It is our own vanity that causes these entirely preventable accidents, i am as guilty as everyone else of doing exactly what i am about to describe.
Last week i was pulled over by the police and shown the last mile of their interesting recording and, although let off with just a warning, i was stunned at what i saw !
I was on my hands free mobile and had slowed to forty five miles an hour in a sixty speed zone, i had twice wandered across the road, not far and not in the other lane, but erratically. The fluctuation in my speed compared to my normal driving whilst not engaged on the hands free was also strange.
Very kindly, after a ten minute chat and a stern warning, i was on my way, not a little embarrassed and chastened by my pricked ego.
You see, i like everybody else had assumed i was driving perfectly well, i am assured by police that it is a popular misconception, most of us, will defend quite vigorously our own driving skill whilst blasting the horn and gesturing angrily at any of the many miscreants who dare to drive terribly in our presence.
In the last week having been well and truly slapped awake as to my own driving behaviour, i have easily observed others using either mobiles whilst driving, they are not difficult to spot at all, i was surprised to find their actions mirrored almost exactly my own. No doubt followed by the same hot protestations should their poor concentration be highlighted by anyone.
Give it a try people, just a few hours on the road and you will find any number of the " Does not affect my driving " members club. After further research i was staggered in one sense but not staggered in another, it dawned on me that the popular misconception we have is also a deadly one.
Over 40% of road traffic accidents show that one or more persons were in conversation on a mobile phone, either pressed to their ear or on the hands free. The first thing the police do now, is to ask you to hand over your mobile phone at the scene of an accident, be in no doubt, if they find you were on the phone a myriad of charges depending on the severity of the accident, will be coming your way !
I would just like to thank the police officers concerned for giving my vanity balloon a prick which is what they probably thought i was and what i certainly think of anyone using one whilst driving in front or alongside me.
You may think you are a cross between Lewis Hamilton, Lord Alan Sugar and Captain Kirk with that Bluetooth thing in your ear, you most assuredly, are not.
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