Do you use your phone while you drive?

Alphecca · March 2012

I do not use a cell phone while driving.

In the company I recently retired from, if you were caught using a cell phone while driving on the company's premises, or on company business, you would be fired. They were REALLY serious about this. Their own safety records highlighted this as a dangerous practice. So they made a hard and fast rule for ALL their employees (not just those who drove as part of their job) - do not use a cell phone, not even hands-free, while driving.

mountainman38 · March 2012

Use my phone in the car? Absolutely - every day. I use ear buds that help lessen road noise, but still allow me to easily hear a cars horn or siren.

I've been enjoying the use of my cell phone to have long conversations with family members and friends for years, and now that I have a smart phone I listen to podcasts on my long commute to and from work every day (Car Talk being one of them). For those of us who spend a lot of time behind the wheel, being able to enjoy the use of technology to communicate/be entertained is a tremendous boon.

Being on the phone does lessen the amount of attention you give to the road, but after driving for 27 years, I'm pretty aware of what's going on around me, and have had zero problems from using my phone.

One poster made a comment about proper phone etiquette being to answer the phone whenever it rings. This attitude baffles me, since a phone is a blind instrument - whoever's on the other end has no idea what you're doing. Does everyone who calls have an emergency that has to be addressed immediately? Is every caller going to be outraged if you don't answer your phone, even when you're in a movie theater, at church, at your children's play, etc? Hardly. If it's convenient while I'm driving, I'll answer my phone. If not, I can always call back.

There are lots of drivers on the road driving very poorly and often very dangerously who aren't on the phone, so let's not say that phone use in the car is the cause of bad driving.

Bad driving habits, not paying attention, not maintaining a safe following distance, not traveling at an appropriate speed for the conditions, not practicing courteous driving -- this is what causes problems, whether a cell phone is used or not.

MikeInNH · March 2012

Use my phone in the car? Absolutely - every day. I use ear buds that help lessen road noise, but still allow me to easily hear a cars horn or siren.

And in many states that's AGAINST the law. You are NOT allowed to have any kind of head phones for phones or ipods...or ANYTHING.

Being on the phone does lessen the amount of attention you give to the road, but after driving for 27 years, I'm pretty aware of what's going on around me, and have had zero problems from using my phone.

Says YOU...What would be the answer if we asked people on the road with you. I work with a guy with the same attitude..and I've been behind him on the highway going to and from work. And I can tell when ever he's on the phone...his driving is erratic...slows down...saw him almost hit someone when he changed lanes.

There are lots of drivers on the road driving very poorly and often very dangerously who aren't on the phone, so let's not say that phone use in the car is the cause of bad driving.

Of course there are..SO WHAT. You admit that it can be distracting...So why would you drive a 2000lb+ vehicle around knowing that what you're doing is a danger.

Sorry...NOT buying it.

My cell phone is OFF when I'm driving. When I'm behind the wheel of my truck..I want my full attention doing what I should be doing.

pete peters · March 2012

While driving, my cell phone does not exist. Never had a call that was so important that it couldn't wait.

ken green · March 2012

Sometimes you must , but here's what I've found.
For me, it seems instictual to stop the driving in order to handle the call.
I just don't see how people think they can continue in a straight line with the phone squeezed up between the shoulder and ear.

My phone stays 'on' and it's usually neccessary for me to answer as it is pertinent to the trip I'm currently on. It would be a horrible waste of time and mileage to get all the way home only to find out I need to go back again.
"on your way home bring....."
I need to know this on the other end of town, so I pull over to take the call.

mountainman38 · March 2012

MikeinNH:

Since you want to take such umbrage at my statements, let me respond to your condescending comments:

"And in many states that's AGAINST the law. You are NOT allowed to have any kind of head phones for phones or ipods...or ANYTHING."

The law in my state says "No person shall operate any motor vehicle on a public highway while wearing any headset or earphones connected to any electronic device capable of receiving a radio broadcast or playing a sound recording for the purpose of transmitting a sound to the human auditory senses and which headset or earphones muffle or exclude other sounds." While being aware of the sounds around you while driving is important, what exactly do I need to be listening to again? As I said before, I can hear everything around me that I need to (still hear other cars driving next to me on the freeway, with my windows up, so there's not much sound loss), so I'm not going to miss hearing that rare emergency vehicle. This tells me that the sounds around me are not muffled or excluded.

"Says YOU...What would be the answer if we asked people on the road with you. I work with a guy with the same attitude..and I've been behind him on the highway going to and from work. And I can tell when ever he's on the phone...his driving is erratic...slows down...saw him almost hit someone when he changed lanes".

Obviously, says me. Since you have no idea of what my driving is like, this is a petty and worthless comment. You think that because you know a guy who drives poorly means I drive poorly? Nice anecdote, but a case it does not make.

"Of course there are..SO WHAT. You admit that it can be distracting...So why would you drive a 2000lb+ vehicle around knowing that what you're doing is a danger.

Sorry...NOT buying it.

My cell phone is OFF when I'm driving. When I'm behind the wheel of my truck..I want my full attention doing what I should be doing."

You may not be able to do anything besides driving except focus grimly on the road, but that doesn't apply to other people. Simply driving a 4,000 lb vehicle at speed is a danger -- that's a lot of kinetic energy to pass on. Whether you're talking to someone in your car (very distracting), thinking long thoughts about that movie you just watched, are tired and trying not to doze off, or are listening to the radio intently -- you can be distracted and needlessly endangering others.

A responsible driver is aware of what's going on no matter what, and has to tune out what can distract them from safe driving. In busy traffic areas, I'll often pause whatever I'm listening to, so I can pay better attention. On the highway there will be times I'll realize I've missed that last several minutes of what I was listening to, because something was going on that needed my full attention. Safe driving means being aware of what's going on, and training yourself to pay attention to everything around you.

I couldn't possibly care less whether you buy anything -- you're welcome to your opinion, but it's really only applicable to you.

MikeInNH · March 2012

As for Head-phones.....

Weather it's legal in your state or not....It's still just plain stupid...

http://www.autoinsurancequote.com/articles/how-wearing-earphones-while-driving-can-affect-your-auto-insurance.html

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl28.htm

Obviously, says me. Since you have no idea of what my driving is like, this is a petty and worthless comment. You think that because you know a guy who drives poorly means I drive poorly? Nice anecdote, but a case it does not make.

Not one...BUT HUNDREDS...IF NOT THOUSANDS I see every year driving erratically while on the cell-phone. And lets not forget the HUNDREDS of studies that have PROVEN cell-phone use and driving don't mix.

You may not be able to do anything besides driving except focus grimly on the road, but that doesn't apply to other people.

Trust me...you can't either...Unless you're name is Clark Kent.

Sorry...just because YOU say you have the ability...doesn't mean it is so. I say PROVE IT. There have been HUNDREDS of tests all across the country by insurance companies to AAA to law enforcement agencies...they all come to the same conclusion....driving with a cell-phone is UNSAFE....You even admitted that you know your not as aware as you should be....

A responsible driver is aware of what's going on no matter what, and has to tune out what can distract them from safe driving. In busy traffic areas

The problem is NOT the every day driving...but the emergency situations...How many emergency situations have you been in while on the phone and driving??? Car swerves in front of you...some idiot is coming up fast behind you....when on a cell you are NOT as aware as you should be.

I couldn't possibly care less whether you buy anything -- you're welcome to your opinion, but it's really only applicable to you.

While it is my opinion...you also share the road with me and a few other million people...so it's my problem too...You sound like the drunks who argue that..."I can handle my liquor. I've been driving drunk for years without a problem." But by your logic...Sounds like the drunks that think they can handle their liquor should be allowed to drink and drive also.

DWade2734 · March 2012

Being self-employed and in the car a lot I used to answer my cell phone (hands free) and carry on conversations quite a bit. But one day I arrived at my destination and realized that I couldn't remember any details of my long drive while I'd been on the phone. Frankly, that scared me. Ever since then, I use caller ID and will only answer the phone for very brief conversations with family or clients. But my calls now are usually 1 minute or shorter. I find it interesting that once I stopped using my phone it turned out that most of my phone calls weren't even necessary.

Barkydog · March 2012

I am old school and text impaired. I have my phone announce the caller, so I let it go to voice mail, or if important answer the call and pull over to the parking lane to talk. I am not a better driver than anyone else, but know when I talk on a cell, I am not as good of a driver as when I am not on the phone.

rocketdoctor · March 2012

I talk all the time in the car, it wouldn't be uncommon to have an hour long conversation. as a matter of fact I talk more on the phone in the car than anywhere else. I do close to a 3 hour round trip commute to work and to make the most of my time I plan all of my personal and work calls while I am driving. I do use Hands free because its more efficient and also illegal otherwise.

I don't think it impairs my driving at All because I generally I am in traffic and have to pay close attention to the road, I not only look at the cars ahead of me but I am looking at the cars ahead of them as far as I can see. I try to estimate the flow of traffic and use my cruise control to keep me a car length for every 10 miles of speed.

The real problem with talking on a phone while driving is it impairs the already incredibly poor driving skills and manners the majority of people have on the road. It seems everyone driving only looks at the car ahead of them and not all the traffic around them. Its amazing the number of people I see trying to do 70+ miles an hour in 50 mile an hour traffic. doesn't matter which lane I am in I can guarantee I'll be tailgated by someone usually Chevy pickup that wants to do 80. he eventually passes and flips me the bird . In most cases the way traffic is I end up passing the guy/gal and give them a nice wave.

In general if you concentrate on your driving I don't think talking on the phone is any different than talking to a passenger.

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Do you use your phone while you drive?

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Do you use your phone while you drive?

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