mobile phone abuse

Author
Discussion

dcb

Original Poster:

5,910 posts

272 months

Sunday 14th April 2002
quotequote all
I was driving down the motorway yesterday, when I got overtaken by someone driving at 95+ mph.

No problem so far. Dry sunny day, road not busy etc.

However, they were on the mobile phone, driving one handed.
In my view a major problem.

Why is the UK the only EU country not to ban hand held phone use in cars ?

And if we did ban it like the rest of EU have, would the coppers actually *enforce* the new law ?

Current law is the catch all of "driving without due care & attention", but it's hardly ever enforced.

simonelite501

1,440 posts

275 months

Sunday 14th April 2002
quotequote all
I regualary drive in Europe,and use the phone on the move, right or wrong, but I've never been stopped for it, on the continent or in the UK. Please don't give the Old Bill any more work to do, they don't seem to want to do the work they've already got!

relaxitscool

368 posts

273 months

Sunday 14th April 2002
quotequote all
The offence is 'drive not in proper control of motor vehicle' and can be dealt with by way of a £30 FPN. A lot of people are dealt with in this manner.

However, remember you see people doing this when in your personal car. When people on phones or indeed committing any moving traffic offence see a marked up car, they either drop the phone or correct their driving before the officer sees them.

Afterall, its easier to see a marked car than it is a driver on a mobile. Not an excuse, just something that happens.

>> Edited by relaxitscool on Monday 15th April 15:05

tycho

11,842 posts

280 months

Saturday 20th April 2002
quotequote all
You obviously havent been to Athens. I have the misfortune to be here with work and the taxi drivers have to smoke and talk on their mobiles to get their licences by the looks of it. They hold the mobile in their left hand and steer, smoke, change gear and make dubious hand gestures with the other. The motorbikes and mopeds seem to have got around the traffic problem there though. I was walking along the pavement and having to doge motorbikes taking shortcuts!! Apparently an average of 5 people are killed drink driving per weekend in Athens alone. It's made me think that driving in the UK isn't so bad. I think that there should be a more serious penalty for using a mobile without a hands free kit and they should enforce it more thoroughly. I'm sure if they could keep the money they got from fines then they may be interested but if there's no profit then they dont seem to give a fcuk