According to the RAC, the number of self-admitted 'phone-drivers' has tripled in a year.
The number of motorists who admit to taking calls and sending text messages while on the road has tripled in a year, rising from 8% to 28% and 11% to 31%.
More than one in five of motorists (21%) admit they are likely to check a social media alert from applications such as Facebook and Twitter while driving.
But it's OK folks, don't get all vexed:
Almost half (46%)* of all motorists who receive calls when they are driving claim not to be distracted by them, and 47% believe texting on the road does not divert their attention from driving.
These same drivers are also fine to drive after 5 pints of lager and a couple of spliffs. In fact they're better drivers because they're more relaxed and mellow. They are also much better drivers than average so can drive at any speed with absolute safety, can leap tall buildings with a single bound and are exempt from the traffic laws that apply to ordinary mortals.
Which is why the police should turn a blind eye to these very technical breaches of the law which are really victimless crimes, if indeed they should be crimes at all. They need to be cracking down on lethal killer-cyclists instead.
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I once started an argument on a web forum after someone seemed to defend the idea of texting while driving, which I questioned him about as I couldn't really tell if he was actually being serious or not.
ReplyDeleteHe was trying to claim that while he didn't do it in this country because it's illegal, he does it when driving in other countries where it's not illegal. He then went on to say things about how you get used to doing it, it's not really that much of a distraction, and how the people of those countries would think we're strange over here for thinking it's even a problem.
Everyone else involved in the discussion thread rounded on him, the best comment being about how it's the same mentality as a drink-driver: "I've always done this and I've never had a problem with it so far", or "I don't see what the problem is" when the problems are obvious to anyone who has read anything about the subject, or in fact to anyone with half a brain.
Anyone who thinks that sending a text message while driving isn't a distraction should be banned from driving for the rest of their lives, as they've demonstrated themselves to be completely incapable of judging or analysing any form of risk or danger.
Im a motorcyclist with 30yrs accident free experience and a keen cyclist. I own 4 different types of bicycle each of which I use for different tasks occasions etc. As a two wheeled road user I am typically more aware of what is going on around me. Much more so than your average car driver. I am appaled at the level of mobile phone use by car/HGV/van drivers. I very often see people with their heads down and texting instead of actually looking at the road ahead. Recently whilst filtering through rush hour traffic I actually counted 14 drivers out of a line of 20 cars who were using their mobile phones. As a serving special constable with 20yrs under my belt I take a very dim view of such activity. Each time I go on duty I purposely seek out such people and slap a £60 3 points fixed penalty on as many of them as possible. And yes I do enjoy doing it. The punishment for such an offence does I feel need to be much harsher. £500 fine and a 12 month ban might just get the message across. After all, people have died as a result of the actions of these ignorant self centred individuals.
ReplyDeleteWow, cool post. I'd like to write like this too - taking time and real hard work to make a great article... but I put things off too much and never seem to get started. Thanks though. Get registered drivers license
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