Discussion
Hello,
Need some help, with the forecoming new mobile law. I've got some problems with our employee's mobile phone policy.
At the moment we will get everyone a personal handsfree with the phone (just the head phones, not fitted to the car)
Now our contact at Vodaphone says that using the bluetooth headsets (still a personal thing but with no wires) will not break the law.
I thought it was only handsfree kits fitted to the cars that would be okay ?
Thanks in advance
Need some help, with the forecoming new mobile law. I've got some problems with our employee's mobile phone policy.
At the moment we will get everyone a personal handsfree with the phone (just the head phones, not fitted to the car)
Now our contact at Vodaphone says that using the bluetooth headsets (still a personal thing but with no wires) will not break the law.
I thought it was only handsfree kits fitted to the cars that would be okay ?
Thanks in advance
Any hands free kit will not break the law at the moment.
The law is aimed at stopping people driving with one hand glued to the side of their heads and operating the vehicle with one hand and no brain at the particular moment the device is being used in that fashion.
I hope that helps.
The law is aimed at stopping people driving with one hand glued to the side of their heads and operating the vehicle with one hand and no brain at the particular moment the device is being used in that fashion.
I hope that helps.
Thanks Mad cop.
It is also the future I am worried about, when the new law starts.
I can't see that car kits are safer than blue tooth head sets.
The extra cost if we have to fit car fitted kits will be around £250-£300 pounds a unit, this will cost us thousands and thousands of pounds, peoples jobs will have to go probably, this will hurt them and the company and of course the goverment will get less tax off us to pay for the NHS, running the country etc.
It is also the future I am worried about, when the new law starts.
I can't see that car kits are safer than blue tooth head sets.
The extra cost if we have to fit car fitted kits will be around £250-£300 pounds a unit, this will cost us thousands and thousands of pounds, peoples jobs will have to go probably, this will hurt them and the company and of course the goverment will get less tax off us to pay for the NHS, running the country etc.
I saw one of those Police Stop programmes recently where the bib pulled a lorry driver for talking on the phone and it made me think about CB's.
Are they still legal??
If so then I assume they still have to raise the mike to their mouth to press the button and talk, therefore posing a similar problem.
Unless things have changed in the last few years...
Is there any legislation on CB's??
Are they still legal??
If so then I assume they still have to raise the mike to their mouth to press the button and talk, therefore posing a similar problem.
Unless things have changed in the last few years...
Is there any legislation on CB's??
And if that is the case then what about the BiB?
Single plod in vehicle driving one handed?
If anyone saw 'traffic cops' you will still be realing in the aisles after the 'best trained pursuit driver in the country' ran into the back of some scrote on the lam. And that was with both hands on
Single plod in vehicle driving one handed?
If anyone saw 'traffic cops' you will still be realing in the aisles after the 'best trained pursuit driver in the country' ran into the back of some scrote on the lam. And that was with both hands on
I have a Nokia bluetooth hands-free kit in the car. Push a button mounted on the dash, use voice activated dialling and seems to work OK most of the time.
I do try not to use it, or pull over if I have to. It still seems to divert more grey matter away from the task in hand, namely driving. Chatting away to a passenger is very different to having an in-depth discussion with colleague. The passenger has an appreciation of the circumstances on the road, whereas during a phone call the other party does not, so attention is given to trying to maintain a "normal" conversation, as opposed to saying, "Hang on, I'm doing 80 in a 70, a tractors just pulled out and there's no where for me to go .."
Nothing's that urgent.
Just my 2p.
I do try not to use it, or pull over if I have to. It still seems to divert more grey matter away from the task in hand, namely driving. Chatting away to a passenger is very different to having an in-depth discussion with colleague. The passenger has an appreciation of the circumstances on the road, whereas during a phone call the other party does not, so attention is given to trying to maintain a "normal" conversation, as opposed to saying, "Hang on, I'm doing 80 in a 70, a tractors just pulled out and there's no where for me to go .."
Nothing's that urgent.
Just my 2p.
The link to the decision letter and proposed legislation is here >> www.tinyurl.com/nta5
Specifically we do not have the wording of the legislation yet but quite frankly it is a dog's dinner.
To answer some of the questions above.
CB/ taxi / emergency vehicle hand held press to talk radios will still be legal.
The Govt is trying to stop the action rather than insist all phones must be hands free, ie they want to stop folks driving one hand glued to phone, speaking texting whatever which is fair enough.
So then they say the phone must be fitted in a cradle, which appears to exclude a phone with wired or bluetooth earpiece.
Yet if a press to talk is OK what is wrong with a wired earpiece and phone set on auto answer, or with a single button on the wire and voice activated dialling.
Presumably because the inference is that outgoing calls require the phone to be held to push buttons, my interpretation.
My own system is hard wired with auto answer and voice dialling, including radio muting so should be OK.
The legislation as it appears to me will be a nightmare to understand and enforce in my opinion.
This is / will be very poor legislation where the real problem is drivers not appreciating the issues at stake.
If someone is prepared to drive texting on a hand held phone, do yoyu think they will behave any more responsibly just because the phone is in a cradle?
Specifically we do not have the wording of the legislation yet but quite frankly it is a dog's dinner.
To answer some of the questions above.
CB/ taxi / emergency vehicle hand held press to talk radios will still be legal.
The Govt is trying to stop the action rather than insist all phones must be hands free, ie they want to stop folks driving one hand glued to phone, speaking texting whatever which is fair enough.
So then they say the phone must be fitted in a cradle, which appears to exclude a phone with wired or bluetooth earpiece.
Yet if a press to talk is OK what is wrong with a wired earpiece and phone set on auto answer, or with a single button on the wire and voice activated dialling.
Presumably because the inference is that outgoing calls require the phone to be held to push buttons, my interpretation.
My own system is hard wired with auto answer and voice dialling, including radio muting so should be OK.
The legislation as it appears to me will be a nightmare to understand and enforce in my opinion.
This is / will be very poor legislation where the real problem is drivers not appreciating the issues at stake.
If someone is prepared to drive texting on a hand held phone, do yoyu think they will behave any more responsibly just because the phone is in a cradle?
Like I said before. We are being advised to use common sense in this area. The use of a hands set pressed to the ear whilst negotiating junctions, roundabouts and other hazards will be punished harshly.
How will anyone know that a driver has activated a single button to answer a call unless they see them doing it on a hands free set between their legs or on the passenger seat? As in my hands free kit a button which sits about 4 inches below my chin when the ear piece is in my ear.
Very difficult to spot as a patrol officer so where is the evidence coming from?
On the other hand weaving down a lane out of control as the brain deals with the major function of the balance of the item against the head and the ensuing conversation rather than the important task at hand oh, and the funny positions people get themselves into to hold the phone to their ear are not difficult to describe as a witness to a prosecution.
I have asked our traffic department about this problem. I have to have a phone with me because of part of the nature of my work. I do not have a hard wired hands free kit in my specific allocated vehicle. I asked the transport dept to fit one and they refused on the basis of cost, stating that I should either stop the vehicle to answer or make a call or continue with the use of my ear piece hands free. They stated that they would prefer it if I stopped the vehicle.
COMMON SENSE WILL BE USED IN THIS (MOSTLY) as with most things regarding the enforcement of laws and of course
the attitude test
>> Edited by madcop on Tuesday 7th October 14:15
How will anyone know that a driver has activated a single button to answer a call unless they see them doing it on a hands free set between their legs or on the passenger seat? As in my hands free kit a button which sits about 4 inches below my chin when the ear piece is in my ear.
Very difficult to spot as a patrol officer so where is the evidence coming from?
On the other hand weaving down a lane out of control as the brain deals with the major function of the balance of the item against the head and the ensuing conversation rather than the important task at hand oh, and the funny positions people get themselves into to hold the phone to their ear are not difficult to describe as a witness to a prosecution.
I have asked our traffic department about this problem. I have to have a phone with me because of part of the nature of my work. I do not have a hard wired hands free kit in my specific allocated vehicle. I asked the transport dept to fit one and they refused on the basis of cost, stating that I should either stop the vehicle to answer or make a call or continue with the use of my ear piece hands free. They stated that they would prefer it if I stopped the vehicle.
COMMON SENSE WILL BE USED IN THIS (MOSTLY) as with most things regarding the enforcement of laws and of course
the attitude test >> Edited by madcop on Tuesday 7th October 14:15
the company i work at has HF kits in all company cars, it really winds me up when I see people in cars costing thousands not willing to put in a handsfree kit for a hundred or so, and yes I do think they're overpriced but worth it not to be weaving around trying to change gear while steering with your knees.
Most people would not blink about putting in a few hundred quids worth of stereo but won't go to a HFK 'cos it costs too much. I paid for (and fitted ) my own kit because I was often on the phone while travelling, if you can't be off air then get a kit otherwise switch to voice mail and turn off the phone.
Most people would not blink about putting in a few hundred quids worth of stereo but won't go to a HFK 'cos it costs too much. I paid for (and fitted ) my own kit because I was often on the phone while travelling, if you can't be off air then get a kit otherwise switch to voice mail and turn off the phone.
One of my blokes at work bought a £3.99 "special" offer universal hands free kit from a petrol station, its got a little duplex speaker with integral amp and volume, a cradle and a cigerette lighter plug and it works suprisingly well, so well infact we sent him back to buy another 5 of them 
I keep wondering who is going to trap those who continue to use mobiles without 'hands-free' kits.
The number of manned police patrols is well down on what we had a few years ago as camera technology has been introduced to replace real policemen. The only real interest of gov't in traffic policing is how much cash they can make from scameras. It will be difficult or impossible to see if a phone is being used at night. Phones are becoming so small that they can be hid in the palm of the hand so that a driver could say he was just resting his head on his ear, etc, etc.
There will also be a rash of drivers stopping in dangerous places to take/make calls which will be detrimental to overall road safety.
Thus another piece of badly thought-out and unnecessary traffic legislation will pass into law. The existing careless driving legislation covered any dangers caused by the unwise use of mobile phones.
This sorry apology for a proper government just want more control over the individual!
The number of manned police patrols is well down on what we had a few years ago as camera technology has been introduced to replace real policemen. The only real interest of gov't in traffic policing is how much cash they can make from scameras. It will be difficult or impossible to see if a phone is being used at night. Phones are becoming so small that they can be hid in the palm of the hand so that a driver could say he was just resting his head on his ear, etc, etc.
There will also be a rash of drivers stopping in dangerous places to take/make calls which will be detrimental to overall road safety.
Thus another piece of badly thought-out and unnecessary traffic legislation will pass into law. The existing careless driving legislation covered any dangers caused by the unwise use of mobile phones.
This sorry apology for a proper government just want more control over the individual!
jumjum said:
The extra cost if we have to fit car fitted kits will be around £250-£300 pounds a unit, this will cost us thousands and thousands of pounds, peoples jobs will have to go probably, this will hurt them and the company and of course the goverment will get less tax off us to pay for the NHS, running the country etc.
What did you do in the days before mobiles? I really can't see the need to be in 24x7x365 contact with the rest of the world. I switch the phone off altogether when I'm in the car because I get sick of the damn thing at the best of times.
miniman said:
What did you do in the days before mobiles? I really can't see the need to be in 24x7x365 contact with the rest of the world. I switch the phone off altogether when I'm in the car because I get sick of the damn thing at the best of times.
Managed without them obviously.
But then again, you could equally ask what did we do in the days before microwave ovens? Or televisions? or land-line phones? Or, indeed, cars?
Seems like a pretty spurious argument to me.
madcop said:
Like I said before. We are being advised to use common sense in this area. The use of a hands set pressed to the ear whilst negotiating junctions, roundabouts and other hazards will be punished harshly.
COMMON SENSE WILL BE USED IN THIS (MOSTLY) as with most things regarding the enforcement of laws and of course
>> Edited by madcop on Tuesday 7th October 14:15
As usual Steve has it spot on, its not using the phone, its the distraction that some people's concentration suffers whilst required to do two things at once. Some people will say on the phone ‘wait a minute I am approaching a roundabout’ and put the phone down for a minute, others will try to negotiate a roundabout with a phone clamped onto the side of their head….!
My father in law is a typical example, he can drive his car with one hand with no problems (its an auto) but he CANNOT drive and talk on the phone at the same time, he forgets all about driving and concentrates upon the phone call.
HE IS DANGEROUS....
I still fail to see why seperate laws are needed to cover phone use... isn't "Undue care and attention" enough? Are they going to bring in news laws that specifically cover changing the radio station, nagging the kids or eating a twix on the move?
Out of interest, anyone know what the punishment will be for using a phone (not handsfree) whilst driving?
Out of interest, anyone know what the punishment will be for using a phone (not handsfree) whilst driving?
wiggy001 said:
I still fail to see why seperate laws are needed to cover phone use... isn't "Undue care and attention" enough? Are they going to bring in news laws that specifically cover changing the radio station, nagging the kids or eating a twix on the move?
Out of interest, anyone know what the punishment will be for using a phone (not handsfree) whilst driving?
Its likely to be an endorsable FPT. £60 and 3 points.
The reason that Section 3 is not used as it invariably leads to a summons and a court appearence. Very costly for a minor traffic offence.
Failing to maintain proper control is an alternative, but is not endorsable and can be and usually is dealt with by way of non-endorsable FPT (£30).
streaky said:
Apparently all 'scameras' are being modified to take photographs of drivers using non-HF cellular telephones.
Provided they are also speeding of course!
>> Edited by streaky on Thursday 9th October 06:32
The only way this would work would be to have better cameras and brighter lighting (bigger flash 
) on forward firing static cameras (Truvelo) so you could clearly see on the photo if the driver was holding a phone to their head or not (incidentally, this would largely eradicate the "photo not clearly identifying the driver" defence as presumably to show the use of a mobile non H/F the photo would have to be pretty damn hi-res). Sounds like more FUD propoganda...Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff