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Jail For Phone Users

hawk20

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PHONE USERS TO BE JAILED

The crown Prosecution Service has issued sentencing guidelines that drivers using a handheld mobile phone would be prosecuted for dangerous driving and could face up to two years in jail.

The ruling applies equally to fiddling with the sat-nav while driving, or the radio or any other distracting devices.

Evidence suggests that people get deeper and deeper into the phone call and concentrate less and less on driving to the point where some tailgate, weave around and generally display signs of lapsed concentration.
 
Bit harsh, but then some people just never learn. What I find the most confusing is seeing drivers of expensive cars like Porsches and M3s who couldn't afford a hands-free kit. Madness! You can get a hands-free kit for £9.99. Is there something I'm misssing here or is it cool to be seen with a phone at your ear proving you couldn't afford a hands-free kit or are too stupid to use one.
 
Is this not like the law when seat belts came out where some drove with the attitude that they would never wear one as they did not believe in them
 
What I find the most confusing is seeing drivers of expensive cars like Porsches and M3s who couldn't afford a hands-free kit. Madness! You can get a hands-free kit for £9.99. Is there something I'm misssing here or is it cool to be seen with a phone at your ear proving you couldn't afford a hands-free kit or are too stupid to use one.

I see people doing that in new Bentleys and Rollers. I'm sure many of these cars do have handsfree fitted, it's just that the arrogant drivers can't be bothered to use them.
 
Is this not like the law when seat belts came out where some drove with the attitude that they would never wear one as they did not believe in them
Yes it is rather. But nobody then suggested jailing them. Remember you only get a small fine and a suspended sentence if you kick someone to death in Britain.
 
The ruling applies equally to fiddling with the sat-nav while driving, or the radio or any other distracting devices

Hmm ... how will this affect the Police who got an exemption for "2 way radios" before, but must have all sorts of other equipment in the car they might want to use while on the move (satnav, ANPR, on board video, VASCAR, ???). Maybe it will be mandatory to have a second officer in the front at all times, leaving one to do the driving and nothing else.
 
Agree. Thought I was either the only one thinking this way or I was going to get a whole load of abuse from readers who like to hold the phone.

I do think it's a problem when you can get arrested for turning down the radio or changing a setting on the dash. Until all cars are fitted with voice recognition we are all at risk. That said I'm sure most people are capable of driving AND pushing switches. There is no excuse for bad driving - If you can't operate the car and drive safely, you shouldn't be on the road.
 
I agree with BTB500,

However I also think ANY use of the phone while driving should be hit hard. I don't think anyones FULL concentration is on driving when you have a call.

I still spot loads of people chatting away on phones and even worse people trying to text message while driving?

What is so important that cannot wait?

While I understand they no doubt help with accidents and getting emergency services out quickly I do feel that the use in cars while driving should be hit hard.

Sorry for the rant that's my thoughts.
 
I don't think using a phone in a car is any more or less dangerous than eating, talking to passengers, dealing with children, shouting at Alistair Darling on the radio, or fiddling with satnav.

Driving without due care and attention and/or Dangerous Driving cover bad driving caused by these factors. I'm still not sold on why we need specific legislation covering use of mobile phones.

If I was a cynic I'd suggest that its a handy way for the government to raise more revenue from fines...
 
What, the Government taking money through stealth taxes, never!!!!!
 
Evidence suggests that people get deeper and deeper into the phone call and concentrate less and less on driving.

So that's the language disks and audio books gone then. :(

Why not just prosecute people seen using mobiles in the first place. We've all seen people driving with them - why haven't the police?

It's no longer a due care offence it is simply the act of using the phone while driving whether or not it is interfering with your ability to drive.
 
I make this as a serious point. research appears to have shown that if you talk to someone on the phone you are more likely to have an accident, so we bring in punitive measures. Suppose next research shows you are more likely to have an accident if you have a passenger and talk to them. Should me ban passengers?

BTW before anyone thinks I'm joking, research does show that young drivers are 39% more likely to have a serious accident if they have 1 passenger and 71% more likely if two or more passengers.

Anyone know why mobiles should be any more distracting than a passenger?
 
When bored driving on the M25 et al when I see some bad driving I like to play a guessing game (while concentrating on driving myself) on what could possibly be the cause of their poor driving.

Guess what, half (I have no evidence to back this up) the drivers crawling along the middle lane not concentrating on what’s going on in the other lanes often have sat navs stuck to their windscreens!!!

Also some people think that having the sat nav directly in their line of sight is more important than being able to see the road ahead.

Why not just have tough laws on dangerous driving Full Stop!!! How many times have we all watched ‘police camera action’ ‘til the bitter end only to find that the sentences given to the stars of the show are non existence bar a £250 fine or two
 
Sitting on the M25 in a jam, I had a woman on my left who was getting into a terrible state while using the phone, she was screaming, waving her arms around, she was not safe to be on the road.

Someone is driving along the phone rings and the message comes in that your other ½ is knocking someone off, who is going to respond a quiet civilised way, You are told that you have the sack, none of this would be the news that you wanted while driving
 
Yup. 2 or 3 squabbling kids in the back is more of a distraction than a mobile phone, IMO. So let's make that illegal. Your driving performance is seriously impaired if you have a cold ... so ban that? Where do you stop.
 
Why not just have tough laws on dangerous driving Full Stop!!! How many times have we all watched ‘police camera action’ ‘til the bitter end only to find that the sentences given to the stars of the show are non existence bar a £250 fine or two[/quote]

I agree. But that would mean having more police officers out on the road doing a proper job. I say do away with the cameras and lets get more police out on the street doing a proper job catching the selfish drivers that don't care about anyone else on the road. They are easy to spot, most are driving BMW 3 series.
 
Yup. 2 or 3 squabbling kids in the back is more of a distraction than a mobile phone, IMO. So let's make that illegal. Your driving performance is seriously impaired if you have a cold ... so ban that? Where do you stop.

Ban the bottle for passing water when driving for one, I forgot about the kids fighting in the back, buying a 13 seater mini bus solved that
 

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