That is a bit extreme. A truly hands free conversation can be held without overly distracting the driver. You would have to make having passengers illegal as well. DoctorD
i have read, and experienced, that there is a difference between speaking with someone in the car, and someone not in the car. something peculiar happens in the brain.
I have almost been broadsided by Stupid Utility Vehicle drivers having animated conversations, one with the phone in her hand, others hands free. These were the kind of people who couldn't have conversations if you cut off their hands. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
Yup. Without visual, you don't see the facial expressions, so your brain requires more concentration on the words and inflections etc to understand the conversation. I personally avoid any call in the car, even hands-free - unless it's the wife, and then it's only a quickie to let her know traffic's so bad I'll be late. Yeah, it was about 7 or 8 years ago, and his entire windshield was covered. He had the paper fully open in both hands with one corner flopped down so he could see just a tiny little bit out the front. He might have had one hand holding both the paper and the wheel. I was so astonished and he went by so fast I couldn't really tell.
Har, har! Reminds me of the frequent instances when you go to a restaurant, and see several people all sitting around a table, using their cell phones and not even talking to one another! Then their kids do the same thing!! Somebody help me !!! Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. AChoiredTaste.com
I've seen those drivers, and I'm sure all of us have as well. But what if it's a hands free txt or call? I know I never have to even touch my phone to make a call or reply to a text. It's all done via Bluetooth through the audio system. I "have" however found myself distracted looking at that stupid screen watching my mileage trying to sqeeeezzze just a few more mpgs out of my "C". I honestly find that screen more distracting than anything I've ever had in my car.
My new LOGO: Minimize All Distractions (MAD)! Texting is number 1 on my list, but I agree with you Mr. Bisco, we must also watch out for our phone call distractions; I'm stuck with clients calling me when I'm on the road, but I can certainly try harder to keep calls shorter. GPS, seat heater buttons, A/C and other controls; eating, drinking, putting on makeup, shaving, (reading a NEWSPAPER!?; what's a Newspaper!?), etc. You've seen what idiots try to do while driving! For me, one of the worst things is not knowing if the person who hit you was distracted by texting; that makes me MAD! Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. AChoiredTaste.com
That's the scene at most of our get togethers, even the grandkids, everybody wired now. It's the new "worry beads". Our eldest son is pretty good about at least shooting some interesting video over to the Apple TV and big screen, sometimes captures everybody's attention.
Number Two would be the unnecessary distracting popups in the new Prius family. If the information is not critical, it does not need to distract and obscure the information used for driving!
They should at least allow user to easily turn off these pesky, unwanted notifications! Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. AChoiredTaste.com
I tend to drive with my thumb on the back button now. It was very distracting on the 150 mile night time drive home from the dealer. you assume all those messages are critically important. Yes, I also got the coffee cup on that trip but I could not locate the coffee maker.
Yeah, I use it ALL the time! Problem is, it's TEMPORARY ! Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. AChoiredTaste.com
Maybe, one secretive country harbors these asphyxiators, so we don't hear about them. I'd like to know that List Maker's sources, and the geographical statistics for these events!! Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. AChoiredTaste.com
I think having a conversation with someone in the car is far more distracting than a hands free phone call, simply because if they're in the car you are inclined to occasionally make eye contact with them or use hand gestures. I can concentrate on driving far better when talking on the phone than when conversing with people in the car.