Driving and Hands-Free Talking

[Sightless]

Sorry if this has already been beaten to death; I did a quick search, but nothing immediately came up.

So, the news is doing this story tonight about whether or not this hands-free thing is actually doing anything to lower the frequency of accidents or whatever. I'm just quickly bitching about how ridiculous this whole thing is, because the point of not being on the phone while driving isn't just for your hands being on the wheel, but about attention. Having conversations on the phone with or without using your hands to do so is dangerous.

I haven't seen what they have to say yet, but I hope someone they talk to brings this up. I realize that this isn't the case for everyone, but some people who are into this hands-free idea have essentially been promoting talking while driving (more or less), since it's no longer a perceived danger. And screw anyone who promotes having those earpieces in all the time anyway, right.

Okay. So to you, simultaneous talkers & drivers: Do you notice a difference hands-free as opposed to not? Thoughts?

I don't drive, so it's hard for me to have a real say, I suppose. My dad has been using his nav system to use his phone hands-free, with bluetooth. He's actually worse for it, because it's so easy to answer the phone now, and also he doesn't think about the attention distribution, since he no longer has to use so much of it to physically hold the phone.

I guess it does cut down on the incidents involving sxctxting, though.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

If you constantly text while you drive, you deserve to die. The problem is, you'll end up killing someone else too.

 

[WickedLiquid]

If you constantly text while you drive, you deserve to die. The problem is, you'll end up killing someone else too.

Exactly.

I'm not a fan of Ford's, but I must say I was happy to see a car that's compatible with your cell so that it can read texts to you and records/writes what you say for a reply. I dunno how well it works but it's a start.


I personally think we're all fully capable of talking on the phone with one hand while driving. Unless you're driving stick. But texting and driving is just as bad as drinking and driving. I actually think it's worse since your eyes on the road when you're drunk.

 

[FrozenBacon]

Talking hands free is no more distracting than having a passenger in the car.

 

[Rakon]

Am I the only one who finds it funny that Sightless doesn't have an avatar?

Hands free talking while driving = totally cool
On the phone while driving = I can do it just fine, but I'm glad you're not allowed to in Ontario (because most people can't)
Texting while driving = Moronic. I don't even attempt to do it.
Messing with an mp3 while driving = I can't do it, yet I do it anyway. This will cause me to get into an accident.

 

[Sightless]

I personally think we're all fully capable of talking on the phone with one hand while driving. Unless you're driving stick. But texting and driving is just as bad as drinking and driving. I actually think it's worse since your eyes on the road when you're drunk.

I think it's fair to say that we're capable of it, sure, but it's not optimal. And when driving, really, you should try to be as safe as you can be. Don't you ever tell people to shut up while you're playing video games? Same thing. You're probably just not trying to achieve some special accomplishment in your typical drive.

Talking hands free is no more distracting than having a passenger in the car.

I agree that having a passenger in the car can be very distracting, but the key difference in both cases is that the passenger is present, whereas the participant in the phone conversation is not. Usually, anyway. I would hope that the passenger is going to be mildly responsible in not purposely distracting the driver.

Either way, though, I'd not say that there aren't other distractors -- just that enforcing hands-free talking, in comparison to non-hands-free talking (what can I call it that doesn't sound lame or dirty?), does not address the right issue. And I don't expect anyone to ban having passengers in cars.

Am I the only one who finds it funny that Sightless doesn't have an avatar?

I was thinking of changing that, because I wasn't sure if anyone else would notice at all.

 

[Green_Lantern]

I personally think we're all fully capable of talking on the phone with one hand while driving. Unless you're driving stick. But texting and driving is just as bad as drinking and driving. I actually think it's worse since your eyes on the road when you're drunk.

I can talk on the phone and drive stick just fine! Texting and driving is fucking stupid though. Actually earlier this year my sister was rear ended on the interstate by some dumb bitch who was texting and driving...Her and her friends were stopped on the interstate due to rush hour I believe and the chick hit her going 60 mph. She was driving fast enough that her car actually hit my sister's car twice before completely stopping. All due to texting.

 

[De-Ting]

I'm friends to people who've lost family members or other friends to texting drivers, and it's no different than someone being killed by a drunk driver. It's stupid and could have easily been avoided, but some people just don't get it.

Talking hands-free while driving is the only way to go.

 

[madster111]

Talking on the phone while driving is not distracting.

You don't know distracting until you've picked up 3 of your mates who have been drinking and are getting ready to drive them the 40 minutes home at night while they play with your stereo, turn the heater all the way up and start singing and yelling while playing with their iPhone that has the brightness turned all the way up and then start a miniature food fight with the chips they have.


It's also legal for me to listen to my 120dB+ stereo while driving that literally makes it impossible to see out of any of my mirrors due to the vibrations and completely unable to hear anything outside the car.


And it's legal to have them do that in your car or not be able to see your mirrors, yet not legal for P-platers in my state to talk on hands-free mobiles.


Figure that one out.

 

[WickedLiquid]

I personally think we're all fully capable of talking on the phone with one hand while driving. Unless you're driving stick. But texting and driving is just as bad as drinking and driving. I actually think it's worse since your eyes on the road when you're drunk.

I can talk on the phone and drive stick just fine!

I'm sure you can, but it's more difficult, you know? When you drive auto after stick it just feels soooo... what's the word... lazy, lol.

I can drive with my knee on the steering wheel without any hands but I don't recommend it.

 

[Green_Lantern]

You don't know distracting until you've picked up 3 of your mates who have been drinking and are getting ready to drive them the 40 minutes home at night while they play with your stereo, turn the heater all the way up and start singing and yelling while playing with their iPhone that has the brightness turned all the way up and then start a miniature food fight with the chips they have.

That's why I hate DDing...

 

[Shaft]

the only thing more dangerous than a texting driver is an asian one.

 

[bomby139143]

Or even worse. asian women.

 

[Sightless]

Shaft actually loves texting asian women.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

While in the car with them. And they're driving.

 

[miak757]

Jesus people, can't you go at least one page before you start getting racist? for fuck's sake.

 

[KoalaRainbowPoop]

myth busters proved that talking on th cell phone is more dangerous than drunk driving. sides, if you need a phone connected to your ear that much, you my freind are a very lonely person.

 

[miak757]

myth busters proved that talking on th cell phone is more dangerous than drunk driving. sides, if you need a phone connected to your ear that much, you my freind are a very lonely person.

Very.

Personally, I think anybody caught texting while driving should be fined and permanently banned from driving a car.

 

[Sightless]

myth busters proved that talking on th cell phone is more dangerous than drunk driving.

They illustrated that it CAN be more dangerous than drunk driving. Which doesn't mean anything.

I'm after people's personal feelings about their ability to drive and talk, anyway. Not generalized study results.

 

[KoalaRainbowPoop]

myth busters proved that talking on th cell phone is more dangerous than drunk driving.

They illustrated that it CAN be more dangerous than drunk driving. Which doesn't mean anything.

I'm after people's personal feelings about their ability to drive and talk, anyway. Not generalized study results.

i gave both there buddy. i gave scientific studies and my own opion, and i stand by it. i hate idiots on the phone while driving. you have no idea how many times i have been on the interstate and go to pass some dip shit on the phone, hands free or not, driving slow, then they see me coming, all of a sudden speed up, then slow down, and swerve. you idiots deserve to die.