Lately I have been observing drivers. I have seen a lot of drivers looking down or on to the passenger seat not at the road ahead. I have calculated that at a speed of 30mph a car will travel 44 feet in one second. Now, consider that drivers are often travelling much faster than that and they will look down for more than 1 second....you figure out the consequences. I wonder how many vehicle accidents are now attributable to morons texting or googling on their phones?
I think the danger of using such equipment whilst driving is somewhat over-stated. To give you an example, if I were to try and.... hang on a minute, I'm coming to a roundabout.
I had the misfortune to follow an idiot the other day, texting on his mobile phone whilst driving. Initially I thought he was drunk. Crossed the white line several times and hit the nearside kerb a few times. Only when he stopped at a road junction and I pulled alongside, did I realise he was either texting someone or (more likely) updating his status on Facebook/Twitter. Could even have been playing Candy Crush Saga. Had it been a policeman following him, he'd have undoubtedly been fined for the mobile use and possibly done for several Road Traffic Act violations (driving without due care and attention, crossing into hatched areas on the road, dangerous driving etc) Drivers like this one, need banning off the bloody roads completely.
"I had the misfortune to follow an idiot the other day..." I'll just let that sentence hang in the air for a moment.
Mobile's are a big problem, but dare I say it, so are foreign drivers, they have a total disregard for roundabouts, just driving straight across them, don't understand the middle lane isn't for them and them only and when traffic lights turn green it means go.
the road in front of my house is a main rode into Wigan, from 8am to 9.30am its gridlocked and the people paying attention to the rode are a minority, the rest are, phone/texting, looking at paperwork,putting on make up,eating,drinking and putting ties/bottoning shirts up, Its my morning entertainment as i wait for the traffic to go before I set off for work or to take mrs plum shopping,
A few years ago Mrs joiner and joiner junior were hit head on by a driver coming in the opposite direction texting while he was driving. Both ended up In hospital with permanent damage and scarring to their faces. Brand new car written off. The result, a conviction for careless driving. Had to take a sue to recoup the horrendous medical bills. The penalties are now a lot stiffer but should, in my opinion be much tougher.
I've got to say that when I have driven in Europe on dual carriageways people pull up to the vehicle if front, overtake, and pull in again, in Britain they pick a lane and stick to it.
I read a newspaper article last month on reaction times. I was surprised to find reaction times are slower for people using hands-free units than for people driving with the max legal limit of alcohol inside them. Think I still have it if I can find will post up. Tappy,
So if you drive hands free with a few beers in you it cancels out the reaction time so you can react quicker....
It doesn't quite work out like that Unphasedy!! I've now found the article I'm sure you'll agree it makes for very interesting reading.