GarethE

iTrader: (1)

I know that it is planned that the penalty for being caught using a mobile phone whilst driving is set to include 3 points as well as a fine, but has this come into effect yet, or is it due later this year ?

Gareth

Abdabz

Not yet in force AFAIK...

<high horse mode on> It should be 6 points IMO because it isnt as if you can do it by accident and having seen the traffic cops episode the other week where the young girl was executed by a truck driver on his phone, there is never an excuse... <high horse mode off>

For now just £30 fine...They should just bracket it in with wreckless driving or driving without due care IMO...

cottonfoo

The fine will also rise to 60 quid too. Not sure it'll make any difference, it's against the law now but so many idiots still do it.

FlightMan

Friend of a friend is a traffic copper. So far this months he's attended 5 instances were stationary traffic leaving the motorway has been rammed from behind by idiots on mobiles. Back in Feb a 24 year old girl, driving to work on her first day in a new job was killed, by an artic being driving by a guy on his mobile.

Should take their licence away. Permanently.

Edited: Sorry Abdabz, I see you saw the same prog as well.

GarethE

iTrader: (1)

I agree with the sentiments above and have had handsfree car kits in every car I've had for the last 15 years.

Haven't had the carkit fitted in the new car yet, but I'm missing too many calls by not answering the phone while driving (I know some will say this is still dangerous, using a handsfree carkit that is, but as of now its legal). Bought a headset to fill in until the kit is installed.

I'm using the info as a legit reason for NOT answering the phone while in the car, rather than making sure its OK to answer it

Cheers

Gareth

PS also saw the Traffic cops programme about the girls death

miltski

although its not endorsable at the moment, if i get someone on phone giving it "its no points i'll just take the fine thanks", then i do them for driving without due care which IS points!!!
no body should be on the phone whilst driving even in slow moving traffic, many a slow speed shunt from behind happens when someone is texting or phoning in traffic

Markus

I agree there should be harsher penalties if you're caught using a phone when driving, especially if you cause an accident as a direct result as being on the phone.

Hands-free is the only way you should use the phone in a car, if indeed you should use it at all whilst driving, but then one could argue that talking to passengers is just as fraught as chatting someone using hands-free.

vindaloo

Much as I hate people using the phone whilst driving. The whole phone thing encapsulates some peoples' attitude to driving. If it wasn't the phone, it would be something else. - Sweets, changing music on their ipod, reading the paper... Arguing with someone in the back.

I think sticking at £30 fine but making sure there's a reasonable chance of getting caught is one way of dealing with it. Camera van, couple of motorbikes and cars and pull at will...

J.

Brendan Hughes

I don't agree with the above. The point about sweets, radio etc is that your hand is off the wheel for maybe 5-10 seconds at a time (paper is a no-no). I have no doubt that there are many people who have a "short" phone call which turns into one 20 mins long, and they drive one-handed for pretty much all of that period. That is what marks them out.

John57

It is still a non endorseable offence - £30 ticket and no points. The sooner it becomes 3 points and £60 the better IMO

56blacksti

the guy was driving a box van not a artic and he was messing with a cab phone not on the phone at the time but still head up and on the road not pissing about

Hanslow

Would / should fiddling with stereo controls or heater controls also start to carry a penalty if drivers are doing it and taking their eyes off the road and paying too much attention elsewhere?

Then there's the age old argument / discussion about people lighting up cigarettes, drinking bottles of pop, etc.

scoobydooooo

i agree with the ciggie one as well as the phone issue , both are the same imho

DaveD

iTrader: (2)

Generally, I think the difference between fiddling with heater controls / stereo and talking on a phone is that you choose a convenient moment to play with the controls (eg; not in the middle of a roundabout), whereas using a phone you are continuously distracted for the whole length of the conversation.

Stephb1986

i think they should ban people smoking whilst driving that more dangerous than using a mobile incase someone dropped the ciggie and starts flapping about where as a mobile aint that dangerous.

falkster

Ive got to agree!!!

You should get the book thrown at you for using your phone whilst driving!! That should also go for people smoking and for people eating at the wheel because there will always be a degree of concentration lost when diving into a sarnie or a ginsters cornish!!

talizman

iTrader: (1)

I personally can't wait for the offence to become endorsable, and in my opinion it will make a difference. At the moment, folk are not deterred in the slightest by the thought of a £30 fine, however double that and add 3 points and soon they'll be skating on thin ice.

As for the arguments regards changing radio stations, adjusting heater controls etc etc being as bad, they in no way compare to a person using the phone. For one, how far does your mind travel to reach down and flick stations? Or to turn the heater dial a tad? Do these really incur a lapse in concentration? Please!

Why when you have 2+ workies in a van is the driver ALWAYS on the phone?

And why are BMW/Mercedes/Porsche (delete as appropriate) drivers always on handheld phones too?
Are their HP payments so high they can't afford a handsfree kit?
Or is it so that everyone can see how important they are?

Sorry for the stereotype, but god its true!

tony95

personally i don't use my mobile whilst driving. however answering a call(as opposed to dialing/texting)isn't much different to talking to someone in the passenger seat(especially in german automatics).shame the roads are so busy these days,you do need to keep your wits about you.
the powers that be would lock me up if i sat my 5 year old son on my knee and let him help me to steer(70's flashback jensen interceptor mk111).
times have changed

Hanslow

The downside I see to all this, is who exactly is going to enforce the law? How many people will flaunt it and how many officers will spot those breaking the law (if/when if becomes enforcable)? Will it be more cameras to spot when people are on mobiles, or will there be more officers on the roads (hopefully, as they can then stop people for general crap driving).

I've never known the urgency to answer a call whilst on the move. OK, I don't have business calls on mine, but when friends have rung whilst driving, I've waited until stationary before checking who it was, and then pull over and call them back if it appeared urgent. However did we cope before we had mobile phones

pwhittle

My wife's sister crashed doing that, and blamed my wife, as she was coming up to see her!

I ride past a mile of slow moving traffic on a morning. I'd say 1/5 people are on phones, usually testing which is the worst. Many people are eating breakfast, I've seen oranges and yogurts being eaten. If you's picking something which you can eat in the car one-handed, oranges and yorugrts aren't exactly top of the list...

I'd ban people if cought on their phones. Nobody is that important that a call can't wait.

Council employees face disciplinary action if they're cought on council business. Van drivers should face the same - it unusual to see one not on the phone.

I can only assume people do it becasue they think they're safe to do it (rather arogantly), but would they be ok if some other numpty killed their kids whilst phoning home to see what's for dinner?

The Zohan

Sadly all too common out here!

I think that the driving test involves a section where the driver must demonstrate the ability to drive with a phone trapped between your shoulder and ear, with one hand on the wheel and the other gesticulating.


Agree with Brendans point about concentration/attention.

Phil

What is up with the system???

The Guy is being watched for Drugs

They find Drugs in a car he is driving


NO CASE AGAINST HIM!!!

I bet he didn't even get done for the Seatbelt and Phone offences !!!!


I really do wonder at times

It must really Pi$$ the Police off

GarethE

iTrader: (1)

What I found ironic about that was that the copper had a hand-held radio in his right hand as he pulled the guy over .... I've seen this a number of times on Police fly on the wall documentaries, police driving one handed while using a hand held radio - will the new law apply there also ?????

paul-s

isn't that mis-use of your powers...

Jerome

The difference to talking to a passenger as opposed to being on the phone is that a passenger can see what is happening around the car. For instance, a passenger could see that someone else had just pulled out in front of the car they are in and stop talking whilst the driver is reacting to the situation etc. Someone on the other end of the phone would not be able to do this.

falkster

Its not just her mate!!!

When my wifes driving she hasnt got a clue whats going on around her.