[1100D]

Well a different perspective to this, I work in IT and had been quite dilligent in not taking any calls on the drive, but it seems in India people on the other end of the line dont understand, cos mostly they usually take the backseat or dont even have a car.

Slowly I was beginning to feel guilty about not receiving calls on the drive (guilty for doing the right thing). I was expected to answer the calls back saying "hey I am driving call me back later", to which the usual responses was "can you pull to the side for a moment". It was difficult most times to find a safe pull over space on my daily commute. Then the time duration became quite a bother. So slowly it was driving to find a space. Then it became if I can drive to find a pull over space then I might as well keep on driving. Then there was the handsfree. The fact is I dont enjoy work-talking while driving, it kills both work as well as the driving. When I have passengers to talk to its usually light talk, but when its people from work talking work in the car, it has the same effect. With every passing day, I am unable to stop this invasion. Some of the people from work are advising to take a chauffeur and cant even see any logic behind having cars being self driven even after owning cars for generations (to them its simply saving money paid to the driver). Same people whom I have to interact with everyday, cant even understand the logic of having a "powerful" engine belting out 91 bhp.

I know its wrong to talk on phone while driving, for that matter talk about anything that will cause you to take away your mind from driving.

[Thad E Ginathom]

It's a hard decision to make, because there is always the possibility that one's career may be affected --- but one option is to turn the phone off!

I have never had any patience with the idea other people may have that I should be available whenever suits them!

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It's a hard decision to make, because there is always the possibility that one's career may be affected --- but one option is to turn the phone off!

I have never had any patience with the idea other people may have that I should be available whenever suits them!

Office phone turned off/silent is a secrilege. Somehow we Indians do not recognise driving as a essential part of life. I can freely keep my office phone silent while driving in US or even UK and be very sure that when I turn it back on, I can call and explain I was driving and there is no issues with that. Just like our nation is different in terms of people we entrust our lives with regarding public transport, its likely the same thing regarding seeing one driving his own car.

[Mayavi]

Other than perceptions/observation, is there any proof that driving with one hand or talking with cell phone affects driving skills?

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Mayavi

Other than perceptions/observation, is there any proof that driving with one hand or talking with cell phone affects driving skills?

Yes I remember some research done in the UK where they compared the driving style of people in various age groups and then again the same people with cellphones.

The 30 year olds with a cellphone exhibited the same driving characteristics of 70+ year old without cellphones, or something like that.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

- but one option is to turn the phone off!

I have never had any patience with the idea other people may have that I should be available whenever suits them!

I agree. I used to belong to the other school of thought that believed that one should be available at all times for work, but over time I've realized that this kills your life and therefore affects your work adversely in the long run.

I'm available at all times during work hours or when there are known issues to be handled. At other times I have no issues with shutting myself off from work - if you die tomorrow, work will still go on. Nobody is irreplaceable at work - just as nobody is replaceable at home.

[Mayavi]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Yes I remember some research done in the UK where they compared the driving style of people in various age groups and then again the same people with cellphones.

The 30 year olds with a cellphone exhibited the same driving characteristics of 70+ year old without cellphones, or something like that.

Never came across it but Mythbusters on Discovery did a driving test which compares drunk driving to driving while talking on phone. The Mythbusting team has driven a car around a driving school circuit with an instructor in the passenger seat evaluating driving. First the driver is drunk (4 beers I guess) beyond the legally permitted alcohol level and drives around the track, then he drives the same course while continuously talking on phone. He passed while DUI but failed while talking on phone.

So does that prove that talking on phone while driving is more dangerous than driving under influence? Not really. The thing is, you can put down your phone anytime and get become attentive, not so with alcohol. Talking on phone does take your attention away from driving but this becomes an issue when you are driving in congested roads or bumper to bumper freeway traffic. Otherwise it is no different than talking to your passenger when driving. Actually that is more dangerous because you turn your head when talking to your passenger.

That said, I do support ticketing people who talk on phone while driving. I trust my ability to multi-task : Drive and talk. But I dont trust others ability to do the same.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Mayavi

I trust my ability to multi-task : Drive and talk. But I dont trust others ability to do the same.

Unfortunately thats how everyone thinks. But I have found out my own driving, sense of anticipation even simple navigation becomes short when I am talking to someone about something that demands my "thinking" and answering back. I definitely slow down a lot while talking on the phone (it doesn't matter in US cos the limits enforcements themselves assures that I am always driving like a snail).

[Mayavi]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Unfortunately thats how everyone thinks.

Right, thats why I want law to take care of it

Originally Posted by 1100D

But I have found out my own driving, sense of anticipation even simple navigation becomes short when I am talking to someone about something that demands my "thinking" and answering back. I definitely slow down a lot while talking on the phone (it doesn't matter in US cos the limits enforcements themselves assures that I am always driving like a snail).

I never used to talk on phone when driving manual but now that I have an automatic I answer phone calls but use speaker phone. Whever I get a call, I slow down to just below the actual speed limit, put my car on cruise and move to the right lane. I dont have to deal with too much traffic on my daily 50 mile commute and I rarely get any calls before 11 PM anyway. Most of the time my cell phone is a watch

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Mayavi

I never used to talk on phone when driving manual but now that I have an automatic I answer phone calls but use speaker phone. Whever I get a call, I slow down to just below the actual speed limit, put my car on cruise and move to the right lane. I dont have to deal with too much traffic on my daily 50 mile commute and I rarely get any calls before 11 PM anyway. Most of the time my cell phone is a watch

Yeah on the US interstates you can almost drive looking backwards with a forward view mirror.

Reminds me of one of the Asterix screens where they depicted a Roman Highway (a spoof on modern interstates) where the Carts are moving on the road with the carters snoring and even the horses doing "zzzzz" and the caption was "cruise control"

[JayD]

Heh heh!!! so chennai joins the club... i thought only kerala and banglor cops were the worst!!!

[dadu]

Wait till the law gets stricter and we start getting punches on our license and then revoked(i think it started in delhi) , ppl will dread breaking the traffic law atleast. Remember the paris hilton case ?, it was due to traffic violations.

Even talking on the bluetooth makes you less attentive but is better than holding your phone and talking, both are btw illegal in india.