GMP caught 10 people per hour recently!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/driving-mobile-phone-police-crackdown-11919246

They're obviously not trying hard enough!

You are, of course, aware that the government is currently talking about modifying the legislation regarding the use of mobile phones whilst driving.  They are proposing to make it legal to use your phone to instruct your vehicle to park itself whilst you are outside it.  Under the current legislation it would be unlawful.

 

This is not a wind up, by the way.  It was included in the recently closed consultation for legislation changes preparing the way for autonomous vehicles.

The offence is holding the phone not using it.

Are they looking modifying the legislation or law to allow you to be holding the phone while in the car instructing it to park?

 

Doh i misread that sorry. 

 

So get it now.  Outside car and call it up to come to you like a Tesla.

More than just a mobile phone matter a major change in Car Insurance. 

Driverless cars & Trucks approval for testing on UK roads was a George Osborn thing to keep the Germans happy.

Edited 25 September, 20169 yr by Offski

Sec 41D(2) actually refers to using, just to be right....

"(b)as to not driving or supervising the driving of a motor vehicle while using a hand-held mobile telephone or other hand-held interactive communication device, or not causing or permitting the driving of a motor vehicle by another person using such a telephone or other device"

So that is those instructing others to drive and drivers.  it says Hand Held, it means in the hand and not used hands free does it not, 

ie touching the phone. Not speaking to a voice activated or pushing a button on the cars steering wheel.

 

Where does the grey are come in with CB Radio mikes, or is there no grey area & it is an offence and UK Police officers do take action against those they see using them.

Edited 25 September, 20169 yr by Offski

Clearly if you are using hands-free you are not using the phone (there's a clue in the hands-free bit)

I was merely pointing out the wording of the enabling legislation which quotes the word "using", not "holding"

It is why people want the changes because the legislation was written early in the technology and the danger is those speaking, txting etc using voice commands and not concentration on driving while in control of a vehicle.

Talking to passengers needs to be legislated against as well, and looking at them while driving.

Said on the news the other day using the phone commands via the touch screen (calls or texts) isn't covered currently as your not touching the phone.

Brake are campaigning to have the law changed to stop any use of the phones apps, texts or dialing with the car in motion. Only being able to use them via voice commands

Talking to passengers needs to be legislated against as well, and looking at them while driving.

Not sure whether this is a serious post or not

Any legislation has to be enforceable, how on earth are you going to police talking between passengers?

It's difficult to educate the mindless and stupid

But when did road safety come down to EDUCATION ,over PROFIT.

it's been tried since Brown the gormless was chancellor, and the road safety figures have shown little change. Remember the SCP ( Police/magistrates/etc partnership ) using speed as the ONLY measure of road safety ,which made little difference to road safety figures. It's a bit more difficult, possibly pointless to send out accusations of driving failures and have the message strike home. Far more effective to have gent in liveried car pull them over and show thm the error of their ways. But, hey ho- that means POLICE ON THE STREETS, COSTING MONEY, WHEN A CAMERA COSTS A LOT LESS. 

But when did road safety come down to EDUCATION ,over PROFIT.

it's been tried since Brown the gormless was chancellor, and the road safety figures have shown little change. Remember the SCP ( Police/magistrates/etc partnership ) using speed as the ONLY measure of road safety ,which made little difference to road safety figures. It's a bit more difficult, possibly pointless to send out accusations of driving failures and have the message strike home. Far more effective to have gent in liveried car pull them over and show thm the error of their ways. But, hey ho- that means POLICE ON THE STREETS, COSTING MONEY, WHEN A CAMERA COSTS A LOT LESS.

If this doesn't educate people, nothing will

No matter what you do, you'll stand no chance against those who think they are above the law

Please don't think I'm not against phone use in cars ( or pulling over ,putting hazards on ,hence causing an obstruction to answer a call) . I hate both practices. But surely since road safety ( SPEED CAMERA USE) hasn't improved by the methods used ( stick/stick, ), then perhaps the road safety "experts " should look elsewhere than places like BRAKE for ideas that might work. perhaps the idea of increasing the number of traffic police on the roads would deter phone use ,(and make some of the idiotic fringe ,that use the lack of traffic police to let their bully boy tactics drive by the rules). Mobile phone use is the tip of the iceberg of poor driving standards on our roads, that cameras cannot & will not catch.

 

No matter what you do, you'll stand no chance against those who think they are above the law

Not untill there is sufficient Police presence to make the odds on being caught stacked against the offenders.

Edited 26 September, 20169 yr by VWD

If they offered me a job to ride around in my own car and gave me authority to report people to the police and paid me say £20 for every conviction I'd make a fortune

Sign me up too.

I have been cycling to work this past week, three or four miles approximately, along one of Preston's busiest routes in the morning and the same in the afternoon on the way home.

I have thought of mounting an air horn onto my handlebars to use as an alarm for car drivers who are quite obviously texting/ looking at their laps on their phones whilst driving along, many a time I have had to slam on the brakes to avoid being squashed in between a car and the kerb. I am constantly looking in the near side wing mirror to make eye contact, this past week I have lost count of the times I can't make contact with the driver in front as they're staring into their laps.

And I can be certain that should I slam my hand into the roof of their cars / onto a side window they'd immediately block me, stop the car and start screaming obscenities at me.

Takes so little to be involved in an accident with 100% concentration on the road, never mind only half, the other half on Facebook/Twitter/ whatever else folk do on their phone whilst driving.

JRJG

Come next year, the fine and points for using a mobile while driving will be increased from £100 - 3 points to £200 - 6 points. Best be ready folks (if you're not already geared up for it) cause it's starting to get expensive.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37389800

 

To be honest, I think it's a bit pointless moving it up to 6 points, although increasing the maximum fine isn't a bad idea.

 

The reason I say this, is that over the time since the ban and the increase, the police have basically not had the manpower to enforce it.

People will still think they won't get caught and that will not stop it.

 

Why not try something a little novel, which is you get 3 points and a 7 day wonder to show you have a car kit fitted at your local police station.

That IMHO would give people an incentive to do it with a 6 points/200 fine reduced to 3 points and you have to fit a car kit.

Obviously you only get that offer once.

 

Companies with drivers should have to fit suitable communications, because the "don't use your phone while driving" clearly isn't enough.

Higher fines have no affect on people that can afford them, points hurt if you already have some or are scared of getting more.

 

Those caught on the phone should have the vehicle seized and impounded for 1 week regardless of who the owner or registered keeper is, and if it is a vehicle required for the persons means of employment, and their licence should be suspended for that week.

There would then be the Recovery fee, the storage plus VAT, and the other possible financial costs.

 

Drivers might think on a bit if that was the penalty without any appeal.

 

Today i can not believe how many tractor drivers are on the roads with a phone to their ear.

But then i have covered 300 miles of mostly rural roads and not seen one police car.

Or any gritters for that matter, plenty icy roads though.

Edited 3 October, 20169 yr by Offski

So that is those instructing others to drive and drivers.  it says Hand Held, it means in the hand and not used hands free does it not, 

ie touching the phone. Not speaking to a voice activated or pushing a button on the cars steering wheel.

 

Where does the grey are come in with CB Radio mikes, or is there no grey area & it is an offence and UK Police officers do take action against those they see using them.

 

That has always been a grey area - more grey than John Major - it was always exempt "back in the day", as the emergency services used mikes on cables, so making that an offence would have proved problematic with the ES. Taxi's are another are where it would have caused problems too, so as such, they are exempt. Best advice though, if in doubt don't - these days CB radio has all but died out anyway, so not really an issue.

That is maybe where you are that CB's have died out.  Maybe travel around a bit and switch one on and see just where they are very much still used.

I think people will still be stupid enough to use phones, until at least we either have more coppers on the road to deal with them or it because more socially unacceptable in the way drink driving has. 

 

Last week I was riding to work, slowed for a roundabout and as a glanced in my mirrors a Corsa narrowly avoided hitting me, as the car come past me in the lane next to me I look in and sure enough, young lad in a suit head down texting on his phone, he then sees me looking and starts swearing at me asking what I'm looking at. He's just one of millions no doubt. 

That is maybe where you are that CB's have died out.  Maybe travel around a bit and switch one on and see just where they are very much still used.

 

I did have one in the Disco, a Superstar 3900 no less. It was switched on all the way when I fetched the vRS, from Hereford to Middlesborough and back, nothing. Aerial was at 1:1.3 on the swr, and I know it worked as we tested it when I bought it. Probably about 5 people round here that still use them, most of the other users are when off road, so in close convoy.

Off road is where many are up North, in fields in tractors and other vehicles, but also on roads, after all phone signals are still not available all over the UK.

Not even car radios get a signal all over the UK. 

Great that communications with a space vehicle was good enough that it could send back pictures and get a command to crash into a comet.

 

There are plenty travelling up and down the country still using CB;s and very good it is as well when you want help in areas you maybe do not know or when there is bad weather.

Edited 3 October, 20169 yr by Offski

2 most important senses when driving are sight & hearing.

Headphones reduce external hearing to almost zero, compared to in car audio which still allows you to hear external noises above the sound (unless your a boomboomboxboy)

What about people who are deaf are you going to stop them driving

Deaf people will have the extra senses on a daily basis and the DVLA should be aware of their situation.

They might have been deaf before taking a driving test or later, but are unlikely to be speaking on a phone while driving, 

or maybe speaking but not listening to anyone's reply.

 

I spotted a Blind Man driving yesterday.

 

 

I spotted a Blind Man driving yesterday.

 

Surely it should've been his dog driving??!!

No,  the dog can not fit the Venetian, roller or verticals.

Deaf people will have the extra senses on a daily basis and the DVLA should be aware of their situation.

They might have been deaf before taking a driving test or later, but are unlikely to be speaking on a phone while driving, 

or maybe speaking but not listening to anyone's reply.

 

I spotted a Blind Man driving yesterday.

There is a market for Tesla. Soon to be exploited no doubt.