Drivers to be banned from picking up mobile phones

[pmcgsmurf]

Just another law with no one to enforce.

I see people calling, texting and smoking in works vans every day I'm out.

With technology of today there is no excuse except for the fact that many people will be on freakbook as they simply cannot let go. Idiots. Crush the phone and the car.

Like I always say about people that don't pick up dog dirt, take the dog off them and put the owner down.

 

[E55BOF]

Just another law with no one to enforce.

I see people calling, texting and smoking in works vans every day I'm out.

With technology of today there is no excuse except for the fact that many people will be on freakbook as they simply cannot let go. Idiots. Crush the phone and the car.

Like I always say about people that don't pick up dog dirt, take the dog off them and put the owner down.

Don't you don't feel both punishments might be a little draconian...

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Don't you don't feel both punishments might be a little draconian...

Have you ever stepped in dog poo?

All I can say is that when I rise to power and take over there will be changes.

 

[KennyN]

There must be a very small percentage of drivers that actually need to take / make that call or text , people see it as a matter of life + death (literally) if they dont immediately answer the phone or text regardless of whether they are sitting in their driveway or on the outside lane of the motorway , this is what actually needs to be understood by the individuals.

I have been in the mindset for a long time now that no amount of fines / points / accident videos / threats / education will stop certain people using their phones , removing their devices from them will. Whether it is returned at a later date or confiscated is up for discussion but it is the only way - lesson taught / lesson learned.

The only problem is who is going to enforce the ruling as traffic police seem to be i bit thin on the ground these days , cant remember the last time i clocked one on the road . let alone having a chat with someone at the side of the road.

K

 

[Deleted member 65149]

There must be a very small percentage of drivers that actually need to take / make that call or text , people see it as a matter of life + death (literally) if they dont immediately answer the phone or text regardless of whether they are sitting in their driveway or on the outside lane of the motorway , this is what actually needs to be understood by the individuals.

I have been in the mindset for a long time now that no amount of fines / points / accident videos / threats / education will stop certain people using their phones , removing their devices from them will. Whether it is returned at a later date or confiscated is up for discussion but it is the only way - lesson taught / lesson learned.

The only problem is who is going to enforce the ruling as traffic police seem to be i bit thin on the ground these days , cant remember the last time i clocked one on the road . let alone having a chat with someone at the side of the road.

K

I’ve seen the traffic police from time to time chatting with drivers at the side of the road. And that’s the problem, they’re just chatting. A bit of friendly warning, a bit of education, then send the driver on his way - to do it again. I’m of the opinion that there should be no ifs or buts, give on the spot sizeable fines and points in every case. No discussions wasting police time, just get on with it.

At the moment people know that they’re unlikely to be stopped by the police, and in the unlikely event they are stopped they’re unlikely to have to suffer any worse than a bit of a telling off. That’s too many unlikely scenarios to make people take notice. Phoning home to ask what’s for dinner is far more important.

 

[RonFleet]

I worked out a long time ago that trying to use a phone whilst driving is a bad idea. Now both cars have built in hands-free and satnav, the mobile always stays in my jacket, and gets chucked in the boot before I drive off. If anyone sends me a text, I figure it’s not that urgent or they would have rung, and it can wait until I stop to get answered. There’s probably a way to get it displayed in the car but I’ve never bothered to look into it. Like I say, can’t be that urgent.

Cheers,

Gaz

That's exactly my approach. My phone stays in the boot. If it's important, they'll ring, not text.

 

[RonFleet]

Don't you don't feel both punishments might be a little draconian...

Vicious, but fair.

 

[Darrell]

It’s so the rif-raf can see how important they are

They are as important as my farts.

 

[Darrell]

I tend to give drivers abuse if I see them using their phones.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

I use cheap hire vans and pick ups for work, with no cradle, Bluetooth or sat nav.
I use them to travel the UK at length (and abroad).

Thats me spending money on cradles that will not necessarily fit the vehicles or last 2 days when swapping from vehicle to vehicle, then getting stuffed in a bag.

Its easy if its your own car, but not everyone that uses their phone for sat nav without a cradle is a moron.

Using your PHONE on the other hand is totally different.

 

[markjay]

The legislation is welcomed, but it's a band aid on a much bigger issue, which is driver infotainment systems.

Anyone whose car came with a touchscreen infotainment system will rightly wonder why it's OK to use, while the mobile phone isn't.

And anyone with a Tesla will wonder why you can't use a laptop while driving..... they practically do it in tne Tesla anyway.

At current, anything that the manufacturer fitted in the car is legal to use. I have argued before that the industry is lacking standardisation regarding what is acceptable and legal when it comes to driver-infotainment system interface. As things stand, each manufacturer decides for themselves.

And who's to say that the Apple CarPlay or Android Auto interfaces are safe? The mobile phone manufacturers?

It shouldn't be a problem to have an ISO standard for driver-infotainment system interface. All it takes is an independent and impartial panel of experts in the relevant fields - Road safety, ergonomics, etc - to conduct a series of scientific tests and come-up with a standard.

I suspect that the reason that we won't see this happening any time soon, is the automotive industry lobby. An independent panel will most likely come-up with a standard that will require most infotainment systems to be seriously dumbed-down, and that's not good for sales.

 

[markjay]

I use cheap hire vans and pick ups for work, with no cradle, Bluetooth or sat nav.
I use them to travel the UK at length (and abroad).

Thats me spending money on cradles that will not necessarily fit the vehicles or last 2 days when swapping from vehicle to vehicle, then getting stuffed in a bag.

Its easy if its your own car, but not everyone that uses their phone for sat nav without a cradle is a moron.

Using your PHONE on the other hand is totally different.

When going abroad, I carry with me a standard mobile phone cradle that fits on the windscreen with a suction cap, and use my phone as satnav when driving rental or loan cars, mostly in Europe and the US. I don't have experience with vans as such, but the suction-cap cradle fitted fine in people-carriers on the occasions that I needed a car with 9 seats or more. That said, using a mobile phone as satnav without a cradle shouldn't be a problem as long as you program it in advance and place it somewhere in the car where you can easily see it and don't need to touch it.

 

[artyman]

We managed for years without being available 24/7 I have to ask why people think they need to be reachable on that basis.

 

[W1ghty]

Who will stop them?

Lamposts and trees usually stop people who aren’t paying attention

 

[W1ghty]

Have you ever stepped in dog poo?

All I can say is that when I rise to power and take over there will be changes.

I’ve put you on my shortlist for second in command buddy

 

[Nicebutdim]

I sometimes wonder what happens to people when their satnav or phone breaks mid journey. It must cause something akin to post traumatic stress.

can people still read maps?

 

[W1ghty]

I sometimes wonder what happens to people when their satnav or phone breaks mid journey. It must cause something akin to post traumatic stress.

can people still read maps?

I reckon most people under 50 don’t even own one .
Good username by the way ! I should have bagged that one

 

[Deleted member 150136]

Of course we can read maps, also an A to Z.
But we don't need them.
Im nearly 50 and I don't think many people of my generation have maps in their cars.

I can also follow road signs.

Just because we use simple easy technology doesn't mean we are useless and it causes stress when it goes wrong.

 

[Darrell]

My wife is well known for not listening to what people say.

She went for a job interview in Watford back in March and use the sat nav to get to the final destination. When I called her later on that day and asked if her journey went ok she told me that she got a bit lost but found it in the end. I asked her why she didn’t follow Mrs Google’s directions. Her priceless reply was... “I thought she was wrong because she sent me up a couple of roads that I didn’t recognise so I ignored her”!!

The interview was opposite where her bloody brother lived!!!

 

[AW8]

Absolutely. Technology now available means there’s no excuse whatsoever.

I wish my ancient 2011 car was equipped with more "technology now available"

Before satnav I recall seeing plenty of folk trying to read a road atlas whilst driving....Of course two or more wrongs don't make a right.

If only the brain could remember all maps & know fastest live traffic routes.

My factory nav doesnt seen overly helpful when dealing with diversions &/or congestion re-routing...even when TMC or whatever its called is turned on.

Genuine questions :

Does anyone know how to factory navigation on a 2011 E Class (with NTG 4.5 & Audio 50) to re-route from congestion as well as Waze or Google Maps ?

Does anyone have a link to the future legislation which they can share ?