Mobile phones and driving - should this happen in NZ?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Mobile phones and driving - should this happen in NZ?

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Geektastic

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#1695076 26-Dec-2016 12:04

Jase2985:

Geektastic:

It would be interesting to see a scientific evaluation of what the effects of a complete ban on calls in a car would be in economic terms etc.

I actually do not think it would be that high.

Seems more like spoilt children who have got used to something not wanting it taken away rather than any form of genuine effect.

How many sales reps out there use phones? how many couriers truck drives etc use phones/radios to aid in knowing where to make pickups etc, taxi drivers all those things use some form or radio communications to do their job. because you cant ban a cellphone with out banning a CB radio or one the dispatch systems taxi drivers use (all are distractions)

I would imagine cost to the economy would be rather high.

And how did they do those jobs before we had mobile phones?

Geektastic

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#1695078 26-Dec-2016 12:08

blakamin:

Geektastic:

It would be interesting to see a scientific evaluation of what the effects of a complete ban on calls in a car would be in economic terms etc.

I actually do not think it would be that high.

Except every self-employed tradesman ever.

Plumber, sparky... Never complain again when they're late or don't answer..

Even my 21yo car has a built in phone... Still works too, but I can't justify paying another bill to run it anymore (I did for a year).

The Mrs 13yo car has BT... No real "smartphones" back then.

So these people never worked until we got mobile phones, could never stop periodically during their day and so on? Couldn't have answering services, receptionists, secretaries etc?

As I said, it's a habit. If the entire cell system collapsed and could never be re-activated for whatever reasons, we would not cease to exist we would adapt.

alasta

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#1695093 26-Dec-2016 12:29

Geektastic:

alasta:

The problem with jamming phones in cars is that it would inhibit the internet connectivity of sat nav systems for traffic information, etc. There is also emerging technology which automatically notifies emergency services after a serious accident.

Not really emerging - that tech has been in use in the USA in various forms for years.

As far as I'm aware BMW is the only manufacturer offering it in New Zealand. I would really like to see it available on more affordable vehicles.

Linuxluver

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#1695154 26-Dec-2016 14:28

Geektastic:

And how did they do those jobs before we had mobile phones?

They left the depot with a list and got a new list when they went back to the depot.

Simple.....

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#1695308 26-Dec-2016 22:36

Linuxluver:

Geektastic:

And how did they do those jobs before we had mobile phones?

They left the depot with a list and got a new list when they went back to the depot.

Simple.....

A lot of them had RT (Radio Telephone). When I worked in a similar role all the vehicles had RT.

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Dratsab

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#1695404 27-Dec-2016 15:22

shk292: Some simple enforcement and strong penalties would go a long way to fixing this problem in NZ. I see 2-5 drivers obviously using their phones in moving traffic every day on my commute - surely a small team of cops in plain cars could do the same and the message would quickly spread.

Linuxluver: We need to do something...[snip] The police just aren't enforcing this one.

Given that 111 road policing positions nationwide are in the process of being cut, enforcement isn't likely to get any better anytime soon.

Jase2985: We need more camera based technology to target things like this, and other easy to target driving related issues like using a transit lane/bus lane etc.

Similar to this perhaps? https://www.facebook.com/7NewsPerth/videos/10154105302499072/# - I can already hear all the usual whingers getting up in arms about "invasion of privacy", "nanny state", "revenue gathering" and all the other usual BS (i.e. "police aren't doing enough", "police should focus on real crime") that these sort of things engender.

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Geektastic

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#1695593 27-Dec-2016 23:48

alasta:

Geektastic:

alasta:

The problem with jamming phones in cars is that it would inhibit the internet connectivity of sat nav systems for traffic information, etc. There is also emerging technology which automatically notifies emergency services after a serious accident.

Not really emerging - that tech has been in use in the USA in various forms for years.

As far as I'm aware BMW is the only manufacturer offering it in New Zealand. I would really like to see it available on more affordable vehicles.

Sure but then you'll just get the whiners who will tell you people can't afford it...! There is a whole list of things that should be on new vehicles by law but aren't and any attempt to introduce it will just get the usual whining. We do not even have proper, measured emission tests in the WoF yet - that would probably modernise the NZ car fleet fairly quickly.

The tech was rolled out in the USA in the form of On Star in GM vehicles in 1997. Most other vehicle makers have some version of that there now.

Aredwood

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#1695596 28-Dec-2016 01:27

Again another knee jerk reaction from politicians. Im a self employed tradie. So have to be able to take calls on the road. No one leaves voicemail, they just hang up and call the next person. So not being able to take phone calls will mean lost business.

I have installed a car stereo with integrated bluetooth handsfree into my van. If a phonecall comes in while driving, I press a single button on the stereo to answer the call. which also pauses the music. As for pulling over to take a phonecall, In lots of areas of Auckland, On street parking is not allowed. Or is pay and display, loading zone, transit lanes, bus stops ect. Meaning you will be breaking the law if you pull over and stop. Auckland CBD and around Auckland airport being the main areas. And lots of off street privately owned carparks don't allow anyone to stop in their carparks for any reason other than visiting the local shops there. And if you are stuck in rush hour traffic. There is no way you would need the same cognitive ability to craw along in stop start traffic while talking on a handsfree phone. Compared to say driving on an unfamiliar winding country road at night at open road speeds, also while talking on a handsfree phone.

If they were really worried about safety, They would get rid of the unsafe vans that alot of companies provide their employees. Such as the mitsibushi L300. No airbags, no ABS brakes, no crumple zone. Same chassis as released in 1983. Yet was sold up until 2014. So they will be on the road for at least another 10 years. And yet in the mid 2000s the govt tightened up the rules for used imports due to frontal impact reasons. So you had cars with airbags, ABS brakes, and crumple zones that you are not allowed to import from Japan, because the govt thinks they are unsafe. Yet at the same time, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota all had vans on their new car lots with worse crash safety ratings. And ACC didn't extend their variable rego pricing scheme to commercial vehicles. So the unsafe vans pay the same rego as the safe ones. Even though the L300 is so bad that a head on crash at just 50km/hr will put you in a wheelchair. Yet in a modern van you will easily walk away from such a crash. And the company owner won't even get taken to court if you get injured in such a situation. But if there is no warning sign next to the coffee machine warning that the coffee is hot. There will be hell to pay.

MikeB4

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#1695613 28-Dec-2016 06:58

Geektastic:
blakamin:

Geektastic:

It would be interesting to see a scientific evaluation of what the effects of a complete ban on calls in a car would be in economic terms etc.

I actually do not think it would be that high.

Except every self-employed tradesman ever.

Plumber, sparky... Never complain again when they're late or don't answer..

Even my 21yo car has a built in phone... Still works too, but I can't justify paying another bill to run it anymore (I did for a year).

The Mrs 13yo car has BT... No real "smartphones" back then.

So these people never worked until we got mobile phones, could never stop periodically during their day and so on? Couldn't have answering services, receptionists, secretaries etc?

As I said, it's a habit. If the entire cell system collapsed and could never be re-activated for whatever reasons, we would not cease to exist we would adapt.

We used to do our books with quills in paper ledgers and journals, we don't any more, it's called progress.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

Geektastic

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#1696006 28-Dec-2016 22:54

Aredwood:

Again another knee jerk reaction from politicians. Im a self employed tradie. So have to be able to take calls on the road. No one leaves voicemail, they just hang up and call the next person. So not being able to take phone calls will mean lost business.

I have installed a car stereo with integrated bluetooth handsfree into my van. If a phonecall comes in while driving, I press a single button on the stereo to answer the call. which also pauses the music. As for pulling over to take a phonecall, In lots of areas of Auckland, On street parking is not allowed. Or is pay and display, loading zone, transit lanes, bus stops ect. Meaning you will be breaking the law if you pull over and stop. Auckland CBD and around Auckland airport being the main areas. And lots of off street privately owned carparks don't allow anyone to stop in their carparks for any reason other than visiting the local shops there. And if you are stuck in rush hour traffic. There is no way you would need the same cognitive ability to craw along in stop start traffic while talking on a handsfree phone. Compared to say driving on an unfamiliar winding country road at night at open road speeds, also while talking on a handsfree phone.

If they were really worried about safety, They would get rid of the unsafe vans that alot of companies provide their employees. Such as the mitsibushi L300. No airbags, no ABS brakes, no crumple zone. Same chassis as released in 1983. Yet was sold up until 2014. So they will be on the road for at least another 10 years. And yet in the mid 2000s the govt tightened up the rules for used imports due to frontal impact reasons. So you had cars with airbags, ABS brakes, and crumple zones that you are not allowed to import from Japan, because the govt thinks they are unsafe. Yet at the same time, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota all had vans on their new car lots with worse crash safety ratings. And ACC didn't extend their variable rego pricing scheme to commercial vehicles. So the unsafe vans pay the same rego as the safe ones. Even though the L300 is so bad that a head on crash at just 50km/hr will put you in a wheelchair. Yet in a modern van you will easily walk away from such a crash. And the company owner won't even get taken to court if you get injured in such a situation. But if there is no warning sign next to the coffee machine warning that the coffee is hot. There will be hell to pay.

1) If taking those calls was banned (as in prevented) then all your competitors would also be in the same situation, surely?

2) What did people who did your job prior to the invention of the mobile phone do?

3) Yes, there are a lot of unsafe, polluting vehicles on NZ roads that should be forcibly scrapped

Geektastic

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#1696007 28-Dec-2016 22:54

MikeB4:
Geektastic:

blakamin:

Geektastic:

It would be interesting to see a scientific evaluation of what the effects of a complete ban on calls in a car would be in economic terms etc.

I actually do not think it would be that high.

Except every self-employed tradesman ever.

Plumber, sparky... Never complain again when they're late or don't answer..

Even my 21yo car has a built in phone... Still works too, but I can't justify paying another bill to run it anymore (I did for a year).

The Mrs 13yo car has BT... No real "smartphones" back then.

So these people never worked until we got mobile phones, could never stop periodically during their day and so on? Couldn't have answering services, receptionists, secretaries etc?

As I said, it's a habit. If the entire cell system collapsed and could never be re-activated for whatever reasons, we would not cease to exist we would adapt.

We used to do our books with quills in paper ledgers and journals, we don't any more, it's called progress.

Sometimes it's called progress, sometimes it is called 'a step too far'....!

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Jase2985

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#1696034 29-Dec-2016 08:29

Geektastic:

Sometimes it's called progress, sometimes it is called 'a step too far'....!

Not really other countrys manage it fine. I think its partly to do with our low standards required to be able to drive.

Jase2985

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#1696037 29-Dec-2016 08:31

Geektastic:

1) If taking those calls was banned (as in prevented) then all your competitors would also be in the same situation, surely?

2) What did people who did your job prior to the invention of the mobile phone do?

3) Yes, there are a lot of unsafe, polluting vehicles on NZ roads that should be forcibly scrapped

1) Driving while holding a cell phone is banned, yet heaps of people still do it, its going to be no different if you band the use of them all together. people will still do it.

2) They used the most advanced technology avaliable to them, be it a RT or a land line etc.

3) no arguments there

Dratsab

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#1696043 29-Dec-2016 08:52

MikeB4: We used to do our books with quills in paper ledgers and journals, we don't any more, it's called progress.

Your memory goes back a long way!

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#1696165 29-Dec-2016 13:27

Dratsab:
MikeB4: We used to do our books with quills in paper ledgers and journals, we don't any more, it's called progress.

Your memory goes back a long way!

Wow I've completely forgotten about those things! In fact DVDs are non existent in my mind ... Everything is cloud this stream that

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