Driving while on a mobile phone!

Clive Walker · Jul 30, 2014

It am getting increasingly frustrated by seeing people on their mobile phones while driving.

Yesterday on my way home, I saw 3 people opening flaunting the law while driving. One person behind me was continually texting with his head down in between holding what seemed to be several hilarious conversations.

Don’t get me wrong I am not one to go out of my way to stick my nose in and ‘grass’ but due to the danger it causes to innocent men, women and children I wish there was a mechanism to report instances like this which the police could take seriously. Obviously, filming them on your mobile phone while driving would be very unwise but if a passenger was able to do this and provide it to the police then I think this may be a deterrent. I assume they need to be caught in the act by the authorities.

If I were to witness a theft I could report it to the police, most petty thefts don’t run the risk of life changing injury or fatality but driving while on a mobile phone, in my book does.

I’ve witnessed incidents where accidents have been caused by careless driving, not malicious or evil people, and suffice to say it has changed the lives of both the victim and the law breaker in ways that I could never comprehend happening to me.

I use a hand free kit if ever a call is urgent, but the safety of myself and others around me should be paramount. The idiots I see clearly don’t share my opinion.

Thoughts?

Return of the Rev · Jul 30, 2014

Never seen anyone talking on the moby while driving must be a new phenomenon

Monkey Man · Jul 30, 2014

I was in the passenger seat of a minibus speeding along a French motorway in the rain the other week. The driver was changing lanes and making calls, and even trying to check notes as he did so.

I'm sure a lot of people think they have the brainpower to handle that kind of multitasking but their percentage chance of making a mistake and causing a serious accident multiply massively. Why take the risk?

MarioOrlandi · Jul 30, 2014

You could always brake a bit quick like, that will put the fear of Christ into them

The Oldman · Jul 30, 2014

http://www.sussex.police.uk/help-ce...d-cycling/how-do-i-report-anti-social-driving

portlock seagull · Jul 30, 2014

I once saw a man with a plastic cup to his ear with a very long piece of string trailing out the window. I nearly had to put my beer down as I overtook I was so astonished.

Clive Walker · Jul 30, 2014

This very much suprises me:

How do I report anti-social driving?

If a motorist is in the process of committing a serious traffic offence, please dial 999. Anti-Social driving can range from careless driver behaviour to deliberate activity. Typical examples include:
•Speeding
•Careless/inconsiderate driving
•Driving under the influence of drink or drugs
•Tail gating
•Driving with no licence/insurance
•Driving whilst using a mobile phone.

vegster · Jul 30, 2014

It realy needs some kind of covert police action where they target a busy road and film drivers from afar then pull them over some few hundred yards further along. If people had a real fear if being caught and fined heavily they might stop. Currently, the drivers who flout the law feel immune from prosecution.

cardboard · Jul 30, 2014

The thing i don't get is some of these people have cars worth over £20k but obviously cant afford the £100 to put a hands free system in it. It just doesn't make sense.

Driver8 · Jul 30, 2014

cardboard said:
The thing i don't get is some of these people have cars worth over £20k but obviously cant afford the £100 to put a hands free system in it. It just doesn't make sense.

I would think most cars costing over £20k would have Bluetooth connection for phones etc. Mine certainly does.

JBenno · Jul 30, 2014

If someone is smoking with one hand and talking to a passenger at the same time?

Is that illegal?

MarioOrlandi · Jul 30, 2014

The Police already do that with unmarked cars and bikes. I was accused of using a mobile whilst driving by a Police officer, I fought the case and lost! Even though I had concrete evidence that I was not using my phone and one of the Police Officers admitted in open court that they had not seen me using my phone, which by the way was contary to their own evidence. The migistrates still found for the Police because the prosecuting Officer in desperation claimed "he thought he saw me using a mobile phone"

Clive Walker · Jul 30, 2014

JBenno said:
If someone is smoking with one hand and talking to a passenger at the same time?

Is that illegal?

No.

BN9 BHA · Jul 30, 2014

vegster said:
It realy needs some kind of covert police action where they target a busy road and film drivers from afar then pull them over some few hundred yards further along. If people had a real fear if being caught and fined heavily they might stop. Currently, the drivers who flout the law feel immune from prosecution.

If the Police can spend time catching speeding motorists they could also do this, driving while texting has got to be worse than doing 35MPH in a 30MPH road.

I was sitting on some steps recently next to the A259 in Peacehaven, the traffic was slowing down on the approach to a roundabout, I could see into every car that passed me and so many drivers were holding mobiles down by their legs and texting or dialling.

Bwian · Jul 30, 2014

Texting and checking/posting to Facebook whilst driving is anti social and dangerous and needs at least a 3 month ban if anybody is caught doing it. At least using the phone for making call lets the driver keep their eyes on the road. Most texting while driving offenders seem to be young women who are also aggressive as hell if you dare say anything to them. And don't get me started about them texting at 60mph in the middle lane of the motorway.

BN9 BHA · Jul 30, 2014

MarioOrlandi said:
The Police already do that with unmarked cars and bikes. I was accused of using a mobile whilst driving by a Police officer, I fought the case and lost! Even though I had concrete evidence that I was not using my phone and one of the Police Officers admitted in open court that they had not seen me using my phone, which by the way was contary to their own evidence. The migistrates still found for the Police because the prosecuting Officer in desperation claimed "he thought he saw me using a mobile phone"

This is madness, I see drivers every day near enough hanging out of their car/van windows openly talking on a mobile.

I was going to say I can't believe what happened to you, but I can.
Your story does the Police no favours at all, it sounds like you got stitched up by someone with nothing better to do that day.

pastafarian · Jul 30, 2014

JBenno said:
If someone is smoking with one hand and talking to a passenger at the same time?

Is that illegal?

dont know if its illegal or not but if you can smoke and talk at the same time you at least warrant a go on X Factor

MarioOrlandi · Jul 30, 2014

bn9 bha said:
This is madness, I see drivers every day near enough hanging out of their car/van windows openly talking on a mobile.

I was going to say I can't believe what happened to you, but I can.
Your story does the Police no favours at all, it sounds like you got stitched up by someone with nothing better to do that day.

Put it this way, the PC who admitted under oath that they never saw me using my phone was a very pretty blonde. Whilst the prosecuting PC is a regular on programs like Police Camera Action etc. He tried to impress a pretty girl at my expense not expecting it to go to court.

bpbill · Jul 30, 2014

http://www.operationcrackdown.org

Clive Walker · Jul 30, 2014

Bwian said:
Texting and checking/posting to Facebook whilst driving is anti social and dangerous and needs at least a 3 month ban if anybody is caught doing it. At least using the phone for making call lets the driver keep their eyes on the road. Most texting while driving offenders seem to be young women who are also aggressive as hell if you dare say anything to them. And don't get me started about them texting at 60mph in the middle lane of the motorway.

The problem with this is that you are required to use your fingers and eyes to make that call. The act of speaking in the phone isn't always the issue.

One example I am aware of is of a young girl who wasn't on a phone when she hit a young family on the coast road. She was however, reaching to the passenger seat to get her phone to make that call. The subsequent collision killed a member of that young family.

The driver was sentennced to 18 months in prison.

An outright ban on mobile phones which exists today is the onlly way to save on confusion, get out clauses and ultimatley lives.

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