correct.. as the driver is on the phone....
it seems on the traffic lined up.on the far side... at least 50% of drivers are glued to their phones while waiting in traffic...

Last weekend, I was cycling on tge bike path to Sutton Cross and traffic was moving very slowly to my right side... one car was moving at about 7-8kmph but gradually cutting across the bike lane and towards the kerb... the lady driving.. had a phone high up on the steering wheel and was fully engaged with it.. i looked in the window and her poodle started barking at me...


any of you experience this?

I am getting nervous commuting as many people seem really distracted...


A

If you’re that nervous you should pay more attention to the road and not so much on what drivers are doing inside the car.

Kaisr Sose

NewApproach wrote: »

If you’re that nervous you should pay more attention to the road and not so much on what drivers are doing inside the car.

Why so?

Any competent cyclist is paying attention to everything around them.

Competent drivers should be too. That’s his point, he observes that they are not paying attention and that makes him nervous.

Happy4all

I saw a cyclist wobble out in front of a car today, near miss. Cyclist had two arms on handlebars and was texting away oblivious to nearly causing an accident.

magicbastarder

Grab All Association wrote: »

I want to see a linked prosecution of someone who caused a fatality between 1996 and 2018 whilst using a mobile phone in this country who was convicted and sentenced for it.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/road-death-motorist-has-39-convictions-26514425.html

happy? that literally took me ten seconds to find.

07Lapierre

Happy4all wrote: »

I saw a cyclist wobble out in front of a car today, near miss. Cyclist had two arms on handlebars and was texting away oblivious to nearly causing an accident.

I saw a car driving on the pavement once.

Rubberchikken

Which part is hyperbole?
Driving while on a phone is dangerous. Fact.
Using a phone while driving is illegal. Fact.
Disregard for the safety of othets is shameful. Fact.
Attitudes such as your 'statement' ate a good example of arrogance. FACT.

meeeeh

Rubberchikken wrote: »

Which part is hyperbole?
Driving while on a phone is dangerous. Fact.
Using a phone while driving is illegal. Fact.
Disregard for the safety of othets is shameful. Fact.
Attitudes such as your 'statement' ate a good example of arrogance. FACT.

The statement that noticing a driver who is not using a phone is a surprise. I don't use phone, I know plenty of people who don't. I stated in one post above the one you didn't quote (but I assume you were responding to me) what I think of it but I don't like lazy generalizations on any side of the argument. Btw if you were a bit more factual I wouldn't respond.

SimonTemplar

I've been learning to drive over the last year and the amount of people on their phones whilst driving is just not on. It really pisses me off.

When I'm a pedestrian standing at a traffic lights at a corner, I got into the habit of looking at the different ways of how drivers turn the steering wheel when turning onto a road, just for my own interest while learning. I was shocked at the amount of drivers looking at their non-mounted phones whilst turning at lights! I could almost forgive it on a straight stretch of road where you know conditions won't change for a few seconds, but looking at a phone resting on their lap while in the middle of a turn is just the height of stupidity and selfishness. Typical "rules don't apply to me" attitude.

Guards need plain clothes cyclists / unmarked cars and drivers caught doing this should have their phones confiscated.

velo.2010

Weepsie wrote: »

I'd say they are about the same degree of danger. Either way the driver is not looking at the road. Make up person is looking at mirror etc. Phone person, unless they're talking, are texting, tweeting, reading etc.

Actually, I think a lot of women are using their phones (front facing camera) as mirrors to do their make up. Still dangerous however they do it.

Grab All Association

magicbastarder wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/road-death-motorist-has-39-convictions-26514425.html

happy? that literally took me ten seconds to find.

1 death. More people were killed slipping on tiles in their homes that year. Also take into account he had 39 convictions and was speeding (which is the biggest killer on our roads)

How are the RSA saving hundreds of lives as they claim

Sleeper12

Motorists, cyclists and pedestrian should all be find for being on their phones.

magicbastarder

Grab All Association wrote: »

1 death. More people were killed slipping on tiles in their homes that year. Also take into account he had 39 convictions and was speeding (which is the biggest killer on our roads)

How are the RSA saving hundreds of lives as they claim

those goalposts must be getting heavy. you should put them down and give yourself a break.

07Lapierre

Grab All Association wrote: »

1 death. More people were killed slipping on tiles in their homes that year. Also take into account he had 39 convictions and was speeding (which is the biggest killer on our roads)

How are the RSA saving hundreds of lives as they claim

" although last October it was claimed that he had admitted to prosecutors that he had been watching a video on his mobile phone at the time"


http://road.cc/content/news/237175-driver-accused-killing-michele-scarponi-dies-cancer

Macy0161

Like drink and drugs, in the case of single vehicle fatalities, how much do the guards actually investigate when the victim or the possible perp has died?

Whilst I see it in the city, I see more impact of it nearer home when it's rural. I'm fairly regularly behind people who start to drift, or slam on and go slow while they do something on their phone. I would suspect it'd be a fairly high cause of single vehicle collisions in rural areas, of which minor one's probably aren't even reported, let alone investigated.

Pinch Flat wrote: »

My wife drove me as a passenger on the same route last winter - the glow of phones from cars as you passed them was unbelievable.

In fairness, if you passed me on the motorway, you'd probably see the glow of the phone from the handsfree, as I use it as a satnav. Not saying it's anywhere close to the majority, but must be a good few who do the same?