Mobile phone in car? Have a fine.

[55palfers]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-ra...

Is this the thin end of the wedge?

I can't see how they can do anything unless it is proven the driver was on the phone.

Good use of Speed Awareness Course resources too.

[sherbertdip]

55palfers said:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-ra...

Is this the thin end of the wedge?

What wedge to what result, catching people using mobile phones whilst driving perhaps?

[worsy]

Hands free?

[TooMany2cvs]

From no more than a sign that flashes when phone transmission signals are detected, this "journalist" manages to extrapolate people being fined for something that isn't even illegal?

Slow news day, is it?

[PurpleMoonlight]

Never a copper around when you need one.

Lengthy queue on the A14 today with all the lorries having to overtake a Discovery doing 40 mph odd. As I passed it I looked in and the ahole driver was on the phone oblivious to the hassle he was casing.

[ging84]

drivelling nonsense said:

And though fines are not yet being issued, the technology could easily be developed to turn it into speed camera-style automatic fine collector.

how would they plan to do that?
last time i check there was no off the shelf automated driver behaviour recognition software which can detect those who are and are not using a hand held device, and it would most certainly not be easily developed.

[V8forweekends]

ging84 said:

drivelling nonsense said:

And though fines are not yet being issued, the technology could easily be developed to turn it into speed camera-style automatic fine collector.

how would they plan to do that?
last time i check there was no off the shelf automated driver behaviour recognition software which can detect those who are and are not using a hand held device, and it would most certainly not be easily developed.

It's a non-story written by a lazy journo, that's how (it will never happen).

[iva cosworth]

April 1st come around early ?

[Nickyboy]

So it would pick up signals from every vehicle or pedestrian passing as nowadays smart phones are always sending/receiving data

[plasticpig]

Nickyboy said:

So it would pick up signals from every vehicle or pedestrian passing as nowadays smart phones are always sending/receiving data

It's technically feasible to distinguish between voice and data.

[jmorgan]

What can a council legally do here?

[CallorFold]

Based on that article surely the appeal process could be as stupid as turning up to court with a hands-free kit and saying "I was using this...."

What happened about innocent until proven guilty? This sounds like the opposite!

[pad58]

Hope not ,I use mine for a map nav.

[nipsips]

So my phone which is streaming Spotify permanently when in the car is going to get a flash/fine then!

Good job I don't stray north of the border very often!

[agtlaw]

ging84 said:

how would they plan to do that?
last time i check there was no off the shelf automated driver behaviour recognition software which can detect those who are and are not using a hand held device, and it would most certainly not be easily developed.

There's a brilliant new invention, it's called photography.

[fatboy b]

What happens when a passenger is using a phone legitimatley I wonder. Hardly going to be enforceable really IMO.

[agtlaw]

fatboy b said:

What happens when a passenger is using a phone legitimatley I wonder. Hardly going to be enforceable really IMO.

If the detector triggers a photograph then some drivers will be caught - clearly seen using a held held mobile phone whilst driving. Seems enforceable to me. The photographs would need to be high resolution and processed by a person before s172 notices are sent out (mobile phone offence doesn't require a NIP)

Edited by agtlaw on Saturday 7th February 19:26

[Aretnap]

It would be relatively simple to set up a system where the signal detector triggered a camera as the car passed, which would provide evidence of whether the driver was using a handheld phone. Obviously it would be necessary to check the photographs before taking action - either by using some sophisticated image processing software (no idea whether that is feasible or not) or failing that, a bloke in front of a screen employing the MK1 eyeball. If they can do that, all well and good. The suggestion that motorists would be fined purely for having a phone in the car is pure journalistic wibbling.

[Mr E]

plasticpig said:

It's technically feasible to distinguish between voice and data.

I wouldn't like to try; for gsm (possible based on timeslot), WCDMA (tricky, you need to know the code allocation, and even if you did you have no idea what the user is doing with a data connection), LTE (very tricky, you'd be looking for a SPS allocation every 20ms and assuming the phone was doing nothing else at all).

All three versions of the Uu are encrypted and the device in question will not have the keys.

[Mr E]

Additional note. While this *is* what I do for a living, interception isn't part of my core competency.

And, I've slept for 4 hours in the last 36, not given the matter very much thought and consumed a not insignificant amount of alcohol.

So, there is a decent chance the above is garbage.