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This is heartbreaking stuff 😓😓
Utterly horrific and sad 😞
Powerful that. Very sad for all involved.
Until peoples vehicles are seized on the spot and crushed for these types of offences.
Nothing will change.
Any thought of losing thier precious vehicle and the problem would be sorted in a fortnight.
Tragic for all in the above video 🙁
Very sad and totally unnecessary.
As a roadie the amount of inconsiderate and selfish driving by people using their phones is off the charts! I'm amazed that there aren't more incidents like this to be honest. I cycle into London from Surrey a couple of times a week usually and it must be a third of drivers that use their phones. They ALWAYS get really defensive and it's never their fault.
Anyone remember the public information films from the 80's about playing near pylons etc? We should have something similar about using your mobile whilst in the car.
Phones in cars are a menace.
Still surprised at the number of drivers I see zipping down our 20mph limit road looking into their laps instead of up at the road.
REALLY gets me angry, both when I'm on teh bike and in the car..
You just KNOW the position of the offender... head slightly forward...eyes flicking up and down..one hand on the wheel... unless they've a hamster juggling on their lap, you just KNOW it's a phone....
And then the ones that don't even try - may as well mount a phone holder on the steering wheel.
Burn them all I say
DrP
Always wonder why they cannot automatically block the phone when the ignition is switched on. Although I now use mine for Android Auto and hands free, but that would still work if the phone was in the boot.
Meanwhile, more and more cars are coming with touchscreen head units, often with terrible UI. I want to change the radio station or make a phone call and it's seven levels deep in a menu systBANG!
Cougar
Free MemberMeanwhile, more and more cars are coming with touchscreen head units, often with terrible UI. I want to change the radio station or make a phone call and it’s seven levels deep in a menu systBANG!
Yes it's really distracting, especially on a bumpy road like the concrete bits of the A12 when your hand bounces around while trying to tap something, or the system is slow/inaccurate to register the taps.
Yes it’s really distracting, especially on a bumpy road like the concrete bits of the A12 when your hand bounces around while trying to tap something, or the system is slow/inaccurate to register the taps.
You could always pull over then fiddle with it.
Always wonder why they cannot automatically block the phone when the ignition is switched on. Although I now use mine for Android Auto and hands free, but that would still work if the phone was in the boot.
Yeah but many folk (including me) just have the phone on a dash mount of some sort so it can be used as a SatNav or audio system. There are also some emergency situations where quick access to your phone might be required.
You could always pull over then fiddle with it.
You could, but realistically would you? Point is it shouldn't be a 'fiddle' in the first place just to turn the heating up a bit.
Meanwhile, more and more cars are coming with touchscreen head units, often with terrible UI. I want to change the radio station or make a phone call and it’s seven levels deep in a menu systBANG!
This^
Just back from a big road trip South of the border and had to adjust to the large amount of weavers and drifters (trucks,vans and cars).Some looked like they were txting, but many (both hands on the top of the wheel) looked like they were focused on a control screen.Of course they may just have been a collection of drivers that find it really,really hard to stay between two white lines. 🙂
The number of people using them in a car to make calls that is highly likely to have Bluetooth never ceases to amaze me. Its not difficult to connect your phone to the car.
And touch screens in cars, not a good idea, my Audi used to be controlled by a wheel with buttons, way better than trying to jab a non responsive screen.
And touch screens in cars, not a good idea
I discovered a while ago that my Passat has a disc drive in the glove box. I thought I'd test it to see what it was for, thinking it might be for the satnav like my old Vectras. Works for CDs and DVDs. So further test, I thought I'd see if the DVD player played films - it does; and scarily plays them whilst the car is driving. This is an absolutely ridiculous bit of functionality that's built into a car. Nuts.
Why bother with video like this? People who use their phones at the wheel are unlikely to change their attitudes based on an advert.
If the police want to act all they have to do is ride a bike past a line of stop/start traffic with a camera. Instant three-month ban, no messing around with points. “Professional” drivers get one-year ban.
Even easier at night because the people stupid enough to use their phones invariably have the brightness on “retina melting”.
Not bothered about touchscreens. If I can’t do it by steering wheel control or voice, then I don’t do it while moving. In general that should apply to any car, not just touch screen models.
Again though, that lives or dies on the quality of the voice recognition. Android Auto is pretty good these days, if a little laggy (but that is probably just my phone). OEM systems vary wildly.
Plus it's not for everyone. My OH is a technophobe, she tells Alexa to turn on the living room lights and it orders a MIG welder from Amazon.
Have you tried setting the air con in a new SEat? That will be next 🙁 human performance is a thing and pilots have known this for years.
Not bothered about touchscreens. If I can’t do it by steering wheel control or voice, then I don’t do it while moving.
I suspect you are in a small minority. I agree that touch screens shouldn't be in cars, but they are cheaper and perceived as better. Expecting people to behave responsibly like you say you do is never going to be enough for the lowest common denominators.
You could always pull over then fiddle with it.
Or move so that you don't have to drive on the A12.... Would have the added bonus of no longer being in Essex.
Mum sister told me that the police are now issuing large fines for phone usage whilst driving.
Until peoples vehicles are seized on the spot and crushed for these types of offences.
Nothing will change.
Any thought of losing their precious vehicle and the problem would be sorted in a fortnight.
Tragic for all in the above video 🙁
^^This^^
I know everyone has a "Magic Bullet Solution" for everything, but if the consequences for being caught using your mobile were more significant than a slap on the wrist points/fine you would reduce the problem extremely fast.
REALLY gets me angry, both when I’m on teh bike and in the car..
You just KNOW the position of the offender… head slightly forward…eyes flicking up and down..one hand on the wheel… unless they’ve a hamster juggling on their lap, you just KNOW it’s a phone….
And then the ones that don’t even try – may as well mount a phone holder on the steering wheel.Burn them all I say
I like to call them "nodders" the way the head goes up and down looking at the road then their lap and back, like nobody can work out what they're doing.
If submitted M/C and Bicycle rider's Helmet Cam footage were properly used as evidence then you'd solve the problem pretty fast, but it's not is it (?) So just ends up as clickbaity vids on YT...
Never challenge the ones that are blatant, with the phone held next to their face on speaker (like that's somehow OK), or with it clamped to their head. They clearly don't care and are more likely to exit the tin box for bonus fisticuffs if their ****wittery is pointed out...
No one has the right to drive. If they can't be bothered to learn how to use the basic features on a car, they shouldn't be driving it.
Doesn't matter if it's touch screen or physical buttons. Even Teslas have a fat icon on the bottom of the screen for things like the demister.
Watched the video a few days ago as it was shared on social media pretty widely.
Really does gut it home how dangerous phone use while driving is and how quickly it can all go wrong. Sadly a lot of the comments on Facebook etc were along the lines of 'stupid forrin driver', 'a car wouldn't have made such a big mess', 'the police should get on with catching real criminals, not making vanity films' etc. Was more depressing reading them than seeing the film.
The good thing is that a lot of lorry drivers are sharing it around and it has been a talking point in truck stops, it seems to be making some impact at least.
Anyone remember the public information films from the 80’s about playing near pylons etc? We should have something similar about using your mobile whilst in the car.
Noone would see it as everyone either fast forwards the adverts or used an ad blocker, penetration of these types of adverts is incredibly poor.
Mum sister told me that the police are now issuing large fines for phone usage whilst driving.
That's great. If there were actually officers around to spot offenders. The bloke driving a Ford Ranger up the M40 with his phone in front of him yesterday knows the chances of getting caught are so tiny he can behave like an absolute twunt with zero fear of losing his licence.
Next time you're on the motorway & notice a truck wander onto the hard shoulder, you just know what the drivers doing.
Although we passed one last week & my Mrs saw the driver eating from a bowl. Steering a juggernaut & eating with a bowl on the steering wheel!
That’s great. If there were actually officers around to spot offenders. The bloke driving a Ford Ranger up the M40 with his phone in front of him yesterday knows the chances of getting caught are so tiny he can behave like an absolute twunt with zero fear of losing his licence.
This x 1000! The chances of getting caught are miniscule.
and scarily plays them whilst the car is driving. This is an absolutely ridiculous bit of functionality that’s built into a car. Nuts.
And illegal - or it very certainly used to be.
And illegal – or it very certainly used to be
but there were always idiots willing to frig the system and make them work on the move
If submitted M/C and Bicycle rider’s Helmet Cam footage were properly used as evidence then you’d solve the problem pretty fast, but it’s not is it (?) So just ends up as clickbaity vids on YT…
I think Cycling Mikey has had a lot of success https://www.youtube.com/c/CyclingMikey
Anyone remember the public information films from the 80’s about playing near pylons etc? We should have something similar about using your mobile whilst in the car.
Well I can remember a couple of Public information type ads from recent years explaining the consequences of driving and playing with a phone...
Clearly it wasn't effective as it's a law that I see ignored daily by lots of people...
Re public information
Trouble is it doesn’t tell people what they, the phone industry and the motor industry want to hear.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmtrans/2329/232905.htm
Cycling Mikey is great - i wish there were more of his ilk. He does seem to get a good few prosecuted.
Something similar, although nowhere near as catastrophic, happened to me in February on my way home from work.
I was sat in a stationary queue of traffic on a by-pass and an idiot on his phone ploughed his BMW X1 into the back of my car at about 40 mph.
How he missed the 250 yard row of brake lights & stationary traffic in front of him I have no idea. Thankfully there weren't any serious injuries (I think he may have learned a few new words though). Had I been in a smaller car or motorbike it could have been fatal. He just didn't see anything and admitted it, just came off a roundabout and kept accelerating.
That is a totally brilliant use of dashcam/bodycam footage and of interviews with the people involved rather than just talking heads. It's brings it home in a way you just don't get otherwise. Wasn't at all what I was expecting
You just KNOW the position of the offender… head slightly forward…eyes flicking up and down..one hand on the wheel… unless they’ve a hamster juggling on their lap, you just KNOW it’s a phone…
Such an easy win for traffic enforcement. Will never happen
Meanwhile, more and more cars are coming with touchscreen head units, often with terrible UI.
Was going to mention the same thing, it's a growing problem but what is the solution? If we were to pass laws preventing them in the UK then we'd simply not be able to buy cars... It would have to at least be an EU wide directive to sway manufacturers to build cars without stupid touch screens. I can't see it being addressed any time soon.
A quick scroll through reels on IG gives me many drivers & cyclists filming themselves, either talking or miming to camera for some bullshit attempt at internet validation.
As someone above says, until said phone and method of transport is seized & crushed along with some points or a ban, little will change.
Another touchscreen hater here. Suggesting people pull over, "learn to use the controls" or any other "helpful" suggestions doesn't change the fact that if I need to re-engage my heated screen after it times out and starts misting up again or just adjust the temperature I'm not necessarily going to have the time or means to pull over and complete what should be a trivial task that can be completed with barely a glance with a proper button/dial (never mind trying to hit the right bit when the road was last surfaced properly sometime in the 20th century).
Given the evidence that using screens when driving is so detrimental to concentration I have no idea how that idea ever got past type approval anywhere. Utterly ridiculous.
So sad.
As someone said above about his ride into town from Surrey. I spend my life cycling or driving a taller vehicle and 1/3 + are on their phones in Surrey I would say.
Me and the kids almost caused a pile up on Hampton Court way today. Guy was looking down into his lap drifting along in slow moving traffic. We were trying to cross after a walk with the dog and there was a massive gap in front of him. We scuttled across but he looked up and with lots of space to spare (no chance of danger), he stamped the breaks on and the van following him almost went up his ar$e...
The number of people using them in a car to make calls that is highly likely to have Bluetooth never ceases to amaze me. Its not difficult to connect your phone to the car.
My new truck is terrible and my wifes new Marc EQA is a bit of a nightmare. My old truck had a std DAB radio and I fitted a Parrot handfree which was bloody brilliant and so simple in use
The number of people using them in a car to make calls that is highly likely to have Bluetooth never ceases to amaze me. Its not difficult to connect your phone to the car
In the case of Ford sync. My experience is, it's unreliable at best. All of our vehicles have issues with it. Mine hates my company phone (Moto pro). It'll connect, then for no Reason drop the connection and ignore the phone until either the radio is reset or the phone. The carplay on my colleagues vehicles is just as glitchy.
The old sync never failed, although the voice recognition wasn't brilliant.
I don't even bother to connect the work phone anymore as nobody rings, they just send emails. So I can happily ignore it.
I was driving to Scotland once and one car seemed to be following us, but beside us.
I'd slow right down to 45ish and so would they. They were wandering all over the road. In the end I floored it to an unrepeatable speed, passed them and they were on a laptop. I assume they were using my car as a reference in their eyeline, hence slowing and speeding up when I did,
Terrifying .
the van following him almost went up his ar$e…
Well, that's another thing lacking in enforcement. Tailgating. I just don't get why some folk have to sit right on the bumper of the vehicle in front. Sometimes they're obviously impatient and trying to "make.progress", sometimes I think it's intimidation but mostly I think it's just absolute lack of awareness. It's bad enough when it's a car but it's often HGVs too. I don't like the idea of brake-testing a following vehicle but I've had occasion to drag the brakes a wee bit hoping to make a point. It doesn't often work.
Cycling Mikey is great – i wish there were more of his ilk. He does seem to get a good few prosecuted.
Yes and No (IMO) that he and people like him gather footage and forward it is comendable, but having the public do their job for them just means the police will continue not to bother. And I have to say rather than just getting the footage and moving on, he likes to go after the confrontations.
Remember CycleGaz? He was another one that sought out conflict, I suspect mostly for the clicks.
Passive gathering of offenses, passed straight onto the plod, no YT posting, no picking a fight with a stranger.
At the end of the day it shouldn't be necessary to own a helmet cam just for riding in traffic, let alone have to forward evidence to the police, but I can appreciate why people do.
People who persist in phone use while driving (it's been against the law for 2 decades now hasn't it?) need removing from the road, but it should be the police detecting and confronting those offenders, not private citizens with a YT subscriber base to maintain...
Re tailgating
Especially the ones who could overtake as they are invariably in a 4ltr suv type vehicle
I am of the opinion that they want you to speed so you ate first in line for the mobile speed cameras.
Then, when you get lasered they have a second or 2 to react and slow before the operator van can capture them.
Or, they really are sub standard drivers whos ability to overtake, even wjen clear and safe at 32mph is completely beyond them.
I dont play any more, indicating right, pull across carriageway if its clear, brake hard, let them go, accelerate back into line astern and watch them get very upset then drive off imto the distance to catvh the next car 30 seconds up the road then proceed to tailgate them.