BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

"But... ....why don't you drive to the trails to ride? "

Sorry to hear that. A guy on the 10th st bridge tonight passed 6 of us closely only to get to a red light in a hurry. He was on his phone. I interrupted his phone conversation, and he said "uh sorry" in a very dismissive tone and went right back to his phone conversion without hesitation. I was polite until he did that. I made sure to call him an asshole. Then he got annoyed. I shoulda wiped a booger on his passenger side door handle.

Has anyone noticed a trend of people driving with headphones in? I feel like I've seen it more in the last month than I ever have. I can't figure out why anyone would do this, as cars have speakers.

I think they're hands-free phone headphones. I've seen them a lot lately, too.

New apple headphones have a mic in the cord. If you are driving, you shouldn't have more than one earpiece in. Probably should do the same if you are cycling on the road.

Studies have shown that the level of driving impairment when talking on the cell phone, whether holding the phone in your hands or using hands free, is comparable to being legally intoxicated. If you are driving, you shouldn't be on the phone at all. I work at a help desk and occasionally get calls from users who are on their cell phones while driving. If I hear road noise I ask and if they say they are driving I tell them I will not risk their lives by continuing the call, tell them to call back when they are no longer driving, and end the call before they can put up any opposition. I just did that to a caller this morning when she refused to answer my question.

That is excellent, Kordite. Companies that are involved in the service you describe should have that written into policy and training.

I don't really object to someone talking on a phone (via handsfree) on a highway with no stops and no turns... (although some people still need to pull over and talk in the shoulder since they do appear intoxicated ffs). I'd love to see an outright ban on city streets, I refuse to talk on my phone when there is a lot of traffic and it always seems like the idiot causing problems is on a phone.

Kordite wrote: I work at a help desk and occasionally get calls from users who are on their cell phones while driving. If I hear road noise I ask and if they say they are driving I tell them I will not risk their lives by continuing the call, tell them to call back when they are no longer driving, and end the call before they can put up any opposition. I just did that to a caller this morning when she refused to answer my question.

I'll do that as well. "You're driving? Oh, I'll let you go and please call back when you aren't driving." *HITS DROP BUTTON*

When I am driving I do use the blue tooth system in the car. My phone stays in my bag and the conversation goes through my speaker system. I see it being not much different than talking to the person sitting next to you. I never text message, or touch the phone itself while driving. If I do make a call, it is through the voice command via blue tooth. Am I wrong to do this?

FaunaViolet wrote:Am I wrong to do this?

I think that is a question that only you can answer for yourself... personally, I think it depends on traffic, road conditions, time of day, etc.

@fv studies have shown it doesn't make much difference in terms of driver attention whether you're using a hands-free device, as you are, or holding the phone. The thing that distracts you is maintaining the conversation. E.g., http://www.scribd.com/doc/147250172/Measuring-Cognitive-Distractions-FINAL But you are right, at least that study shows the distraction of using a hands free device is about the same as talking with a passenger (and only slightly worse than using a cellphone). However, that is still a significant factor in reducing driver reaction time.

Interesting.

I think the issue is when we are talking to someone who isn't physically present, we become less present ourselves. Doctor: Do you ever hear disembodied voices? Man: Every day. Doctor (looks up with interest): Every day? Man: Whenever I turn on the radio.

Indeed. The reports I had read have talking to someone else who is physically in the passenger seat nowhere near as distracting as talking to someone on the cell phone.

Kordite wrote:

Indeed. The reports I had read have talking to someone else who is physically in the passenger seat nowhere near as distracting as talking to someone on the cell phone.

I've read the same thing. Best explanation I've heard is that the lack of physical presence results in our brains focusing much more intently on the verbal input, trying to compensate for the lack of nonverbal input. Merely having the person in your peripheral vision is apparently enough to satisfy the need to seek cues in posture and movement.

reddan wrote:

Kordite wrote: Indeed. The reports I had read have talking to someone else who is physically in the passenger seat nowhere near as distracting as talking to someone on the cell phone.

I’ve read the same thing. Best explanation I’ve heard is that the lack of physical presence results in our brains focusing much more intently on the verbal input, trying to compensate for the lack of nonverbal input. Merely having the person in your peripheral vision is apparently enough to satisfy the need to seek cues in posture and movement.

Wow, fascinating. Brains are weird.

reddan wrote:Merely having the person in your peripheral vision is apparently enough to satisfy the need to seek cues in posture and movement.

And they require to put kids in rear seats! :)