Increased Sanctions Proposed for Mobile Phone Use

[optimusprime]

New way to catch phone users is an unmarked tractor unit or artic in other words .As they look down on you as you go on your way.So look out ,best not to use the phone .Simple.

 

[tec]

increasing the sanction for breaking a dubiously defined law that is difficult to enforce is flawed.

It's not difficult to enforce, it's just that there is very little enforcement due to lack of Police on the roads.

The drivers on the phone stick out like a sore thumb, as they are usually driving very slowly and often crossing the road markings, or drifting about within the markings.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

It's an absolutely pathetic suggestion. Why are people obsessed with mobile phone use by drivers? When I read that 205 people had been killed, over 10 years, due to mobile phone use by drivers, I was staggered. It's a complete non problem.

You don't really mean that do you? Only 205 killed so it doesn't matter?

Since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 "only" 179 UK troops have been killed there in operations. So Tony Blair needn't worry because it doesn't matter. After all, over 700,000 British soldiers were killed during WW1. So the Invasion of Iraq must have been a "non problem"!!!

So what if thousands of lives have been devastated by invading Iraq? And so what if thousands of lives have no doubt been devastated because idiots chose to concentrate more on their phone than on the road ahead? Should we really ignore this? Do we just shrug our shoulders and say it doesn't really matter when there are so many other causes of death and injury? To me that sounds either totally callous or totally moronic.

I make no apology for showing a concern for the lives and health of others, no matter how many or how few. Those who don't give a toss about anyone else will continue to use their phones whilst driving, and continue to defend such crass stupidity. There are times when I despair of the human race.

 

[artyman]

It isn't only the 205 deaths, it's the families that are devastated, the young child not understanding why Daddy isn't coming home each evening. The numbers affected are far more than 205. Is Twitterbookgram and chatting more important! I think we know the answer. Probably most of us lived for years without being in contact 24/7, you'd probably stop within 2hours, make the call then.

 

[TheFoX]

I don't think we need new laws or changes of law when existing laws can be used in such an event.

If someone is failing to take a duty of care and attention while driving, for whatever reason, and they cause an accident, or worse, a fatality, then they get prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

It doesn't matter whether they were on the phone, texting, eating fish and chips, reading a newspaper or doing the crossword, or any other pastime that is a distraction, if they fail to take reasonable control of their vehicle given the surroundings, then they face the possibility of a custodial sentence.

Do we really need new laws to cover the most basic requisite of sitting behind the steering wheel? If you are in charge of a moving lump of metal, you take responsibility for that moving lump of metal, and if that moving lump of metal causes an incident and you weren't paying attention, then you get penalised for moving that lump of metal without thought.

 

[zipdip]

Well I think all these people who text while driving should be banned,there is no way you can concentrate on the road and text,on the other hand receiving a call and pushing the button on the steering wheel is no more a risk that trying to answer that competition on the radio,you know the mystery voice and the like,I do not make calls even though my phone book is in the command,I cannot see how the police can get a conviction in court,when I have seen the single manned police cars getting the info on the car they are following via their radios and have their heads cocked to one side to hear the details,they are talking and listening just like a driver talking on the hands free phone,it is maybe a few years away but what will they do for convictions when we get those driver less cars the owner may well be making breakfast on the back seat,maybe we will get a rise in scalding accidents and so it will be illegal to brew up whilst the car is moving

 

[markjay]

The issue here is prevention... it is all good well analysing the driver's mobile phone activity after a fatal crash... but how do you enforce proper use beforehand?

Part of the difficulty is that it is premissble to use visual navigation aids, either those that come with the car or those that are stuck in a mobile phone holder on the windscreen.

The odd bit is that apparently you are allowed to operate/touch the device if it was built into the car, but your are not allowed to operate/touch the device if it's a mobile phone or aftermarket SatNav.

This is where enforcement gets complex.... it would have been much easier to enforce if the rule was simple: eyes on the road while driving, full stop. No SatNav in dash or on screen.

Do you recall how early SatNavs issued verbal instructions, accompanied by a simple arrow on the dash?

The SatNav is the thin edge of the wedge. Once the mobile phone can legally be stuck in front of the driver's face (while used as SatNav), the temptation is there for the driver to do all sort of things with this extremely versatile and feature-packed communication device.

I mentioned before that I have recently been in a London black cab where the driver was having a very lively Skype video call with a Lady.

And on the same note, Waze displays advertising on screen pointing to local attractions....