7 points for mobile use while driving

[Fleegle]

No its not a new law that has been passed, but maybe it should be??

Within 15 minutes of riding this morning I passed 6 drivers all catching up on e-mails/texting. Maybe 7 points would make them think twice about doing it as your second offence would mean a ban.

[Fleegle]

N Dentressangle said:

It's the weaving about in slow moving traffic which always gives it away.

And the illuminated steering wheel

[Fleegle]

julian64 said:

You be a bunch of idiots.

It is/was always possible to make a phone call while driving. It was legal in this country ten years ago, and its still legal for the majority of the driving world.

Its just the people who are incapable and weave all over the road that cause the headlines, which cause the laws. And then after the law has been in place for a number of years thread like this are produced to vilify anyone on a phone because its an easy thing to do.

You've stopped questioning a law and are happy with the lowest common denominator driving level.

Made all the more interesting as BB is continually complaining of speed limits made ever lower for the self same reasons.

My post isn't about the use of a handsfree device, it is about emailing and texting whilst driving.

You be the idiot!

[Fleegle]

I spoke to a bike copper at the lights this morning and asked what line the police take on the use of phones. I made no reference to texting but he immediately replied that he's constantly looking in cars when filtering past stationary vehicles and he takes no prisoners should he find anyone texting or e-mailing.

The trouble is, they can't be everywhere

[Fleegle]

Sheepshanks said:

Fleegle said:

I spoke to a bike copper at the lights this morning and asked what line the police take on the use of phones. I made no reference to texting but he immediately replied that he's constantly looking in cars when filtering past stationary vehicles and he takes no prisoners should he find anyone texting or e-mailing.

That's always stuck me as pathetic on the part of the Police - like doing people for taking a drink while stopped.

Do you ride a bike?

[Fleegle]

black-k1 said:

I have no problem with hands free phone calls/phone usage as long as it doesn’t require the screen to be read but use of the phone where the screen needs to be read does piss me off.

I hate to see other drivers doing it as their concentration with regards to driving is, at best, avoiding running into the car in front and keeping it roughly in lane. Anything else, like watching for motorbikes filtering etc. is in the too difficult pile and gets ignored.

I would guess from my totally unscientific observations that in excess of 25% of road users are doing it while moving in congested traffic.

Enforcing the law against it will always be a problem as you can’t easily automate the enforcement. I’m not sure I’d want an increase in the penalty for use of the phone but I think more prosecutions relating to a lack of care and attention (THE biggest single cause of accidents on the roads) would be welcome although, again, these may be more difficult to prove.

A fact I found interesting recently on a driver awareness course was that the stopping distance for an emergency stop was less for somebody driving with a phone to their ear than the distance of someone using a handsfree phone

[Fleegle]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I disagree too. Heres what I'd typed up before I was rudely disturbed by work

There seems to be a lot of people that think texting/e-mailing while stationary in traffic isn’t a problem. I disagree with this from my bikers perspective.
My first issue is that even though the traffic is at a standstill (eg lights on red), they are not paying attention to what is changing ahead. This could be frustrating for those that have missed the lights again because the texter was otherwise busy when the lights changed to green
The people who are texting will more than likely leave their smartphone on their laps once moving. I know when I send a text or e-mail, a reply isn’t far behind. Where are the texters eyes going to be when the phone gives out its audible notification?

While the actions above may not concern drivers of the car behind, it certainly concerns me when I’m in a slightly more vulnerable position when they make an erractic move due to trying to tap in there next message.

I’m no wilting wallflower and can quite often read the tell tale signs of who is and who isn’t and take the appropriate action on the bike, but this problem is on the increase. Is this easy pickings for the plods Christmas party?? I don’t think so. I think they need to take a tougher stand. Hence my comment about it being a 7 pointer on the licence.