Tougher mobile phone laws in force from today (25 March 2022)

[clk320x]

That suggest that even built in satnav must only be used handsfree, which makes sense.

That begs the question, a lot of controls (heating ventilation etc) have gone electronic and are adjusted via touch screens - are they illegal?

Of course not.. you’re not holding your car heating controls..

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I've not seen this mentioned here so far? UK law changed today to close many 'loopholes' in terms of mobile phones etc. being used in cars for purposes other than 'communication':

View attachment 125186

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Mobile loophole for gaming drivers is closed

Drivers in Great Britain can now be fined for taking a photo or browsing playlists on their phone.

www.bbc.co.uk

Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving

It’s illegal to hold a phone or a sat nav while driving - you'll get penalty points, a fine and can be banned from driving.

www.gov.uk

Worth highlighting that voice activated commands are still legal, as long as you're not holding the phone, as is looking at a screen or dashboard mounted phone, so you can still control music, podcasts, incoming and outgoing texts, calls etc etc.

And that the penalty, like small speeding fines, is SIX points, not three. It's not the fine that's painful, it's the risk of disqualification on points. (Do it twice and you're banned for a year)

But it is still just a tiny fixed penalty fine of £200, and not one of last year's income related speeding fines. ( £1000 for doing 41 in a 20 mph urban zone and six points on your licence)

As an aside, this has already been in force for two years in France (and probably the whole of the EU), where they really do prosecute for it. Unlike the UK you can NOT use headphones or earpieces at all.



Speeding fine calculator

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Quick correction to that final paragraph above regarding France, not the UK.

This has already been in force for two years in France (and probably the whole of the EU), where they really do prosecute for it, and you CAN be immediately banned for it.

And you can NOT make mobile phone calls while sat in your car, unless you have broken down, or are parked in a designated parking space. You can NOT just pull over to make or receive a phone call.

Unlike the UK, in France you can NOT use headphones, earpieces or voice-activated phone handsfree - only "fully plumbed in" voice or car controls on the car.

Driving in France Requirements Checklist 2022

 

[Dickster]

Of course not.. you’re not holding your car heating controls..

You know what handsfree access means, right?

 

[Mactech]

I deleted all the German contacts in my phone last week, so now it's Hans free....

 

[alzieboy]

I wonder if the new laws would apply to Frank Lampard , he seems to think a phone in one hand , cup of coffee in the other is okay .
Still it was Frank

 

[MrGreedy]

Stationary, using the phone with engine running is still an offence.

Obviously ridiculous in terms of need for prosecution vs harms done to society.

I can only guess this is to delink phone use and operating a vehicle whatsoever. Except for the exceptions?

Not aimed at you Alfie

 

[MancRick101]

It seems that cameras aimed at catching those using a phone whilst driving are now a thing?

New 'game-changer' camera caught 15,000 drivers using their phones

The new camera could be a game-changer for police.

www.google.com

 

[Helsinki]

I totally agree with GermghOst, I think the phone should be confiscated and destroyed. I also think anyone convicted of drink driving the car should be dealt in the same way.

 

[Bellow]

It seems that cameras aimed at catching those using a phone whilst driving are now a thing?

New 'game-changer' camera caught 15,000 drivers using their phones

The new camera could be a game-changer for police.

www.google.com

Couldn't the accused claim that the phone was switched off at the time? Unless there's recourse to checking the phones data (onerous) there's no evidence of a device 'capable of sending/receiving data'.

 

[Alfie]

Worth highlighting that voice activated commands are still legal, as long as you're not holding the phone, as is looking at a screen or dashboard mounted phone, so you can still control music, podcasts, incoming and outgoing texts, calls etc etc.

And that the penalty, like small speeding fines, is SIX points, not three. It's not the fine that's painful, it's the risk of disqualification on points. (Do it twice and you're banned for a year)

But it is still just a tiny fixed penalty fine of £200, and not one of last year's income related speeding fines. ( £1000 for doing 41 in a 20 mph urban zone and six points on your licence)

As an aside, this has already been in force for two years in France (and probably the whole of the EU), where they really do prosecute for it. Unlike the UK you can NOT use headphones or earpieces at all.

View attachment 125210

Speeding fine calculator

If you accumulate twelve points its a six month disqualification

Worth highlighting that voice activated commands are still legal, as long as you're not holding the phone, as is looking at a screen or dashboard mounted phone, so you can still control music, podcasts, incoming and outgoing texts, calls etc etc.

And that the penalty, like small speeding fines, is SIX points, not three. It's not the fine that's painful, it's the risk of disqualification on points. (Do it twice and you're banned for a year)

But it is still just a tiny fixed penalty fine of £200, and not one of last year's income related speeding fines. ( £1000 for doing 41 in a 20 mph urban zone and six points on your licence)

As an aside, this has already been in force for two years in France (and probably the whole of the EU), where they really do prosecute for it. Unlike the UK you can NOT use headphones or earpieces at all.

View attachment 125210

Speeding fine calculator


View attachment 125211

If you accumulate twelve points its a six month ban not twelve. Unless you have had a ban over 56 days in the past three years. In that case it is twelve months. If you get a ‘totting’ ban, all the points are wiped off!

If you get six points within two years of passing your test your licence is revoked by DVLA. Its not a ban. You have to retake your test(s) which in theory you could do the following day. Also its not something the courts can be lenient on. Its done automatically by DVLA.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

If you accumulate twelve points its a six month ban not twelve. Unless you have had a ban over 56 days in the past three years. In that case it is twelve months. If you get a ‘totting’ ban, all the points are wiped off!

If you get six points within two years of passing your test your licence is revoked by DVLA. Its not a ban. You have to retake your test(s) which in theory you could do the following day. Also its not something the courts can be lenient on. Its done automatically by DVLA.

I'm still sobbing at being banned for six months for doing 41 in an urban 20 mph zone that "I hadn't noticed."

("Twenty's plenty," for sure, but these areas are all over London now. And people wonder why I haven't bought another V8....)

(I stopped worrying about the "new driver with less than 2 years' experience in 1974.)

 

[Dickster]

Most of the 20mph zones are inappropriate and ridiculous imho. The ones near the elephant and castle no one adheres to..

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Most of the 20mph zones are inappropriate and ridiculous imho. The ones near the elephant and castle no one adheres to..

50% of TFL's London roads are now 20mph.

Sounds unbelievable, but it's part of the Mayor's "Vision Zero" plan to encourage other forms of travel within London.

The same Mayor who's studiously ignoring broken bridges such as Hammersmith, the structurally faulty bridges on the Westway (12 major repairs required), Vauxhall (steel repairs), and Gallows Corner, and the faulty ventilation system at Rotherhide.

"We get what we voted for."

.

 

[Dickster]

Wow, I never knew that ….