Distracted drivers

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Distracted drivers

Post by Stradageek »

I've seen cups of tea and toast on the dashboard, I've seen drivers go straight through 'Give Way' signs whilst staring at the Satnav and endless phones (one too big to even see around) but the driver behind me with what looked like standard crotch-killer syndrome eventually revealed himself to be rolling a cigarette in his lap!

Is there any hope?
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Self driving vehicles *could* be much better but how it will really turn out, who knows
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by foxyrider »

Without active policing it will never change.

There have been two cases in the news today which did result in jail sentences for the miscreants but only because they each killed people, one drink driving, the other reading text messages.without the deaths it's unlikely either would have resulted in more than a fine.

We have a large immigrant population here who seem to think seat belt wearing is optional and not being able to see out past the windscreen because they are sat on the car floor is good practice.

Police action - nada so don't hold your breath.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
reohn2
Posts: 45158
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by reohn2 »

foxyrider wrote:Without active policing it will never change........
...........Police action - nada so don't hold your breath.

Nail,head,on :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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whoof
Posts: 2519
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by whoof »

A few years ago I driving through town and a dustcart pulled out in front of me and stopped. I slowed and as I did so looked in my mirror. The person behind was drinking from a bottle with their eyes pointing to the car's ceiling. As I got to the cart I had to stopped looked in the mirror and drinker was still coming and drinking. As they were getting close and not slowing down I hit the horn. They dropped the bottle and had to do an emergency stop not to run up the back of me.

After a little while the cart moved off followed by me and the car behind. The cart stopped again and I braked and looked in the mirror. The car behind was still coming but now seemed driverless. I used the horn and the driver appeared from the passenger foot well and again did another emergency stop and almost hitting me. I think they had dropped the bottle into the well in the first incident then decided to clean it up by lying across the seat and hanging in the footwell whilst driving
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by Cyril Haearn »

A circus artist practising? :?

I don't give a ***** if someone is not belted up, as long as they don't try to put it on when moving

Did see some good news somewhere, a headline: dustbin lorry routes to be planned so reversing is unnecessary, +1 (?)
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by foxyrider »

Cyril Haearn wrote:
Did see some good news somewhere, a headline: dustbin lorry routes to be planned so reversing is unnecessary, +1 (?)


Couldn't work where I am - lots of narrow dead ends so if they drive in they have to reverse out or vis a vis. Mind you, if the dustcarts were a suitable size it could help, 8 wheel behemoths just don't fit around narrow streets with lots of parked cars!
Convention? what's that then?
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Mistik-ka
Posts: 505
Joined: 5 Feb 2012, 10:01pm
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by Mistik-ka »

foxyrider wrote:We have a large immigrant population here who seem to think seat belt wearing is optional and not being able to see out past the windscreen because they are sat on the car floor is good practice.

Someone will have to explain for this poor benighted North American what seat belt wearing has to do with distracted driving, and whether the "sat on the car floor" line passes for humour in England.
Perhaps the forum needs an anti-immigrant thread?
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Mistik-ka wrote:
foxyrider wrote:We have a large immigrant population here who seem to think seat belt wearing is optional and not being able to see out past the windscreen because they are sat on the car floor is good practice.

Someone will have to explain for this poor benighted North American what seat belt wearing has to do with distracted driving, and whether the "sat on the car floor" line passes for humour in England.
Perhaps the forum needs an anti-immigrant thread?

It needs a pro-immigrant thread
All immigrants are also emigrants, right?
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Cunobelin
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Joined: 6 Feb 2007, 7:22pm

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by Cunobelin »

foxyrider wrote:Without active policing it will never change.



But that is very naughty......

Manchester Police did exactly that using a small fleet of video cars to record the evidence and prosecute.

Cue the normal bleating

1. They were dangerous as they were diverting drivers attention from the road as they had to look for the video cars
2. This in turn was killing thousands of people per year as theses drivers were no longer paying attention to the road, and having to panic brake when they saw the vehicles
3. By issuing fines and points the Police were "failing to engage with the motoring public" and alienating otherwise responsible drivers
4. The fines were yet another "Tax on motorists"
5. It was a Jihad against motorists

Ad infinitum

Drivers do not like being censured for their poor and dangerous driving
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Cunobelin
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Joined: 6 Feb 2007, 7:22pm

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by Cunobelin »

There was one (carefully edited on the TV of a Van Driver driving with his mobile in the dashboard watching a "blue movie" and visibly playing with himself.....
reohn2
Posts: 45158
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by reohn2 »

Cunobelin wrote:
foxyrider wrote:Without active policing it will never change.



But that is very naughty......

Manchester Police did exactly that using a small fleet of video cars to record the evidence and prosecute.

Cue the normal bleating

1. They were dangerous as they were diverting drivers attention from the road as they had to look for the video cars
2. This in turn was killing thousands of people per year as theses drivers were no longer paying attention to the road, and having to panic brake when they saw the vehicles
3. By issuing fines and points the Police were "failing to engage with the motoring public" and alienating otherwise responsible drivers
4. The fines were yet another "Tax on motorists"
5. It was a Jihad against motorists

Ad infinitum

Drivers do not like being censured for their poor and dangerous driving

Greater Manchester Police are useless,end of.
Someone who lives close to me was reported by various people umpteen times for driving with false reg plates,including one car he owns with a different reg plate on the front to the one on the rear,and another car he owns with diplomatic reg plates for The Congo.
It took three years to catch him and that was only by accident when a police officer was in his street on another matter when the scroat drove up the street on his way home,and was pointed out by a neighbour of his.
Said scroat has a list of driving offences as long as our arm and is well known for it by police and public alike.

The 17 year old who killed my granddaughter had been reported for riding dangerously by umpteen people before he did the deed,killing himself in the bargain,including being reportd twice the night before.
The police did nothing to stop him riding an illegal motorcycle which should have been restricted in power but had had the restricted removed,when he smashed into her.
All it needed was for the police to do their job but they didn't and as a result both him and my granddaughter are now dead.They would still be alive if GMP had done their job correctly.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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tykeboy2003
Posts: 1277
Joined: 19 Jul 2010, 2:51pm
Location: Swadlincote, South Derbyshire

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by tykeboy2003 »

One morning whilst on the M42 between J11 and J10 (2, lanes full of vehicles doing about 60mph), I happened to glance to my right to see a bloke shaving. He was using both hands, using the driving mirror as a shaving mirror and steering with his knee.....
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fixerupper
Posts: 46
Joined: 28 May 2018, 2:06pm
Location: Crete Greece

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by fixerupper »

I spent an hour sat at a pavement cafe in Iraklion, a major city in Crete and just about every truck ,car , van, and motorbike that went by the driver was on the phone ....to folk here it seems to be the normal thing to do ...I'm a bit old skool ,( maybe just old) .If I'm driving my phone is switched off in my bag on the back seat,and if I'm out on the bike it's switched off on the kitchen table .....
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TrevA
Posts: 3551
Joined: 1 Jun 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: Distracted drivers

Post by TrevA »

Some people seem to live their lives on their phones. I've just been to get some lunch and the girl in front of me in the queue never stopped talking on her phone whilst getting her stuff through the checkout, phone wedge between her head and shoulder. What is so important that it can't be interrupted by driving or shopping?
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