Using a mobile phone whilst driving - they got me!

[Joe5y]

Hi all,

Just on my way home and got caught using my phone whilst driving. Bang to rights.
I was told that a course should be offered but I wondered if the new punishments had come into effect?

If so, how many points and how much fine is it now?
How much is the course and is it much the same as the speed awareness course?
Can you complete a mobile phone course having completed a speeding course less than 2 years ago?

Thanks in advance.

[Joe5y]

PorkInsider said:

Can't help with the cost of courses, etc, but wanted to ask whether you were caught making a call or using it for something else?

Just curious.

(Get your tin hat on too; you've held your hands up but I'm sure someone will have a pop!)

Edit: 3 points and £100 according to a quick Google search which took me to Gov.uk. That was correct as at 30th Nov '16

Edited by PorkInsider on Thursday 12th January 14:30

I was caught making a call. No excuse and it's as simple as that. (I was in my van and had been on the phone on speaker phone until I got up top speed having joined the motorway ((M4)). Having reached 60mph I couldn't hear anymore so I picked it off the dash, took it off speaker phone and put it to my ear just as a unmarked, dark grey Octavia pulled up beside me.) As I say, not an excuse. I was on my phone. I was a ball bag. Think that's what I said to the WPC too.

Re the edit. I also read this but thought that the gov were to make it 6 points and £200.00 as of 2017?

[Joe5y]

TooMany2cvs said:

Joe5y said:

Re the edit. I also read this but thought that the gov were to make it 6 points and £200.00 as of 2017?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37389800

BBC said:

Under new rules expected to come in next year, drivers will get six points on their licence and face a £200 fine.
...
The penalties, which will increase from three penalty points and a £100 fine, will be accompanied by a high-profile government Think! campaign.

The Department for Transport said it expected the changes to take effect in the first half of 2017.

So, no, not yet - and we'll know about it when it does.

https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/legal/mobile-... says 1st March.

Thank you. Course or fine and points I'll take what's coming. Just wasn't sure if the new points and fine had come in yet.

I could have looked myself but I'm driving . . .

[Joe5y]

Driversmatter said:

Most of it already covered. Depends on the area, many forces no longer offer the course.
The course is like speed one in as much as it would be a conditional offer, prices vary from £85 to £100 depends who provides it. Lasts 3.25hrs.

Thank you.

The WPC said that if I hadn't been caught before (and with my assumption that it won't conflict with a speeding one that I have completed within 2years) that I should be offered a course, as does the paperwork.

[Joe5y]

MagicalTrevor said:

I'm not having a pop here, you've held you hands up to it but I'm curious as to why you don't have hands free in your van?

I'm in a temporary van for a week. I do have BT in my van. Still, no excuse.

Separately the BT module in my e60 has died this week.

[Joe5y]

Nigel Worc's said:

Joe5y said:

MagicalTrevor said:

I'm not having a pop here, you've held you hands up to it but I'm curious as to why you don't have hands free in your van?

I'm in a temporary van for a week. I do have BT in my van. Still, no excuse.

Separately the BT module in my e60 has died this week.

I swap vehicles frequently and need my phone.

I have a blue tooth earpiece (about £20) that I use when not in my own vehicle where built in blue tooth is available.

All the earpiece allows you to do is accept calls and redial the last number you called.

I too am not having a pop at you, I think the present law and the paranoia that surrounds it are stupid, I'm just showing you how cheap it is to comply.

I think that this is what I'd do if I swapped a lot but I was only in a different van because mine was being fixed. Hey hum, expensive conversation in the end.

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

xjay1337 said:

tommunster10 said:

Well if you use your phone whist driving you are a dick and deserve all you get. Van drivers are by far the highest percentage i see doing it, even had a van driver coming towards me steering with elbows as he text with both hands.... I confess to turning round and going after him and we nearly had a full on fight but to be fair he clocked my lad in the car and his mate (rugby players) and we just ended up with in your face shouting.
Cretins.

Congrats on being the first person on this post to be a dick.

Your attitude also stinks and you're lucky the van driver didn't lay you out.

Especially with your kid in the back, that's just asking for trouble.

Do you have a dash cam?

Why? I was stationary he was on my veering onto my side of the road looking at his phone texting or playing a game, i had to honk my horn to alert him and he stopped, looked shocked and instead of saying sorry he gave me the nescafe sign....so I went after him to have a word....which i did and two adults had a row...
He was one of those self employed van drivers who work for Amazon etc I assume as he was Eastern Bloc, most likely not insured to be doing deliveries either...

Don't drive and text you plebs.

What a truly delightful person you are.

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

Joe5y said:

tommunster10 said:

xjay1337 said:

tommunster10 said:

Well if you use your phone whist driving you are a dick and deserve all you get. Van drivers are by far the highest percentage i see doing it, even had a van driver coming towards me steering with elbows as he text with both hands.... I confess to turning round and going after him and we nearly had a full on fight but to be fair he clocked my lad in the car and his mate (rugby players) and we just ended up with in your face shouting.
Cretins.

Congrats on being the first person on this post to be a dick.

Your attitude also stinks and you're lucky the van driver didn't lay you out.

Especially with your kid in the back, that's just asking for trouble.

Do you have a dash cam?

Why? I was stationary he was on my veering onto my side of the road looking at his phone texting or playing a game, i had to honk my horn to alert him and he stopped, looked shocked and instead of saying sorry he gave me the nescafe sign....so I went after him to have a word....which i did and two adults had a row...
He was one of those self employed van drivers who work for Amazon etc I assume as he was Eastern Bloc, most likely not insured to be doing deliveries either...

Don't drive and text you plebs.

What a truly delightful person you are.

Says the prat who not only breaks the law but is too stupid to not get caught. I hope you get 6 points personally.

Thank you

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

TooMany2cvs said:

tommunster10 said:

Says the prat who not only breaks the law but is too stupid to not get caught. I hope you get 6 points personally.

The big difference, of course, is that he stuck his hand up and said "I did something really stupid", whereas you're all bluster and denial.

No point complaining about it, it's really very simple.

Who's complaining?

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

xjay1337 said:

tommunster10 said:

What am I denying?
I think driving whilst texting on a phone is dense. And driving whilst having a phone to your ear is open to debate on how dangerous it really is, but seeing people openly doing it is just stupid and totally pointless and it's just asking for them to take your money and points.
No point complaining about it, it's really very simple.
Like anyone who gets stung by a bright yellow box in clear view....your an idiot, no point moaning if speeding fines are unfair, you missed a big yellow box so you're a buffoon.
I personally love speed camera's as its means less real Police on the roads so as long as you can spot a yellow box you are pretty much free to do what you want in a lot of places.
I've not been stopped in 15 years and I've been driving 23 years now.....clean license.

You are a sad, strange little man. And you have my pity.

Take the risks, but don't moan about it,

Whos moaning about it?

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

Joe5y said:

tommunster10 said:

xjay1337 said:

tommunster10 said:

What am I denying?
I think driving whilst texting on a phone is dense. And driving whilst having a phone to your ear is open to debate on how dangerous it really is, but seeing people openly doing it is just stupid and totally pointless and it's just asking for them to take your money and points.
No point complaining about it, it's really very simple.
Like anyone who gets stung by a bright yellow box in clear view....your an idiot, no point moaning if speeding fines are unfair, you missed a big yellow box so you're a buffoon.
I personally love speed camera's as its means less real Police on the roads so as long as you can spot a yellow box you are pretty much free to do what you want in a lot of places.
I've not been stopped in 15 years and I've been driving 23 years now.....clean license.

You are a sad, strange little man. And you have my pity.

Take the risks, but don't moan about it,

Whos moaning about it?

The people moaning at me for me daring to break the code of pistonheads and actually say driving whilst texting is a dumb thing to do....

No one on here has suggested that texting whilst driving isn't a dumb thing to do.

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

xjay1337 said:

tommunster10 said:

Of course it's stupid! It's beyond stupid and my Son let me know afterwards how stupid it was as he and his mate were put into a position of possibly having to see someone they care about getting a slap and the consequences of if they then stepped in to help.
It was silly, heat of the moment stuff.
But I still stand by the fact that this van driver was about to drive into me because he was texting and then went on to be abusive when he was in the wrong... that's why I 'lost it'. No cats or children were killed though...

ste attitude on the forum, ste attitude in real life.

Your either a pussy or lying.

Whereas you're an absolute helmet!

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

Joe5y said:

tommunster10 said:

xjay1337 said:

tommunster10 said:

Of course it's stupid! It's beyond stupid and my Son let me know afterwards how stupid it was as he and his mate were put into a position of possibly having to see someone they care about getting a slap and the consequences of if they then stepped in to help.
It was silly, heat of the moment stuff.
But I still stand by the fact that this van driver was about to drive into me because he was texting and then went on to be abusive when he was in the wrong... that's why I 'lost it'. No cats or children were killed though...

ste attitude on the forum, ste attitude in real life.

Your either a pussy or lying.

Whereas you're an absolute helmet!

I just may be, but you sir have 6 points and £100 fine, hope the call was worth it...

Except I haven't have I?!

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

xjay1337 said:

tommunster10 said:

I just may be, but you sir have 6 points and £100 fine, hope the call was worth it...

I'd rather have 6 points than be you TBH

I'm sure OP sleeps better at night, you're probably still raging about the way someone looked at you.

6 points and £100 fine for being on a mobile... could of simply had it on speaker phone and had it on lap, fuzz wouldn't off been able to see it... must be kicking himself.
One more step out of line and it could be bye bye licence for the OP...lol...

I can't believe pistonheads is pro mobile use.

So much wrong with the above.

No points. Course offered.

Kicking myself. Yes, I made a mistake.

Speaker phone; you obviously haven't read the thread.

6 points hasn't come in yet.

No one here is pro mobile use while driving.

[Joe5y]

tommunster10 said:

Mouth breather..... I'm not the dunce who got caught using a mobile phone. The dunce who did get caught came on here to get the full pistonheads circle jerk, sorry for spoiling it I do hope you all managed to come OK..

I came on PH with genuine questions relating to making a mistake with my tail between my legs and said I was stupid.

You've come on PH to pick a fight based on little knowledge from not reading the OP. So far you've piped up and called me and others "thick", "pleb", "cretin", "prat", "stupid", "idiot", "dunce" & "jerk". I'm telling my Mum!

In fear of stooping to your level of unintelligent name calling I'll leave you to bat on about things with little relation to the subject you absolute sausage womble!

[Joe5y]

So. Course was offered and I'm doing it tomorrow. To answer some of my own questions from the OP and as many have clarified:

Course = £85.00.
Duration = 2.5hours.
Location = many, mines Basingstoke.

[Joe5y]

Just got back from completing the 2.5 hour course and it was very much what we'd all expect. Not saying that I didn't learn anything but I knew using my phone was wrong beforehand.

A few shock and awe moments of post mobile phone use crashes and the cause and effects.

A few Highway Code stopping distances used with additional info of whilst distracted compared to drink driving, hands free and without any of the above.

Quite a light hearted course with all considered. So much so in fact that a kid (20ish) sat using his phone most of the time and was called up on it 4times. Surprised he wasn't thrown out. A few people in denial too.

As of the 1st of March the courses will not be offered, the fine will be £200 and the points will be 6. Think we all knew that anyway?