[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

You can't rely on a passenger to warn you of stuff on the road, that's ridiculous. Speaking on hands free is exactly the same as speaking to someone in the car, infact you could argue that speaking to someone who's physically in the car with you is more distracting as the temptation to look at them if they're describing something etc is there which it isn't if someone is on the phone

Its not ridiculous at all.
I never also said anyone should rely on passengers to warn of anything anyway.
At least talking to another person, rather than a machine, means 2 sets of eyes available.

When I was a teen, many times on long journeys as a passenger.
I've also VOLUNTARILY, not being relied on, watched the road.
Looking for directions on signs etc.

A phone cannot and doesn't do that.

It's not a ridiculous thing at all as you state.
Far from it actually..
In my view.