Using mobile phone when driving

[maddog04]

and that's the issue darrsi

the law says if you're distracted (e.g. using a mobile) then you're liable to be fined or worse if causing an accident, what makes the Police barley....other than legislation.....they're still human and can be distracted (not having a pop at the Police here......but this shows how out of touch the judiciary/Gvnt are)

there's no if and buts in law.....its black and white (before you start I know there's grey areas in law) you're either distracted or you're not

[darrsi]

and that's the issue darrsi

the law says if you're distracted (e.g. using a mobile) then you're liable to be fined or worse if causing an accident, what makes the Police barley....other than legislation.....they're still human and can be distracted (not having a pop at the Police here......but this shows how out of touch the judiciary/Gvnt are)

there's no if and buts in law.....its black and white (before you start I know there's grey areas in law) you're either distracted or you're not

I don't disagree with you at all.
The police make mistakes, and will in a lot of cases take full responsibility instantly.
More so with things like driving on the the wrong side of the road, going through red lights, etc.
They still need to drive with absolute  due care and and attention,  and sometimes they get it wrong, and whoever they cause issues to need to be rightfully compensated without question.
It IS a grey area to the point where if it was you in trouble you'd like to think that any services would go all out to get to you asap though.

[scoobiemandan]

interesting.....those who advocate bans etc...
do you talk to your passenger, do you have the radio on etc.......all of these plus others come under the term "distraction"

Not quite in the same arena though I fear to say!  Talking to someone and/ listening to the radio isn't quite the same as having one hand off the wheel or looking downwards whilst texting!

[lew600fazer]

I wonder is there a business opportunity here. Being retired and the sad bastard that I am, what if I stood at a road junction with a Camera and photographed every car, van , lorry driver I observed using a mobile phone. Good clear photo of them and in the same photo got the reg number. Must be some way you could get them prosecuted and get cut of the money they were fined? Failing that you could find out were the fecker lived and just black mail them, thoughts please.    

[Dudeofrude]

I wonder is there a business opportunity here. Being retired and the sad bastard that I am, what if I stood at a road junction with a Camera and photographed every car, van , lorry driver I observed using a mobile phone. Good clear photo of them and in the same photo got the reg number. Must be some way you could get them prosecuted and get cut of the money they were fined? Failing that you could find out were the fecker lived and just black mail them, thoughts please.

Ah nice idea but I do fear it would only take around a week for you to have no knee caps left haha

[darrsi]

I wonder is there a business opportunity here. Being retired and the sad bastard that I am, what if I stood at a road junction with a Camera and photographed every car, van , lorry driver I observed using a mobile phone. Good clear photo of them and in the same photo got the reg number. Must be some way you could get them prosecuted and get cut of the money they were fined? Failing that you could find out were the fecker lived and just black mail them, thoughts please.

You'd eventually be "accidentally" run over by a skip lorry i'd imagine!

[tommyardin]

All this talk about using mobiles whilst driving, I'm just hoping that the laws recently passed in France about the compulsory wearing of motorcycle gloves do not get implemented over here. I mean its difficult enough texting whilst riding along on the Fazer without have to manage it with thick motorcycle gloves on   

[YamFazFan]

 

[lew600fazer]

I wonder is there a business opportunity here. Being retired and the sad bastard that I am, what if I stood at a road junction with a Camera and photographed every car, van , lorry driver I observed using a mobile phone. Good clear photo of them and in the same photo got the reg number. Must be some way you could get them prosecuted and get cut of the money they were fined? Failing that you could find out were the fecker lived and just black mail them, thoughts please.

Ah nice idea but I do fear it would only take around a week for you to have no knee caps left haha

Think I will give it a go , sure me knees are knackered anyway, could be a way to jump the queue.

[Dudeofrude]

All this talk about using mobiles whilst driving, I'm just hoping that the laws recently passed in France about the compulsory wearing of motorcycle gloves do not get implemented over here. I mean its difficult enough texting whilst riding along on the Fazer without have to manage it with thick motorcycle gloves on 

You may be joking but I have genuinely seen a teenager driving a moped while texting. It beggars belief, especially when he was only wearing a tracksuit and trainers (no socks) and the cheapest lid money can buy.

I suppose on the upside he wouldn't have survived long enough to make it to a cage and hurt someone else 🤔

[darrsi]

interesting.....those who advocate bans etc...
do you talk to your passenger, do you have the radio on etc.......all of these plus others come under the term "distraction"

Not quite in the same arena though I fear to say!  Talking to someone and/ listening to the radio isn't quite the same as having one hand off the wheel or looking downwards whilst texting!

It's without doubt an individual thing, i see plenty of drivers with both hands on the wheel, probably no radio on, and no passengers in the car for any distraction yet they still drive like a total moron.

[bludclot]

I wonder is there a business opportunity here. Being retired and the sad bastard that I am, what if I stood at a road junction with a Camera and photographed every car, van , lorry driver I observed using a mobile phone. Good clear photo of them and in the same photo got the reg number. Must be some way you could get them prosecuted and get cut of the money they were fined? Failing that you could find out were the fecker lived and just black mail them, thoughts please.

I've been thinking similar thoughts myself for some years now, but not 'diy'. Two police officers, one plain clothed and equipped with a decent digital camera standing at the side of a busy road, the second in a pull-in area a hundred yards further on to book and ticket 'phone/device using drivers. The revenue would be massive. The only problem I can foresee is the queue of caught drivers backing up onto the road...
It is my opinion that the fine should be £1000 and six points, no more, no less, no ecxceptions i.e. a decent deterrent.

[BBROWN1664]

it may work

One of the issues is the morrows in the cars and their complete misunderstanding of what the law actually is.

To them, using a phone is holding it to your ear when the actual offence is "complete" just by holding the phone. The number of people I see driving and holding the phone in front of their face to use as they think this is allowed is incredible. More money needs to be spent on advertising what the law actually is to make people understand.

[maddog04]

you can get done for being parked up and using your moby. They write the laws in black and white which doesn't help (see previous sentence)

I've got some background in Road safety and you wouldn't believe some peoples ideas ....then again.....

people adamant that 1mph over the limit is a heinous crime and when you explain its more dangerous to keep checking the speedo, they don't want to know.

I know of someone who smoked a joint and 12 hours later got pulled driving, awaiting test results that will criminalise the person for life and probably see them lose their job due to losing licence (apparently magistrates have no option but to ban and hardship cannot be factored in)

if we're writing rules stating certain things are illegal then you can't have Police using hand held radios whilst driving. no difference to using a moby...Its either dangerous or it isn't

[BBROWN1664]

Police have exemption from ALL traffic laws when driving on emergencies only. However, if their actions cause an accident it is investigated by the police complaints people and if they are BELIEVED to be guilty then they still get done.

You cannot expect PC Plod to abide by the law at all times or they would not be able to catch anyone speeding etc through fear of being done for speeding themselves.

I don't think Plod can use mobiles, but they can use their radios. Traffic cars have buttons on the steering wheel and voice activation on the radios to allow the driver to concentrate on driving with both hands though the local Pandas don't and the drivers of these (Panda cars not traffic) have not a lot more training than the average driver on the road though the internal driving test is a little harder to pass than the standard DVSA one.

[maddog04]

BB.....exempt from ALL traffic laws?
do you know that for certain?......I only ask as being in Fire our drivers are barley to an extent. Red lights HAVE to be driven as Give Ways... ie Fire slows down but if some idiot decides they have right of way on their green light and an accident follows, then Fire is in the wrong....
likewise if Joe public ONLY just pulls over through a red to allow an emergency vehicle thru and gets flashed then the magistrate HAS to do Joe as there's no leeway in law.
WE CANNOT GO THROUGH A "NO ENTRY" SIGN

I agree Police drive to higher standards especially those above panda cars....Police Cat 1 is the highest you'll get....but their radios double as mobile phones too. I watched a panda driver making a sharp 90 degree turn with one hand steering whilst talking into his radio on his lapel & thought....ummm!

I'd love to hear a Judge make a call on an advanced driver on a moby. A good brief defending that V a panda driver on the radio ...coz tbh, I cannot see any difference and this is where I'm coming from when I say its all or nothing

[BBROWN1664]

Maddog

Your drivers are exempt too and their training to allow them to do that allows them to go through thpse red lights etc. You treat them as give way because you know someone may not hear/see you and they actually have the right of way.

Regarding the public getting done for red light jumping, IF people actually got done for it there would be an outcry. As far as I am aware, nobody has actually had the charges stick on that one because the magistrates throw it out.

[maddog04]

BB

"exempt" until the accident then the Brigade and the Union say "sorry but your on your own"

its a fine line for emergency drivers as they put their jobs on the line each time they proceed to a job, there doesn't seem to be an appetite by the courts to punish as I think there'd be a mass throwing in of licences across all emergency services if it happened. Having said that, I recall a fire engine a few years back passing a herd of cows with the two tones on (idiotic driver should've used a bit of nous and killed them for a few minutes) and it made the cows stampede which in turn seriously injured or killed the farmer.  (the OIC also gets done by the brigade as ultimately he is in charge of the appliance....he can order a driver to slow down but cannot order a driver to drive faster)

The CPS were looking to do the appliance driver....I do not know the outcome of the case but one has to be accountable for ones actions.
I'm all for emergency drivers doing whats needed but must confess if one of my family was injured or killed then I'd be looking into it.

as for the jumping red lights by Joe public......the case I mentioned was a car at a red light with a camera to stop red light jumpers. The lead car just pulled through and to the side to allow an ambo or fire engine through and got flashed. Judge said he had every sympathy with Joe but his hands were tied in law and he had to do the driver. It made the National papers

[midden]

you can get done for being parked up and using your moby. They write the laws in black and white which doesn't help (see previous sentence)

I've got some background in Road safety and you wouldn't believe some peoples ideas ....then again.....

people adamant that 1mph over the limit is a heinous crime and when you explain its more dangerous to keep checking the speedo, they don't want to know.

I know of someone who smoked a joint and 12 hours later got pulled driving, awaiting test results that will criminalise the person for life and probably see them lose their job due to losing licence (apparently magistrates have no option but to ban and hardship cannot be factored in)

if we're writing rules stating certain things are illegal then you can't have Police using hand held radios whilst driving. no difference to using a moby...Its either dangerous or it isn't

Handheld radio's are used for short  neccessary to the point transmissions not long distracting conversations.

[Dudeofrude]

you can get done for being parked up and using your moby. They write the laws in black and white which doesn't help (see previous sentence)

I've got some background in Road safety and you wouldn't believe some peoples ideas ....then again.....

people adamant that 1mph over the limit is a heinous crime and when you explain its more dangerous to keep checking the speedo, they don't want to know.

I know of someone who smoked a joint and 12 hours later got pulled driving, awaiting test results that will criminalise the person for life and probably see them lose their job due to losing licence (apparently magistrates have no option but to ban and hardship cannot be factored in)

if we're writing rules stating certain things are illegal then you can't have Police using hand held radios whilst driving. no difference to using a moby...Its either dangerous or it isn't

Handheld radio's are used for short  neccessary to the point transmissions not long distracting conversations.

BUT really it's not long conversations that people have on their mobiles while driving, with the exception of white van men I've rarely seen anyone actually talking with the phone to their ear, it's texting that's the main problem.
Having to look down and away from the road and then concentrate on doing abother task. That's where the majority of the accidents happen.
It's not overly difficult to talk on a phone and drive as you still get to concentrate on the road so essentially as long as you can drive with 1 hand then you shouldn't be too much of a danger, but taking your eyes off the road for varying amounts of time is what's stupidly dangerous.
It's not even just phones, I know people who have had accidents while trying to change cds/radio stations or 1 girl that had a head one because her bag fell off the passenger seat and she bent down to pick it up!!
 

[darrsi]

I quite often see drivers with their phone in their hand, waiting at traffic.
They're not using it, they simply cannot bear to put it down.

[maddog04]

Midden.....so if I have a short and to the point one sided phone call, I'm barley?

"been a bad crash, be at least an hour before I'm home"

I don't think I'd win that one


BTW, I nearly wrapped up driving home today.....full of flu and out all night with a jumper on a bridge, coming home and I felt shit. must've dozed for a nano second and I was over the other side of the road, very very lucky that no cars/bikes were on the oppo carriageway

Tiredness.....there's one that we hear a lot about

[Dave48]

I quite often see drivers with their phone in their hand, waiting at traffic.
They're not using it, they simply cannot bear to put it down.

I think this is the crux of the matter-its "device addiction". So many users feel unhappy/insecure unless permanently "connected". It was only 30 years ago we all managed pretty well. They have their uses & I wouldnt want to be without mine but I quite happily put it in my pocket when Im driving/riding.
My granddaughters aged 5 & 9 cant be without their ipads/whatever unless I take them out somewhere & we do old fashioned things like talking to each other face to face!

[darrsi]

I quite often see drivers with their phone in their hand, waiting at traffic.
They're not using it, they simply cannot bear to put it down.

I think this is the crux of the matter-its "device addiction". So many users feel unhappy/insecure unless permanently "connected". It was only 30 years ago we all managed pretty well. They have their uses & I wouldnt want to be without mine but I quite happily put it in my pocket when Im driving/riding.
My granddaughters aged 5 & 9 cant be without their ipads/whatever unless I take them out somewhere & we do old fashioned things like talking to each other face to face!

A perfect example of device addiction.


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/573213/fishing-ipad-drop-video-russia

[fazersharp]

My granddaughters aged 5 & 9 cant be without their ipads/whatever unless I take them out somewhere & we do old fashioned things like talking to each other face to face!

What I would of given back in the day for an ipad when our kids were young and we would try to go out for a nice meal and they would be right little shits, now when we are out I see very well behaved kids on their ipads