Poll: Distracted Driving

[msommers]

Please read the criteria to understand which response you should provide

I'm interested to see how distracted driving tickets have influenced driving behavior pertaining to mobile devices. I'm hoping to get more realistic stats based on anonymous poll responses than thread posts, which I'm hoping will lead to genuine responses. I'm not interested if you only use your phone on deserted highways or redlights or wherever you think it's OK. Just basic yes or no - I'll explain below.

Yes: (guilty of one or more criteria)
I read texts, email, facebook etc using the phone screen
I respond to texts, email, facebook etc using the phone screen/buttons
I don't use hands-free for phone calls

No:
I use hands free entirely for everything and never check my phone physically. Or I pull over to a safe spot to use my device.

Yes responses are based on criteria above and depending on the officer's discretion could lead to a ticket.

[Mista Bob]

No.
I don't use my cellphone at all when I'm driving. Mainly because I don't see the point.
If people want to contact me, they can wait.

Plus I ride motorcycles and fully expect to be killed one day by some texting piece of shit while at a red light.

[killramos]

+1

Who gives a rats ass about the phone. I used to have a car kit but haven't bothered getting a new one for the iPhone 5.

I may be guilty of some things driving but paying attention is not one of them.

[jdmXSI]

I try not to use it while im driving but dont see the issue in checking an email/ text while stopped at a light that just turned red.

[tch7]

I answered no, but my reasoning has nothing to do with being ticketed. Nearly all of the near misses I see involve somebody on their phone.

[speedog]

These little computing marvels we can now hold in our hands are such captivating devices - capable of providing almost instantaneous information in a growing variety of ways.

Even a young baby boomer like myself can find this all consuming at times and I'll readily admit that I have been guilty of distracted driving because of such effortless access to said information.

But I have stopped touching that device while operating a vehicle whether in motion or not as I do recognize that even a few seconds of distraction could have very dire effects on myself, those that are dear to me and many others around me that I have no current connection to - being personally responsible for a distracted driving accident would be something I would find very difficult to live with.

So that distraction - it's been set aside. Yupp, it's so enticing to grab it while stopped at a light or while stuck in seemingly 'not difficult' to deal with traffic scenarios but I just remind myself of what could happen and know that anything on that device can wait until I can safely check it.

Yeah, I know there's many that will debate that that little device doesn't distract them and I won't argue with them anymore as they're allowed to have their beliefs - I just dearly hope that a momentary distraction in their travels doesn't ever impact me.

[GTS4tw]

Yes. I check texts while stopped and talk on it while driving all the time. I don't consider that distracted driving though.

[finboy]

i don't use my phone but i do still use my ipod while driving. mostly I will set it up on a playlist for driving. it still sucks that pressing the forward button for less than a second could land me a ticket, when eating a burger and having to hold onto that for 5-10 minutes is legal.

[Maxt]

I dunno, maybe I have been multi tasking so long behind the wheel I don't see the danger of it. Back in the early 90's I had an alpha numeric pager and I had a motorola brick phone with a data connector coupled to a an IBM laptop I got in 92 ish that gave me portable computing before most people knew what portable computing was. Also way before I had a dyno I tuned my car a ton using the nearest hilly highway as a loading tool. With all that early tech, I am pretty use to reading and typing while I drive and I really don't intend on changing my habits.
Some people can do, some can't..
But as I said in the other thread, the actual creation of the distracted driving law has made the situation a lot worse than use to be. At least before, people would hold the phone up in their vision and do what I call the "figher pilot" using their eyeballs somewhat independently and simultaneously looking past their device. Now people are hiding the phone, and having to totally look away from the roadway. To me it seems incidents are up since the law was passed.
But now they are talking about doubling the fine and demerits, why not just scrap the whole thing and go back to handing out the original careless driving tickets with the demerits and fines? Probably because that ticket actually would only be handed out when an incident happens which means a lot less tickets than just being able to drive around handing tickets to people who may not be a danger to anyone at all.

[heavyfuel]

Distracted Calgarian drivers, in a nutshell.

http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr150/2500calgary/irresponsibilitydemotivator_zps1393d85d.jpg (http://s478.photobucket.com/user/2500calgary/media/irresponsibilitydemotivator_zps1393d85d.jpg.html)

[frizzlefry]

I drive too fast to use a phone. I don't even use the speaker phone. I silence my phone when I'm in the car. I just enjoy driving and don't want it interrupted by a phone. I get work emails and calls 24/7. Being behind the wheel is a good excuse to take a break from it as my company has a safety policy of no phones while driving so I can't get in shit for ignoring the phone while in the car so I take advantage of it. :)

[Feruk]

I'll check a text message when I'm stopped; I think it's pretty stupid that the law calls that illegal. Texting while driving? Never. As for answering phone calls while driving... I'd be lying if I said it never happens.

[msommers]

Originally posted by killramos
+1

Who gives a rats ass about the phone. I used to have a car kit but haven't bothered getting a new one for the iPhone 5.

I may be guilty of some things driving but paying attention is not one of them.

Given that you don't have a car kit (I'm guessing this is handsfree), did you answer Yes in the poll?


Originally posted by jdmXSI
I try not to use it while im driving but dont see the issue in checking an email/ text while stopped at a light that just turned red.

This qualifies as a Yes answer in my poll. Is that what you used?


Originally posted by tch7
I answered no, but my reasoning has nothing to do with being ticketed. Nearly all of the near misses I see involve somebody on their phone.

What was your reason for answering NO? Did it meet the criteria I laid out for the poll?



Originally posted by speedog
These little computing marvels we can now hold in our hands are such captivating devices - capable of providing almost instantaneous information in a growing variety of ways.

Even a young baby boomer like myself can find this all consuming at times and I'll readily admit that I have been guilty of distracted driving because of such effortless access to said information.

But I have stopped touching that device while operating a vehicle whether in motion or not as I do recognize that even a few seconds of distraction could have very dire effects on myself, those that are dear to me and many others around me that I have no current connection to - being personally responsible for a distracted driving accident would be something I would find very difficult to live with.

So that distraction - it's been set aside. Yupp, it's so enticing to grab it while stopped at a light or while stuck in seemingly 'not difficult' to deal with traffic scenarios but I just remind myself of what could happen and know that anything on that device can wait until I can safely check it.

Yeah, I know there's many that will debate that that little device doesn't distract them and I won't argue with them anymore as they're allowed to have their beliefs - I just dearly hope that a momentary distraction in their travels doesn't ever impact me.

I take it you answered No given your reasoning?



Originally posted by GTS4tw
Yes. I check texts while stopped and talk on it while driving all the time. I don't consider that distracted driving though.

As long as you answered Yes in the poll.



Originally posted by Maxt
I dunno, maybe I have been multi tasking so long behind the wheel I don't see the danger of it. Back in the early 90's I had an alpha numeric pager and I had a motorola brick phone with a data connector coupled to a an IBM laptop I got in 92 ish that gave me portable computing before most people knew what portable computing was. Also way before I had a dyno I tuned my car a ton using the nearest hilly highway as a loading tool. With all that early tech, I am pretty use to reading and typing while I drive and I really don't intend on changing my habits.
Some people can do, some can't..
But as I said in the other thread, the actual creation of the distracted driving law has made the situation a lot worse than use to be. At least before, people would hold the phone up in their vision and do what I call the "figher pilot" using their eyeballs somewhat independently and simultaneously looking past their device. Now people are hiding the phone, and having to totally look away from the roadway. To me it seems incidents are up since the law was passed.
But now they are talking about doubling the fine and demerits, why not just scrap the whole thing and go back to handing out the original careless driving tickets with the demerits and fines? Probably because that ticket actually would only be handed out when an incident happens which means a lot less tickets than just being able to drive around handing tickets to people who may not be a danger to anyone at all.

Hoping you answered Yes in the poll.



Originally posted by frizzlefry
I drive too fast to use a phone. I don't even use the speaker phone. I silence my phone when I'm in the car. I just enjoy driving and don't want it interrupted by a phone. I get work emails and calls 24/7. Being behind the wheel is a good excuse to take a break from it as my company has a safety policy of no phones while driving so I can't get in shit for ignoring the phone while in the car so I take advantage of it. :)

This qualifies as a No in the poll.


Originally posted by Feruk
I'll check a text message when I'm stopped; I think it's pretty stupid that the law calls that illegal. Texting while driving? Never. As for answering phone calls while driving... I'd be lying if I said it never happens.

This would qualify as a Yes response.

Thanks for those who have participated in the poll. I'm really surprised by the numbers and almost skeptical that people aren't answering based on the criteria I have asked for, defeating the purpose of the poll.

[AE92_TreunoSC]

I used to never use the phone in the car. Now I'm single and flaky young women treat a 30 min break in texting like a relationship ender. So I'm a yes. I miss being a no lol.

I do have hands free finally, and I don't know how I lived without it! I actually wait till im in the car to make some calls haha. Makes the drive go by easier.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[speedog]

Did answer No this time, would have been a Yes in the past.

When I see the eyes down at a red light and completely oblivious to the ambulance coming up behind them - that is being distracted to me.

Have a kid run out from between two parked cars after a ball and give yourself a huge-ass scare, yeah you stopped in time but think of what might've happened if your head had been down for a second or two. I've had a kid run out in front of me from between parked cars - stopped in time and didn't hit the kid but I do know that a second or two's worth of distraction would've probably meant a kid under my vehicle opposed to standing wide-eyed in front of it.

In the end I'd rather live with having to wait to find out what that incoming text was about as opposed to having to live the rest of my life with the guilt of killing someone's kid because of my selfishness - whether it be reading a text while driving when that kids runs out or reading a text when stopped at a light while an ambulance is delayed precious seconds with a critically ill kid in the back.

[ZMan2k2]

When this law came out, I went out and bought an earpiece. My phone reads and writes texts for me (Note II), and I can answer calls without taking my eyes off the road. So I answered no, I don't consider myself a distracted driver, as I do things within the law.

[leftwing]

I answered yes in the poll. I still use my phone just as much as I always have when driving, the only behaviour of mine that has changed since the legislation is that now I check around for cops before I use it.

I feel that if you are smart about when you check your phone while driving, you should have no issues. For example reading an email while merging onto Macleod vs reading same email when stopped at next red light. Or, texting while in stop & go traffic vs texting once on a open road with less traffic. Not saying my actions are right, but have had no near misses or close calls, I just don't see the issue if you are smart about it.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Hard question to answer really:

Am I guilty of breaking the distracted driving law from time to time?
Yes

Was I at any time unsafely distracted from driving?
No


I answered yes in the poll because I would be guilty on a technicality

:werd: Same for me.

[btimbit]

Voted Yes.

I use hands free for phone calls, but I'm guilty of looking at and replying to texts and emails. I can text and whatnot on my touchscreen headunit, which while still against the law, I find a lot less distracting than holding the phone and doing it normally. No harder than picking a new song.

[Meback]

Guilty of distracted driving, but not while on the phone. Ended up driving up on an island curb in the center of the road. Luckily no damage except cosmetic which still sucks, car still drives and pulls rather straight. 100 percent wont be doing it again.

Reminding myself that if you can keep your eyes on the road you need to pull over to some where safe.

[BMDUBS]

I voted yes, I was one of the first 100 ticketed last year during the introduction blitz of this law. I was stopped in rush hour stop and go traffic at a red light and got pulled over by no less than a beat cop as I was talking on the phone.

Was I distracted? questionable but at the same time I wasn't even moving. Was I a danger to other road users? Doubtful. I don't agree with this law as there are too many gray areas.

I fought the ticket and got the fine reduced.

[tch7]

Originally posted by msommers
What was your reason for answering NO? Did it meet the criteria I laid out for the poll?
Met the criteria.
Same reason I don't drive impaired; I don't need a law to tell me that I shouldn't be doing it, so when the law came in nothing changed for me. Even hands-free I can feel how my reaction time and awareness are adversely impacted, and I get so pissed off at distracted drivers that I don't want to be part of the problem.

[msommers]

Originally posted by tch7

Met the criteria.
Same reason I don't drive impaired; I don't need a law to tell me that I shouldn't be doing it, so when the law came in nothing changed for me. Even hands-free I can feel how my reaction time and awareness are adversely impacted, and I get so pissed off at distracted drivers that I don't want to be part of the problem.

Thank you for the follow up, I appreciate that.

And thank you all to the other voters for answering honestly and following the response criteria.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I voice to text, check stuff at red lights, talk on the phone, and look at GPS nav while driving. It is not distracting at all compared to what IS allowed under the law. Most people do the same (if the poll is any indication).

What most people do with their phones is FAR less dangerous than other things allowed by the law (smoking, drinking piping hot coffee, chatting with 5 friends in the car, eating snacks with wrappers, putting in CD's, etc.)

Doesn't matter if you are on your phone or not, if the officer needs to up his quota, doesn't like you, sees something mistakenly, etc. you get a ticket. Could be an honest mistake on the officer's part, doesn't matter. You can get a ticket for being on your "phone" or even scratching your face in a suspicious manner. You lose either way, phone or no phone, so why not use it? Either you pay for the ticket, or lose more than $172 fighting it. Lose-lose. Good luck convincing the officer you just tapped your phone once to initiate hands free calling (which is allowed).

I personally find a phone on my lap in speaker phone more dangerous than in my hand. If it falls down at my feet, under the pedals, or some similar distraction, I'd rather it just be in my hand.

I've never been an obstruction to an emergency vehicle or anything else, IMHO it's not hard to see lights & hear sirens coming long before it's time to move. Doesn't matter if you're talking on the phone or not, if you can't see/hear an emergency vehicle behind you, you most likely have other problems or don't check your mirrors often enough. It's exactly the same as talking to a passenger, except even less distracting as there is no natural tendency to make eye contact. One thing that's for sure is if I spill a piping hot XL Timmies Double Double in my lap, I probably would be rather slow to react to the emergency vehicle behind me, if I hadn't already crashed into something. But that's not a legitimate risk....

Everything most people are guilty of of is less distracting (or at least no worse) than talking to passengers, putting in a CD, eating, etc. That's where the law fails IMO.

IMO the law is a 100% money grab and needs to be re-written to remove the wild ambiguity and zero-recourse to false accusations. Once it's less of an absolute joke, I think more people will obey it. If I felt I had any sort of recourse, or that I was doing something more distracting than what the law already allows, I wouldn't do it.

[Hallowed_point]

I don't answer phone calls when I'm driving period. If it's an emergency, they can call 911..if it's not it can certainly wait. My cell doesn't leave my pocket when I'm driving 99.8 % of the time. 100% of the time in stop & go commuting. The odd time on a road trip out to BC I'll take a quick snap or two when I'm bored on an 8-12 hour drive. But only when there is no traffic close by to worry about.

[Modelexis]

I purposely drive distracted just to spite the law, before the law I would always make smart decisions.

[xnvy]

I don't use my phone for anything except changing the song whilst at a light but that still counts as a yes.

[A790]

I voted no according to the definition you provided, but I check my txts/mail/FB when I'm at a light. I use hands free for calls and music streaming.

I'm never moving when the phone is in my hand.

[btimbit]

Originally posted by Modelexis
I purposely drive distracted just to spite the law, before the law I would always make smart decisions.

Yeah that'll show 'em. Take that society.

[Adrenaline101]

I answered yes. Never been ticketed or pulled over, and no near misses. I wont even think of looking at my phone if there is anyone less than 2-3x my stopping distance ahead of me.
Although I think liberals and soccer moms might explode if some of my instances were ever seen.

[Isaiah]

I answered no because it's the driving that distracts me from my phone calls and texting.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Voted Yes because I'll check a text or GPS if I'm stopped at a light, which is technically illegal. All calls are hands-free, I don't interact with the phone while I'm moving.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by A790
I voted no according to the definition you provided, but I check my txts/mail/FB when I'm at a light. I use hands free for calls and music streaming.

I'm never moving when the phone is in my hand.

This is a "Yes" based on the criteria he provided.

[BrknFngrs]

Originally posted by A790
I voted no according to the definition you provided, but I check my txts/mail/FB when I'm at a light. I use hands free for calls and music streaming.

I'm never moving when the phone is in my hand.

Pretty sure this is a "yes" based on the criteria.

Yes for me as well, same behaviour as A790.

[msommers]

Correct. Checking at a light could still yield a ticket so it does not qualify as a No response.

[Canmorite]

I use my iPhone for listening to music in the car. Changing songs while being stopped is not what I'd call distracted driving. Guilty!

[A790]

Originally posted by msommers
Correct. Checking at a light could still yield a ticket so it does not qualify as a No response.
Then add one to the yes column and subtract one from the no column :)

[btimbit]

^Think I voted wrong so our mistakes cancel each other out

[woodywoodford]

I don't look at my phone at all in the car, so no for me. I used to T9 all the time, but now with touchscreens it got too hard to do while driving so I just quit, law or not.

[A790]

Originally posted by btimbit
^Think I voted wrong so our mistakes cancel each other out
I'm glad I'm not the only one who failed at basic reading comprehension... lol

[Tik-Tok]

This thread should be in "Ask Leo".

Otherwise some politician is going to use it as proof that the fines need to be heavily increased.

[ercchry]

i purposely bought a Q10, just because of the ease of texting and driving. i refuse to think of the children, because im a fan of darwin. children need to learn car>them every time

[Mar]

For the rare times I would have previously glanced at my phone to see if a text was urgent or not, I'd place it in front of my face so I could glance at it at times which would cause the least amount of distraction and where I would have to move my eyes as little from the road as possible. Now with the new law I do it the same amount but it's more dangerous because I have to put the phone all the way down at my lap and take my eyes off the road for a much longer period of time to be able to look at it. It was safer when it was legal.

[tirebob]

I answered yes, but barely a yes. I have hands free, steering wheel activated and voice dialing bluetooth so all my calls are good. Why I do consider myself a barely yes answer is because I will sometimes glance at my phone when I receive a text as it displays on my home screen, even with my screen off and locked, and if it is something I need to respond to quickly, I will either call the person back on my hands free or I will park somewhere before texting back. Now if I am in the middle of traffic or the like, I won't even look at my phone until I am a long way from other vehicles and in an area I deem it safe to look for a quick half a second...

I will also glance any messages while sitting at a long traffic light, and if I know it isn't changing anytime soon, I will quickly answer a text back...

[flipstah]

Should've put conditions.

I only do check at stoplights and I have hands-free.

[msommers]

I avoided conditions because there are far too many to choose from, and the poll after increasing the sample size, is showing as I expected because it's so black and white.

Would you check your phone at a redlight with a cop car right beside you? That's what I thought. :D

[killramos]

Originally posted by msommers


Given that you don't have a car kit (I'm guessing this is handsfree), did you answer Yes in the poll?



Not having a car kit does not mean I drive distracted. I just don't answer phone calls while driving. It's never important enough to not have to deal with when I get to my destination.

The old kit was underutilized and acted as a glorified charger. So that's what I bought, a new charger.

[C_Dave45]

Yes to everything. I'm always on the phone. Got pinched once for it. Probably won't be the last time either. And yes my stereo even has bluetooth hands free. Still guilty as sin.

[btimbit]

Originally posted by A790

I'm glad I'm not the only one who failed at basic reading comprehension... lol

Well I'm unsure. "No" says " never check my phone physically."

I never physically hold my phone, but I do text on the touchscreen headunit that's connected to my phone. No more distracting that trying to find a new song. Does that count?

I know to the law it'd still count, since you can't even change sat-nav directions, but unsure for this poll

[msommers]

That's a tough one honestly, I was not aware you were able to do that on your touchscreen. I guess it depends on if you'd do it comfortably with an officer watching, knowing it could result in a ticket or not.

The reason I started this poll wasn't to crucify anyone who falls into the "Guilty" category, because I'm actually there as well. I've received a distracted driving ticket while trying to figure out why the hell my bluetooth wasn't working.

The results so far match my (unannounced) hypothesis, that despite the law being announced for awhile now and people receiving tickets, it hasn't really curbed or discouraged much behavior that could very easily result in a ticket. However, I think people are starting to find when and where they feel comfortable checking their phones, if they even do at all. It's second-nature now to toggle my bluetooth when I'm in truck and turn it off when I'm leaving. But I'll happily follow google maps while driving to stay on course if it's multiple short turns turns. Voice-to-text has changed things considerably for me. I find it much safer because my eyes are on the road the whole time and the texts are actually accurate, even adding commas, exclamation & questions marks etc; I don't even bother looking it over, just hit send. Funny enough, I don't even eat in the car unless it's a granola bar or something similar. Eating a sandwich or a burger I find incredibly distracting, and dirty. I've recently found out that they won't issue you a ticket for that, something I'd pull over for voluntarily because I deem it unsafe while driving.

For my own poll, I fall hard under a Yes response.

[btimbit]

I always viewed the law like speeding tickets. People are still going to do it, they're just going to look around for cops first.

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by btimbit
I always viewed the law like speeding tickets. People are still going to do it, they're just going to look around for cops first. Same.
And almost got nailed again. Sitting in a lane with a stalled vehicle up ahead, no one behind me. Stop. Go. Stop. Go. Pull out the phone....reading away, didn't notice MR Ocifer pull up behind me. He gets RIGHT up, ya know how they do, and I can see him running my plate. Almost 5 minutes go by, 3 complete light cycles before we finally all turn left. I discreetly shut the phone right off....but after about 3 blocks he turned off.

Whew. Oh, and I didn't have my belt on.

[Kardon]

I don't see what the big deal is, I can get my phone out of my pocket and ready without even looking at it, and it takes less than a second to glance at the screen. I won't start replying or anything while I'm driving but I'd like to know if it's important or not.

Getting the phone out of my pocket is as distracting as changing gear or turning on the defrost, it's basically muscle memory. Glancing at the screen is as distracting as glancing at a road sign or looking in your rear view mirror, if you can't handle taking your eyes off of what's in front of you, even for just a moment, you shouldn't be driving. I bet cops glance at their laptops constantly while driving, are they a superior race capable of something we are not?

The commercials / examples of how dangerous it is always show some idiot staring at their phone and completely ignoring the road.