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Distractions, Texting etc.

GeneT

Swamp Fox
In slowly making my way through the current Owners News I came to an article discussing "The Farklebar" by Rob Nye. Now in all due respect for Mr. Nye, I mention this; Page 118, looking at these pictures I see nothing but distraction. Geez just the factory computer read out on my RT is more distraction than I need, and we worry about someone texting while driving. These photos show almost as many instruments as the cockpit in a jet plane. I know all you gadget geeks will claim they can handle it, lets all hope so as we all know bad things can happen very quickly.
 
Agreed, I consider myself an "unplugged" rider, too. I'm sure there are lots of us. The real unplugged ones aren't even on the net, though.
 
No worries.....nature will chlorinate the gene pool by killing off these idiots. :banghead

Multi-tasking is a myth and the people that indulge in it are in denial. Plenty of studies bear this out.

As Mr. Myagi said......"Focus, Daniel-san, focus!"
 
My worst distraction is noticing all the cagers around me texting, phoning, gps-ing, doing anything besides being aware of their surroundings. Today at a light 4 of the 5 cars around me the drivers were staring at their devices. :banghead
 
Most folks who have extra cockpit items know when and when not to fiddle with them.

If unplugged works for you great,if not great as well.

Multi -tasking could mean eating/drinking and posting here at the same time:wave
 
Actually Steve, I can't eat/drink and type at the same time. Some would dispute that I can even think about what I am going to type while gnawing on my sandwich or drinking my beverage. Point is, at the keyboard we can and do separate the activities with no danger other than losing our train of thought.

When we gaze at the gizmos in are cars or on our bikes (even the basic instruments) while moving, we are displacing our attention from the primary job to a secondary one. I figure I can SAFELY alot about one second to checking my speed, the air temperature, or a rearview mirror before again scanning the road ahead and predicting possible problems. I wonder if those who use all the electronic devices would agree with that statement?

I believe us neanderthals who don't even want music on our bikes would give a nod of approval to those who have lots of the gizmos, but use them at well separated one second intervals. Be good to hear how they manage it.

We have all seen many "distracted drivers," perhaps occasionally been one. If the glance or action takes several seconds attention away from the primary activity, that driver/rider is living on borrowed time. Unfortunately, they usually plow into other vehicles and not sail off a cliff.
 
Since most people now seem to drive around with an arm up to an ear holding a cellphone...

Hypothesis: evolution in the future will cause humans to have one functional arm with the other permanently attached to the lateral skull.


BTW: Yesterday while riding I-10, I passed some woman in a Ford Expedition doing about 70 mph while eating something in a cup with a spoon. She must have been steering with her knees ! Scary stuff out there ...



When we gaze at the gizmos in our cars or on our bikes (even the basic instruments) while moving, we are displacing our attention from the primary job to a secondary one. I figure I can SAFELY alot about one second to checking my speed, the air temperature, or a rearview mirror before again scanning the road ahead and predicting possible problems. I wonder if those who use all the electronic devices would agree with that statement?


I would tend to agree with this. One of my other bad habits is being a pilot. Riding around doing anywhere from 150 to 350 kts make for getting really good at multitasking and scanning instruments. Running approaches IFR to minimums means doing a lot of instrument scans while concentrating on the primary function of staying on the glideslope and not hitting the ground, so you scan quickly.

This is a lot like riding a motorcycle, and in fact you use the same fine motor control skills, so having a lot of stuff on the bike is not really a problem for me. I am a gadget geek anyway, so the training from the flying is applicable to the motorcycle instrumentation. I do have the GPS mounted above the instrument cluster on the RT, so it is easy to scan and still be able to see the roadway ahead.


One thing I did do was to disconnect the cellphone interface from the Autocom system. One afternoon while riding, it occurred to me that the whole purpose of riding was to clear my head of crap, and the last thing I needed to be doing was discussing business with clients. I return calls at stops now, and concentrate on the riding and avoiding the idiot eating whatever was in the above mentioned bowl.
 
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texting while riding

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Since most people now seem to drive around with an arm up to an ear holding a cellphone...

Hypothesis: evolution in the future will cause humans to have one functional arm with the other permanently attached to the lateral skull.

320x240.jpg







sorry couldn't help it :hide
 
When we gaze at the gizmos in are cars or on our bikes (even the basic instruments) while moving, we are displacing our attention from the primary job to a secondary one. I figure I can SAFELY alot about one second to checking my speed, the air temperature, or a rearview mirror before again scanning the road ahead and predicting possible problems. I wonder if those who use all the electronic devices would agree with that statement?

I believe us neanderthals who don't even want music on our bikes would give a nod of approval to those who have lots of the gizmos, but use them at well separated one second intervals. Be good to hear how they manage it.

I think 3 seconds is closer to what happen in a speedo/mirror check...My eyes are moving all the time anyways...typically ahead. My mirror checks are when in traffic, not out on an open road as often.I just tried a one second count and didn't reach my imaginary mirror.

I don't care for the voices in my head or thoughts at times on long trips, so I do listen to my Ipod, unless in urban traffic...Highway to Hell or Radar Love doesn't set a good tone in a crowded environment:D

I use a GPS at times and don't fiddle with it when in traffic or on a twisty road. It also depends on how fast I am travelling...pushing buttons on the tollroad doing 85MPH (legal limit here on the tollroad to my daughters house) in certain places is prob not a good idea.

Oh yeah, I am one of those guys who takes pictures on the fly as well...same personal rules apply.
 
My worst distraction is noticing all the cagers around me texting, phoning, gps-ing, doing anything besides being aware of their surroundings. Today at a light 4 of the 5 cars around me the drivers were staring at their devices. :banghead

Yeah, but a red light is one of the best time to check these things. While you're moving is not.

And, the worst distraction while driving.......

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is my 4.5 year old son. I keep telling him "dad has to concentrate on driving, and he cannot...(fill in the blank here)." My god little kids are distracting to drivers. And, I have only one. I can only imagine what it's like driving with two or more.
 
Geez just the factory computer read out on my RT is more distraction than I need .../

But is it more distracting when you can actually read it or when the sun glare makes it unreadable?

I put a GPS mount in front of mine and now have to look around that to check outside temp, time, etc. Don't think that's an improvement.
 
One thing I did do was to disconnect the cellphone interface from the Autocom system. One afternoon while riding, it occurred to me that the whole purpose of riding was to clear my head of crap, and the last thing I needed to be doing was discussing business with clients. I return calls at stops now, and concentrate on the riding and avoiding the idiot eating whatever was in the above mentioned bowl.

Kind of like when people "tell" me I should upgrade from our Scala TeasmSet Pro so I can add more Bluetooth devices like my phone to it. It allows one other than the intercom and I use it for the GPS (which since it's a Zumo 220 will not act as a hub). If people really need me they can leave voice mail. It's not like I'm brain surgeon who's on call.

And as a private pilot myself, it scared the hell out me when they started selling headsets you could connect cell phones to a number of years ago.
 
I haven't seen the picture, but I can imagine what it looks like based on what I've seen elsewhere... the "worlds toughest riders" who need a backup for the backup of the backup GPS, a roladex, a heart monitor, an oven timer, a different watch for each time zone, heads up display, air conditioner controls, a tachometer, underwear warmer controls, engine temperature sensors, satellite radio, 2 iPods, a Zune for comedic value, an iPhone mount next to the iPad mount.. and maybe a speedometer.

Nope, no distractions there!
 
Multitasking

Multitasking, show me someone who is multitasking and I will show you someone that is not doing any of the tasks properly. PERIOD................
 
Has anybody seen the cockpit of an airplane?

This stuff is within the capabilities of the human mind if approached with knowledge and discipline. It isn't if it isn't.
 
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