Mobile phone - cautionary tale

[RogerP]

Using a hands-free phone while driving does not significantly reduce the risks because the problems are caused mainly by the mental distraction and divided attention of taking part in a phone conversation at the same time as driving.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
http://www.rospa.com/road-safety/advice/drivers/distraction/mobile-phones/

 

[misterfish]

Mythbusters (on Discovery Channel) recently carried out tests of using a hand held and hands free phone with 30 assorted people using a state of the art driving simulator. Their evidence showed that on 'motorway' type roads the handsfree was less dangerous but in town both handheld and hands free were very distracting and equally dangerous.

Misterfish

 

[JakeS]

Mythbusters (on Discovery Channel) recently carried out tests of using a hand held and hands free phone with 30 assorted people using a state of the art driving simulator. Their evidence showed that on 'motorway' type roads the handsfree was less dangerous but in town both handheld and hands free were very distracting and equally dangerous.

Has anyone compared hands-free mobiles to having one's mother-in-law in the car? Can - I mean, should that be banned as well?

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Has anyone compared hands-free mobiles to having one's mother-in-law in the car? Can - I mean, should that be banned as well?

I think it depends on one's MIL. Mine is very well behaved and knows not to distract the driver (as does my wife).

I think that's why passengers are generally thought of as less dangerous than a phone call; they can see the road and traffic around them, and hopefully shut up when more concentration is required. I am well aware that this doesn't apply to all passengers, sadly...

 

[RogerS]

Mythbusters (on Discovery Channel) recently carried out tests of using a hand held and hands free phone with 30 assorted people using a state of the art driving simulator. Their evidence showed that on 'motorway' type roads the handsfree was less dangerous but in town both handheld and hands free were very distracting and equally dangerous.

Has anyone compared hands-free mobiles to having one's mother-in-law in the car? Can - I mean, should that be banned as well?

MIL? My mother is even worse, If there was an Olympic prize for wittering then stick her in as our entry and we'd be guaranteed gold !

 

[Lons]

Mythbusters (on Discovery Channel) recently carried out tests of using a hand held and hands free phone with 30 assorted people using a state of the art driving simulator. Their evidence showed that on 'motorway' type roads the handsfree was less dangerous but in town both handheld and hands free were very distracting and equally dangerous.

Has anyone compared hands-free mobiles to having one's mother-in-law in the car? Can - I mean, should that be banned as well?

MIL? My mother is even worse, If there was an Olympic prize for wittering then stick her in as our entry and we'd be guaranteed gold !

Mine is worse even than that which is why I included her as a distraction.
If in the back she'll grab your shoulder and say "did you see that?" and if in the front, which I won't allow, she has a habit of shoving her hand in front of your face to point out of the window. #-o
She's 88 btw and still drives ( God help us all! )