Today, on or near M42 (Ashby-de-la-Zouch), a lady driver picked up her mobile to answer an incoming call.
Within a minute or two she was pulled over by a Police patrol car.
She was informed that she would be fined £100 and have three points put on her licence.
She was also told that had she not been steering a straight course, the penalty would have been nine points.
And (I can hardly believe this) apparently they are even clamping down on drivers who appear to be talking on a hands-free phone.
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This would have to go to court as a charge of not having proper control of the vehicle, AFAIK mobile phone use is not yet a specific offence.
If she WAS steering a straight course and was told this by the officer then she could use that in her defence. i.e. she DID have adequate control.
The amount of the fine (and the points) would be decided by the court and the fine would be related to her income, which the officer could not have known.
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The fact that she was reported and sheeted is not mentioned in the original post.
Was Plod using his discretion and applying a mild dose of justice in a warning of what could happen, which if it was the case, he deserves applause....
DVD.
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Stop me if you've heard this one before ...
Cellphone use here (handheld) is illegal while driving.
Hands-free kits are allowed.
But even with the thing plugged in, I know I am not a competent driver when I'm holding a conversation ...
Also, the amount of times I've seen people having (obviously complicated) conversations while driving, and gesticulating, slowing down, speeding up, not indicating etc...
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Hands-free kits are allowed. But even with the thing plugged in, I know I am not a competent driver when I'm holding a conversation ...
Fair point. I suspect I am not either. On the rare ocassions that I take a call on a M-way, I will slow down and pull into lane 1 (if I am not already there).
But where do you draw the limit of when something is distracting you from driving? I find very loud music booming though the car more distracting than having a conversation on a hands-free. Do you ban all music appliances becuase they cause a distraction?
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This is one of a few areas where I wish the police would act more often. I am fed up with people pulling out in front of me with phones clamped to their ear, and they are obviously not in proper control of their vehicle.
Not so about hands-free sets, though - how do they differ from a police radio, I wonder, and how do they know you're using one? I sometimes sing when I'm driving, so I'll probably get pulled over!
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"Not so sure.." that should be. Oops.
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>>I sometimes sing when I'm driving,
Me too - ever experience the humiliation, on a (rare) hot summer's day, stereo on and singing away very loudly to your heart's content, pulling up at lights and becoming aware of the weird looks from neighbouring cars because your window is wide open and they can all hear you?
HF
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They're probably too busy covering their ears when I do it, HF! Glad it's not just me, though.. :-)
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In a previous life 5 or 6 years ago, when I was doing 50,000 miles a year, I lost count of the number of times I went past the junction I was supposed to get off at whilst using a proper handsfree kit. You get into autopilot mode.
Ban the lot of them, handsfree or not.
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I don't think having a conversation on a hands free is any more distracting than having to talk to my ma-in-law when she is a front seat passenger or, indeed than listening to phone ins on the radio as I always finish up shouting at the thing in frustration!
However, understand that round about Easter we are going to get legislation banning the use of all mobiles, other than those that are "plumbed" into the car, ie hands free with ear phones connected to the mobile will be illegal. Not sure what the technicalities of installing the required equipment is, but I have read that the cost is several hundred pounds. Can any BR's enlighten me on whether this is right and what the in-car setup is to achieve legality?In a previous life 5 or 6 years ago, when I was doing 50,000 miles a year, I lost count of the number of times I went past the junction I was supposed to get off at whilst using a proper handsfree kit. You get into autopilot mode. Ban the lot of them, handsfree or not.
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People dissappear into an alternative universe when on the 'phone. Witness behaviour of pedestrians when on the 'phone, gesticulating wildly walking all over the pavement, stopping suddenly in front of you. Driving whilst on the 'phone - no way Jose.
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My earlier note was when using a proper plumbed in hands free kit.
Speaker through the radio, microphone in the headlining.
It is (was?) a lot different to chatting to a passenger - you and they can see what is happening on the road and pause conversation if the unexpexcted arises. In my case I was getting technical questions that needed logical thought to give an answer - highly distracting....
Ban them in cars
(looks like the Yanks are getting round to stop the menace in cinemas and the like as well - good for them ;-)
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2499023.stm
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However, understand that round about Easter we are going to get legislation banning the use of all mobiles, other than those that are "plumbed" into the car, ie hands free with ear phones connected to the mobile will be illegal. Not sure what the technicalities of installing the required equipment is, but I have read that the cost is several hundred pounds. Can any BR's enlighten me on whether this is right and what the in-car setup is to achieve legality.
Ken...I too have heard that new restrictions will be enforced soon. We shall have to wait for the details. In the meantime it would be wise not to part company with hard earned cash (or expenses!) to anyone out to make a fast 'buck' until we know what modifications will be strictly necessary.
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There was a recent thread which rederred to this legal discussion www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=i&t=94...9 and the document itself is (was) here www.roads.dft.gov.uk/consult/mobiles/pdf/mobiles.p...f
Thanks, Smokie. Have been there and all is now as clear as mud. However the jist seems to be that it's going to be an expensive exercise to instal the necessary kit so I guess I'll just have to rely on Voice Mail and regular stops to pick up messages and touch base, with engine switched off naturally, as I gather it's going to be an offence to even talk on a mobile when the car is pulled over if the engine is still running!
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