Cell phone use

The article is interesting, but I think the one-line summary was a bit simplistic.

The study noted that handsfree phones weren't really handsfree in that most handsfree sets still require some some use of hands to use. Also, they did not have enough data on true (i.e. voice-activated) handsfree sets to make any meaningful analysis.

The Prius seems to fall somewhere in between pseudo-handsfree and real handsfree. I haven't been able to find a way to dial using voice commands (someone please correct me if there is a way), but it does have steering wheel controls which is relatively handsfree (doesn't require reaching over to the MFD to use).

 

I sort of jumped the gun on my first reply in terms of conclusions. I still think the one-line summary is a bit misleading about what the study says. But from personal experience, I definitely know that talking with someone, regardless of their location (passenger seat, other end of phone w/ or w/o handsfree) makes me less alert during driving. I miss turns and exits all the time and I have a running joke with a friend (who also has the same problem) that we aren't capable of talking and driving at the same time. I just always thought it was a character trait rather than a general human trait (I'm very focused single-task person and don't multi-task well).

I still do expect that even though alertness falls, a handsfree does add some benefit. Holding a phone while driving seems a much more dexterously challenging task (i.e. driving one-handed) especially when it comes to making turns and I would expect during evasive maneuvers. I guess if alertness drops such that the person never thinks to do the evasive maneuvers, it may be a moot point.

 

i saw a similiar study in person and also on Mythbusters and both concluded that talking on the cellphone using any method degraded driving performance.

the former study did find in some cases that handsfree with a good headset did help a little if the driver could hear the caller easily.

simply put. anything that distracts our attention at a certain level will affect your driving performance. its funny that listening to the radio doesnt affect us measurably make me wonder that as we become more accustomed to talking on a cellphone if we will not become better at it. however you have to realize that even if using the radio as a karoke machine, radio simply does not put the same interactive demands on our brains.

i have talked while driving and nearly always use a headset and voice activation and its obvious to me that my driving suffers when i am on the phone and its much more pronounced when the conversation is on greater than the most casual of conversations. if i dont increase my attention to where i am going, i feel that im a greater risk to myself and others around me. in this respect, i dont feel i lack the skills to multi-task more than anyone else.

so what is your honest evaluation of your driving and talking skills?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"108290)</div>

Pitiful! From now on I am putting a time limit on my calls and when my wife is in the car, let her do most of the talking. However, with Bluetooth, you can't help but hear what is going on and I really don't keep quiet very well.

 

very astute observation Tony, and you are right, i turn off the radio too if looking for some place i am new to.

 

The MythBusters test was using cell phones without handsets with three types of driving which incuded an accelerate then stop test, a maneuvering course, and an object avoidance test. I had some problems with their test, b/c the 2nd and 3rd test both require steering that would be difficult to do one-handed (i.e. turning and swerving). I feel that even just holding a block of wood to your ear would significantly impair to your ability to do the last two tests.

I do agree that talking on a cell phone is distracting, but it was unclear from the MythBusters episode whether it was the one-handed steering or the actual conversation that caused the bad driving.

 

one handed steering on a known course is not difficult unless you dont have power steering is the point they were trying to make. also they had problems following simple instructions while driving, etc. they all admitted their driving was impaired by "talking" on the cellphone and the one admitted that they thought hands free wouldnt help because of the diversion of their concentration caused by the call, not the holding of the device

 

I don't recall that they mentioned that as a point. Assuming that they did, I would still say that performing a sharp turn one-handed is still more difficult than two-handed.

The object avoidance had a random element where they were told which direction to swerve as they approached the obstacle. I would consider that an "unknown" course.

Again, I'm not saying that the conversation isn't distracting. I'm saying it would be interesting to see out how impaired their driving was from having to hold something in their hand. Maybe they actually did it and it got cut from the show.

I would think the effect is significant and I could see where that would be applicable. You could very well have one hand occupied flipping stations, dialing, holding a drink, etc. when caught in a situation where you have to perform evasive maneuvers and I think the safe money would be you would have a much better chance of avoiding an accident if both your hands were on the wheel. Then we can see if there is some benefit to handsfree-ish type devices like satellite controls on the steering wheel.

 

i just watched the show this past saturday night... wish i would have saved it now. but i do know that Savage was the one who passed more of the test while drunk than with the cellphone. that part was not emphasized on the show.

it was the redhead who mentioned that she didnt feel that holding a cellphone was a hinderance

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"108290)</div>

I read a study a couple of years ago and for the life of my have no idea what it was called or was in. At any rate, I am pretty sure it was in a reputable journal and was looking at some of these issues. Bottom line, they found that it was the act of making meaningful language that cause errors (I believe they were using one of those VR simulators). The group that babbled on the phone with no meaning were not afftected. It seems that they looked at handsets and it was having a meaningful conversation.

Needless to say, I still talked on my phone with a handset, but tried to limit to only causal conversations and not emotional topics. Or in heavy traffic.

 

well... most here have done it im sure. so what the verdict? forget the polls and shows, what is your personal evaluation of your driving when on the cellphone?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"108723)</div>

Oops, thought I put my personal experience in my first one. :wink:

At any rate, I have noticed that I can't have a meaningful conversation while driving, unless traffic is minimal or the highway is such that there isn't much going on. If traffic is even moderate, I find myself being less comfortable and feeling less sure in my abilites to safely navigate. If I am entering a city or traffic is getting more than light, I normally hang up the phone or end up having a conversation in which I am only able to do uh-huhs and yea responses.

 

i have to agree. if asked, i would never have thought it an issue, but it definitely makes me have to work harder to maintain the same level of safety or at least the same feeling of safety