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Binoculars and driving.... (1 Viewer)

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paddy7

Well-known member
Not expecting this to be a 'thread' as such, but:
I recently had to attend a speed awareness course (for when you've been a naughty boy regarding speed limits, but not bad enough to prosecute).
The facilitator told a tale of an old chap who died at the wheel, having his hands crossed while driving. A collision led to the airbag going off, and one of his hands came back into his head at 200mph.
Subsequently, it occurred to me the number of times i get into the car with my bins still round my neck (particularly if locally 'site-hopping').
The thought of what an airbag would do, crushing binoculars into your sternum barely stands thinking of....
Just something to consider, as i know loads of birders do it. If you do...perhaps don't!
 
When driving through Scotland we routinely have binos around our necks and certainly when driving around our holiday destination we always have binos. Its a calculated risk of course like driving at all but certainly one needs to think long and hard about this. Thanks for posting Paddy.

We will be staying near Saxmundham for a couple of weeks starting next weekend. Lets hope the weather improves!

Lee
 
You wouldn't want to be here today!
May run into you at Minsmere or North Warren perhaps. If you haven't been here for a while, check out Hazlewood Marsh opp Aldeburgh Golf Course. Get the Orford Quay high tide time, and turn up an hour or more before; Suffolk Wildlife Trust place, and one of the best in Suffolk these days, particularly as the tide pushes up.
 
paddy7 said:
Not expecting this to be a 'thread' as such, but:
I recently had to attend a speed awareness course (for when you've been a naughty boy regarding speed limits, but not bad enough to prosecute).
The facilitator told a tale of an old chap who died at the wheel, having his hands crossed while driving. A collision led to the airbag going off, and one of his hands came back into his head at 200mph.
Subsequently, it occurred to me the number of times i get into the car with my bins still round my neck (particularly if locally 'site-hopping').
The thought of what an airbag would do, crushing binoculars into your sternum barely stands thinking of....
Just something to consider, as i know loads of birders do it. If you do...perhaps don't!
Click to expand...

Never thought about that. I hope it kills me instantly. I hate pain.

I thought this was going to be a thread about how hard it is to drive looking through binoculars. I can tell you from experience that it's really hard if not impossible. Don't even go there lol
 
Last edited:
black crow said:
Never thought about that. I hope it kills me instantly. I hate pain.

I thought this was going to be a thread about how hard it is to drive looking through binoculars. I can tell you from experience that it's really hard if not impossible. Don't even go there lol
Click to expand...

Yup - much easier with a monocular!;)
 
black crow said:
I thought this was going to be a thread about how hard it is to drive looking through binoculars. I can tell you from experience that it's really hard if not impossible. Don't even go there lol
Click to expand...

I managed to do this a couple of times on deserted tracks on the Isle of Islay and on North Uist in the Scottish Western Isles. But it was in a straight line, looking with binos through the side window and for no more than 10 metres, while trying to get a slightly better view of otters in the sea.

In each case I got the most disapproving looks from the Scottish Blackface sheep and even worse looks (and words) from Troubadoris....... :eek!:

Lee
 
Never thought about air bag issue, but I do think about the possibly of them smacking you in the face if round the neck and then under the seatbelt strap - one emergency stop and I always think they could flip up and hit you straight in the face.
 
Jos Stratford said:
Never thought about air bag issue, but I do think about the possibly of them smacking you in the face if round the neck and then under the seatbelt strap - one emergency stop and I always think they could flip up and hit you straight in the face.
Click to expand...

That sort of thing happened to a friend many years ago, long before airbags came onto the market. Cost him a couple of teeth, severe concussion and nearly a week in hospital. His Dialyts 10x40 survived the incident with flying colurs though.

When driving longer distances I always put my bins on the back seat. I only wear them around my neck when actively birding along some backroads.

Hermann
 
Hermann said:
That sort of thing happened to a friend many years ago, long before airbags came onto the market. Cost him a couple of teeth, severe concussion and nearly a week in hospital. His Dialyts 10x40 survived the incident with flying colurs though.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I imagined happening :)

Have mine in the Leica harness, nicely kept in place ...I hope.
 
i once had a cortina estate before airbags with my building tools in the back, in boxes and strapped. went round a bend in mid-Wales to find a milk truck a foot across the line and a ten foot stone wall on my left.
took the wall and tried to slide along it but still no room. the hooks along side of truck tore half the roof of and cut through the quarter pillar. solid stop, sealt belt saved me somehow. the tools stayed strapped but a lid burst and chisels and screwdrivers embedded themselves in seat and through front screen and sides. leather mallet was 30 yds up road ahead.
somehow i didnt get a scratch. cops said pure miracle and combined speeds near 100 mph.
any one with even a biro or shopping loose on back seat, binos round neck, anywhere, is insane. and you risk others' lives too.
 
In my car, there's a double drink holder just in front of the gear stick (at least that's what my partner told me they were). I thought Toyota had thoughtfully provided a binocular bracket. They'll hold up to a 50mm objective pair.

I always have the bins within reach in case of stopping for a bird, and not wanting to have to lean over the back or -even worse - get out to go to the back.
There is also quite a neat thing which straps to the back of the passenger seat, with various sized pockets in. That also serves as a binocular holder most of the time. I think they're designed for kids in the back seat; i solved that issue by taking the back seats out.....
 
I have friends who load really heavy things into the back of their autos and think that something like having to stop fast could never happen to them. That always happens to some other guy. Even having dogs loose in the back is really dangerous to both you and the dogs. I put in special padding in my auto to protect my dogs if I ever stop fast or get hit.
 
Perhaps buying a New York Taxi cab would keep stuff safe in the back and prevent missiles.
The binocular could be accessed from the small opening window.

We removed the back seat to stop a lady always jumping in for free lifts. She got the message.

I have hit a pigeon at 100 mph plus pigeon speed.
 
black crow said:
Even having dogs loose in the back is really dangerous to both you and the dogs.
Click to expand...

Yep. Happened to a colleague. The dog didn't survive, she did. The dog managed to get a few bites in though before it died, including one in a place where you really, really don't want to be bitten.

She was lucky it was only a small dog ... :t:

Hermann
 
Binastro said:
Perhaps buying a New York Taxi cab would keep stuff safe in the back and prevent missiles.
The binocular could be accessed from the small opening window.

We removed the back seat to stop a lady always jumping in for free lifts. She got the message.

I have hit a pigeon at 100 mph plus pigeon speed.
Click to expand...

Hit a pheasant once when trying to find out if a Mitsubishi estate would do 100mph. Thought it bounced off, but when i got home, the whole bonnet smelt of roast chicken - realised it had gone through the grille and plastered itself against the hot engine block. One strange trip. Not one i'd tell the RSPB about either.
 
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