Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 07:16:32 -0400 From: Four Weis <mweinopsamcom> Subject: Re: Suggestions for a Cup Holder Requested
danny wrote: > Four Weis wrote: > > > I am glad you mentioned the radio as a distraction. One of the studies by a Department > > of Transportation was televised on the Discovery channel. They had average drivers go > > around a course once without any distractions to get a baseline. Then they had them do > > various things, like talk on a cell phone, drink water, change radio stations, change > > CDs, use a GPS device like ON-Star. The drivers did considerably worse with even a > > minor distraction, even worse than a drunk driver. Fortunately it was only foam people > > and foam cars that were hit. It was an eye opening experience for the test drivers, > > all who said they do these same things every day on the road. > > > > This may be wrong, but someone said it is a law in England that requires both hands on > > the steering wheel unless you are shifting. Holding a cup or cigar or phone would be > > illegal. Perhaps someone from England could verify this. The state of Maryland in the > > U.S. narrowly missed passing a law that explicitly banned the use of cell phones in > > cars while in motion. > > > > To the best of my knowledge there is no such law here. Use of a mobile phone whilst in > motion is covered by our driving "without due care and attention" law. I don't agree with > using mobile phones on the move, but accept that they are necessary, especially for single > women driving alone, breakdown, etc, just not while driving. The "not while driving" is the key phrase. You are absolutely right about the phone being useful when there is a breakdown, but then the car is not moving either after a breakdown. > > > I maintain that driver style has far more effect on accident statistics than distractions > like listening to music (which can actually improve driving, by altering the mood of the > driver). As long as you are only "listening" to music. Fumbling around with CDs and trying the read the title and artist while moving can be fatal. This was one the tasks the test drivers had to do while driving the test track, and they often hit pedestrians, cars and ran off the track while doing it. Thank God it was a test track. > My company runs defensive driving techniques courses by advanced driving > instructors for all employees with company cars (and that's well over 40,000), to great > effect. > > There is a big difference between passive non-driving activities in a car and using phones > etc, which distract the mind for a much longer period of time (the duration of the call). > -- > Regards, > Danny > > http://www.gaggia-espresso.com (a purely hobby site) > swap Z for above characters in email address to reply
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