martine wrote:Matt1962 wrote:The more I think about it, the less acceptable it seems (see above).
As I see it the problem in this case with using any sort of risk assessment methodology (like the two studies mentioned, and in your link) is that you start with the assumption that one single factor (mobile phone operation) definitely explains all of the risk increase. Imagine, for example that the investigators had decided that the significant factor was the wearing of red socks. They could identify those people who were wearing red socks when involved in accidents and then collect various sets of data about when these people were and were not wearing red socks. They would end up with an impressive evaluation of the risk of wearing red socks, but I don't think it would prove that red socks were a genuine hazard.
Not sure who your post is aimed at.
Point is, I like many others I have spoken with, have found when driving and using a hands-free phone, we can't remember that part of the journey and are driving on 'autopilot' - have you experienced that? Would you agree it seems likely we have less awareness and extended reaction times?
Seems to me my empirical evidence fits with the simulator studies quite nicely.
I have not seen any research to say hands-free
doesn't have a detrimental effect but there are loads of studies showing it does.
That is valid, but isn't part of the question whether it matters...
I think in this thread we have all accepted that it degrades driving as would many other activities which are legal and carry no stigma... therefore the question is whether you can mitigate that degradation/ whether you can have enough contingency to allow for reduced ability...
e.g. yesterday having not had a call while driving for many months, I was phoned, I was approaching a lorry and two cars with an opportunity to overtake them as we came out of a sequence of bends onto a long straight, thinking of this conversation I backed off focused on the road, answered the call, spoke for about a second, hung up carried on driving...
I can remember that stretch of road... less able during the call? possibly so, dangerous? absolutely not! I was happy with my choice, I managed the situation, no fluffy animals were killed as a result
As advanced drivers a big part of what that means is being deliberate in how we drive, calculating risk and making decisions to stay low risk and safe...
I am very happy that there are ways to use a phone handsfree and safely, whether that means that all handsfree calls are managed safely is a separate issue, but no different to whether all drives are managed safely, and the inability of some is not a reason to legislate against all
Alasdair