Reply to: Drivers who use a Mobile Phone whilst Driving

[threaded]

A number of years ago I was nearly knocked off my push-bike by the local speed merchant who thought it was a some big joke!

I told him if he kept driving like that he would be dead in 12 months!

He was! He was having a shave whilst driving down a country lane and drove straight into a tree!

So don't shave while you drive either!

I've had that kinda thing several times. A for instance was a lady on a scooter. Tried to tell her that her driving was dangerous whenever I caught up with her at the lights, which was more than once, always got the yah-yah response. A few months ago saw her being scraped up into a body bag.

It gets to be quite upsetting, so I vary my route and time I set off, so whenever it happens, it's less likely to be someone I see everyday.

[up4it]

A number of years ago I was nearly knocked off my push-bike by the local speed merchant who thought it was a some big joke!

I told him if he kept driving like that he would be dead in 12 months!

He was! He was having a shave whilst driving down a country lane and drove straight into a tree!

So don't shave while you drive either!

[VectraMan]

What gets me about that, is what if he'd been changing a CD, or tuning the radio? Would that immediately have made having a CD player or car radio to hand a criminal act?

Yes but in all probability you spend a very small amount of time tuning the radio, so making that a criminal act would have a very tiny effect. If using a phone is legal, there are people who are going to see driving as an oppurtunity to make all their phone calls and spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel and on the phone.

I think the law is a little heavy handed. If my phone rings whilst driving I don't answer it, but I do tend to get it out my pocket and look to see who it is, which is technically illegal too.

[DimPrawn]

This must be a problem with British drivers, as in Cyprus the men can drive, smoke a cigarette, and txt on a mobile, all after having 5 drinks at lunchtime, no problem.

HTH

[Charles Foster Kane]

What gets me about that, is what if he'd been changing a CD, or tuning the radio? Would that immediately have made having a CD player or car radio to hand a criminal act?

No, but you could be booked for driving without due care and attention.

[Charles Foster Kane]

Whether or not you agree with the law, it is there for a reason (mainly because studies indicate reaction time drops when talking on a mobile phone) and should not be disregarded because it is a hard law to enforce.
I agree that talking to people in the car can be equally distracting which is why I minimise this when I am driving, I like to have my full attention on the road ahead so that I can assess any current or potential hazards.

The flagrant disregard I have seen for this law is frankly outrageous, primarily by those who should know better, like the elderly gentleman I saw driving his Bentley on the high street a few days ago, clutching the wheel with one hand, whilst waving his mobile about in the air with the other, clearly not paying full attention to the road ahead as he blathered away.

These miscreants seem unconcerned by a potential £1000 fine and 6 points on their license, it would seem they think they are ‘above the law’ (like Steven Seagal in that appalling movie) and have become unlikely criminals because they are certain they will not be brought to justice.

[NotAllThere]

I always think about the young woman who died on the M3 because a truck driver was playing with his phone. Didn't see the stationary traffic, he didn't even reaslise the crumped car infront was not the one with the dead girl in. That car was so flat to the front of his truck he couldn't see it out of the windscreen.

There are so many hands free kits these days there really isn't any excuse.

What gets me about that, is what if he'd been changing a CD, or tuning the radio? Would that immediately have made having a CD player or car radio to hand a criminal act?

[threaded]

What really irritates me is people who can clearly afford a Bluetooth car kit but just don't bother. I'm talking about poncy BMW drivers in there £80,000 M5 or Aston drivers or Merc or any top spec car where no doubt Bluetooth is fitted as standard, but they continue to hold a phone to their head with their hand. probably because they're too thick to read the manual on how to pair their phone up.

People like this need beating with a huge stick.

Rant over.

I really wouldn't be so sure about that. An awful lot of people are all flash when it comes to cars: they'll spend a fortune for the badge, but then have nothing left for the stuff they need, like decent tires or one I heard this morning some brake pads on a newish 6 series (just how many lights do you need to come up on the dashboard before you realise you shouldn't be driving it).

Sheet, I helped a guy set up with a window cleaning business and he'd tell me of big posh houses, fancy cars, but then they'd be matress on the floor, no carpets, and using the garden furniture inside as table and chairs.

[Pacman]

What really irritates me is people who can clearly afford a Bluetooth car kit but just don't bother. I'm talking about poncy BMW drivers in there £80,000 M5 or Aston drivers or Merc or any top spec car where no doubt Bluetooth is fitted as standard, but they continue to hold a phone to their head with their hand. probably because they're too thick to read the manual on how to pair their phone up.

People like this need beating with a huge stick.

Rant over.

[Pondlife]

snip ...

hence only a small population of idiots...

Don't put yourself down.

[threaded]

There's no such offence.

In Denmark you can get in trouble if you release a video of someone commiting a criminal offence. A jeweller put one up on YouTube of a raid on his shop. Which sucks, 'cause alot of my best snips from the film I'm making are of people commiting criminal offences.

Apparently I have to make sure they cannot be identified, which is quite difficult, as it's a small country and hence only a small population of idiots...

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Incredible marketing how it seems to have achieved a similar notoriety as drink driving.

People just love having something to moan about.

Same thing with speed cameras. If everyone's so upset why don't we all just take off our number plates. They can't arrest us all!

On the other hand , there are those of us who have seen the effects first hand. I'm not upset about speed cameras, I've come up with a totally foolproof way of avoiding those fines. Same thing with mobile phone use - I will never be convicted of that as I don't do it. It really isn't necessary, and most people (including the dead one) I've known who thought they could use the phone and drive as if they weren't using it, were wrong.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I wonder what would have happened if he had videoed the incident?

Maybe prosecuted for invasion of privacy?

There's no such offence.

[threaded]

On a short stretch of road without a cyclepath a guy went past in a van whilst using his mobile phone. I noticed, because he was a bit too close and at first I thought he had a flat tire, so was looking. Well, a little incensed I shouted "Put that phone down!"

Well, he dropped the phone instantly, both hands straight onto the wheel, and he started looking around for wherever the source of the command came from. I was now in his near-side blind spot.

"You really are a hopeless prat!" was my next comment. I could see he was seriously freaked and I turned off onto a cycle path that just started there.

Gets to the next set of lights and chummy is still looking around, and looking completely freaked out. I looked him square in the eye, and I could see he was trying to act like he didn't think he was going insane.

He really hadn't got a clue where the shouts came from.

threaded in "one good deed every day" mode

[Weltchy]

I lost the will to live trying to read those options

Attention Span Slipping guru?