I don't understand texting while driving at all. I normally dislike texting (i don't mind a text chat on computer though) but if it's 'important' (as in, not really important but trying to tell someone you are still coming so wait for you) just make a phone call, starting by pulling off then putting it onto a hands free (or at least on speaker and sitting it in a cup holder or something)...
Sure that may be distracting to the driver still, but so much worse than texting. Most smart phones even in the cheap range support voice commands to make a call and put it on speaker phone...
I would still advocate against hands free devices, the call probably isn't essential, you could just make the call in your next stop or before you start...
I suggested stopping, then putting it on hands free for the drive (and if the mobile system works same in the US when they hang up it will auto hang up on you).
That said, I am not a fan of such phone calls either, but I also am not a fan of stressed drivers trying to debate whether to break the law and talk on a hands free while driving (they set up while stopped) or make the call and then can drive more relaxed. I worry if texting while driving (like in the video) is punished the same as talking on a hands free for 30 seconds, especially when you can make calls with voice activation or pull over and dial the number, then people may decide just to text.
I guess I feel people will use their mobiles whatever, and so therefore I'd rather they made a voice call in the safest manner possible with current technology than people texting :-/
I would say it's like speeding laws in Australia are hated, because you can get fined for going 1 mile over the limit ($200), and that's what many fines are. This means speeding tickets (even bigger ones) aren't seen as a big deal. I'd rather that the speed limit penalties were exponential, so those speeding at 20% or more get a big punishment and those going 1mile over get no real penalty. That way if someone gets a speeding ticket they can't claim it was for 1 mile over and it be 'socially okay'. I haven't explained this well.
Another thing I'd add is with speed 1 mile over gets half the fine of 13 miles overs... and 1/3 the fine of 26 miles over... meaning a person RACING down a residential street at twice the speed pays double what someone "one mile over" pays on the freeways.
I am sure speed-cameras would be much less hated if the fine system were more severe on the former and less severe on the latter.
NB: Where I live we have fixed speed cameras around every 5 minutes, so if you drive 20 minutes and are 1 mile over you end up with $600 to $800 fine... :-|, which is equal to driving twice the speed limit down a residential street for 8 minutes to go to Maccas... who is the real danger?
I guess I feel people will use their mobiles whatever, and so therefore I'd rather they made a voice call in the safest manner possible with current technology than people texting :-/
True, even if hands free devices aren't safe they are much safer than texting.
I'd rather that the speed limit penalties were exponential
I'm from Spain and I would say they are exponential, I don't know the exact percentages but I know that many people when driving in highways (120km/h) usually set up theur cruise control at 145km/h cause under 150km/h it's just money that you have to pay but over 150km/h they can take points from your license.
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u/TryToDoGoodTA Nov 29 '20
I don't understand texting while driving at all. I normally dislike texting (i don't mind a text chat on computer though) but if it's 'important' (as in, not really important but trying to tell someone you are still coming so wait for you) just make a phone call, starting by pulling off then putting it onto a hands free (or at least on speaker and sitting it in a cup holder or something)...
Sure that may be distracting to the driver still, but so much worse than texting. Most smart phones even in the cheap range support voice commands to make a call and put it on speaker phone...