Are Audi jockeys the new Volvo Drivers?

[mechanicsavant]

Go to an Audi dealership , ask the greeter/security person if you may walk around . You will probably get an escort (salesman) to assist . Then look @ a window sticker ,if present about halfway down you’ll se the option “the road”. And its not cheap. But don’t worry we’ll work it into your lease.
Truth , @ a Guzzi rally one day a few of us were discussing inattentive drivers when an individual who was listening in proclaimed. “I have a new Volvo with eleven airbags , I don’t have to pay attention “ ! Many slack jaws resulted.

[Knuckle Dragger]

Car brands aside, one of the most damaging reasons for driver inattentiveness seems to be those bloody mobile telephones.  Particularly text messaging, where "hands-free" simply isn't an option.  A driver necessarily diverts his/her eyes (i.e. vision), focus and attention & often both bloody hands completely away from the lower priority task immediately at hand: driving.  Crucially for multiple vital seconds at a time.  I see overt & flagrant disregard for the laws on mobile usage on just about each & every vehicular excursion of any length.

Death & injury stats are frustratingly vague, as obviously no driver would freely admit to such grevious malfeasance if there was a possible out.  But I'm sure it's nevertheless a leading cause of "accidents", incidents and innumerable near-misses.  Deaths?  At least in the hundreds I'm conservatively guessing.  Severe injury?  Probably in the thousands...   Economic losses to national economies from the consequent trauma?  Numbered in the billions I suspect.  Although I never ever text, I'm still guilty of picking up that bloody 'phone whilst I should be giving my undivided attention to the road, if only to change tunes.  Mea culpa; mea maxima culpa, & rightly indefensible in court.

I read somewhere recently (can't remember the exact source) that an Australian State (can't remember which, but not my own) Gov't. has released details of passive speed camera technology capable of identifying & pinpointing the source of mobile transmissions.  The state's bureaucrats are seeking a consequential instant AU $1000 (US $600, Euro 650) fine.  Somewhat draconian, but probably necessary as an adequate deterrent to permanently modify road user's attitudes & behaviour.  The proposal (which is all it is) simply highlights the seriousness and possible consequence of reckless sustained inattentiveness.  It's also an effective incentive to save money and energy by always carrying at least one  passenger:  "It wasn't me, Your Worship.  It was my co-pilot on my 'phone when I hit that kid on the pushbike in the School Zone!"

I've also read from yet another unremembered & unspecifiable source that a driver's performance whilst texting is supposedly tested to be somewhat akin to being over the legal blood alcohol limit!  .08% or thereabouts.

Anybody else game to share their own indiscretions or observation of others?

[Old Jock]

I think it was James May having a discussion with Clarkson on Top Gear about tail gating

May's reply was "it's what Audi drivers think their front parking sensors are for"

[Kev m]

On cell phones, many modern cars infotainment systems (such as the ones in our Jeeps) will hands free read the driver text messages and allow hand's free responses too.

It can be a tad clumsy though.

[Dilliw]

Kim has an Audi and my only compliant with her driving is that she's a late braker.  I'm always pushing an imaginary brake pedal on the passenger side.

The Audi MMI does have text message support

[Lannis]

I think we finally got there.

Every brand, model, and color of automobile and truck on the road are "The Worst", and the drivers are uniformly horrible.

The only one left out is Harley-Davidson, because if ANY of this were said about Harleys, the torches and pitchforks would instantly be out for "Harley Bashing"!

Lannis

[acogoff]

     There just are very few of the aforementioned cars in my rural area. For me it is Dodge pickups for some reason. If I see one coming towards me I pay particular attention as about 20% of the time they will be doing something "silly". Luckily they are usually painted a bright color so are easy to spot and if they are overtaking me I can normally hear them coming because for some odd reason they seem to attract the lot who enjoy loud pipes.

[canuck750]

I think we finally got there.

Every brand, model, and color of automobile and truck on the road are "The Worst", and the drivers are uniformly horrible.

The only one left out is Harley-Davidson, because if ANY of this were said about Harleys, the torches and pitchforks would instantly be out for "Harley Bashing"!

Lannis

Not true

Kia and Subaru drivers are universally courteous and responsible, and I would never say HD riders are bad but the loud pipes, sheesh!

[frozengoose]

Not true

Kia and Subaru drivers are universally courteous and responsible, and I would never say HD riders are bad but the loud pipes, sheesh!

Hope you're joking. Some of the worst drivers up here have Subarus. Because they have 4 wheel drive, they think they are immune from the laws of physics. In the winter, they tail gate, pass on curves and hills, and pull out in front of you at intersections. Only the jacked up 4 wheel drive pickups with monster tires are worse!
As far as Volvos go, I've had 3, all 145 series wagons. They had great engines, 4 banger with tractor like torque. They were decent in the winter with studded snow tires and you could stuff the back with an amazing load. Routinely carried 500 lbs of dog food and hauled a refrigerator home one time. And when the pickup was down, hauled the dogs and sled to a race once. Incredible vehicle!

[dustybarn]

I spent a week in Kenmare, Ireland earlier this year, and by far the angriest and most aggressive drivers drove Audis. You could almost predict it... "Hey, there's a black Audi. Bet he's gonna drive like a complete jackwagon". And it always came true. Back here in the US, it's the guys with the shiny lifted pickup trucks. And they seem to try to prey on people driving small cars, almost as if it's a dominance competition. I used to get tailgated *in the right lane* in my '63 Triumph by guys in house-sized trucks. I don't get it.

[Penderic]

PSA: Fast or slow, they are extremely dangerous! Proceed with caution.

 

[oldbike54]

 ^^^

 Dusty

[John Warner]

. . . one of the most damaging reasons for driver inattentiveness seems to be those bloody mobile telephones.  Particularly text messaging, where "hands-free" simply isn't an option . . .

Hands-free mobile usage is no safer than hand-held, it's been proven several times in tests/studies.
In the UK, they're considering making it illegal, like hand-held use is already.

[Kev m]

Hands-free mobile usage is no safer than hand-held, it's been proven several times in tests/studies.
In the UK, they're considering making it illegal, like hand-held use is already.

Color me skeptical.

I mean I realize anything you do can "distract" which is why when I'm just talking to a passenger in a car there are times my mouth stops and I just literally drop a thought mid sentence until the priority action/attention item with regards to driving is past.

But there's got to be a difference.

In the one you're holding something in your hand, reading it, typing a response, reading that, and pressing send.

In the other you're tapping a button on the steering wheel, possibly saying a command, listening to your message, then possibly tapping the button again and speaking your response all while your eyes never leave the road!

I mean hell it's arguably more distracting to change the sat radio or look at the nav screen than to use hands free texting.

Perhaps the studies are missing something.

[adaven]

OK, hands free texting is marginally safer than hand-held. it is still a distraction.
No matter how good a person thinks they are at multi-tasking, they are not that good.
It would be tough to enforce a ban on hands free mobile usage.
Besides, so much important work gets done while driving (sarcasm).
I feel better when drivers just drive.

[Kev m]

OK, hands free texting is marginally safer than hand-held. it is still a distraction.
No matter how good a person thinks they are at multi-tasking, they are not that good.
It would be tough to enforce a ban on hands free mobile usage.
Besides, so much important work gets done while driving (sarcasm).
I feel better when drivers just drive.

Marginally?

And just drive?

So you don't talk to a passenger or change a radio station behind the wheel? And you don't use GPS?

I think searching for something on the radio or iPod using the touch screen is much more distracting than listening to a hands free text message. I mean I have to take my eyes off the road and read the display on the infotainment system to do that. I literally don't need to take my eyes off the road for even a split second to listen to a text.

[Lannis]

OK, hands free texting is marginally safer than hand-held. it is still a distraction.
No matter how good a person thinks they are at multi-tasking, they are not that good.
It would be tough to enforce a ban on hands free mobile usage.
Besides, so much important work gets done while driving (sarcasm).
I feel better when drivers just drive.

I agree 100%.  That "multitasking" thing is always BS no matter what it's compared to. 

I guess it's the attitude that bothers me.   You know what people are saying on the phone in the car because they're saying exactly the same things as they do in the line at the store or in the restaurant.   "Hi Marge how are you, just checking on you, lunch today was nice, I'm heading home, I'll see you at the Little League game tonight, bye".

And that's worth an increased chance of HOW MUCH that several people will die in a car crash?

The problem is that you and I will never be capable of understanding just how INCREDIBLY F******* IMPORTANT the cell phone chatterers' time is compared to yours and mine; and the carnage will continue.

Lannis

[adaven]

So you don't talk to a passenger or change a radio station behind the wheel? And you don't use GPS?

No, I don't. I am not much of a talker. I listen to books on tape and set it up before I leave. If "I simply must take this call", I pull over. And I have never used GPS in a car.

This is one of the reasons I like motorcycling. I'm not tempted to any of those things. I'm stuck with that's rattling around in my head.

[oldbike54]

 I only listen to books on tape discussing the dangers of distracted driving while watching reruns of Fawlty Towers on the monitor attached by velcro to the dashboard while eating a fast food burrito and drinking a beer . You need to exercise SOME restraint 

 Dusty

[Huzo]

I’d like to see a law that makes this possible..
A cop detects  a car with a sole occupant who is suspected to be on his mobile at say 11:31 am and that car is followed until say, 11:36 am.
The car is stopped and the cop tells the driver that he’s suspected to have been on his phone and would he consent to showing the cop his call log.
If the driver agrees and the log shows the phone was in use, then standard penalties apply.
If the driver denies usage and does not consent to producing his phone, then if the cop is sure, he can take the matter to court and have the phone log admitted as evidence.
Then if the call log shows the cop was correct, the penalty is tripled...

[Huzo]

I only listen to books on tape discussing the dangers of distracted driving while watching reruns of Fawlty Towers on the monitor attached by velcro to the dashboard while eating a fast food burrito and drinking a beer . You need to exercise SOME restraint 

 Dusty

That should be legal as long as you have an endorsement on your licence to allow you to steer with your knee.

[Kev m]

No, I don't. I am not much of a talker. I listen to books on tape and set it up before I leave. If "I simply must take this call", I pull over. And I have never used GPS in a car.

This is one of the reasons I like motorcycling. I'm not tempted to any of those things. I'm stuck with that's rattling around in my head.

So even there you don't drive without ANY auditory distractions. Granted you describe nearly monk like isolation compared to many, but to listen to a book means you are defacto multitasking and taking SOME level of concentration away from the task at hand.

Seriously though, if you don't use a gps, the radio, OR A HANDS FREE texting or calling app how exactly are you capable of judging how much of a distraction those things are compared to an audio book on tape or texting with your phone in hand?

Lannis, I am sure your description is accurate with a lot of people. But, like so many things, you/we are making an assumption that whenever we see someone talking in a car they are just chatting. It's not a mom taking a call from the school nurse or a husband getting a call that his wife's car just broke down, or ?!?

And the point about texting or calling (hands free vs not) brings up and l an interesting point of discussion. What level of distraction IS too much?!? Should we not have radios or NAV systems in a car? Should we talk to passengers?

I think very few completely dedicate themselves to NOTHING but the task. Even if they are driving without even so much as the radio on.

So where do we fall on the sliding scale?

It's reminiscent of discussions about ATGATT or speed limits.

Anyone going slower than you (not using a radio or gps) is a moron, anyone going faster (hands free texting) is an asshole/maniac. 

[guzzi4me]

I only listen to books on tape discussing the dangers of distracted driving while watching reruns of Fawlty Towers on the monitor attached by velcro to the dashboard while eating a fast food burrito and drinking a beer . You need to exercise SOME restraint 

 Dusty

That happens in California all the time!!!

Jeff

[Lannis]

Lannis, I am sure your description is accurate with a lot of people. But, like so many things, you/we are making an assumption that whenever we see someone talking in a car they are just chatting. It's not a mom taking a call from the school nurse or a husband getting a call that his wife's car just broke down, or ?!?

It isn't a court of law we're talking about here, nor is it a professional review of the potential technical legal aspects of the wording in a technical service manual.

It's related to the things we learn and do to protect our lives on motorcycles from illegally distracted drivers.

And since I note as a fact (not an assumption) that essentially ALL of the loud-talking phone conversations to which I am involuntarily subjected by people in checkout lines, in restaurants, walking down the street, or anywhere else, are nothing but needless, gossiping, self-centered bullshyte, I DON'T assume that the content of these conversations are any different once the talkers close their car door behind themselves.   It would be silly to do that and I don't make silly assumptions.

Lannis

[adaven]

So even there you don't drive without ANY auditory distractions. Granted you describe nearly monk like isolation compared to many, but to listen to a book means you are defacto multitasking and taking SOME level of concentration away from the task at hand.

Yup, and sometimes, WHILE listening to a book or podcast, I look at the cornfield on the side of the road in wonderment at the speed with which summer passes us by. Yikes!

I am sure that the ability to multitask varies with the individual and the level of distraction. But, a lot like speed limits, my level of trust in multitaskers is the same as my level of trust in speeders. The faster the speed, the fewer drivers I trust to do it safely.

Maybe not you, but I'd much rather most people just drive and skip the multitasking.

[Kev m]

It isn't a court of law we're talking about here, nor is it a professional review of the potential technical legal aspects of the wording in a technical service manual.

It's related to the things we learn and do to protect our lives on motorcycles from illegally distracted drivers.

And since I note as a fact (not an assumption) that essentially ALL of the loud-talking phone conversations to which I am involuntarily subjected by people in checkout lines, in restaurants, walking down the street, or anywhere else, are nothing but needless, gossiping, self-centered bullshyte, I DON'T assume that the content of these conversations are any different once the talkers close their car door behind themselves.   It would be silly to do that and I don't make silly assumptions.

Lannis

Perhaps the NOT LOUD conversations are both more personal and important therefore you don't notice them.

[Kev m]

Yup, and sometimes, WHILE listening to a book or podcast, I look at the cornfield on the side of the road in wonderment at the speed with which summer passes us by. Yikes!

I am sure that the ability to multitask varies with the individual and the level of distraction. But, a lot like speed limits, my level of trust in multitaskers is the same as my level of trust in speeders. The faster the speed, the fewer drivers I trust to do it safely.

Maybe not you, but I'd much rather most people just drive and skip the multitasking.

Fair enough and we're ALL at risk with multitasking, but my point is that it's a sliding scale and honestly unless you've used hands free/Bluetooth texting you might not realize how much less distracting it is than hands on....


... And since we know the one thing we can't really every do is control/eliminate all the actions of others we don't like isn't it better to promote something less distracting.

And BTW that's what the tech producers are doing.

Nav systems lock out keyed inputs while the vehicle is in motion (which I find MADDENING in a world where the vehicle KNOWS whether or not there is a passenger in the seat to be doing the keying).

Cell phones come with apps that KNOW if you're in a moving vehicle and allow the owner to program automated responses to calls or texts or limit access.

I guess I'm saying there's more ways to skin a cat and not everything is black and white.

[Lannis]

Perhaps the NOT LOUD conversations are both more personal and important therefore you don't notice them.

Why, of course.   That's sure a theory to stake your life on .....

Lannis

[Kev m]

Why, of course.   That's sure a theory to stake your life on .....

Lannis

I stake my life in my own behavior and attention, not others.

I hear it's a basic tenet of conservatism.

[mechanicsavant]

It seems to me many drivers of higher end vehicles along with save the planet types have both checked off the same option on the build sheet . It has a different # depending on Mfg. but it’s always the same.
Option #xxxx “The Road” it includes all of it too.
Or as a new Volvo driver said  “ I don’t have to pay attention , my Volvo has 12 air bags” 13 including the driver.
“If I had a rocket launcher”