Newark

[wrk]

FlyNavy, don't blame the driving tests since there is no requirement to parallel park at 25mph while on the cell phone. If there was, there would be about 500 legal drivers nationwide...most of them pilots

The pilot thing is an interesting point. I'm often driving and finding myself looking a few cars ahead, watching cars at intersections, and just generally keeping a close eye on the situation around me and how it's developing. I see people executing the "readneck roadblock" or 5 cars sitting in the island in the middle of the road, or just doing something else generally unsafe and stupid, and I think to myself "are these people even thinking of what they're doing?" It seems like a lot of people are only concerned with what's going on with the car in front of them, period, everything else is completely out of their scan. I'd like to think I'm just smarter than everyone, but I'd imagine that my driving style comes from my flight training, cause I certainly didn't learn it in driver's ed (except in the motorcycle safety class, but that came later).

 

[SemperApollo]

I think moving your head around is a natural action to a pilot. Not only moving your head but a head encumbered with anything from a headset to NVGs, helmet, oxygen mask etc. However everyone of those items was designed not to interfere with vision whereas a phone held up to the ear will block some of your field of view.

Now I'm wondering how many pilots on here call out stupid drivers as contacts when they're driving?
"Blue Nissan at 10 o'clock, merging, negative blinker"

 

[HighDimension]

Now I'm wondering how many pilots on here call out stupid drivers as contacts when they're driving?
"Blue Nissan at 10 o'clock, merging, negative blinker"

I've never done this before in my life. I'm just a GA pilot though, so that could explain it.

 

[SemperApollo]

GA only here as well. I've just watched one too many WWII movies

 

[PU Grad]

whereas a phone held up to the ear will block some of your field of view.

What do you have one of the ORIGINAL cell phones? You know, technology has gotten much better, and smaller since then. Try updating at least once a decade.

 

[SemperApollo]

The Zack Morris Cellphone? They still make those?

Not the phone, but part of your hand blocks your perephrial vision plus the natural tendency not to turn your head in that direction with the arm being up anyway.

 

[Carno]

I think moving your head around is a natural action to a pilot. Not only moving your head but a head encumbered with anything from a headset to NVGs, helmet, oxygen mask etc. However everyone of those items was designed not to interfere with vision whereas a phone held up to the ear will block some of your field of view.

Now I'm wondering how many pilots on here call out stupid drivers as contacts when they're driving?
"Blue Nissan at 10 o'clock, merging, negative blinker"

Have you ever in your life worn any of those things? Moving your head is a natural action to a pilot? So you mean it isn't natural for non-pilots to move their heads? You call out other drivers as contacts? Your hand is fat enough to block your peripheral vision whilst talking on a cell phone?

WTF? Where do you get this stuff dude?

 

[SemperApollo]

Have you ever in your life worn any of those things? Moving your head is a natural action to a pilot? So you mean it isn't natural for non-pilots to move their heads? You call out other drivers as contacts? Your hand is fat enough to block your peripheral vision whilst talking on a cell phone?

WTF? Where do you get this stuff dude?

Okay let me clarify: Moving ones head to focus on things in the outer edge of the human field of vision (120-180 degrees) is natural. However the average person who only drives cars does not scan the way a pilot (or NFO, navigator, etc) does simply because they were never taught to. Yes, I do wear a headset when I fly and a helmet when I ride. Neither of those items interfere with my field of view, i.e. movement to the side can still be detected.
As for calling out contacts, don't worry. Its just something my friends and I do to pass time in traffic.

 

[Carno]

With only forty hours in a plane, do you really think you're qualified to talk about those things?