Mobile phones used in cars
 

It seems that the media, and the retailers are mis-informing people as the the new law regarding mobile phone use in cars.

This is from http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/64/34001.html:

"So what does it all mean?

In a nutshell, it will become an offence for someone to hold and operate a mobile device in their hand while they are driving, or to use a device, even if it is fixed in a cradle, for sending or receiving data. The latter includes emails, text messages, picture messages and accessing the Internet. The legislation also reiterates something that has always been the case, ie. that any use of equipment in a manner that interferes with the driver's proper control of the vehicle can lead to a charge of careless or dangerous driving.

Those with a keen eye will have spotted that the legislation deals with driver behaviour and not the legality or otherwise of specific types of equipment. This is interesting when we look back at some of the retailer campaigns and news stories. Some of these have suggested or implied that all headsets and ear-pieces will be illegal and that fixed hands-free car kits - with the phone wired into the car's power supply and sound system - are necessary for compliance. Others have suggested that headsets are OK, provided they are based on the wireless Bluetooth approach.

Such claims and implications are not only inaccurate, but miss the point. As a spokesperson for the Hampshire Police put it: "There is no such thing as compliant or not-compliant equipment. It has more to do with equipment being used in a safe manner."
"

The Department for Transport has a very interesting FAQ at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...ty_025216.hcsp

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

So when will they stop people doing the following:
Tuning the radio, changing tape/cd
Smoking
Putting on make up (no not me!)
Styling hair
Drinking coffee
Eating lunch
Picking Nose (Yuck!)

All whilst driving...

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Here we go again Tricky, this issue has been done to death before, all of your above points are covered by the general term careless and dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention. We didn't even need a special action for using mobile phones there is sufficient law there. My guess most police who have enough to do, will ignore it, as they do many infringements these days. Thanks to scastle for an informative post, interesting even a £30 fine suggested, what a joke.

Frankly, something must be done, in this area too many drivers use cell phones whilst driving and the sooner the police act to do something to stop it the better and it really should mean three points on the license, if it is to mean anything at all. Only severe punishment will stop this menace.

:ninja:

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

I doubt it. They had me a while back for not wearing a seat belt while driving. Now if I crash its me that gets hurt so what business is it of theirs. someone's making something somewhere



PS is this ruddy quote problem going to get fixed

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

because emergency services have to attend the crash/accident to save u they may be risking their lives in the process and it cost to scrape you off the road

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

hmmmm i have a small hand held remote control for my kenwood 10 stack in the boot.....i presume i am not allowed to change cds etc no more whilst driving?
i always thought this was a lot safer than leaning over to the dashboard and fiddling with the front of a cdplayer or tapedeck etc....
any thoughts?

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Agreed, but even if you have a fixed hands free kit, if they can prove you were driving without due care and attention, then they're gonna chuck the book at you anyway or at least the £30 fine.

I would enforce a stronger law than the 3 points, take the phone off them - This'll stop the company car/mobile users as the companies will be forced to install proper kits etc otherwise they'll be losing lots of cash replacing phones.

I was followed the other evening (as I was doing exactly the speed limit) I was bored doing the speed so was driving along with my head resting on my hand - I'm sure they were checking for me using a phone - I really wished they'd pulled me as I have a real handsfree kit installed.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Just been reading about this again tonight (for another thread) and I found one thing which I never knew - The new law also applies to anyone supervising a learner driver, while the learner driver is driving. - apparently "anyone supervising a learner driver needs to be concentrating on what the driver is doing and should not be using a mobile phone".

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

yep... my dad is a driving instructor, and he was told at a briefing that not only can he be prosecuted if someone drives without due care, but can also get points on his license if someone he is sitting with is speeding! but then again, i suppose he does have the handy brake pedal on his side if they are tempted so shouldn't be too much of a problem!!

MB

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Well, to be honest it's only right really. They are paid to sit and instruct that person. The person driving is probably inexperienced and unable to deal with all situations they may encounter on the road. For a driving instructor to be chatting away on a phone is a bit irresponsible really.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

I can't disagree with any of the legislation.

It just needs to be extended to people driving supermarket trollies as well. :mad:

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Err, anyone want to merge the two threads running on this subject into one?

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Not really - the other one is about the police but has drifted a bit off topic and happens to be talking about mobiles.

This topic is actually about mobile phone use in cars - merging them would be wrong.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

At the end of the day I see an easy solution....that will probably never happen but it would solve many un necessary accidents.

Put some kind of shielding in all new cars body that will block the signals = no more mobiles whilst driving. problem solved.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Should we replace all the windows with sheets of lead? :D

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

In the event of a breakdown it could automatically unblock and call the AA/RAC

In the event of an attack by yobbos, it would automatically unblock and call the Old Bill, 10 of your mates and launch the gun in the glove compartment.

In the event of gridlock on the byepass, it would unblock, shut down the autocook function on your oven, alert the school to hold the kids back, autodivert your grocery order to +1 hour and play soothing music.

Problems solved.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

:rofl: You shoud post that to http://www.halfbakery.com/ :D

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

:notopic: Sorry the whole of this thread just went out of my head as I've been watching scastles avatar.Better reread it.

I've only seen one person using a mobile since the legislation came in so I think it has had some effect.The proof of the pudding though will be if accidents have reduced because of the legislation.Too early to tell I suspect.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

From my experience, I still see 3 or 4 people every day using mobiles while driving, I can usually spot them before I see the phone, erratic driving, braking late, going slow on a motorway, going too fast in town etc. etc. dangerous people IMHO.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Definitely agree here.

Mr white van man and BMW x5 drivers seem to forget the new rules. :rolleyes:

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

I don't want to throw this subject :notopic: but as stated earlier, we are talking about a similar thing about police in another thread ( but has gone waywards ) and gone on to phones.


My point, if there is such high \ demanding laws on the use of handheld devices for us, how \ why do the the police get away with using walkie talkies ??????
It has been said that that its ok to use these things, anyone care to post some legal data :shrug: or know first hand wether it right or wrong

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

From the official site - Here M8.. :)

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Cheers m8, so reading that, although it has not been included the law still has the right to prosecute if they THINK you are driving in an unsafe manner. To much left to the one to decide IMHO :)

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

I agree... what about people lighting up cigs while they are driving, surely that is as much/more of a hazard?

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Oh so because one thing is banned everything else has to be banned?

Frankly I don't care as I neither smoke,eat,drink or use a mobile phone when driving but let's not go overboard.If someone can smoke while driving safely fine.If they can't then let them be done for driving dangerously BUT let's not ban smoking whilst driving for everyone.

As long as drivers use what's between their ears then there is no need for a long list of things to ban.:)

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

:Peaceman: I agree with you entirely Incog... I just wonder why mobile phone users were singled out. :)

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

I had a terrible day on Friday.

I insulted the Boss during a mobile conversation - I lit the end of my cornish pastie whilst trying to respond to 2 other calls waiting on the mobile just as I approached a busy roundabout. My can of Ruddles was tipped from its position by the Aircon vent and soiled the 3 CD's I had lined up to change on the next straight bit of road.

Luckily I was able to re-light the fag from the embers of the pastie, but mis-read the glow for the red call active light on the mobile and threw it out of the window, assuming it was the now nuclear pastie crust.

By the time I had reversed up the ring road and retrieved the mobile, I had 4 calls stacked, and when some idiot in a taxi shouted at me for blocking both lanes I inadvertantly hit the button to activate call 3 and the answer I gave was assumed by my Boss (who I had just responded to on line 3) to be meant for him (her) [just in case]

DO NOT be misled by hands free - however well you drive mobile calls can be distracting.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Of course you can still legally operate a mobile while a car is being driven.

However you must be under 5, strapped into a child seat & the phone must only go "beep beep" "911 emergency" :D

I still see them using them while driving all the time, however they are almost as erratic as those that are smoking while they drive.
You might be able to smoke & drive Incog but I see many who cannot.

How about having a sensor in the car, when it detect a mobile transmission it starts the indicators & gives the driver 10 seconds to pull in :D

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Not sure if this post was in jest - but just in case - it's perfectly legal to operate a mobile phone in a car - providing that either you are not driving it, or it is "hands free" (or you are not supervising a learner). :)

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

I don't smoke at all.So you needn't worry about meeting me on the motorway,because I do not eat,smoke,use a phone or anything else distracting whilst driving.

I was merely pointing out that we already have a long enough list of things NOT to do that the nanny government keeping bashing us over the head with.Let's not give them any more ideas of things to ban.

Every morning I turn on BBC 24 and they keep nagging me with the latest Government stance on health and I'm bombarded with advice to stop smoking(not a problem),to diet,to put my child on a diet,to stop putting my child on a diet(anorexia),to exercise,stop drinking,to drink in moderation.I'm daily expecting the weight police to turn up my doorstep OR to hear chocolate has been banned completely for public consumption.

Yes stupid I know.Use of mobiles whilst driving I've no qualms about that becoming illegal but lets not get into eating while driving becoming illegal please.Where does it end when it starts? :)

Incog.

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

"FREEZE PUNK!! Step out of the car!! I saw you put a mint imperial in your mouth back their on the roundabout! You're going away for a long stretch you mutha!!" :D

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

A couple of hours ago I watched a cyclist ride past, no hands on the handlebars, composing a text message!!! :Yikes:

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

Perhaps he was checking on the bus times to avoid being mowed down in a designated lane?

Re: Mobile phones used in cars
 

There have been cases where someone eating a sandwich while in the car have been prosecuted...

And yes my above post was in jest...

:D