[marko]

Recently, I watched a documentary about young people driving, and in particular it focused on the rising issue of them using their phones whilst driving.

 

Ordinarily, I wouldn't have given the matter much thought but apparently the problem is becoming that big, insurance companies are trying to introduce devices that stop smartphones working whilst a car is in motion!!.

 

Some car manufacturers are even building docking devices for popular makes of phones that can read texts out aloud.   In the states, hundreds of thousands of people are involved in accidents each year caused by distractions such as mobile devices and after watching the documentary I've noticed a few more myself on the road.

 

A few weeks back I actually, physically, took my daughters mobile phone from her because as she attempted to hold a conversation with me she became distracted with a facebook conversation with someone else - I found that rude and most certainly not the way she was brought up.   She was told this, and told that if that happened again her phone would be cordially placed in the nearest bin!.

 

Question is, are the mobile devices proving to be too much of a tempting distraction to the younger generation or are we, as older people, just not moving with the times?.

[Claw]

This is an easy one for me marko. I know as of the beginning of 2013,,,, 5 teenagers that went to the high school near my home have been killed in accidents in cars, but 1 was actually killed while looking at his phone while crossing the street. So, you have my answer,, Yes it is a distraction.

[FutureShock]

Voting with the crowd this time...

 

Got to seriously drive defensively these days it seems with all the cell phone users out and around.

[JoninOz]

Every day I see young drivers on the mobile phone, I see them in the shops with a phone stuck to one ear, or I see fingers flashing with writing text messages, they stop in the middle of a supermarket aisle to answer the phone with no regard to shoppers, and on many occassions they wander on to the zebra crossing without stopping, and I have witnessed them being hit by a vehicle.

 

Add to this the age group of around 12 years old, generally a gaggle of girls, each with a mobile phone worth around $600.00.

 

I believe, Marko, that we older folk move with the times, especially those who frquently visit 'techie' sites, but the current young generation 'must have' the latest devices for phone and music, irrespective of the cost, and who knows where all the $$$$$$$ comes from.

 

Definately a distraction when driving, and the punishment should be much more serious than it is now.

Edited by JoninOz, 11 April 2013 - 12:09 AM.

[jayesstee]

It's not just youngsters!   The 40+ year old mums pour out of the supermarket with a clutch of kids (1, 2 or 3), mobile in one hand, fingers and thumb of the other hand pounding on the screen.   They pause to finger the car remote, sit texting until the kids start to complain/play-up, then drive off to resume texting when out on the main road.   It frightens me, playing a form of Russian Roulette with there most precious cargo in the passenger seats.

Edited by jayesstee, 11 April 2013 - 07:25 PM.

[marko]

I'm with you on that one jayesstee - what cracks me up tenfold too are those cars that speed past us parts of the motorways here in the UK with "baby on board" or "little person on board" stickers in their back windows ... probably just better off with a "might not see 1st birthday" sticker or "dad/mum is a twat" sticker

[Claw]

I like the "twat" comment marko, I need to use that word more often.

[google]

Can't really say if it's just the young one's who are to blame, but I know I see more and more people of all ages now on the roads using their mobiles, kinda figures really when we can do virtually anything on them now, they start spilling over into other area's of our lives like driving, working, walking, talking, and so on.

[marko]

The text that killed University of Northern Colorado student, Alexander Heit (22) 10 days ago ... he didn't manage to finish his text message, as he drifted into oncoming traffic and swerved violently then rolled his car and tragically died shortly after ... the ultimate cost of today's obsession for mobile devices ... 

 

[google]

The text that killed University of Northern Colorado student, Alexander Heit (22) 10 days ago ... he didn't manage to finish his text message, as he drifted into oncoming traffic and swerved violently then rolled his car and tragically died shortly after ... the ultimate cost of today's obsession for mobile devices ... 

 

_66963411_text_ap.jpg

 

Tragic, and so preventable