Texting is so wrong. I can't believe that I'm constantly seeing people doing this while driving. It's just crazy.

The only way to go is laptop. The screen is so much bigger and you don't have such tiny little buttons.

IanK and Wineman - YES indeed

But fighter pilots use HUD at 1000kph under physical stress.
Emergency services workers drive fast and talk on the phone under great mental and emotional stress.
Army dudes call in stuff over the radio under fire.
OK yes higher level of training and awareness etc......

We are talking about allowing people to push one button when stationary!
You can get a ticket for talking on the phone with the car in Park, at the left kerb, in the middle of the farken Nullabor.

Select to expand quote

Battle said..
^ Because they have been so distracted while driving (slowly, while texting or talking) that they don't make the green light, and end up in front.


I wish I could say the same, and I have tried to do this........ but the phone takes over, and hands free makes no difference at all.
Best thing is to turn the phone off while driving.

Yeah, I have seen enough people like that to know its not a choice. I wonder what the difference is.

What vehicle Chris?

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..

You can get a ticket for talking on the phone with the car in Park, at the left kerb, in the middle of the farken Nullabor.

Not if you use Optus.

Select to expand quote

smicko said..
What vehicle Chris?

It's just a Ford Focus.

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..
IanK and Wineman - YES indeed

But fighter pilots use HUD at 1000kph under physical stress.
Emergency services workers drive fast and talk on the phone under great mental and emotional stress.
Army dudes call in stuff over the radio under fire.
OK yes higher level of training and awareness etc......

We are talking about allowing people to push one button when stationary!
You can get a ticket for talking on the phone with the car in Park, at the left kerb, in the middle of the farken Nullabor.

I think these examples you quote are very different. If its part of your job, you usually aren't chatting with your wife about what is for dinner next Friday. If you are piloting a plane at 1000km/h you are not chatting with your good buddy about what the waves were like yesterday.

The significant thing about the Catalyst story was that you can't really concentrate on both talking and driving. By the sounds of it, some people can switch off their talking when things get difficult and requires attention. I saw a flight crash investigation program recently where the pilots were too busy trying to control the plane to talk to air traffic control to tell them what was going on.

It seems a lot of people cannot focus on driving when they are talking, so why would you want them to be sitting in a queue at the lights. They are not moving but they still need to be aware of their surroundings. If there is an accident ahead or an emergency vehicle up ahead, some people are not going to notice it.

^^^ I think we are agreeing?
It is nonsensical to allow talking on handsfree but ban a 10sec text or to press dial button at the lights...

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..
^^^ I think we are agreeing?
It is nonsensical to allow talking on handsfree but ban a 10sec text or to press dial button at the lights...

Maybe we agree, but I can see the issue where someone says "I wasn't texting, I was dialing a number".

Its a difficult area and would make policing difficult. I figure if someone is not aware enough of the surroundings to see if there is a cop car around first, they shouldn't be talking or texting

Select to expand quote

grumplestiltskin said..
seems pretty obvious that not of you guys have actually taken the time to work out how to use your phones.

Turn on Siri or Androids alternative and you can simply speak "create text" into your phone then talk your message out and send it.
also make or answer phones without touching it.

ready for the red thumbs

You must have that special version of Siri that understands the spoken language of those outside 'Murica...

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..

Mark _australia said..
^^^ I think we are agreeing?
It is nonsensical to allow talking on handsfree but ban a 10sec text or to press dial button at the lights...

Maybe we agree, but I can see the issue where someone says "I wasn't texting, I was dialing a number".

Its a difficult area and would make policing difficult. I figure if someone is not aware enough of the surroundings to see if there is a cop car around first, they shouldn't be talking or texting

Policing is easy - the cop says you were using, you were. Hey, if you can't trust the police, who can you trust?

Is it that important to update your facebook profile every second of the day? Who really cares.

If it is a really important email/text/call/facebook update, then pull over. Otherwise it can wait.

Most of the population have problems walking and texting, let alone driving. "I will stop right here in the middle of the footpath to update my profile, no matter how many people are behind me" .

It is similar on the road, you can pick them off a mile away. They are the ones that do not go at the green light, but wait for 10 secs until the drivers behind have to blow horns. Or the ones doing 80 in the freeway outside lane with no one in front and wandering all over the lane.

The fine for improper mobile use ($400) is way too low - make it a grand! Kill two bird with one stone. Imrove revenue to the state, and hopefully make for smoother safer traffic flow.

Get over it - incorrect mobile use is a hazard to all other road users.

Select to expand quote

Radmac said..
Is it that important to update your facebook profile every second of the day? Who really cares.

If it is a really important email/text/call/facebook update, then pull over. Otherwise it can wait.

Most of the population have problems walking and texting, let alone driving. "I will stop right here in the middle of the footpath to update my profile, no matter how many people are behind me" .

It is similar on the road, you can pick them off a mile away. They are the ones that do not go at the green light, but wait for 10 secs until the drivers behind have to blow horns. Or the ones doing 80 in the freeway outside lane with no one in front and wandering all over the lane.

The fine for improper mobile use ($400) is way too low - make it a grand! Kill two bird with one stone. Imrove revenue to the state, and hopefully make for smoother safer traffic flow.

Get over it - incorrect mobile use is a hazard to all other road users.

Its important to tweet that you are in park and stopped at the lights - to show you are paying attention.

Select to expand quote

jn1 said...

youngbull said..
Be careful Breezers this topic is a trap it has the ability to make people look really really dumb.

That's okay, I'll take the risk. My opinion:

Commercial drivers (truck class licence holders etc), should have licensing mechanism to allow them to use mobile phones when driving.

People like myself can not multitask when driving and are a danger when driving and operating a mobile phone. Anti phone legislation is good for people in my catagory as it keeps the roads safe.

However, certain people are able to multitask and do not pose a danger when driving and operating a mobile phone.

If airline pilots are able to safely operate comms equipment while flying planes, then that proves it is possible to safely drive a vehicle and operate a mobile phone. Given this argument, a similar arrangement should be put in place for commercial drivers that can pass a test to allow them to be licenced to operate a mobile when driving.

Yes I think giving truckies free range on there mobiles while driving those huge trucks through traffic is a great idea......NOT!! Jezus they are dangerous enough.

Dont think you can even compare airline pilots and there instruments to commercial drivers on the road, chalk and cheese

Select to expand quote

Corkers said..

jn1 said...

Commercial drivers (truck class licence holders etc), should have licensing mechanism to allow them to use mobile phones when driving.

Yes I think giving truckies free range on there mobiles while driving those huge trucks through traffic is a great idea......NOT!! Jezus they are dangerous enough.

Dont think you can even compare airline pilots and there instruments to commercial drivers on the road, chalk and cheese

As an ex-truckie, I reckon everyone should leave the mobile in the boot- or the toolbox.

There is just too much attention needed to use a phone. the driver should be doing nothing but driving.

As for C.B's - any decent truckie can operate their 2 way without taking his/her eyes off the road - or affecting their driving, and the warnings of road hazards ahead far outweighed any risk that using my C.B. posed.

A $400 fine for using a mobile is a bit lenient, the message would sink a lot faster in if phones were confiscated and destroyed on the spot.

stephen

""A $400 fine for using a mobile is a bit lenient, the message would sink a lot faster in if phones were confiscated and destroyed on the spot. ""

What a fantastic idea. If proven it's crushed.

Love it!!!

Select to expand quote

Chook2 said..
""A $400 fine for using a mobile is a bit lenient, the message would sink a lot faster in if phones were confiscated and destroyed on the spot. ""

What a fantastic idea. If proven it's crushed.

Love it!!!

Using a 4lb club hammer would do the trick.
But first remove simcard and memory stick and sell back to the driver
Second and subsequent offenses send simcard back to provider at driver's expense(legal issues about destroying simcards)

(legal issues about destroying simcards)

Legal issues about killing other innocent motorists too.

I have often wondered what would happen if an iphonethingy was hooked up to a police issue tazer


stephen