by Ian Cheong

Created on: October 18, 2007   Last Updated: January 12, 2012

As technology advances, the need to change our lifestyle arises. This includes the use of the mobile telephone. This is the year 2007 and we are very far into the age of mobile communication to an extent that allows us to easily implement methods such as "1 button answer" into the car.

When we are driving, the nearest possible form of verbal communication we used to have before mobile phones existed was to have passengers sitting in the car. In order to talk to them, we would just think of what we want to say and open our mouth and speak. This limited us to the number of seats in the car in terms of choice of who to speak to. Our minds did not have to think of pressing any button, selecting any name or checking to see if the communication medium was "dropping out".

With the introduction of the extra steps to use the mobile phone, it is no wonder that many people think that using a mobile phone is a difficult and distracting task to perform while driving a vehicle. Although this is true to a certain respect, it also means that if we limit ourselves in this way, we will never learn to adapt, co-ordinate and improve our integration with the technology we build. All it takes it common sense and I shall list a few:

• Do not hold the handset in 1 hand and drive with the other
• Do not hold the handset to your head instead, use the speaker phone.
• Do not rest the handset on an unstable platform like your lap because if it falls when you need to steer the car, you will have many more things to think about which are unnecessary.
• Do not try to text an SMS while driving because your eyes need to focus on the road rather than your smiley faces you are typing
• Try to use speed dial. You will have 8 options (and if you think about it, that's like sitting in a van full of people)
• Try to use voice dialing (that's what the technology is for so don't think you have to punch the phone number in)
• Do not learn to use the phone while driving instead, learn to use it before you even try to use it while driving.
• Do not compromise your concentration on driving just to talk on the phone. If the reception is bad, then it's bad, so don't try to fix it. Just hope it gets better or continue the call later.
• If the call is really that important that you cannot miss, then just pull to the side of the road as early as possible, pull up the handbrake and then continue talking all you want.

Basically, the list can go on but the ancient rule of keeping it simple applies.
Police use the radio while driving (and they don't always drive in pairs) so why should we ban the mobile phone from being used while we drive?
It is irresponsible use of the mobile phone while driving that should be targeted instead.

Hope that helps.

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