Using phone driving to increase to 6 points & £200 fine
Discussion
Makes no difference to me, I abide by the current rules and don't engage in long conversations in any case. I hope the escalation of penalties persuades some that it's a more serious matter than they thought. Time will tell.
I still believe the general standard of driving, especially amongst young and not so young women, is a more serious issue.
I still believe the general standard of driving, especially amongst young and not so young women, is a more serious issue.
Crumpet said:
About time! Question; does this apply to using a phone while holding it in your hand? If the phone is mounted on the dash in a suitable holder is that technically legal to use?
I have my iPhone mounted to the right of the car's touchscreen and have it open on Apple Music or Spotify to be able to control songs. It's a lot easier and less of a distraction to use that than to use the car's own touchscreen system and all the other controls but am I breaking the law by doing so? If so, does it render a dash mount completely pointless?
The legislation specifies a mobile phone as one which requires to be held during the course of a call or other interactive communication function.I have my iPhone mounted to the right of the car's touchscreen and have it open on Apple Music or Spotify to be able to control songs. It's a lot easier and less of a distraction to use that than to use the car's own touchscreen system and all the other controls but am I breaking the law by doing so? If so, does it render a dash mount completely pointless?
If it's in a cradle and doesn't require to be held to be used, then the specific legislation shouldn't apply.
There could still be the issue of not being in proper control of your vehicle, if plod thought your use of the cradled phone was affecting your driving.
worsy said:
Shoot me down, but I don't see the problem in stopped, waiting at lights in picking up your phone and reading a message/checking the time/ <some other small task>.
'cos they don't stop reading just because the lights change. Next time you're stopped at the lights, notice how many people are looking down and just flicking up occasionally as they drive past you, rather than concentrating forwards. I find it's especially bad on the morning commute.defblade said:
worsy said:
Shoot me down, but I don't see the problem in stopped, waiting at lights in picking up your phone and reading a message/checking the time/ <some other small task>.
'cos they don't stop reading just because the lights change. Next time you're stopped at the lights, notice how many people are looking down and just flicking up occasionally as they drive past you, rather than concentrating forwards. I find it's especially bad on the morning commute.defblade said:
worsy said:
Shoot me down, but I don't see the problem in stopped, waiting at lights in picking up your phone and reading a message/checking the time/ <some other small task>.
'cos they don't stop reading just because the lights change. Next time you're stopped at the lights, notice how many people are looking down and just flicking up occasionally as they drive past you, rather than concentrating forwards. I find it's especially bad on the morning commute.Imo remove the mobile legislation. Allow it to fall under driving without due care in circunstance where people take the piss. But hey, nobody listens to libertarian viewpoints of reduced legislation nowadays so I may aswell be talking to a wall.
Edited by caelite on Saturday 17th September 17:59
I believe the penalty should be a non-negotiable 30 day ban for the first offence, a year for the second, etc. Until this is made as unacceptable, and as detrimental to your driving record, as drink-driving, it won't go away, and those of us who are vulnerable on the roads will continue to be. It'll take ages though - it wasn't so long ago that drink driving MIGHT get you a ban, and it wasn't that long before that when it amounted to "Now now sir, had a few have we, take it steady and get home safely".
If people want harsher punishments, there have been petitions raised but the numbers signing have been in the hundreds, not the 10,000 (?) needed before parliament are obliged to look at it.
If people want harsher punishments, there have been petitions raised but the numbers signing have been in the hundreds, not the 10,000 (?) needed before parliament are obliged to look at it.
defblade said:
worsy said:
Shoot me down, but I don't see the problem in stopped, waiting at lights in picking up your phone and reading a message/checking the time/ <some other small task>.
'cos they don't stop reading just because the lights change. Next time you're stopped at the lights, notice how many people are looking down and just flicking up occasionally as they drive past you, rather than concentrating forwards. I find it's especially bad on the morning commute.'thing is, the roads are safer than they have every been and phone use has gone from pretty much zero to most drivers using them in cars in 20 years, yet there has been no corresponding spike in RTA's.
It is most certainly very irritating, but is it as dangerous as we are being lead to believe?
It is most certainly very irritating, but is it as dangerous as we are being lead to believe?
Crumpet said:
About time! Question; does this apply to using a phone while holding it in your hand? If the phone is mounted on the dash in a suitable holder is that technically legal to use?
I have my iPhone mounted to the right of the car's touchscreen and have it open on Apple Music or Spotify to be able to control songs. It's a lot easier and less of a distraction to use that than to use the car's own touchscreen system and all the other controls but am I breaking the law by doing so? If so, does it render a dash mount completely pointless?
Hey Siri. Play me music by Motorhead. Job done. Hands never leave the wheel.I have my iPhone mounted to the right of the car's touchscreen and have it open on Apple Music or Spotify to be able to control songs. It's a lot easier and less of a distraction to use that than to use the car's own touchscreen system and all the other controls but am I breaking the law by doing so? If so, does it render a dash mount completely pointless?
I leave my iPhone in the boot of my car. It's bluetooth'd to the in-car system. I also have an Apple Watch. I can just talk to the Watch and it makes the phone do whatever I say, and the sound comes out via the in-car system.
Highly effective. I can make calls, take calls, control the music, etc and my hands never leave the controls of the car.
Personally I don't do involved calls when driving but I can tell the Mrs I will be late or whatever in a ten second call - I'm well prepared to do that provided I remain in absolute control of the vehicle. Which I do. Because everything is hands free.
I can even send texts - completely hands free: Hey Siri, send a text to Mrs Don, say "I will be twenty minutes late." etc.
V8RX7 said:
It will make a difference by at least 1.
I do answer calls briefly when I'm driving - I'm willing to risk 3pts but not 6.
Get a hands free. You can then continue to do so and still behave responsibly. And today, you ain't risking any points. A brief "I'm driving can this wait?" response can sometimes save a lot of bother. People are usually very succinct in those circumstances.I do answer calls briefly when I'm driving - I'm willing to risk 3pts but not 6.
Don said:
V8RX7 said:
It will make a difference by at least 1.
I do answer calls briefly when I'm driving - I'm willing to risk 3pts but not 6.
Get a hands free. You can then continue to do so and still behave responsibly. And today, you ain't risking any points. A brief "I'm driving can this wait?" response can sometimes save a lot of bother. People are usually very succinct in those circumstances.I do answer calls briefly when I'm driving - I'm willing to risk 3pts but not 6.
I will forget / loose the ear piece type so I'll just not answer calls and check my phone when I stop.
Willy Nilly said:
'thing is, the roads are safer than they have every been and phone use has gone from pretty much zero to most drivers using them in cars in 20 years, yet there has been no corresponding spike in RTA's.
It is most certainly very irritating, but is it as dangerous as we are being lead to believe?
Why do you need statistics? Get in your car, find a good road, now look down in your lap.It is most certainly very irritating, but is it as dangerous as we are being lead to believe?
frisbee said:
Willy Nilly said:
'thing is, the roads are safer than they have every been and phone use has gone from pretty much zero to most drivers using them in cars in 20 years, yet there has been no corresponding spike in RTA's.
It is most certainly very irritating, but is it as dangerous as we are being lead to believe?
Why do you need statistics? Get in your car, find a good road, now look down in your lap.It is most certainly very irritating, but is it as dangerous as we are being lead to believe?
My argument is that people are going to do it anyway, why not allow them to do it as safely as possible, there is already legislation in place to prosecute drivers which dont do it safely (Driving without due care, dangerous driving etc). I completely agree that texting/facebooking/twittering well driving is bang out of order and completely unecessary however making a phone call is no more of a distraction than having a talktative kid or non-driver sitting in the passenger seat.
As other have pointed out phone use has consistantly gone up in recent years without corresponding accident statistics going up so it really is far less dangerous than many people seem to believe.
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