Three penalty points for drivers on mobiles
Discussion
Motorists caught using a hand-held mobile telephone will risk tough new penalties, including points on their licences and disqualification, the Transport Minister said yesterday.
The new penalties will take effect from February 27, and anyone found using a phone while driving will automatically get three points on their licence and a fine of £60.
If police or the driver do not choose a fixed-penalty notice and go to court, the judge has the power to disqualify the motorist as well as impose a maximum fine of £1,000 — £2,500 for the driver of a bus, coach or goods vehicle.
The police said yesterday that the new offences included not having proper control of a vehicle, which could cover a driver being distracted by using a hands-free mobile phone kit.
The new penalties were set out in the Road Safety Act 2006, passed in November.
Announcing the start date of the penalties yesterday, Douglas Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said: “It’s quite simple — it’s impossible to do two things at once and do them well. We have seen a groundswell of support for this move. But, worryingly, while 92 per cent of people agree with the law, 21 per cent of drivers admit to breaking it.”
Home Office figures for 2004 show that nearly 74,000 fixed-penalty notices were issued in England and Wales for illegal use of a mobile phone while driving.
A study by the Lib Dems last year suggested this meant that only 1.1 per cent of those who admitted to the offence were being caught. The party combined the official figures and an insurance firm’s survey on driving habits to calculate that 6.7 million people used mobile phones while behind the wheel.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “Those who think their call is more important than someone’s life are likely to take the threat to their licence more seriously.”
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2561019,00.html
The new penalties will take effect from February 27, and anyone found using a phone while driving will automatically get three points on their licence and a fine of £60.
If police or the driver do not choose a fixed-penalty notice and go to court, the judge has the power to disqualify the motorist as well as impose a maximum fine of £1,000 — £2,500 for the driver of a bus, coach or goods vehicle.
The police said yesterday that the new offences included not having proper control of a vehicle, which could cover a driver being distracted by using a hands-free mobile phone kit.
The new penalties were set out in the Road Safety Act 2006, passed in November.
Announcing the start date of the penalties yesterday, Douglas Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said: “It’s quite simple — it’s impossible to do two things at once and do them well. We have seen a groundswell of support for this move. But, worryingly, while 92 per cent of people agree with the law, 21 per cent of drivers admit to breaking it.”
Home Office figures for 2004 show that nearly 74,000 fixed-penalty notices were issued in England and Wales for illegal use of a mobile phone while driving.
A study by the Lib Dems last year suggested this meant that only 1.1 per cent of those who admitted to the offence were being caught. The party combined the official figures and an insurance firm’s survey on driving habits to calculate that 6.7 million people used mobile phones while behind the wheel.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “Those who think their call is more important than someone’s life are likely to take the threat to their licence more seriously.”
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2561019,00.html
robinhood21 said:
Announcing the start date of the penalties yesterday, Douglas Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said: “It’s quite simple — it’s impossible to do two things at once and do them well.
Oh yeah? Well, maybe that explains a lot about our current "government". You have to do more than one thing at a time when you're driving! FFS.
Well I risk getting a three pointer each and every day. Because I do eighty on the motorway.
My phone has a hands free capability - you press one button and toss it onto the passenger seat and just talk loudly.
I agree that not being in control of the vehicle is something that deserves fairly harsh punishment. But, hey? Eating, smoking, turning around to whack the kids and arguing with your passenger can all create a similar level of distraction.
People used to make phone calls fairly responsibly. When cabin workload was low.
Then a few tossers get seen hanging onto the wheel with one hand with a fag in it and a mobile phone glued to their ear steering around corners and wobbling half out of control.
And now the rest of us are paying for it.
My phone has a hands free capability - you press one button and toss it onto the passenger seat and just talk loudly.
I agree that not being in control of the vehicle is something that deserves fairly harsh punishment. But, hey? Eating, smoking, turning around to whack the kids and arguing with your passenger can all create a similar level of distraction.
People used to make phone calls fairly responsibly. When cabin workload was low.
Then a few tossers get seen hanging onto the wheel with one hand with a fag in it and a mobile phone glued to their ear steering around corners and wobbling half out of control.
And now the rest of us are paying for it.
Good. About time. I'd say about 50% of the shitest, badly thought through driving I witness involves a driver with a phone held to their ear ... regular examples include swerving out into lane 2 to overtake lorries on the motorway without indicating or checking mirrors, loitering halfway out of T-junctions without indicating or taking advantage of clear opportunities to pull away safely, weaving through suburban roads at 20mph, etc,etc Couple of days ago I saw one complete cock who had, in their favour, pulled over to talk on the phone, but had done so by pulling over 5 metres after turning right off a main road and 5 metres before another right turn, at night, and had left their right indicator on (going south through what looks like a staggered crossroads here, if anyone cares: http://streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=3
The problem with this is the same as with speeding. There ARE times it is OK to use a phone whilst driving. If I'm stationary in a traffic jam, I'm in neutral with the hand-brake on, why shouldn't I use the phone. It is NOT dangerous.
The concept behind a speed limit is a nice idea, it gives the law the ability to punish those who break the speed limit dangerously. Unfortunately, it is completely abused and is used to punish someone for doing 80mph on a clear, dry motorway in a well maintained car.
The police have always had the power to charge someone with careless driving if caught talking on the phone. No more legislation, please...
The concept behind a speed limit is a nice idea, it gives the law the ability to punish those who break the speed limit dangerously. Unfortunately, it is completely abused and is used to punish someone for doing 80mph on a clear, dry motorway in a well maintained car.
The police have always had the power to charge someone with careless driving if caught talking on the phone. No more legislation, please...
Good thing too I say.
I use my phone in the car, but only with a proper car kit.
Will they now have special "phone" cameras to catch the offenders?
Oh sorry, that only gets the people that have a car legally registered.
Never mind, all the people who can't afford to tax/insure/MOT their car because they've spent all the money on drugs can't be expected to buy a hands free.
And all the tw*ts who drive around with a handheld mobile in newish Beemers etc; can afford a fine even if they don't have the intelligence to buy a handsfree. Some points might make them think twice.
I use my phone in the car, but only with a proper car kit.
Will they now have special "phone" cameras to catch the offenders?
Oh sorry, that only gets the people that have a car legally registered.
Never mind, all the people who can't afford to tax/insure/MOT their car because they've spent all the money on drugs can't be expected to buy a hands free.
And all the tw*ts who drive around with a handheld mobile in newish Beemers etc; can afford a fine even if they don't have the intelligence to buy a handsfree. Some points might make them think twice.
Quinny said:
The reality is though, chances of being caught are that slim, habitual phone users will carry on as they have for years.
Who's going to catch them? The non existant traffic police???
Who's going to catch them? The non existant traffic police???
Hugely important point there.
But it's good, complacency will reign supreme, I'd be happier with people doing that and getting fined, than speeding on a perfictly clear dry road and getting fined, or even worse, driving to fast for a wet slippery 10m visibility road and not getting fined.
Quinny said:
The reality is though, chances of being caught are that slim, habitual phone users will carry on as they have for years.
Who's going to catch them? The non existant traffic police???
Who's going to catch them? The non existant traffic police???
And another thing!!!! You can smoke in the car (legally) but you are not allowed to eat a sandwich, that isnt on fire!!!! What is that all about ????
robinhood21 said:
Motorists caught using a hand-held mobile telephone will risk tough new penalties, including points on their licences and disqualification, the Transport Minister said yesterday.
The new penalties will take effect from February 27, and anyone found using a phone while driving will automatically get three points on their licence and a fine of £60.
The new penalties will take effect from February 27, and anyone found using a phone while driving will automatically get three points on their licence and a fine of £60.
Should be a MINIMUM of £500,- and 3 points, second time £1500 and 6 points......
A handsfree costs SOOOOOO much, my last cost a HUGE €12,- FFS!!!!!!
dancequeen said:
Quinny said:
The reality is though, chances of being caught are that slim, habitual phone users will carry on as they have for years.
Who's going to catch them? The non existant traffic police???
Who's going to catch them? The non existant traffic police???
And another thing!!!! You can smoke in the car (legally) but you are not allowed to eat a sandwich, that isnt on fire!!!! What is that all about ????
Have you tried doing both? If you had, you'd know that eating something requires your hand to be off the wheel a lot longer than smoking does. In my young and daft days as a 17 yr old I did once eat a big mac meal while driving on a dual carriageway and believe me, it's tricky. Wouldn't ever do that again. You cannot hold a big mac and use the same hand to steer but you can with a cigarette. Putting in a CD or changing a tape is far more distracting and requires you to both take your hand off the wheel for longer, and take your eyes off the road.
Thing is...
This legislation targets all drivers at the wheel using a mobile. So in theory, if you pull over to the side of the road and make a call, you could get done. If you're stationary on the motorway with no hope of shifting and need to let someone know where you are, you could get done. I think I've read about both of these actually happening, does anyone have any details?
The prior common sense approach was rather more effective, not this blanket legislation. We're slowly being legislated into a Police State, do you really think we need even more pointless laws when the old law of driving without due care covered mobile use at the wheel quite effectively? It's not our fault the police weren't making a habit of implementing it.
This legislation targets all drivers at the wheel using a mobile. So in theory, if you pull over to the side of the road and make a call, you could get done. If you're stationary on the motorway with no hope of shifting and need to let someone know where you are, you could get done. I think I've read about both of these actually happening, does anyone have any details?
The prior common sense approach was rather more effective, not this blanket legislation. We're slowly being legislated into a Police State, do you really think we need even more pointless laws when the old law of driving without due care covered mobile use at the wheel quite effectively? It's not our fault the police weren't making a habit of implementing it.
alock said:
The problem with this is the same as with speeding. There ARE times it is OK to use a phone whilst driving. If I'm stationary in a traffic jam, I'm in neutral with the hand-brake on, why shouldn't I use the phone. It is NOT dangerous.
The concept behind a speed limit is a nice idea, it gives the law the ability to punish those who break the speed limit dangerously. Unfortunately, it is completely abused and is used to punish someone for doing 80mph on a clear, dry motorway in a well maintained car.
The police have always had the power to charge someone with careless driving if caught talking on the phone. No more legislation, please...
The concept behind a speed limit is a nice idea, it gives the law the ability to punish those who break the speed limit dangerously. Unfortunately, it is completely abused and is used to punish someone for doing 80mph on a clear, dry motorway in a well maintained car.
The police have always had the power to charge someone with careless driving if caught talking on the phone. No more legislation, please...
I think it's fine to use a mobile whilst driving. Especially if it's dark, raining and you are negotiating a busy roundabout. It's trying to drive whilst smoking at the same time as using a mobile that's really dangerous.
Recently I have taken to phoning the wife whilst negotiating some blind country bends at way over the speed limit.
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