Mobile phone use crackdown

[spookly]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38711931

Seems they caught quite a few - 8000. At a rate of about 40 an hour.
And also nicked some for other distractions such as eating while driving.

I drove past a marked police car yesterday morning and the single copper in the car was busy with a large Costa coffee. I've also seen them on the phone wile driving. Is it ok for them and not us?

FWIW... I don't ever use my phone in my hand while driving as I have the car linked to both my work and personal phone. I do sometimes eat/drink while driving. If it is ok for our local plod then I guess it is ok for me :-)

[swisstoni]

spookly said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38711931

Seems they caught quite a few - 8000. At a rate of about 40 an hour.
And also nicked some for other distractions such as eating while driving.

I drove past a marked police car yesterday morning and the single copper in the car was busy with a large Costa coffee. I've also seen them on the phone wile driving. Is it ok for them and not us?

FWIW... I don't ever use my phone in my hand while driving as I have the car linked to both my work and personal phone. I do sometimes eat/drink while driving. If it is ok for our local plod then I guess it is ok for me :-)

Grow up.

[aspirated]

swisstoni said:

Grow up.

How do you expect him to grow without eating?

[quoteunquote_sir_]

spookly said:

I drove past a marked police car yesterday morning and the single copper in the car was busy with a large Costa coffee.

How did you establish their marital status from a simple drive past? Anyway yes in answer to your question, BiB get special training so that they can do all sorts of stuff while driving. Or something.

All sarcasm aside, I am glad to see that they are starting to take this seriously as an offence, but one campaign is of limited benefit as the idiots that drive around using Facebook or whatever know full well the chances of getting caught are slim. Personally I don't understand why the first offence isn't a minimum 12 month ban like drink driving.

[anonymous-user]

quoteunquote_sir_ said:

How did you establish their marital status from a simple drive past? Anyway yes in answer to your question, BiB get special training so that they can do all sorts of stuff while driving. Or something.

All sarcasm aside, I am glad to see that they are starting to take this seriously as an offence, but one campaign is of limited benefit as the idiots that drive around using Facebook or whatever know full well the chances of getting caught are slim. Personally I don't understand why the first offence isn't a minimum 12 month ban like drink driving.

Give dashcam drivers a % of fines and I am sure footage would pour in

[Rick101]

With funding declining I'm surprised there is no arrangement for forces to be able to keep revenue from mobile phone fines, or at least some of it.

There is a general hate of speeding fines but most are happy to see mobile phone drivers ticketed, even if many are guilty of it themselves.

[quoteunquote_sir_]

Rick101 said:

There is a general hate of speeding fines but most are happy to see mobile phone drivers ticketed, even if many are guilty of it themselves.

This is because speeding is not inherently dangerous, driving along using a handheld smartphone clearly is.

[caelite]

quoteunquote_sir_ said:

spookly said:

I drove past a marked police car yesterday morning and the single copper in the car was busy with a large Costa coffee.

Personally I don't understand why the first offence isn't a minimum 12 month ban like drink driving.

Because statistically, it's not that dangerous, it's just the flavour of the month for demonisation and revenue generation.

[Rick101]

quoteunquote_sir_ said:

This is because speeding is not inherently dangerous, driving along using a handheld smartphone clearly is.

Wasn't a criticism. It was an observation and a question as to why it hasn't happened yet.

[spookly]

swisstoni said:

spookly said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38711931

Seems they caught quite a few - 8000. At a rate of about 40 an hour.
And also nicked some for other distractions such as eating while driving.

I drove past a marked police car yesterday morning and the single copper in the car was busy with a large Costa coffee. I've also seen them on the phone wile driving. Is it ok for them and not us?

FWIW... I don't ever use my phone in my hand while driving as I have the car linked to both my work and personal phone. I do sometimes eat/drink while driving. If it is ok for our local plod then I guess it is ok for me :-)

Grow up.

And become a grumpy old like you? Nah, you're alright mate.

Great response. Exactly what was I doing that was so childish?

[spookly]

Personally, I think there are many things that can distract drivers. Mobile phones, especially being used for facebook/ttter/texting etc, are obviously not a good idea and I think they should be punished more harshly if that's what it takes to get people to stop doing it.

If someone is eating or drinking in their car I don't really care, so long as they aren't distracted by doing it. The reason it irks me when you see a copper doing it in a marked vehicle is that they will also happily nick someone else for doing the same thing. Others will also see them doing it and then assume that it is just fine to do. What was it PC Nicholas Angel said about "unquestionable moral authority"...

[Durzel]

I've often been sipping from a Costa in my car, must just be lucky I guess.


Or each case is evaluated on its merits and eating/drinking isn't automatically careless unless the manner in which it is being done suggests inattentiveness or carelessness.

[swisstoni]

spookly said:

swisstoni said:

spookly said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38711931

Seems they caught quite a few - 8000. At a rate of about 40 an hour.
And also nicked some for other distractions such as eating while driving.

I drove past a marked police car yesterday morning and the single copper in the car was busy with a large Costa coffee. I've also seen them on the phone wile driving. Is it ok for them and not us?

FWIW... I don't ever use my phone in my hand while driving as I have the car linked to both my work and personal phone. I do sometimes eat/drink while driving. If it is ok for our local plod then I guess it is ok for me :-)

Grow up.

And become a grumpy old like you? Nah, you're alright mate.

Great response. Exactly what was I doing that was so childish?

Well, bleat that 'the police do it why can't I?' for starters.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

You need a crack down every so often so it reminds stupid people that it's still illegal. Same with drink driving etc.

As for people with dash cams being able to submit footage to the police - they introduced something similar in China where you can report bad driving, and you get a reward. Queue a scamfest where drivers force other road users into doing something naughty just so they can claim the reward.
More on the 'dash cam scam' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7auIEiTRZI

[Vipers]

I have always said first offene £1000 fine and be done with it.

FFS hands free kits are peanuts v being caught, and do you really have to take that earth stopping phone call.

[anonymous-user]

quoteunquote_sir_ said:

Personally I don't understand why the first offence isn't a minimum 12 month ban like drink driving.

Agreed. Can we start with the hypocrites?

[austinsmirk]

I'm one of those cyclist type persons. On my commute to work when I meet queuing traffic- an extremely high % of drivers are on their phone.

I'm in a position to glide past them, see into the cars: most people can't/don't get the view.

often between their laps- with men its checking emails/texting. most women are on moron book though. why checking facebook is something of urgency, when on the move, who knows.

But I'm not camera warrier and I can't be bothered saying anything usually. I will if I'm stationary at the traffic lights though.

I'm amazed how many people in very high end cars are using a handheld phone though. Surely they'd all be configured into the car's audio by now.

[phil4]

austinsmirk said:

queuing traffic

austinsmirk said:

if I'm stationary

There's your clue. Big difference between facebooking while at 80mph on the M4, and travelling at exactly 0mph, waiting for a light to go green. Not saying it's acceptable, but I can certainly see why people do it at that point.

Edited by phil4 on Monday 23 January 12:02

[HantsRat]

It's not illegal to drink a Costa while driving. If however you are all over the road while drinking your Costa you will be not in proper control of the vehicle which will be dealt with.

[HantsRat]

Also if Police are caught on the phone they will also be dealt with (Unless making an emergency call). If the met managed to identify the officer in the above picture, she will also be offered a fixed penalty and 3 points (or a course if applicable and in use in that area)