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You're completely right Ld - it's the same down here in the south. Loads more mobile use and no action taken. A totally pointless, unenforceable law. This lot specialise in passing new, useless laws. It makes many of the population believe 'they' are doing something useful for us all. They're not.
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Any thoughts????? - there will be a stampede along in a sec....
Firstly, those users of mobile phones tend to drive newer or expensive cars - so why can't they afford the £175 to have a proper hands free kit fitted. There are even kits that can swap the cradle over for different phones, so the costs remains low once its fitted.
And forgive me Pologirl, but most of these miscreats are younger girls who in former times would be putting makeup on at the wheel.
What about bluetooth? Loads of phones have this, so why not use it?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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It's the same round here - in fact I've just come back from town and spent two or three minutes attempting to get the bloke in the Focus behind me to stop using his mobile.
The police can't do anything unless they actually see the offence being committed.
The chances of the police seeing the offence being committed are not that much less than me winning the Lottery.
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"The police can't do anything unless they actually see the offence being committed."
What police?
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I drive a dark blue Volvo S80 and usually wear a white shirt (hint!) .
The other day I saw a woman (well bimbo)in a new BMW Z4 driving on a major route of out Manchester City Centre. Lots of traffic (it was rush hour) and lights and pedestrians etc etc. Talking on the phone all the time. She turned off onto the same side road I use as a cut through to another major road where I live.
So, when we got to a junction in between, I opened my window and yelled out to her \'....put the phone down..\'.
Oh my!! The phone was dropped into the footwell, and she drove at 29mph all the way whilst I was following her. I got a nasty look as I drove into my drive, but it was worth it.
This stuff really irritates. I change cars every 18 months or 2 years, and I can manage to get the hands free kit swapped over without difficulty. So why can\'t these people who drive far newer and more expensive cars than mine?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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The police now have speed cameras that take photographs of the drivers face (to get round the I can't remember who was driving at the time syndrome).
Why not just use these cameras to snap every driver, any one with a mobile phone gets a £40 fine and 3 points.
The police want to make money out of motorists, I'm happy for them to do it this way.
Anyone object?
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I've just had an idea which could make me a fortune. I'm going into business making Richard Brunstrom masks!
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surely you mean masks of his daughter? She seems to be able to ignore her father and speed regardless of the inherent dangers.
Adam
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Good point Adam. Why don't we do a "His'n'Hers" range so we can get them both!
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Count me in C.M.
On another note, my previous comment wasn't said with enough cynicism...or is it sarcasm?
"Inherent dangers" ....I'm surprised she hasn't been beheaded given the seriousness of the crime.
Adam
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>>Why not just use these cameras to snap every driver, any one with a mobile phone gets a £40 fine and 3 points.
The police want to make money out of motorists, I'm happy for them to do it this way.
why stop there an instant ban should bring these people to their senses
rustbucket (the original)
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The police now have speed cameras that take photographs of the drivers face (to get round the I can't remember who was driving at the time syndrome). Why not just use these cameras to snap every driver, any one with a mobile phone gets a £40 fine and 3 points.
Actually saw this happen a couple of days ago, car coming towards me was snapped by a camera, quite rightly, he must have been the wrong side of 50 in a 40 near a school at half past three. As he passed me I saw he was busy chatting away on his mobile. It did occur to me whether he could be prosecuted as he would be shown quite clearly on the facing camera, after all the facing camera is designed to get clear facial shots of the driver. Would the camera shot count as being observed by a police officer when they process his NIP?
Cockle
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We obviously have a few more patrol cars around here than in your area....
I did report a driver who nearly ploughed into the back of me as I turned into my drive because he was concentrating on his phone call.
However, the policewoman I spoke to was sympathetic but unable to take any action; she stated police had to see the offence being committed, a point confirmed by a traffic officer friend.
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stuartli wrote
The police can't do anything unless they actually see the offence being committed.
The chances of the police seeing the offence being committed are not that much less than me winning the Lottery
Quite right, as soon as there's a copper in the vicinity anybody north of an an unobservant buerk has the phone off and stowed. The invisible gain of visible policing. This week the Met have had a couple of community support chappies in flourescent bibs on the Euston Road by Eversholt Street. Box junction offences; endemic last week, nil this week.
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>And forgive me Pologirl, but most of these miscreats are >younger girls who in former times would be putting makeup on at >the wheel.
Oh bless you, I don't bite ALL the time! In my experience it's actually either reppy young blokes or women slightly older than me that I see glued to the phone.
>What about bluetooth? Loads of phones have this, so why not use >it?
Maybe because it's between £80-100 for a decent bluetooth headset (unless you get an absolute bargain on Ebay as I am set to do!), but only £60 to get caught talking on the phone while driving?
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As a matter of interest.Woolworths are selling them for £29 99.
so are Aldi`s.so would think it cheaper to get one.
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Was mech1
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Are you sure they're both Bluetooth and decent, for that price?
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Yes both are bluetooth.Decent I cannot say.Though I will be getting one next week assuming their isnt a rush on for them.
woolworths appear to be selling well.
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Was mech1
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eBay still doing the Nokia Bluetooth one for >>BUY NOW!>>£29?
Cracking headseat with excellent sound. Makes you look like a total git, mind. Still, what do I care, I look like a git without a headset.
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>>Still, what do I care, I look like a git without a headset.
He's got a point, you know.
Where on e-bay ? I slammed the car door on the last one.
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cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=...1
Gone up £6.00 to £35.99. These are 14 day returns. If you want one that hasn\'t been in some pikey\'s ear, try cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=...1 for £40.
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>>Still, what do I care, I look like a git without a headset. He's got a point, you know. Where on e-bay ? I slammed the car door on the last one.
You'll only end up losing it, just like your tyre pressure gauges.
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ND, can you do me a favour and make sure you remove it before leaving the car? The amount of people you see walking round the shop talking to themselves with these extra spock ears is ridiculous!
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ND, can you do me a favour and make sure you remove it before leaving the car? The amount of people you see walking round the shop talking to themselves with these extra spock ears is ridiculous!
Never fear, I do remove it. Once got out of the car talking into it (just as I met Mark RLBS for the first time) and he thought I was stark staring mad.
Actually, he was right.
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Firstly, those users of mobile phones tend to drive newer or expensive cars - so why can't they afford the £175 to have a proper hands free kit fitted.
Or even stop off at Esso or BP and pay £4.99 for one of those universal ones that clip on an air vent. I've had one since last Oct and it works fine.
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Just seen the 6 oclock news surrey police say they are having a clamp down on mobile phone users, about time too.
rustbucket (the original)
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Went by air to Edinburgh last week and was picked up by a hire companies "taxi/minibus" to go and collect a minibus from their depot a few miles away. On the way, the driver was phoned by his office and he spent five minutes discussing his next few pick-ups on his mobile - no hands free. Wouldn't you think his company would put a hands -free thing in the bus? I also seem to see an increasing number of white van men/courier drivers with phones stuck to their ears. Surely professional drivers could invest in a hands free. I bought one from Sainsbury's for £20 even though I only use the phone in car once in a blue moon - it works well.
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"companies" should read "company's" - before the pedants pick it up (well, it annoys me too!!)
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Just seen the 6 oclock news surrey police say they are having a clamp down on mobile phone users, about time too.
It was covered again at 1025 this evening.
675 booked in 6 months. They are using unmarked cars e.g. they were in a Saab for the publicity shots.
They booked a HGV and others in the programme.
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Oh, and I forgot. Driving along urban dual carriageway today in Nottingham behind young lady with phone glued to her ear. Alongside her for several hundred yards was a police car, both doing 30-40 mph in 40 mph speed limit. "she's going to get done for being on her phone" says I to my wife. We all stopped for traffic lights, young lady kept glancing across at police car while on phone, lights changed to green and both cars pulled off, girl still on phone, police car pulled in front of her but did not stop her. At next lights, they got through but I was stopped..... they both continued into the distance.
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Could they have been giving her enough rope to hang herself with?
Adam
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This does make me annoyed. I have yet to hear of anyone being done for a hands-on mobile as they are driving, yet I am still terrified of taking a sip out of a bottle of water just in case.
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Well, am I missing a point here? It seems the general consensus is that holding a phone whilst driving is unsafe whereas having a hands free kit and having a conversation is safe...?
Isn't this a bit simplistic? OK, so you're going to throw the "if you don't have both hands on the wheel you're not in proper control of your vehicle" argument at me, which I think is a bit pants in this day & age of power steering, but granted that is one small reason there's a difference...
Whereas I can see that you have got to start somewhere, surely there are several other things in vehicles that could be considered equally "unsafe" as holding a phone (and therefore only having one hand on the wheel) such as:
Smoking (don't even get me started on prats throwing fag ends out of windows...)
Eating
Drinking
Picking your nose (not saying I do it - but I've seen it done!)
Fiddling with the stereo
What about other things EVEN WITH both hands on the wheel such as:
Mum/Dad turning round to bellow at out of control kids in the back seat
Singing along loudly and enthusiastically to music in the car and bopping along too sometimes (well, I assume they are listening to music...)
Reading maps on lap/balanced on steering wheel
Reading newspapers
Having animated and raucous conversation with mates in car
Where does the list stop?
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Oh Lord - what a day!!
Brand new £80,000 worth of Porsche Cayenne Turbo on private plates. Can cannot be more than two months old. Manchester.
Female driver, 35yo, car full of kids driving one handed because the other is clamped to her ear. If they can afford £80,000 can they not afford a hands free kit???? They can't use the excuse of constantly changing cars as it had a private plate.
Why do these people flout the law with impunity. I would get caught as soon as I drove out the drive.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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