the new rule starts now. who here use there mobile phones while driving? lets be honest guys.
i do sometimes :( btw is it still ilegal if u use handsfree?
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the new rule starts now. who here use there mobile phones while driving? lets be honest guys.
i do sometimes :( btw is it still ilegal if u use handsfree?
No, never use; I did have a Bluetooth setup for a while, but I noticed my attention wandering while talking on that - especially in any sort of extended and/or detailed conversation, so now I just don\'t bother. There is NO call that is that important; that\'s why you have voicemail.
I\'ll be honest that I used to, but haven\'t done so for years and years.
Seen loads and loads of people still using them though.
What I have been doing though is finding somewhere safe to pull over and phone the people back, but usually leaving my engine on which apparently isn\'t allowed now anyway :-/
A bit annoying, but understandable I suppose.
i did but really shouldnt have, i dont anymore i let it rong threw.
so what were you allowed to do then? i was under the impression that it was like this anyway :confused:
rong threw ? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by arbitor
It was, but it was only a small fine - no points on license or anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by MadduckUK
I'm glad they're enforcing it better, the number of people I see driving without the proper attention because they're on the phone is awful. People can learn to live without it.
I have a car holder for my phone and the speakerphone mode works fine for the occasional call. If I know I'll be making numerous calls I'll use my bluetooth headset
Quote:
Originally Posted by Howard
umm so your allowed to use handfree/ loud speaker? thats what i normaly use but people wont agree because they say it can still distract you. so can music or someone talking to you in the car in person but their is no law for that...:undecided
Thank goodness some are beginning to see sense - as I posted in DRs thread - there seems to be a correlation between those talking on the phone/smoking etc and those who don't see me on the bike. (Just my experience, however).Quote:
Originally Posted by nichomach
It's a good thing I don't drive ;)
Well, I smoke - but not while driving; I take relatively frequent rest stops on long trips, so generally indulge my filthy habit then. And have a smoke.
Yes, the law has always been that wayQuote:
Originally Posted by j.o.s.h.1408
Hmmm... whilst I agree that talking to someone in the car can be a distraction, I generally find that I have to concentrate more if I'm talking to someone on the phone than if it's someone sat next to me. But that might just be me :)Quote:
Originally Posted by j.o.s.h.1408
Thought this was the law last year, have they upped the penalty? Nope never use my mobile while driving, i usually just ignore it till i stop somewhere :lol:
Its a good thing, to much attention is spent with a conversation on the phone instead of paying attention whilst actually driving a car. To many times I've had to take action when big executives on the phone to work cut lanes up or don't take a roundabout correctly. Also the chav equation comes into it as well whilst they are doing a ton to get to a meet down the local park whilst not driving in a straight line. Phone switched off before the journey takes away the distraction.
Ill admit that I still do occasionally talk on the phone whilst driving. I really know I should get a handsfree kit for it, but somehow I havent got round to it yet.
That said, I only ever really do it whilst cruising on the motorway where I know I can't stop, and I generally only stay long enough on the phone to find out whether it's important or not.
Looks like hands free will be next according to news reports today on TV. They are already saying that hands free are just as dangerous as using a hands on phone. Random breath tests are being talked about too.
On a related note, deaths in UK hospitals from hospital caught infections are now higher than road deaths. But saving lives in hospitals costs money, whereas saving people from demonised paedophile/murdering/terrorist/planet-killing motorists is a money earner.
;)
It's a well known fact that people go for bigger engines to compensate for the age (or lack of) of their girlfriends of course! :mrgreen:Quote:
Originally Posted by KBeee
Seriously though, a hands free kit has got to be less dangerous than talking to a passenger because they can't visually distract you.
I'd like a Beadles About, You've Been Framed type TV series soley based on people being caught by the plod on their hand held whilst driving and seeing them tow the car to a crushers and watch the "motorist" as their car is crushed.
That would be well worth the hike in the license fee.
The only time you should use a mobile in a car is in an emergency i.e. 999 call and if it's that important then you can pull over. (motorway inside lane might be excusable as the hard shoulder is more dangerous)
Whats this new rule? I thought using mobiles has been a fineable-points on licence offence for well over a year?
That said I always try to drive safely but it is often perfectly ok to recive a call IMO. I only have short conversations if I do (like under 20 seconds) but if your aware enough to drive safely whilst talking then your also aware enough not to get caught.
But there is a good thing to this, a very good thing. We NEEED more police on the roads, and thats the only way they can enforce this. Drivers are so bad around here that I judge how aware I am by how many times I see a near miss caused by other people - usually related to roundabouts with dual lanes on exits. Acctually I think that would be a waste of police time and money, a much better idea would be a retest for everyone once every 5-10 years. A test costs £40 vs running a car costs £1000's. If this was the case people would spend a lot more effort making sure there driving is good.
Wonder if its still ok for the coppers you see on the TV to use mobiles/Radio's, and drive one handed, without seatbelts on while having a camera crew in the car....
But I'm sure its fine as they've all been on Advanced Driver courses, so if I drive round on my mobile and forget to put my seatbelt on and tear down the M1 at 90mph while theres nobody else in the car does that make me safer than them..?
Well today I saw both sides - on the way into work I was tailgated most of the way by a white van driver holding up a really unsubtle, large, bright silver phone to his ear. He put it down just as we approached where I work...
.. thus escaping the attentions of a patrol car who had just pulled someone over presumably for using the phone given that they were unlikely to have been speed on this bit of road.
Previous penalty was a £30 fine. New penalty is £60 and 3 points (same fixed penalty as speeding).Quote:
Originally Posted by SilentDeath
As for the talking, smoking etc. etc. The police can pull you over and give you points on your licence if they think you aren't properly in control of your vehicle regardless of the cause. Apparently hands free kits are included in that, so if you're on the hands free not paying attention you're no better off than being on a handheld.
Up until they tightened up the law I'd occasionally just pick up the phone to say "yeah I'm two minutes away. Sorry I'm late love, see you in a mo then" while I was on the way to pick up my wife. I made a few longer calls before they made it illegal (three or four years ago now I suppose?) and it really is very distracting, far more so than talking to someone who's in the car with you.
What's the cheapest bluetooth headset around at the mo? It'd still be handy to answer the 10 second "where are you?" calls, because let's face it my timekeeping isn't getting any better. As a bus driver, no licence = no job, so I need to keep it clean.
Of course, you can decline to accept an FPN and go to court. Or, of course, a police officer may consider an FPN inappropriate in the circumstances and you may end up getting taken to court anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Butcher
And if you do end up in court, you face up to £1000 fine. Or £2500 for goods vehicles, passenger vehicles for more than 8 passengers, etc. Makes £60 and 3 points sound cheap. ;)
There are loads of headsets on eBay and most of them are pretty good. Maybe post a wanted thread and i'm sure someone will have one spare. Thinking about it I got one with my new phone that i don't use. £10?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rave