Cellphone etiquette on the road could save lives

Photo used for representational purpose

A businessman is in the news for inadvertently getting into Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's car convoy. The CM was returning to Varsha bungalow, and was moving towards Teen Batti. It was then that the businessman's car drove into the convoy. A report said that police had stated that he was told to stop but seemed to be on his phone with headphones on. Though he was let off, this is an important lesson about just how distracting phones can be on the road.

We have rules about not answering the cellphone while driving, as there can be serious consequences of an attention lapse when driving. It is also unwise to use headphones as even though hands are free you are still conducting or listening to a conversation while manoeuvring a vehicle. This is high risk behaviour both to oneself and to the person on the road. This is not just for drivers but for all on the roads including pedestrians who need to be mindful of vehicles at all times.

From diving into bags and pockets to fish out mobile phones to carrying on long conversations on the device, the phone can be a dangerous weapon of much distraction. People have been hit by vehicles because they were not paying attention while crossing, in fact, engrossed in a conversation. Like the driver who has to look at an appropriate spot to pull over if he has to talk on the phone, the pedestrian too must talk while on the footpath, or when he enters a building premises.

One does understand that there can be an urgent call, but it can wait for a few seconds or a minute or two till one is out of any vehicle's way. Idle conversations should be completely avoided, as flippancy and foolishness can be lethal and, at times, unfortunately fatal.