The complexities of distracted driving | GTAMotorcycle.com

The complexities of distracted driving

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nobbie48

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The clip is from my dash cam a year and a half ago.

https://imgur.com/xxJIEXa

I saw the red car hustling along, possibly 80 or more in a 50, and then bang.

True she could have been texting but she also could have been distracted by other things. Since she was in an obvious rush was she worrying about being late for an appointment or date?

Was her mind distracted by trying to think of an excuse for being late or where she could find a parking spot?

If she was hands free was she focusing on the conversation instead of the road?

When the light turned amber how long did it take her brain to switch to driving mode?

When you are driving at a speed markedly different to the posted the amber "gas or brakes" decision is more difficult to make.

The point is that a driver's mind can be distracted even though they are not touching an electronic device. Short of an EEG hookup no one will know what's going on in a driver's mind.
 
I watched it a few times before reading your post to see who you considered distracted. The camry waited at least two seconds after the light went green to take their foot off the brake and then obviously did not check for cross-traffic.
 
GreyGhost said:
I watched it a few times before reading your post to see who you considered distracted. The camry waited at least two seconds after the light went green to take their foot off the brake and then obviously did not check for cross-traffic.
Click to expand...

Both women had tunnel vision for different reasons. One was fixated on getting somewhere fast and the other fixated on driving step by step, see green light, take foot off brake, step on gas pedal, go straight, remember to turn right at next street.

I timed the lights and figure it was about 10 seconds from the time the lights went amber and the crash. Someone didn't have their brain in driving mode. How long does it take to stop a car?
 
In my 10+ years of driving here in ON - I've been rear ended twice in my car.
Both times at red light by women who were too busy caught up with their phones and 'mistook' the gas pedal for the brake...

It sucks that we cannot claim for diminished value here in Canada.
On my next car I am going to get a dual-channel dash cam for sure.

A lot of times when riding on the highway and on inside roads on my bike, I see folks of varying demographics locked into their phones while driving along...sometimes I intentionally rev to distract them and express my displeasure.
A lot of times I get 'wtf' looks before they put it away lol.
 
POWERMAN said:
In my 10+ years of driving here in ON - I've been rear ended twice in my car.
Both times at red light by women who were too busy caught up with their phones and 'mistook' the gas pedal for the brake...

It sucks that we cannot claim for diminished value here in Canada.
On my next car I am going to get a dual-channel dash cam for sure.

A lot of times when riding on the highway and on inside roads on my bike, I see folks of varying demographics locked into their phones while driving along...sometimes I intentionally rev to distract them and express my displeasure.
A lot of times I get 'wtf' looks before they put it away lol.
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Are there any stats that would indicate this is a woman issue? Just asking.
 
My son had exactly the same accident. The oncoming driver (say the red car) was doing 80+ in a 50 zone and was distracted by getting to the train station AND putting on lipstick. The impact sheared the front end, engine and transmission off his Ford Transit mini van.

She was charged with dangerous driving, and after her passenger tried to explain the driver wasn't being careless, she didn't notice the red light because she was putting on her lipstick. The cops added distracted driving. said it wasn't entirely her fault - they both stuck when she didn't show up for court. Driver 55yrs old, G2, F.
 
oncoming black car pulled up a bit getting ready to make a left
then stopped short, guessing they saw the red light runner
looks like the only person paying attention
 
Sunday night I was heading someplace. While stopped at a intersection this girl pulls up in a white civic next to me. In one had is a huge hamburger, she it chopping at and wrestling with the wrapper. I just don't get how people think this is a good idea. ?‍♂️
This thread could go on and on with examples, but how do you curb this behaviour and what can really be done about it?
Hopefully the new laws for distracted driving actually get enforced. But I doubt it.
 
sburns said:
Sunday night I was heading someplace. While stopped at a intersection this girl pulls up in a white civic next to me. In one had is a huge hamburger, she it chopping at and wrestling with the wrapper. I just don't get how people think this is a good idea. ?‍♂️
This thread could go on and on with examples, but how do you curb this behaviour and what can really be done about it?
Hopefully the new laws for distracted driving actually get enforced. But I doubt it.
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The eating, reading, texting, makeup are all things we can see. My point is that a person can be more dangerous when they are so mentally preoccupied with something they are a greater danger than someone driving with one hand. IE you get a call that your kid was hit by a bus and is critical in the hospital. All you think of is "I've got to get there"

It's a bit like target fixation in that your brain blocks out data.
 
nobbie48 said:
The eating, reading, texting, makeup are all things we can see. My point is that a person can be more dangerous when they are so mentally preoccupied with something they are a greater danger than someone driving with one hand. IE you get a call that your kid was hit by a bus and is critical in the hospital. All you think of is "I've got to get there"

It's a bit like target fixation in that your brain blocks out data.
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Oh like zoning out while driving, yep I am sure there is a lot of that going on. Or people who just follow the car in front of them.
 
sburns said:
Oh like zoning out while driving, yep I am sure there is a lot of that going on. Or people who just follow the car in front of them.
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Zoned out is the term I was looking for. I recall being stopped at a light and as it turned green a car blasted through on a red. The woman driving had both fists clenched on the wheel, leaning forward and staring straight ahead. Who knows what was on her mind, maybe the kid in the hospital thing. Fortunately no crash at that intersection. Maybe down the road.
 
I wonder how long I can remain 100% focus when I am driving

sidenote
I know its not like the real thing, I practice my "riding vision" when watching youtube videos of bike doing twisties or track.
how long can you focus on the Nuremberg track

"what kind of porche is that? ... damn it!"
 
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We will likely NEVER eradicate distracted driving. If you look at driver behaviour, we have been "trying" to eradicate impaired driving for over 4 decades, Pre say 1975, it was an issue, but not heavily enforced. In 1975 if a cop pulled you over, they would make you park it and lock it, or if you were somewhat close to home, it wasn't uncommon for them to follow you home.

Then it was decided, it was a problem, and we were told to enforce it HARD. No one, (well except fellow officer's), got a break. Now even if your an officer, your taking the ride. For a while in late 80's early 90's, it seemed the enforcement and education programs were beginning to make an impact. Now, in the last several years, it is inexplicably on the rise. If you listen to the news, it is not uncommon, especially in York Region, that every week, they are donging a large number of impaired drivers.

So that is why, I don't see distracted driving, being much different. Hell, I was charging people, (in the late 70's early 80's with driving with undue care and attention, (the applicable charge before distracted driving), for things like applying makeup, eating, reading newspapers, watching those small 3" tv's, etc etc etc.

sburns said:
Sunday night I was heading someplace. While stopped at a intersection this girl pulls up in a white civic next to me. In one had is a huge hamburger, she it chopping at and wrestling with the wrapper. I just don't get how people think this is a good idea. ?‍♂️
This thread could go on and on with examples, but how do you curb this behaviour and what can really be done about it?
Hopefully the new laws for distracted driving actually get enforced. But I doubt it.
Click to expand...
 
Only the use of electronic devices is considered distracted driving. Eating, putting on makeup etc. is not covered by the distracted driving law. Driving without due care and attention, careless driving and dangerous driving still apply to these offences and carry stiff penalties too. E.G. dangerous driving is a criminal offence!
 
Tripletrouble said:
Only the use of electronic devices is considered distracted driving. Eating, putting on makeup etc. is not covered by the distracted driving law. Driving without due care and attention, careless driving and dangerous driving still apply to these offences and carry stiff penalties too. E.G. dangerous driving is a criminal offence!
Click to expand...

The brain uses electrical signals so if a person thought while driving...............oh wait, most don't.
 
I personally know of two officers that have issued distracted driving for eating, (drivers couldn't maintain lane discipline). Both resulted in convictions. I also recall CP24 doing an interview with the Sgt from TPS Traffic Services stating that they included ANYTHING, which caused the driver to be distracted would be charged. Even, IF an officer today laid dangerous or careless, those would be plead down. Dangerous is normally reserved for the most egregious violations, where serious injury or death resulted.

Tripletrouble said:
Only the use of electronic devices is considered distracted driving. Eating, putting on makeup etc. is not covered by the distracted driving law. Driving without due care and attention, careless driving and dangerous driving still apply to these offences and carry stiff penalties too. E.G. dangerous driving is a criminal offence!
Click to expand...
 
Radios need to be banned from cars again.
 
hedo2002 said:
I personally know of two officers that have issued distracted driving for eating, (drivers couldn't maintain lane discipline). Both resulted in convictions. I also recall CP24 doing an interview with the Sgt from TPS Traffic Services stating that they included ANYTHING, which caused the driver to be distracted would be charged. Even, IF an officer today laid dangerous or careless, those would be plead down. Dangerous is normally reserved for the most egregious violations, where serious injury or death resulted.
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This is why we have courts. Cops don't know all of the laws and how they should be applied. I've been charged with offences that don't exist before but you need to go to court.
 
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