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[Travel] Using Phone while driving



looney

looney

Banned
Jul 7, 2003
15,652
hitony said:
I'm starting to think I'm clearly quite lucky! driving the car with a bottle of brandy in one hand and a fag in the other whilst steering the wheel with my knees, has always come easy to me, I also think this new law is unfair to those of us who have to eat there lunch whilst driving!
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Oh it is. firstly as I have a love of cocktails I have to maintain a steady speed with few bends when shaking and pouring out my Martini, the outside lane on the Motorway is the best place for this.

The good news is that as I no longer smoke then the lighter socket can be used to plug in my Sandwich toaster resting on the passenger seat and there's nothing in the law about not leaning across the gear stick to plate up my lunch. although plugging in my hotplate for a Chinese take out or roast dinner is another fast lane job I am afraid otherwise the gravy tends to spill and have you tried getting oyster sauce out of the upholstery.?.
 




B

blockhseagull

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2006
7,349
Southampton
No one else’s fault apart from the driver.

HE touched the phone while driving, has nothing to do with his company, the law is pretty clear and he broke it. Next you’ll be saying if he picks up a speeding fine while driving because his boss told him to hurry up is the companies fault.

Our company insist on Bluetooth and steering wheel controls so you don’t have to touch your phone if you choose to accept or make calls, but they never expect you to answer a call while driving.
 


hitony

hitony

Administrator
Jul 13, 2005
16,284
South Wales (im not welsh !!)
looney said:
Oh it is. firstly as I have a love of cocktails I have to maintain a steady speed with few bends when shaking and pouring out my Martini, the outside lane on the Motorway is the best place for this.

The good news is that as I no longer smoke then the lighter socket can be used to plug in my Sandwich toaster resting on the passenger seat and there's nothing in the law about not leaning across the gear stick to plate up my lunch. although plugging in my hotplate for a Chinese take out or roast dinner is another fast lane job I am afraid otherwise the gravy tends to spill and have you tried getting oyster sauce out of the upholstery.?.
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Nightmare!! there again eating fish and chips (balanced on the lap for safety of course) it allows you to drive in a safe manner with one point of contact on the wheel.........Important note! stay away from liquid foods whilst driving.....stick to solids :thumbsup:
 


Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,619
The Fatherland






Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,619
The Fatherland
DarrenFreemansPerm said:
I defy you to not sing this version whenever you next listen to the original (or Metallica version).
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Ha ha. I’m forever going to think of this, and you, from now. As an aside the Metallica version is really good isn’t it? They sound like they’re really enjoying playing it.
 




GoingUp

GoingUp

Well-known member
Aug 14, 2011
3,588
Sussex By The Sea
If companies supply their workers with phones, they should supply the workers with handsfree sets too imo.

I cant see police having to enforce everyone to drive with two hand on steering wheel at all times unless changing gear, I think thats almost totalitarian. Like others have said, how are you suppose to turn the voulme up or down, open the window, change radio, scratch your nose, say thanks to people that let you out, motion to let pedestraians cross?

I thought the new phone laws with 6 points now being added had really worked tbh.
 




jcdenton08

jcdenton08

Enemy of the People
NSC Patron
Oct 17, 2008
10,707
Far be it for me to defend the admittedly rather cretinous-of-the-mind BG, I do think there is an argument to be made against draconian traffic policing. Albeit not the one he has made in this thread.

KPI's dear boy. With budgets as they are, police have to be as self-funding and financially solvent as they can. If this means in low crime areas setting up superfluous road traffic officers in positions to generate revenue, for example, it is entirely common to do so.

There is often a correlation between a force's performance in revenue taking (notably, their failure in the previous measured period) and their sudden campaigns of 'road safety' or 'jaywalking' or 'not tying your tie with a crisp half-windsor knot'.

'Road safety' campaigns generate enormous revenue for police services - money they desperately need to justify their numbers/HQ/existing budget.

That said, by the letter of the law, BG, he was right to get his ticket and should just consider himself unlucky and/or foolish to have been stung on this occasion. Best solution? Don't ever touch your phone at the wheel. In reality? When they've hit their KPI's and the Superintendent doesn't have HIS superiors breathing down his neck about money, he'd probably get away with it.

That doesn't make it right to use a phone at the wheel.
 




Nitram

Nitram

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2013
2,178
What a load of old tosh. Not being told the full story, he must have been seen picking up the phone. Having two hands on the steering wheel at all times? lol. How about putting on fog lights, changing radio stations or pressing button for in car calls. Really it’s so unbelievable.
 




wellquickwoody

wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
NSC Patron
Aug 10, 2007
13,624
Melbourne
BensGrandad said:
I accept that and so does he but it seems to be pushing the law a little. When the paper work comes through he will obviously seek advice. I think the company should offer the services of the company solicitor as I believe that they were in the wrong for calling him while knowing he was driving to a job, which they may well do.
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Stop digging, your son is responsible for his actions. End.
 


Weststander

Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
64,066
Withdean area
To conclude, hopefully BG you will now advise your son to leave that damn phone completely alone and to respect the advice of the Police who literally pick up the pieces after devastating crashes.

It’s not just the lives of strangers at risk, it’s his too.
 


L

luppers

New member
Aug 10, 2008
798
Didim, Turkey
Coalburner said:
The original post was "using phone whilst driving". Answer - turn it off before you set off, put it out of reach and don't turn it on again until you sre safely stopped and off the road. All this guff about swatting flies, turning on radios etc, has nothing whatsoever to do with it
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Agree with you simple answer is switch bloody phone off while you are driving
 






Westdene Seagull

Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patron
Oct 27, 2003
21,029
The arse end of Hangleton
jcdenton08 said:
Far be it for me to defend the admittedly rather cretinous-of-the-mind BG, I do think there is an argument to be made against draconian traffic policing. Albeit not the one he has made in this thread.

KPI's dear boy. With budgets as they are, police have to be as self-funding and financially solvent as they can. If this means in low crime areas setting up superfluous road traffic officers in positions to generate revenue, for example, it is entirely common to do so.

There is often a correlation between a force's performance in revenue taking (notably, their failure in the previous measured period) and their sudden campaigns of 'road safety' or 'jaywalking' or 'not tying your tie with a crisp half-windsor knot'.

'Road safety' campaigns generate enormous revenue for police services - money they desperately need to justify their numbers/HQ/existing budget.

That said, by the letter of the law, BG, he was right to get his ticket and should just consider himself unlucky and/or foolish to have been stung on this occasion. Best solution? Don't ever touch your phone at the wheel. In reality? When they've hit their KPI's and the Superintendent doesn't have HIS superiors breathing down his neck about money, he'd probably get away with it.

That doesn't make it right to use a phone at the wheel.
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I assume you know that these fines go to the treasury and not the individual police forces ?
 


S

Spicy

We're going up.
Dec 18, 2003
6,038
London
BensGrandad said:
Apparently there is a new law which came into affect in January which states that you can only take your hands off of the steering wheel to change gear, no other reason whatsoever.

My sons firm phoned him and he rejected the call as he was driving but he was observed by a roadside patrol who said they saw him reject the call but it is still illegal to take a hand away from the wheel. So he got a ticket.

He phoned his mate who is in rapid response for the Met and just been promoted to sergeant who told him the officer was correct and also a new law comes into affect soon, but he was not certain when, stating that the phone must not be on show but in a glove box.

I agree that they should not be used but I think the officer was pushing the limit especially as her saw him reject the call and also all firms should be compelled to have hands free fitted with steering wheel control if they are going to call their workers.
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Advice has been that mobiles should be in glove compartments whilst driving. If your son's firm need to contact him during working hours, why haven't they provided him with hands free equipment? I think I would have ignored it to be honest. Found this, which may or may not be helpful:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...et-increased-fines-for-using-mobiles-at-wheel
 


Thunder Bolt

Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Aug 18, 2009
65,525
Beside the seaside, beside the sea
Nitram said:
What a load of old tosh. Not being told the full story, he must have been seen picking up the phone. Having two hands on the steering wheel at all times? lol. How about putting on fog lights, changing radio stations or pressing button for in car calls. Really it’s so unbelievable.
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Our Hyundai has all those functions on or around the steering wheel.
 








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