[Author Index] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: [ST] re: Mobile Phone flame war - TORCH ON!



In your message regarding Re: [ST] re: Mobile Phone flame war - TORCH ON! dated
Thu, 4 Apr 2002 17:09:35 -0500, Charlie McCullough said that ...

>CM-  
>CM-  -----Original Message-----
>CM-  From: Philip Guy <bike@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>CM-  Subject: Re: [ST] re: Mobile Phone flame war - TORCH ON!
>  
>  
> >first paragraph on multi-tasking and the acceptance that if a situation
> >arises then the pillion / passenger / mobile phone person will be ignored.
>CM-  <snip>
>CM-  
>CM-  Just a note about this...I don't doubt that you'd give it your undivided
>CM-  attention should a situation arise. Seems to me the concern is, given that
>CM-  you are conversing on the phone, how long it will take for a situation to
>CM-  get your attention and have your brain diverted from conversation to
>CM-  devising an escape strategy..................

I have deliberately kept out of this thread as I have mixed feelings about the
reception of any input through helmet speakers.

BUT......

As a self-confessed technophile I have to (almost) agree with Phil here
...............with qualification......

Let me explain more.

1.  I have an Autocom and always have the pillion connected.  BUT the
conversation tends to be one way (its the only time I get to have the last
word) and the adorable ballast knows not to distract me.  The same is true when
she is sitting next to me in the car - when I don't answer it means I am
concentrating - she shuts up until I reply.

2.  I also have my mobile phone connected into the Autocom for long journeys
with auto-answer on.  SWMBO is probably the only person that calls me on my
mobile apart from the occasional 'emergency' call from a patient with
toothache.  If the call is from SWMBO and my situation dictates that I can't
take the call I will tell her and she will hang up and I will phone back when
convenient (and stopped - but the phone connected to the Autocom means I don't
have to remove my helmet to return the call [useful if it is raining]).  If the
call is from a patient I ALWAYS a) interrupt their usually graphic description
of their symptoms and b) tell them I will call back provided they haven't got
caller ID disabled on their phone.

The reason I make a distinction between SWMBOs calls and other calls is that
the former require little cognitive power to answer whereas the latter require
my attention.  (Don't tell her I said that!)

It is a fact that if your attention is diverted to receiving input through
helmet speakers requiring cognitive power then your gaze will drop - i.e. you
WILL cease to look into the distance to anticipate, say 200-300 yards up the
road, and will be focusing at less than 30 yards.

This was pointed out to me by the Guru of "The Method" (as taught to the
British Police Motorcyclists), Mike Waite, who having given me a problem to
solve through bike to bike comms, immediately told me that my gaze had dropped
... and he was absolutely right.

It takes considerable training to recognise this weakness and to overcome it. 
The same situation exist in a car so the next time you are in your car
receiving a call on your mobile-phone just have a think to where your gaze has
shifted.  However, if you are aware of this phenomenon you are halfway there to
combating it.  But I still would not want to make serious decisions via a
mobile phone whether on a moving bike or in a car.

As for the comparison between hands-free phone communication or holding the
phone to your ear .... well there isn't one - if you have phone in your hand
with the earpiece stuck to your ear and are engaging in a conversation, unless
you are on a perfectly straight road with absolutely no other traffic then you
are a liability IMNSHO.


<snipped>
>CM-  Personal experience indicates to me that there aren't as many processes
>CM-  needing attention on the track as on the street (which is why you find a lot
>CM-  of racers that refuse to ride on the street - they're just unused to keeping
>CM-  track of so many different things that aren't within their control).

My 2c

If you are engaged in conversation on the bike be it through rider to pillion,
bike to bike, or mobile phone which requires your concentration then the only
option is to reduce your speed and enter what I call a 'passive mode' ie purely
moving with the traffic, maintaining a very safe distance from the vehicle in
front with no thought of overtaking etc.

Provided you are aware of the fact that your ability to ride to your full
potential is impaired by any external communication and tailor your riding to
adapt to this situation when it occurs then you should be 'reasonably' safe. 
But attempting to ride to the limit whilst talking to your stockbroker could
either lose you a lot of money or your life!

- -- 
Mike Bostock
http://www.toothfairy.co.uk/
Wales & SW ST Riders
http://www.sprint-st.org/

'99 Red ST

     *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
      The ST/RS Mailing list is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
          http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info

=-=-=-= Next Message =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=