Teenager convicted of using bluetooth phone device
Teenager convicted of using bluetooth phone device
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Discussion

Puggit

Original Poster:

49,141 posts

264 months

Monday 3rd September 2007
quotequote all
http://www.bbc.co.uk/southtoday/ - follow the link in "top stories", I can only find a video story.

Essentially an 18 year old driver was caught pressing the button on his bluetooth earpiece and taken to the magistrates who found him guilty of 'receiving data'. He's been done for £60 and 3 points, but claims a miscarriage of justice as his phone records show he wasn't using the kit at the time.

Could be interesting times ahead if he appeals.

Jules360

1,949 posts

218 months

Monday 3rd September 2007
quotequote all
Puggit said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/southtoday/ - follow the link in "top stories", I can only find a video story.

Essentially an 18 year old driver was caught pressing the button on his bluetooth earpiece and taken to the magistrates who found him guilty of 'receiving data'. He's been done for £60 and 3 points, but claims a miscarriage of justice as his phone records show he wasn't using the kit at the time.

Could be interesting times ahead if he appeals.
What utter crap. £60 and 3 points for pushing a button ??? Does the same apply to pushing the on/off switch on your radio... i guess you would also be guilty of "receiving data"

BIG DUNC

1,918 posts

239 months

Monday 3rd September 2007
quotequote all
If his phone records say it was not in use, how was he receiving data?
How could it be proven he was pushing a button?

Do we only have one side of the story?

havoc

31,880 posts

251 months

Monday 3rd September 2007
quotequote all
Moreover, I thought the bluetooth devices were legal as long as the phone was held in a cradle?!? You ARE, after all, allowed to press buttons on the phone in the cradle, it's only handheld stuff you can't use. So why is the bluetooth headset any different...

Something odd here...and that's BEFORE the phone records are brought up...

i want an aero

642 posts

222 months

Monday 3rd September 2007
quotequote all
god what ever next pushing the radio/cd dial

selwonk

2,139 posts

241 months

Monday 3rd September 2007
quotequote all
We'll be getting fined for adjusting our tackle next...

outlaw...

380 posts

216 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
selwonk said:
We'll be getting fined for adjusting our tackle next...
dont give em ing idears.

deevlash

10,442 posts

253 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
But its safe for the coppers to use radios whilst driving?

GKP

15,099 posts

257 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
deevlash said:
But its safe for the coppers to use radios whilst driving?
Yes it is, because they have had training. wink

However, if it starts to rain, don't even think about hitting the switch to turn on your wipers. silly

GPSHead

657 posts

257 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
FFS. As is so often the case now, the biggest problem is not the laws that we have, but the utterly idiotic and provocative way in which they are enforced, and in which "justice" is administered. It's almost as if it's now preferable to give a ticket for something when to do so is not in the public interest.

Just another person who now hates "the system", and what has anyone gained?

I don't mean to BiB-bash; police do a difficult job and are only following orders and trying to meet targets which they have no choice about. I'm a little more sceptical about the CPS and magistrates. SCP employees on the other hand clearly do a wonderful job for all the right reasons, and I won't hear a word said against them. Taking photographs of people and demanding money from them is the way forward.

davido140

9,614 posts

242 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
deevlash said:
But its safe for the coppers to use radios whilst driving?
Likewise IIRC A cabbie can use thier radio.

jwo

986 posts

265 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
I receive data when i listen to my radio! wtf!!

RichBurley

2,432 posts

269 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
davido140 said:
deevlash said:
But its safe for the coppers to use radios whilst driving?
Likewise IIRC A cabbie can use thier radio.
Yes, but they're not dangerous, it's just Joe Public who are dangerous...

cj_eds

1,567 posts

237 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
Maybe it changed in that last law change, but I thought it was perfectly legal to use a phone provided it uses voice commands and only 1 button push?

I've got a Parrott kit in the car, and according to this ruling pressing the dial button is illegal? Bcensoredcks to that.

huckster6

245 posts

233 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
Hands free enforcement is inconsistent.

I recently saw a fire engine being driven through London's busy West End on an emergency call by a bloke munching on an apple.

Yesterday I watched another bloke spend 10 minutes getting kitted up in Old Compton Street. He climbed on his Vespa, and pulled off while dialing on his mobile, and, riding one handed, stuffing the phone under his (safety) helmet.

Round the local prep school it's common to see busy modern mothers on mobiles at the wheels of their 4x4s bowling down the back streets like nervous Mr Toads.

Hardly ever see a traffic cop, though.

streaky

19,311 posts

265 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
cj_eds said:
Maybe it changed in that last law change, but I thought it was perfectly legal to use a phone provided it uses voice commands and only 1 button push?

I've got a Parrott kit in the car, and according to this ruling pressing the dial button is illegal? Bcensoredcks to that.
All the law proscribes is the use of device when "hand held".



huckster6 said:
I recently saw a fire engine being driven through London's busy West End on an emergency call by a bloke munching on an apple.
How do you know the bloke who made the call was munching an apple? wink

Streaky

Puggit

Original Poster:

49,141 posts

264 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
streaky said:
cj_eds said:
Maybe it changed in that last law change, but I thought it was perfectly legal to use a phone provided it uses voice commands and only 1 button push?

I've got a Parrott kit in the car, and according to this ruling pressing the dial button is illegal? Bcensoredcks to that.
All the law proscribes is the use of device when "hand held".
Then surely hitting a button on a device attached to your ear is not 'hand held'?

Mr E

22,508 posts

275 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
There has to be more to this one than this.

EU_Foreigner

2,838 posts

242 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
If he was receiving a call, there would not be any records anyway ...

esselte

14,626 posts

283 months

Tuesday 4th September 2007
quotequote all
EU_Foreigner said:
If he was receiving a call, there would not be any records anyway ...
Are you sure about this?