In the News About bloody time.

[ogr1]

Any use of hand-held mobile phone while driving to become illegal​

Prosecution regulations tightened on the use of hand-held mobile phones at the wheel.
From:Department for Transport and The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MPPublished19 November 2021

• government strengthening existing laws making it illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving under virtually any circumstance
• follows public consultation which found that 81% of people supported such a move
• highway code will change making it clear that hand-held phone use at traffic lights or in traffic jams is illegal

Police will soon be able to more easily prosecute drivers using a hand-held mobile phone at the wheel after the government strengthens existing laws to further improve road safety.
It is already illegal to text or make a phone call (other than in an emergency) using a hand-held device while driving. Next year, laws will go further to ban drivers from using their phones to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or play games.
This will mean anyone caught using their hand-held device while driving will face a £200 fixed penalty notice and 6 points on their licence.
Drivers will still be able to continue using a device ‘hands-free’ while driving, such as a sat-nav, if it’s secured in a cradle. They must, however, always take responsibility for their driving and can be charged with an offence if the police find them not to be in proper control of their vehicle.

 

[Martin L Batley]

Won't make a blind bit of difference. For it to act as a deterrent there has to be a risk of getting caught, which isn't there.

 

[Malone]

Like wot ‘e said above.

there’s more chance of winning the lottery than seeing someone get pulled for it.

 

[Minkey]

I have neighbours who as soon as they get in their car start talking on their phones

 

[jerryt]

When Iam driving my truck it's amazing how many people I look down on that are using there phones! I when I point this out with a loud blast on the horn all I get is abuse!!! Would they do that if I was a policeman!!

 

[Jaws]

They have to be really careful how the laws are worded.. The original draft when it first came out donkeys years ago was not well thought through.
Fortunately someone with more than 3 brain cells and realised folk would have a field day reporting single crewed police officers talking on the radio

With todays tech, would it be so hard for all new cars to be fitted not only with hands free but also with a stereo system that could ONLY be voice controlled if the vehicle was in gear ?

 

[derek kelly]

I see people (particularly young ladies) chatting away on their phones in modern cars that I know have bluetooth hands free, probably too stupid to work out how to pair their phones.

 

[Martin L Batley]

What got me was it was already an offence to use a phone while driving (failure to maintain control, I think) before they made it a specific offence. Then they wasted a fortune on parliamentary process to enact it when there were more important things to debate.

 

[andyBeaker]

If people didn’t act like idiots there would be no need for legislation.

Me. Myself. I. Sod the consequences.

 

[derek kelly]

There was an actor a few years back who was stopped for eating a sausage roll or pork pie (summat like that) whilst in a traffic jam, as I recall despite his protests he got a hefty fine.

 

[Martin L Batley]

Like most people I've seen drivers doing things that affected their ability to drive. Once in the early 90s, on my way to London on the M1 I overtook a car where the driver was reading a book she had open on his steering wheel (Mills & Boon I bet). I've even seen on telly a truck driver heating his soup up on a gas camping stove while driving on the motorway. The only way to stop this sort of thing is put the fear of getting caught and very stiff penalties in the forefront of their mind. It will be interesting to see what the Christmas drink drive figures are like because again people are convinced they're safe from getting pulled.

 

[Martin L Batley]

There was an actor a few years back who was stopped for eating a sausage roll or pork pie (summat like that) whilst in a traffic jam, as I recall despite his protests he got a hefty fine.

To be honest I can sympathise if you are stationary. There was a young lady who was prosecuted for having a quick drink of water from a sports bottle despite being stopped at a red light with the handbrake on and car in neutral.

 

[Duck n Dive]

It's well known in safety management that you need to spot/track/correct the small events in order to stop the catestrophic ones.
You can't just focus on the major events - you'll have no impact whatsoever.

 

[Cougar377]

It's well known in safety management that you need to spot/track/correct the small events in order to stop the catestrophic ones.
You can't just focus on the major events - you'll have no impact whatsoever.

I see what you did there.....

 

[Malone]

When Iam driving my truck it's amazing how many people I look down on that are using there phones! I when I point this out with a loud blast on the horn all I get is abuse!!! Would they do that if I was a policeman!!

I don’t know about where you are, but here in Devon I know the police run around in an artic tractor exactly to pick up on what you’re talking about.

 

[T.C]

What got me was it was already an offence to use a phone while driving (failure to maintain control, I think) before they made it a specific offence. Then they wasted a fortune on parliamentary process to enact it when there were more important things to debate.

You are right about the failure to maintain control offence along with either a section 3 (careless driving) or in real bad cases a section 2 (dangerous driving) as back ups (and are usually included in the list of offences and which of course still remains an option.

Trouble is, you can add extra legislation, you can increase penalties, but it matters not one jot if you don't have the coppers out there doing the job and enforcing, and most divisional coppers don't give a flying f*ck about enforcing traffic laws anyway.

 

[derek kelly]

Our own Rolfy Dave got nicked for pulling over in a layby to answer his phone as his engine was running.

 

[Squag1]

I think here just having the phone in your hand is an offence.

 

[Pow-Lo]

I don’t know about where you are, but here in Devon I know the police run around in an artic tractor exactly to pick up on what you’re talking about.

Kent Dibble have one, too.

 

[andyBeaker]

One of the girls that worked for me was incensed as her partner got a ticket for having his mobile in his mouth while driving.