I keep one hand on the wheel, one hand on the automatic stick, just a habit from driving manuals a lot.
Other than that
-stopped by police (expired registration)
-Hit a stationary object while parking (tapped a traffic cone once)
-Take risks (overtaking, fast acceleration) (who doesn't?)
-Speeding (if the speed limit is 60, I go 70 <the allowed leeway>)
-Sim/non-sim racer before getting a driving licence (was a LFS'er before I got my 'ped license.
-Years driven 1-4 (3)

I haven't done this, but funny nonetheless.
-Scare others while driving > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS2ydjpekwg

Mine

- Ran a rad light in last 12 months - Complete accident on an island where the red light was out.

- Speeding - Not excessively but has been done.

- 2 Attemps at passing test - Stupid mistake of driving in a bus lane haha.

- Was a sim race before getting licence (though it is wrong as can't have "sim/non sim racer before driving" as thats everyone)

- Years driving 1 - 4.

Quote from The Moose :

50% of you admit to driving whilst using a mobile phone? What is wrong with you people? Idiots.

Well yes. But not in heavy traffic or when I'd need to focus on the road. You might not know, but I drive a mail van on saturdays. The roads are deserted on saturday mornings, and I mostly drive through rural areas anyway.

You make it sound like as if people would instantly drive into a tree when they pick up the phone.

Protip: Don't call me an idiot.

I also do the hand on gearstick thing, but I only seem to do it in my Auto car? If I'm driving the Accord which is a Manual, I always have both hands on the wheel. Odd...

What other minor bad habits do you guys do? I have a few.

1. On Motorways, I sometimes notice that I am holding the wheel with my fingertips. I then snap myself out of it and go back to "10 and 2", but then my hands soon go into cruise mode again. It's a really bad habit!

2. Whenever I am driving the Accord and I'm on the Motorway doing normal Motorway speeds etc, I will sometimes double check the car is in 5th by dipping the clutch, going into Neutral then back to 5th. I don't do this all the time, but it's just odd how I do it even though I know the car is in 5th. Also, for some reason, I never do this in any other Manual car I drive, and I drive a lot due to my line of work. I only do it when in the Accord.

Quote from hrtburnout :

Protip: Don't call me an idiot.

Pro answer: I'll stop calling you an idiot when you stop doing something that's as dangerous as driving drunk.

Get back to me when someone you know is killed by a driver who was on the phone and then try and tell me it not idiotic.

Quote from The Moose :

as dangerous as driving drunk.

Anyone who thinks that is a complete idiot.

Quote from The Moose :

Get back to me when someone you know is killed by a driver who was on the phone and then try and tell me it not idiotic.

Get back to me when someone you know get's killed... what? Who makes comments like that? I'd strongly suggest you address those issues of yours.

Unfortunately people get killed in car accidents all the time. Accidents happen not only when you're driving drunk, while being on the phone or speeding. They just happen. Driving is a risk and a responsibility.
Yet there are loads of people who have no awareness of their surroundings what so ever. It's always that idiot wearing sunglasses and a suit in an SUV who's not intelligent enough to use indicators NOT some driving enthusiast who picked up his phone for five seconds to tell someone he's going to call back soon.

Quote from marsaz :

Anyone who thinks that is a complete idiot

Do the research.

It's more dangerous than driving with the US legal limit for alcohol in your system. Fact.

Quote from marsaz :

Get back to me when someone you know get's killed... what? Who makes comments like that?

Someone who lost a person due to a moron driving whilst on the phone makes comments like that.

You think I have issues with that? Damn right I do!

never knew anybody who got in any sort of accident because of a phone, or while even on a phone.

they did the studies, and if you see any danger coming you can easily just drop the phone. thats what you automatically do anyways

Quote from logitekg25 :

if you see any danger coming you can easily just drop the phone

Exactly.

Quote from The Moose :

It's more dangerous than driving with the US legal limit for alcohol in your system. Fact.

It's not a fact. I know the research behind it. It has nothing to do with reality. Speaking to someone inside the car while driving one handed would be just as dangerous then.



Back on topic
Stopped by police
Driving like an idiot in downtown at 4 am (just got my license woohoo). Glad they weren't measuring speed.

Use mobile while driving
Only when I think it's safe. A couple of words, bye. Don't like it.

Made an insurance claim for an accident (twasn't me)
An old man in his brand new hyundai did not stop at a blind crossroad when he had to give way.

Ran a red light in the past 12 months
Sorry.

Driven the wrong way down a one-way-street
Ashamed.

Hit a stationary object while parking
Scratched paint with some metal pipe sticking out of a truck while parking. Just couldn't see it in my mirrors.

Take risks (overtaking, fast acceleration)
Of course.

Suffer road rage
Cursing out loud helps me keep calm.

Speeding
Yes. More or less.

Scare others while driving
Not too much lately. Not while driving too fast anyway.
I saw a bunch of guys cocking about on a road once. They would deliberately get in the way. I saw cars in front having to avoid them. They did the same when I was approaching but instead of avoiding them I turned straight into them. They all jumped off the road and in to the ditch.

Attempts to pass driving test 2
Damn it.

Sim/non-sim racer before getting a driving licence
I've always liked racing games. Sim or not been playing them for almost 20 years (Indianapolis 500 anyone?)

Years driven 5<

Quote from logitekg25 :

they did the studies, and if you see any danger coming you can easily just drop the phone. thats what you automatically do anyways

"Easily just drop the phone" you say, adds at least a second to your reaction time. That's about 14 metres of distance at 30mph, or the difference between stopping in time and hitting a person at ~24mph.

Quote from marsaz :

Speaking to someone inside the car while driving one handed would be just as dangerous then.

That depends on your passenger, but even the most ignorant passenger would be able to determine when and when not to talk to the driver. A passenger is also a second pair of eyes and ears, a cellphone is not. It's dangerous as well, but far from being the same.

Comparing drunk driving (we have no legal limit for alcohol behind the wheel) with "cellphone" driving is a bit odd indeed. The numbers are dramatically different here.1 driver out of the 5 uses phone when behind the wheel (even if it is illegal, hands-free is allowed ofcourse) and there haven't been much reports of caused incidents by that (trading paints etc.. perhaps), but there are weekly deaths caused by drunk drivers here. There are a lot more people out there who has lost their friend/family member thanks to alcohol than to a mobile phone. I know a person who lost his friend because a driver was talking with co-passanger on highway. I found eating/drinking behind the wheel more dangerous when it comes to occupying a hand.

There has been a lot of research into using a mobile while driving and it comes out pretty badly. You get heavily distracted and reaction times go to pot. That includes using hands free devices. The human brain just cannot cope with that much data, you can only handle one or two tasks at once, operating the controls takes up one job, so you're left with watching the road (not pointing the car in the right direction, but actually watching) or listening to the phone call. What makes matters worse is if you have someone in the car and you approach a tricky situation they will shut up, someone on the phone won't see the danger unfolding and keep on gassing away.

Yet a lot of people do not seem to imagine much danger in using a mobile phone and will never consider it to be as dangerous as drink driving because "I am a good driver, I never take stupid risks".

Linky.

Quote :

Research demonstrates that reaction times for drivers using a handheld phone are 30 per cent worse than for driving under the influence of alcohol at the legal limit.

Research shows that using a mobile phone while driving means you are four times more likely to crash.
...
You can also be prosecuted for using a handsfree phone or similar device if you are distracted and not in proper control of the vehicle.

This little demo shows you how easy it is to get distracted. All you have to do is a little mental maths and hit space bar.

Stopped by police
Never. Not even when i drove to a festival and every car around me was pulled over (searching for drugs)

Use mobile while driving
Not really. I i get a call i normally look up who calls me, then ignore it and call back later or tell them quick that I'm driving and will call back. Texting never.

Made an insurance claim for an accident
Nothing

Ran a red light in the past 12 months
We have a traffic light in my town that has very short green phases, the yellow light after that is extended quite a bit. But everyone does it and it is a low speed crossing. Normally I even stop at red lights at 3am on country roads

Driven the wrong way down a one-way-street
Only on my bike. Still illegal I know.

Hit a stationary object while parking
Yes. I hit the inner wall of the garage i had to park that MB100 in. It was a mere 40cm wider than the bus itself. I was in a hurry.

Take risks (overtaking, fast acceleration)
In my 50hp car every overtake is a risk, thus I do it only if I can see ahead for at least two time the distance I need. If I'm on a stretch of road I know good, and am alone, I tend to do a bit of rally/race style bollocks, letting the tires screech and stuff. I even had a commuting road I took my "laptimes" on. But ONLY if I was perfectly sure i was alone, could see ahead etc.

Suffer road rage
Whats road rage. Getting a bit angry/frustrated of twats doing 30km/h in 70km/h zones? Then yes.

Speeding
Yes. Its somewhat normal in germnay to go up to 20km/h above the limit, especially on the autobahn if the limit is 100. Again, everybody does it.

Scare others while driving
A bit. I have a bit of a habit, that, if another driver who sat on my slow car's back, flashing lights and honking, finally overtook me, that I showed them that I can more than keep up in corners. I once followed a 911 Turbo Cabriolet in that manner all the way from Seesen to Clausthal up the mountains. But thats it. I never brake test people or stuff like that.

Attempts to pass driving test 1
I had to do my theoretical twice, but practical was passed in first attempt.

Sim/non-sim racer before getting a driving licence
NFSU1 and 2 before and while I was at driving school. Already had my Sidewinder Wheel back then.

Years driven: 5

Take Risks > Yea, sometimes I overtake on a dangerous way and accelerate fast
Driven for 0 - 1 > Just started to drive for a month yet after I got a Professional License

The problem isn't physically holding a phone while driving. The problem is that people talking on the phone while driving are nearly oblivious to what is happening around them. It's the act of concentrating on the phone conversation that is the problem, not physically holding a phone.

I live in Austin TX which is notorious for having the worst drivers around. these people actually put themselves in incredibly risky situations by not being assertive enough i.e. merging onto freeways, making unprotected left turns, or taking the right of way at a 4 way intersection. On top of all that they stop on railroad tracks.

I drive like the road is MINE I take what I need if I can get it safely. Being assertive can save your life!

Stopped by police - sometimes, but havent got any official fines, because here we always can give them... umm... lets say.. nice, green speed insurance
Use mobile while driving - yea, sometimes its pretty funny in city, when with one hand you hold wheel, with other hold phone and your passenger is changing gears
Take risks (overtaking, fast acceleration) - since when fast acceleration counts as risk?
Speeding - here everyone is driving at least +15km/h over the limit in cities and at least +20 on freeways, I'm not exception, so yeah
Scare others while driving - if blinking with high beams to get slow-asses out of my line and doing powerslides in junctions and on roundabouts counts as scary, then yes
Attempts to pass driving test 1 - easy as sh*t
Sim/non-sim racer before getting a driving licence - first played lfs at 2005 or 06
Years driven - got license about 1.5 years ago, have driven pretty much before that

Being on phone while driving is distracting, yes. But it's simply incomparable to being drunk. You can always drop the phone. You can always decide how much of your attention you should keep on the driving and use the "I'll call you back in a bit, ok?" if the conversation is getting too much or you're about to enter a 3 lane roundabout. When you're drunk that's it. There's no way to drop it.

Quote from marsaz :

Being on phone while driving is distracting, yes. But it's simply incomparable to being drunk. You can always drop the phone. You can always decide how much of your attention you should keep on the driving and use the "I'll call you back in a bit, ok?" if the conversation is getting too much or you're about to enter a 3 lane roundabout. When you're drunk that's it. There's no way to drop it.

This.

Moose, you're overreacting. It's funny. It makes me wonder whether you're trolling or not.

Years driven: About 6 - 7 months. I don't drive that much.

Attempts to pass driving test: 1. Instructor said I could improve at parking though

Simracer before I got the license.

Hmm, maybe that's why I look that often into the mirror, expecting someone like Simon Cattell passing me on the road

Also, I am rather careful driver, you know, I might score points when I not involved inaccidents-oh stop, that's LFSxD

I actually forgot to click attempt 1 when I answered the poll...


Everything else, no. Well, maybe over speed limit, but I heard manufacturers in Switzerland purposely set the spedometer higher than it is, so people don't speed. I don't speed on purpose anyway.

Never hit something and I don't plan on doing so. Haven't driven over a red light, maybe yellow, but surely not red.

I don't drive while being on the phone, I don't use mobiles often.

Quote from Swiss-Spirit :

Everything else, no. Well, maybe over speed limit, but I heard manufacturers in Switzerland purposely set the spedometer higher than it is, so people don't speed. I don't speed on purpose anyway.

I thought manufacturers always made the speedo a bit more than it is so you can't sue them if you get a speeding ticket when you thought you weren't speeding

As for the other things:

Been driving for a year and a bit, passed first time with 2 minors. No major incidents, grounded the car on a kerb once though and ripped off something on the bottom Sim-Raced for a while before driving IRL, can't say it's affected me in any way. I'm a pretty careful driver, very rarely speed or do anything dangerous.

Would never use my mobile whilst driving, not only do I like having £60 in my bank account but I'll keep the license clean too. The worst I've ever done is read a text at a level crossing.

One thing that does bug me is drink driving - I mean I'd never have anything to drink if I was planning on driving anytime in the next few hours, and none of my friends would drink anything more than a pint [and that would be at the start of the night] if they were driving, whereas I find older drivers seem quite happy to have half a bottle of wine and still drive.

Don't get me started on old people/tractors.

Quote from The Moose :

Do the research.

It's more dangerous than driving with the US legal limit for alcohol in your system. Fact.

I think you'll find that more incidents take place while a driver is phoning then there are with drunk drivers. However this is the damage caused by the actions, not the risk.

Because:
damage = risk(possibility/chance) x quantity (number of drivers in said condition)

There are many many more people phoning while driving than there are drunk drivers. Therefor it's possible that more accidents happen with people who phone while driving than with drunk drivers. Even though the risks of phoning while driving are lower.

Mathematical example (numbers made up by me purely for explaining:

Damage by drink driving:
Damage = risk(0.0001) x quantity (7,000,000) = 700 incidents per year

Damage by phoning while driving:
Damage = risk (0.00001) x quantity (300,000,000) = 3000 incidents per year

As you can see the risk of a incident while phoning is 10 times lower than it is with drink driving. Yet the number of incidents are 4.2 more than with drink driving.

Thank you for your attention. And sorry if i misunderstood anybody.

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

Yet a lot of people do not seem to imagine much danger in using a mobile phone and will never consider it to be as dangerous as drink driving because "I am a good driver, I never take stupid risks".

Actually you are saying it towards to drunk drivers, what has stupid risks have to do with talking with phone??? ...one is actually driving when drunk (read not capable judging situation even when away from phone) and the other is talking with phone while driving (wich is legal btw). I for one talk with handsfree every day when driving and never had any incidents, but i bet if i would go behind a wheel after half dozen of pints then i would cause a problem on 3rd or 4th run already.

Well fine guys, I'm gonna start getting plastered before I set off to work, becuase that's apparently safer than me texting my girlfriend a nice good morning.

Cheerio!

Hey Moose, have you ever been drunk? If so, you'll know that it is far worse than driving whilst talking on the phone.