Driving whilst talking on mobile phone.

[pelham9]

If a glance can kill how are people supposed to check speeds, petrol gauges, mirror etc....???

 

When driving the eyes are focussed 50 - 100 yards ahead. In order to focus within the car the eyes have to accommodate and this takes at least half a second and then reaccommodate when resuming driving. So for at least one second full attention is not given to the road.

 

Looking in mirors is OK because you look the same distance behind.

 

Speedometers petrol guages etc should are looked at when the way ahead is clear. Speed cameras force drivers to look at speedometers in accident black spots and is perhaps the reason that they have not actually cut accident rates.

 

Tailgating is very dangerous as the driver is forced to focus on the car in front only and has no visual warnings of trouble ahead.

 

Turn your mobile phone off entirely when driving then you will not be tempted to focus on it -certainly never have it in your hand.

[dx100uk]

NO, I think they SHOULD have helped look for his van (is that not why I pay my taxes?) They SHOULD NOT have lost the initial report!!! They SHOULD have come to see him when he waited in for two whole days waiting for their advised appointments!!! to name but a few thing they SHOULD have done but DIDN'T!!

 

Apart from the fact that the thieves had our front door key as well!!

 

 

I agree that people should not talk on mobiles!!! But is it against the law to glance at one???? NO!! Should e be banned for glancing at his phone? NO Read the post properly!!! There was NO PHONE CALL!!! He glanced at it because it lit up - no more no less! He NEVER speak or texts while driving as he knows it is dangerous!!

 

If a glance can kill how are people supposed to check speeds, petrol gauges, mirror etc....???

 

sorry, should be banned, turn your phone off in the car.

 

p'haps, if all the police were not dealing with people like yourselves that believe it is ok to 'just' .... then they might be available for 'more important things' in your minds eye.

 

a complete ban of the use of mobiles should be implemented.

don't comply........you get banned.

 

 

dx

[lamma]

While 50-100 yards is better than the observation used by some drives - the bumper of the car in front ! - I have to say that IMO your eyes should be 'ranging' up and down the road ahead. 50-100 yards is way too short on an awful lot of roads. and they should be moving around a lot as well, all mirrors,, side roads etc, reading the road ahead fully and being aware of what is going on all around you. sometimes you have to control the traffic that is behind you ! Your eyes should not be 'still' for very long at all.

Edited May 16, 2009 by lamma

[vinegarvera]

sorry, should be banned, turn your phone off in the car.

 

p'haps, if all the police were not dealing with people like yourselves that believe it is ok to 'just' .... then they might be available for 'more important things' in your minds eye.

 

a complete ban of the use of mobiles should be implemented.

don't comply........you get banned.

 

 

dx

 

 

By people like yourselves you mean honest laws abiding citizens who have never even ad a speeding/parking ticket.

You are a narrow minded person who as not got a clue about people like me!!

 

I have spoken police today who agreed that the officer in question may have been a little over zealous and you are telling me my husband should be banned???

 

You would obviously be more comfortable living in a dictatorship and are not worth any more of my time!!

[vinegarvera]

While 50-100 yards is better than the observation used by some drives - the bumper of the car in front ! - I have to say that IMO your eyes should be 'ranging' up and down the road ahead. 50-100 yards is way too short on an awful lot of roads. and they should be moving around a lot as well, all mirrors,, side roads etc, reading the road ahead fully and being aware of what is going on all around you. sometimes you have to control the traffic that is behind you ! Your eyes should not be 'still' for very long at all.

 

 

I completely agree, If you cannot glance around, how do you keep an eye out for pedestrians, other motorists etc...?

 

My hubby drives all day and as been driving for almost 30 years he has never had an accident, ticket, or made a insurance claim in all those years and completely agrees with all of you who say you should not use a mobile while driving!! He looked at the phone because it lit up (while he was stationery I might add)!

Edited May 16, 2009 by vinegarvera

[vinegarvera]

The point is although he should have turned the phone off, it is NOT against the law to have a phone switched on in you car, it IS against the law to steal a van and someone's livelihood!!

[dx100uk]

By people like yourselves you mean honest laws abiding citizens who have never even ad a speeding/parking ticket.

You are a narrow minded person who as not got a clue about people like me!!

 

I have spoken police today who agreed that the officer in question may have been a little over zealous and you are telling me my husband should be banned???

 

You would obviously be more comfortable living in a dictatorship and are not worth any more of my time!!

 

your situation here is being a victim of the rules as they stand.

as you have said, hubby does it for a living and if the rules were 'turn off you phone' it would not have been on i'm sure .

 

thats why i say ban them and ban any driver using one whilst at the wheel.. simple.

 

dx

[MalMonroe]

How long have you been driving, btw vinegarvera? In an earlier post you say that 'whilst driving' your husband received a text message. On this page you say he was stationary. Glancing down at a mobile phone is a completely different thing to checking mirrors, speedometer, gauges - we are taught as learners how and when to do those things. Mobiles should be switched off then they won't distract a driver's attention. Some people seem to forget that a car is potentially a lethal weapon and a licence to drive is a privilege, not a right.

[vinegarvera]

How long have you been driving, btw vinegarvera? In an earlier post you say that 'whilst driving' your husband received a text message. On this page you say he was stationary.

I did not say "whilst driving" I said he was driving last night and a text came trough = he glanced at the phone when stationary.

Glancing down at a mobile phone is a completely different thing to checking mirrors, speedometer, gauges - we are taught as learners how and when to do those things.

I agree with all points you make, drivers also glance at pedestrians and passengers, do we also ban sat navs??

 

Mobiles should be switched off then they won't distract a driver's attention. Some people seem to forget that a car is potentially a lethal weapon and a licence to drive is a privilege, not a right.

 

I was simply making the point that the police had ticketed him for glancing at is phone, this is not against the law. You are completely going off the point I am trying to make!!

 

"Just ban him" tell my kids that when we cannot afford to eat because daddy cannot work - why? because he glanced at his phone!

[vinegarvera]

There are many a case that’s made the papers about people just holding a phone, one where the guy just looked at the time and could prove that no calls or texts had been received or made. Other reports of people getting fines for eating a mars bar etc.

 

There was even a case not long ago, where a woman was in court for holding her phone and sentenced to 3 months. The reason........ she hit and killed a push cyclist at a set of traffic lights. Now i was like many was thinking not long enough etc, until that is, one reporter pointed out that the cyclist had jumped the red light and the police report noted that even if she had not been holding her phone, she could not of avoided the cyclist.Holding the phone had nothing to do with the accident, yet she was still convicted.

So let’s not judge, there is not many of us who hasn`t used a phone, eaten an apple, mars bar etc, Not many that hasn`t turned round to the kids and told them too shut up. Very few of us are whiter than white.

 

The nanny state is starting to go too far these days, there no longer any common sense used by the authorities. I just wonder where its all going to end, soon it will be illegal to sneeze in the streets .

 

 

 

Completely agree!

[sam614]

My husband reported a stolen van on bank holiday monday he has lost all his tools which are his livelyhood and not one member of the police have even been to see him to take a statement. He was driving last night when someone text him- the pone lit up so he glanced at it and got stopped and issued a ticket. IMO the police are not here to help the public but to hit targets!!!!

 

think malmonroe is refering to your quote.

he was DRIVING last night.

and got stopped and issued a ticket.

 

how was he stopped if he was stationary?

SAM:pLOWELL DETESTER

[vinegarvera]

think malmonroe is refering to your quote.

he was DRIVING last night.

and got stopped and issued a ticket.

 

how was he stopped if he was stationary?

SAM:pLOWELL DETESTER

 

He was driving last night! He got a text! He looked at is phone while at the lights! he got "stopped" in other words "pulled over" by the police.

 

Blimey, I didn't come on here to have my morals pulled apart. I agree that the phone should have been off!! I was questioning the legalities of the situation! Even another member of the constabulary agrees with me. I feel like I have been hung drawn and quartered on this thread and am sorry I spoke - goodnight!

[MalMonroe]

Hi - Vinegarvera - in an earlier post (which I have copied and pasted) you said - "He was driving last night when someone text him- the pone lit up so he glanced at it and got stopped and issued a ticket". You actually say that he was stopped, so he couldn't have been stationary. Drivers are also taught when learning how to cope with pedestrians, etc. - you are just being obtuse now and I have no idea what (GOOD) point you are actually trying to make!

(Anyway, what's wrong with you driving and working, if your husband DOES receive a ban (which I never said) anyway?? As a single mother, I've been doing it for years and supporting my family on my own, without any 'daddy' working.)

[vinegarvera]

Hi - Vinegarvera - in an earlier post (which I have copied and pasted) you said - "He was driving last night when someone text him- the pone lit up so he glanced at it and got stopped and issued a ticket". You actually say that he was stopped, so he couldn't have been stationary. Drivers are also taught when learning how to cope with pedestrians, etc. - you are just being obtuse now and I have no idea what (GOOD) point you are actually trying to make!

(Anyway, what's wrong with you driving and working, if your husband DOES receive a ban (which I never said) anyway?? As a single mother, I've been doing it for years and supporting my family on my own, without any 'daddy' working.)

 

I DO work but cannot drive due to a medical condition!!! How moralistic can you get????

[crem]

While 50-100 yards is better than the observation used by some drives - the bumper of the car in front ! - I have to say that IMO your eyes should be 'ranging' up and down the road ahead. 50-100 yards is way too short on an awful lot of roads. and they should be moving around a lot as well, all mirrors,, side roads etc, reading the road ahead fully and being aware of what is going on all around you. sometimes you have to control the traffic that is behind you ! Your eyes should not be 'still' for very long at all.

 

Gosh lamma! That sounds like something I would have said. I hope you haven't started teaching coz there's enough competition out there already!

[lamma]

calm down everyone please, aren't we here to help each other ?. Hubby won't be banned, its just 3 points and he has a clean license. the problem is the offense is 'using' and many cases have 'held' that just holding the communication device is enough. it stinks and some have been done for scratching their ear and have 3 points for it ! Only ways around this risk that spring to mind are,no phone at all in the vehicle, leave phone switched off 9and in the boot ! even then the policeman may swear swear he saw you on the phone..) (the network records will show the phone being switched off), or a hands free kit but have it (the phone handset) mounted in the boot of the car (needs a voice activated phone). having said that some of these dodgy phone pulls have been fought and won. Its not about protecting the public its about hitting targets - and soft targets are easier than hard ones. A mobile phone pull is real easy. I must admit a see a scary number of drivers driving along while making a call holding the handset next to their ear, through roundabouts and junctions in manual cars ! have almost been swiped by a few of them but have been lucky that I was not staring 50-100 yards ahead of the car at the times they were trying to 'cross me'. (now I have written that what are the odds that in the next short period a mobile phone driver 'has at me' ? :( )

[MalMonroe]

No, not being moralistic at all, Vinegarvera. You were the one saying that your kids wouldn't be able to eat if your husband was banned from driving. I just wondered why that would be the case - if I couldn't drive because of a medical condition then I'd have to find some other way to get to work so I could support my family because I don't have anyone else to help me. You are lucky in that you do. With or without a driving ban - which isn't the worst thing in the world.

[MalMonroe]

Agree, lamma. We are going wildly off the point. Personally, I enjoy driving along, without any phones. There are far too many phones in the world now and too many people just don't understand when I won't and don't answer every call I get. Mobiles in cars are just dangerous, full stop.

I refuse to engage in any more discussions about the matter!

[vinegarvera]

Look I merely came on here to find out the legalities of looking at a phone while in a car. People then (without knowing my full situation) started to get on their high horse and preaching that my husband should be banned! And that I should be supporting my family!

I work full time and travel by public transport for an hour each way every day. I have done this for many years (and I also was a single parent).

My husband also works very hard and I was pointing out that in this day and age it is hard enough when both parent work without one of them losing their job!

We ave been advised to fight this ticket and I was simply looking for other peoples experiences.

 

 

Thank you lamma for your positive input!

Edited May 18, 2009 by vinegarvera

[mattlamb]

As an aside, I saw a woman on a bike chatting away intently on her mobile phone when I was driving a few weeks ago. Amazingly dangerous - far worse than vinegarvera's hubby's actions. Oh, but it was a cyclist - so it doesn;t matter...

[voice-of-reason]

Come on, you people seriously have nothing better to do. Everyone Knows you should do anything but drive when driving, I got caught myself using my phone today (something I never usually do, but I was late for work and was calling them to say I was on my way etc, you heard it all before) The point is we shouldn't do it, and no one wants the fine/points and we we would all get out of paying these if we could. Just because you make a mistake does not make you a bad person and if you come on these forums asking (both rationally and nicely) for advice you shouldnt have all these weirdo people giving you moral personal attack lectures. If you don't want to give the person advice, then don't bother posting a comment, its like a playground, I mean WTF, GROW UP GUYS!!!!

 

Vinegarvera, don't even give them the satisfaction of arguing back with them!!! I hope you get the van problem sorted, but I don't think there is anything we can do about the points/fine....the law's the law I guess, just a shame they arent so strict on more important things!

[My Real Name]

As an aside, I saw a woman on a bike chatting away intently on her mobile phone when I was driving a few weeks ago. Amazingly dangerous - far worse than vinegarvera's hubby's actions. Oh, but it was a cyclist - so it doesn;t matter...

Seeing as the thread has been resurrected. I'm yet to hear of any cyclists killing someone because they were on the phone at the time.

 

It's a small issue of 50 - 100kg of metal and flesh at 10 - 20 mph, versus 1,500 - 3,000kg, travelling at 30 - 50 mph.

 

That being said, only an idiot would endanger themselves by cycling and talking on the phone at the same time.

[My Real Name]

something I never usually do

Although you did this time, didn't you. And you only give a hoot because you were caught. Not only are you a hypocrite, but you are also, apparently, a vapid hypocrite.

 

all these weirdo people

I'm loving the irony. Brava, good madame.

[dx100uk]

@VOR...but you should not even consider doing it in the first place.

sorry, shows an attitude of total disregard and contempt for others.

no excuse in my books.

 

dx

[voice-of-reason]

hahahahahaha (edit)

 

Yes I did something I shouldn't and I am paying a fine and taking the points, i HAVE HELD MY HANDS UP AND ACCEPTED IT.

 

I didnt ask for any of your "help" just wondered why you are all so unfriendly and attack everyone who posts something on here. very odd!

 

In case none of you realised, the forum is titled "A forum to discuss the legalities or unlawfulness of parking/speeding tickets or congestions charges etc" not a forum to lecture and insult people.

 

(edit)

 

I will not respond you any more of your posts, so whether you post more abuse or not is down to you.

 

Goodbye!

Edited July 13, 2009 by freakyleaky
insults and abuse removed