Just a little rant

Feb 21, 2007

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There’s an advert on the radio at the moment to do with mobile phones.

“It’sYou’re hard four times to concentratemore onlikely to have two thingsa crash atwhen the you’re on same a mobile timephone.”

Rant part one – do they really think that playing this particular advert on the radio (a thing that ppl listen to in cars) is going to be improving concentration on the road?

And then it goes on that from the 27th of February, the law is changing. If you are caught using a handheld mobile phone, you will be fined and get points on your license. What, so somehow it not being handheld means you aren’t concentrating on it? I think not. But they haven’t changed the law to stop you using a phone in a car because it will be too difficult to identify and prosecute I suspect (I haven’t done any research on this).

And also, what about all these satnavs that are appearing in cars? So many cars pass me on the motorway, and they aren’t looking at the road, or holding the wheel with both hands, they are leaning forward over a little screen on the dash and stabbing at it with a finger. Have any studies been done on how these things affect driving ability? (And I don’t mean by the companies who sell them either.)

So there you go, a couple of little rants.

Don’t get me started on that email from him at no10, I need to go to bed some time tonight….

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Comments

12 responses to “Just a little rant”

t-bird
22 February 2007
yes, in Japan there was a study that said if you program your sat nav whilst you drive you will probably crash, I have a vague memory (nowt new there then…) that it may be illegal to program your sat nav whilst driving in Japan and also a vague thought that it comes under “due care and attention” in the UK.
Duke keeps on at me to get one of those wretched blue tooth things you stick in your ear to talk on the phone whilst you are driving. I keep pointing out that NO ONE has EVER phoned me whilst I’ve been driving in all the 15 ish years I’ve had a phone so why spend Â£Â£Â£ on a bit of irritating plastic that will drive me even more nuts than I already am (we’re back to being in a house with a mad woman again aren’t we – wink)
How’s the Tunisian sweater going?
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Chris
22 February 2007
I am not saying having a hands-free phone conversation is not distracting. But is it anymore distracting than having a hands-free conversation with a passenger. Small children would have to be banned from cars on that basis 😉
Agree 100 per cent on sat navs. They are worse than phones imo for distraction.
But I also think changing a cd is distracting, tuning in a radio etc etc so I am not why all things (phones included) aren’t covered under due care and attention. Seems odd to single one (and not the worst) out.
I never listen to radio stations that have adverts.
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Tim
22 February 2007
I have tried the headset and they are a pain in the, um, ear.
I have a Jabra Speaker Phone, much better idea
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Tim
22 February 2007
BTW, dropping a cigarette in your lap is slightly distracting, particularly if you spill your coffee on your phone while you are picking it up. If that happens, then it will probably ruin your make up and you will have to start again.
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Chris
22 February 2007
Tim, how do you answer calls with one of those hands-free? I presume you use voice whatever to make calls on the move?
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Chris
22 February 2007
Don’t most ladies but there make-up on driving along the M1 anyway?
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Chris
22 February 2007
Look at that there……how awful.
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Tim
22 February 2007
Yes, the Jabra has a big button on the front, you poke it and shout at it.
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t-bird
22 February 2007
“But I also think changing a cd is distracting, tuning in a radio etc etc so I am not why all things (phones included) arenâ€™t covered under due care and attention. Seems odd to single one (and not the worst) out.”
it *is* all covered under Due care and Attention! The Police have been able to use that particular offence for anything that distracts the driver from doing what they are supposed to be doing for years, they can have you for changing the radio, turning round to scream at the kids, emergency stops because you sailed past the junction you were supposed to be exiting at, doing the cross word at teh wheel…. anythign they can prove that took your mind off the road (by which they usually mean they hvae you on video vering all round the place or causing chaos!) the mobile phone law was brought in basically becuase the Gvmt decided that this was a particularly common offence so deserved a bit of extra publicity as provided by a new law etc.
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Tim
22 February 2007
There is a difference though if you have to prove that someone is driving without due care and attention, they might argue, and produce ‘experts’ who agreed, that they were not distracted by their phone, whereas if you make it an offence to use the phone, then all the police have to prove is that you were using the phone. So they can use a photo of someone using a phone as conclusive evidence that they were committing an offence.
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Chris
22 February 2007
I know those things are covered but I don’t see why a phone should treated exceptionally. Using a phone is not imo necessarily driving without due care and attention. It can be but to say it always is is like saying have kids the car is driving without due care and attention.
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Tim
22 February 2007
I agree, but the reality is that the CPS is not prepared to proceed with cases which rely on the opinion of some half witted plod.
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