What cheeses me off

[Forg]

Curious as the why? I get its annoying when Uber/Taxi driver does this as you have to listen to their conversation; but if the driver wears them to listen to the navigation that is fine with me.

Also if a driver is alone in their car and chooses to wear ear buds so they can answer/end a call in one tap or listen to music or listen to the google maps directions how does this impact you? Better they are listening than looking down at a device whilst driving.

Listening to something on headphones while driving means you can’t hear what’s happening in the road.

The only reason it’s not flat-out illegal is that there’s a possibility the driver is on a hands-free ‘phone call. But if they’re not, it’s undeniably dangerous to not have that awareness while driving. I suspect it’ll be made illegal before long, it’s waaaay more dangerous than just exceeding the speed limit.

 

[Lynda2475]

Listening to something on headphones while driving means you can’t hear what’s happening in the road.

Well that depends on the volume - just like when people listen to music when they jog/walk/work at their desks - provided not blaring doesn't mean you cant hear other noises around you.

Apart from very loud horns, as a passenger I can rarely hear any outside noise when im in a car anyway (unless you have the window wide open and even then the wind noise drowns out pretty much everything else).

 

[Milefest]

The only reason it’s not flat-out illegal is that there’s a possibility the driver is on a hands-free ‘phone call. But if they’re not, it’s undeniably dangerous to not have that awareness while driving. I suspect it’ll be made illegal before long, it’s waaaay more dangerous than just exceeding the speed limit.

Without going too OT, I never understood why hands-free calling isn't illegal when it's just as dangerous as hand-held calls or drunk driving.

 

[Lynda2475]

it’s waaaay more dangerous than just exceeding the speed limit.

Statistics would disagree with you there. Speeding is number one cause of road fatalities.

I never understood why hands-free calling isn't illegal

How is handsfree calling (especially since you can dial and answer verbally without taking your eye off the road or hands off the wheel, and dont need headphones as phone can be on speaker) any different to having a conversation with someone who is in the car with you? Disagree that having a conversation is more dangerous than driving when drunk.

If talking whilst driving was so dangerous it would be illegal for driver (of any kind) to speak with passengers whilst driving.

 

[RooFlyer]

Also if a driver is alone in their car and chooses to wear ear buds so they can answer/end a call in one tap or listen to music or listen to the google maps directions how does this impact you?

They hinder hearing ambient noises, especially if they are noise-cancelling. The approach of emergency services is probably the most important one - designed to be heard from a ways off, so motorists can clear the way. You'll be tootling along while others are getting out of the way, or planning how to - then you might think "oh, there's a gap..." .There are other ambient noises that should be heard as clearly and as early as possible and ear buds will undeniably hinder that, no matter what the volume, especially if NC (designed to filter out ambient noise).

 

[Lynda2475]

I walk with ear buds all the time and have never had trouble hearing an ambulance or cop car or fire engine approaching because those sirens blare so loudly that no noise cancelling headphone can truly block that out (or smoke alarms - so loud I'm convinced they are a health risk and cause hearing loss).

 

[RooFlyer]

I walk with ear buds all the time and have never had trouble hearing an ambulance or cop car or fire engine approaching because those sirens blare so loudly that no noise cancelling headphone can truly block that out (or smoke alarms - so loud I'm convinced they are a health risk and cause hearing loss).

We haven't been talking about walking. With walking you don't have to prepare to get out of the way (except not to cross a road). Driving on a narrow or congested road, it usually takes time to move out of the way (co-ordinating with other motorists) or finding somewhere safe to pull off the road. So they use sirens, so you hear the emergency service vehicle before you see it and act accordingly.

With ear-buds in, especially NCs, you must hear the siren later (that's what NC is for!) and its less optimal to get out of the way. This must just be common sense, surely?

PS - don't know about Sydney/NSW but in Tas emergency service vehicles turn off their sirens when stationary or slow, so as not to produce ear damage in those around.

 

[Pushka]

People with no spatial awareness. particularly those walking with their head down reading their mobile phone in a busy area such as an airport without ever looking up.

Especially in airports with luggage and heading straight for collision and somehow we have to move for them?

 

[Milefest]

How is handsfree calling (especially since you can dial and answer verbally without taking your eye off the road or hands off the wheel) any different to having a conversation with someone who is in the car with you?

"Conversation analyses revealed some interesting patterns, according to the researchers. When driving tasks got more complicated, drivers appeared to modulate the complexity of their speech, as measured by syllables-per-word. Drivers also talked more when using cell phones, perhaps, the authors speculated, because they were trying to control the conversation to avoid using the mental resources required to really listen to the other person.

Meanwhile, passengers took an active role in supporting the driver, often talking about surrounding traffic. That shared situational awareness could be helpful to the driver."

Source

Disagree that having a conversation is more dangerous than driving when drunk.

When did I say it was more dangerous?

Found this source quite interesting:

"Researchers found that the drivers on cell phones drove more slowly, braked more slowly and were more likely to crash. In fact, the three participants who collided into the pace car were chatting away. None of the drunken drivers crashed."

But at the very least, there seems to be a consensus that it's just as dangerous as drink driving.

 

[Pushka]

I walk with ear buds all the time and have never had trouble hearing an ambulance or cop car or fire engine approaching because those sirens blare so loudly that no noise cancelling headphone can truly block that out (or smoke alarms - so loud I'm convinced they are a health risk and cause hearing loss).

We were stopped at traffic lights just turning green as runner with ear buds ran straight across three lanes of about to move off cars and across the other side where traffic was already on the move. I was the furthest away stationary car and could see what was about to happen so blasted on my horn. She physically jumped, looked around in horror to see what her real world looked like. She had no idea.

 

[Lynda2475]

The bluetooth headphones used for taking calls arent generally noise cancelling, and generally in only one ear.

PS another danger in having earbuds while on the road (or walking ) in is the lesser ability to hear a bike bell, for whatever reason its used - its designed to be heard. It may only be transient, so if that's when your earbud are talking to you, you can't hear the bike bell.

Another pet peeve of mine adult @sshats (usually food deliver coughs) riding their bicycles on the footpath (which is for pedestrians by definition) instead of on the road (which is the law) and then nearly taking you out as they speed by at a crazy velocity and also either dont have a bell or ring it only after they run into you. Plus don't seem to understand keep left and over take on the right.

I got the best laugh last week when walking from the bus stop (no I wasnt wearing headphones, I only do that when exercising i.e. bay walk where no road crossing required), when guy in front of me deliberately tripped the idiot speeding down the footpath on a bike (no helmet, no bell, no common sense) so that he didnt knock-over the elderly couple in front of him.

as runner with ear buds ran straight across three lanes of about to move off cars and across the other side where traffic was already on the move.

Some people are just idiots, obviously failed to look at the lights (and left or right before crossing a road) cant blame headphones for that, just stupidity

 

[Pushka]

The bluetooth headphones used for taking calls arent generally noise cancelling, and generally in only one ear.


Another pet peeve of mine adult @sshats (usually food deliver coughs) riding their bicycles on the footpath (which is for pedestrians by defnition) instead of on the road (which is the law) and then nearly taking you out as they speed by at a crazy velocity and also either dont have a bell or ring it only after they run into you. Plus dont seem to understand keep left and over take on the right.

It's perfectly legal for bicycles to ride on footpath in South Australia.

 

[serfty]

It's perfectly legal for bicycles to ride on footpath in South Australia.

Not in Victoria unless you are 12 years old or less or you are an Adult or over 12 years old in the company of said 12yo('s). (On pathways/footpaths not specifically designated as shared.)

Noting that enforcement does not appear to exist.

 

[Lynda2475]

It's perfectly legal for bicycles to ride on footpath in South Australia.

Unless a shared pathway (and regular footpaths are not) anyone over the age of 16 is not permitted to ride on the footpath with some very limited exceptions in NSW. You can be fined.

It is certainly not ok to ride at 40-50kms bashing into pedestrians to delivery someones pizza. Its bad enough that so many Sydney roads are congested because of bike lanes, but then the @sshat dont use the bike lane but make it unsafe for pedestrians by speeding on the footpath.

 

[Pushka]

The bluetooth headphones used for taking calls arent generally noise cancelling, and generally in only one ear.



Another pet peeve of mine adult @sshats (usually food deliver coughs) riding their bicycles on the footpath (which is for pedestrians by definition) instead of on the road (which is the law) and then nearly taking you out as they speed by at a crazy velocity and also either dont have a bell or ring it only after they run into you. Plus don't seem to understand keep left and over take on the right.

I got the best laugh last week when walking from the bus stop (no I wasnt wearing headphones, I only do that when exercising i.e. bay walk where no road crossing required), when guy in front of me deliberately tripped the idiot speeding down the footpath on a bike (no helmet, no bell, no common sense) so that he didnt knock-over the elderly couple in front of him.


Some people are just idiots, obviously failed to look at the lights (and left or right before crossing a road) cant blame headphones for that, just stupidity

Yes but laws are made for the lowest common denominator. That's the way it is. So the laws should reflect anticipated idiot behaviour

Bike Laws for any age cyclists in SA.

My Licence - Cycling Laws

www.mylicence.sa.gov.au

 

[Forg]

Statistics would disagree with you there. Speeding is number one cause of road fatalities.

No it’s not, that’s a manipulated statistic. “Speeding” is a whole bunch of things, and most cases of “speeding” (as stated by those who attend crashes & hence are the ones that decide the stats) are when the driver is travelling under the speed limit but is still going too quickly for the conditions. That is, the posted limit has SFA to do with it, and it’s all about driving too quickly for the conditions.

Don’t be duped by the marketing garbage by those who want to convince you they’re “doing something for road safety”. They’re conning you.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Curious as the why?

Coming from half a lifetime owning / operating Commercial Passenger Vehicle business it js responsibility of driver to have as much control of vehicle as possible at all times. Control also includes having unimpeded hearing of external audible warning devices from other vehicles and unimpeded hearing of passengers onboard for a multitude of reasons.

Wearing of earbuds / headphones currently not illegal in all Australian jurisdictions but they bloody well should be. No responsible owner of any commercial passenger vehicle operation should permit there use.

NRMA - DRIVE - LAWPATH - CAREXPERT - and plenty more - but of course our world is full of those self-proclaimed experts with the 'Nah that would never be me' thought processes - and anybody who does not understand how dangerous this practice is really needs to take a long hard look at themselves.

 

[OZDUCK]

It's perfectly legal for bicycles to ride on footpath in South Australia.

And in Western Australia.

 

[Quickstatus]

It is certainly not ok to ride at 40-50kms bashing into pedestrians

In Denmark, invariably, the cyclist when not using the bike lane will get off and walk their bikes when on footpaths

 

[Quickstatus]

When you dont pack as they scan, the checkout chick/dude handles each item 2-3 times, scan and dumping to the side of the scanner then pick up again to pack, shuffle.

WoW Scan and Go faster