IT really gets to me the amount of mothers who i see with kids in the back of their large really large cars on their mobiles . Would it work if we gave them a loaded gun instead??
It gets to me too. It's illegal and it's stupid. But it's not only mothers in Chelsea tractors; I see it all the time, especially van drivers. Another case of a law being passed which is, apparently, totally unenforceable.
Unofrtunately some are of the opinion that it is fine to hold the phone and use a blue tooth or a wired connection .. they really can't see that they are doing anything wrong. It isn't restricted to one particularly group - the rules of the road are - apparently - only there for when it goes against someone else.
Richard, interesting that you think that to risk your own child (if you are a mother) is worse than risking the life of someone you don't know (if you are the hundreds of men seen on their mobiles).
It's a major bugbear of mine too, but 9 times out of 10 when I've seen it it's been young men who obviously think the law and the possibility of causing an accident doesn't apply to them. It's just so stupid and arrogant!
It would make sense if when the police do there spot checks on motorists that they ask to the see drivers phone to check on the latest activity, and when the phone was last in use, especially the most recent call or received call, the warning could be made much clearer or if caught using a phone whilst driving a fine subject to a large amount say a £1000 maybe that might send the corrective message to the chancers !!
I can beat all these horror stories. Whilst waiting at the 'bus stop in Sydney Street (Chelsea, where else?) I saw a woman driving a 4 x 4 holding a mobile 'phone in her right hand, into which she was talking and some kind of bun in her left hand. from which she took the occasional bite. She was steering the car with her bust. Thank God there were no passengers.
Brian P - I was waiting for folk to start screaming about their rights lol. The way prisons are full to capacity - why should anyone take any notice of the rules of the road or even common sense? You can have your day in court - get fined - tell them to [insert expletive here] off and still nothing will happen unless you are extremely unlucky.
At Trinity Road they have regular 'filters' where vehicles are diected into a police lane - I have seen numerous cars get driven away or put on the back of a lorry .. the miscreants just smile - hold their hands up and laugh as they walk away. They paid little or nothing for a vehicle they haven't taxed or insured and when the vehicle is confiscated they have no intention of paying a fine.
I do that all the time Andrew - when I'm walking my kids to school is one of the rare times I've got the chance to send a quick text, line up appointments and the like on my phone.
And if I accidently bump into someone (I never have, being a mum I'm a great multitasker) I'm hardly going to kill them am I ... unlike the idiots who use phones when driving a potentially lethal vehicle.
I agree about incredibly stupid, dangerous idiots holding their phones to their ears and yes more often than not, it is the cretinous so-called 'yummy mummies' in their huge 'presidential tanks' holding the phone and trying to make sure hair and make-up ok while turning a corner . Also plenty of white-van man types too and Porsche drivers .... If they have a Bluetooth earpiece or speaker fine, so why don't they use it?
mm When you're busy texting I hope you're also aware that your children are not getting too close to the curb or dangling your buggy over the curb which lorries and buses get close to as well as cyclists. And, if you bumped into me with a pushchair whilst texting I would be tempted to do GBH to your phone.
Ohh, what an unnecessarily angry post! errr, yes I'm not an idiot Andrew - my kids walk on the inside and I'm closest to the road. Thanks for your concern (not).
If you read my post you will see that I don't bump into people. By some miracle (called motherhood) I can manage to do at least 2 things well at the same. Try it sometime.
Quite, and may I remind you that it was you that got the post off-topic. I'm very sorry that you saw some Mum somewhere or other bump into someone while she talking on her mobile. You seem to have been traumatised by it, but it wasn't me so I don't deserve your aggression and threat of GBH.
It's a badly thought out law that both goes too far and doesn't go far enough. Certainly nobody should use the handheld phone while driving, but the ban on using the phone while stuck stationary in a traffic jam is ridiculous and draconian, when you are allowed to do just about anything else, e.g. get out of the car and walk about, take a nap, read a newspaper etc.
OTOH you can laboriously input a postcode on the satnav, hunt for a CD under the passenger seat, eat (or even make!) a sandwich or roll a ciggie all while doing 70 down the M4. OK, if you cause an accident through doing one of these you'll be prosecuted but they aren't specific offences in themselves.
@Peter - if you Believe the law to be so poor why not suggest a better alternative. All the other things you menttion are covered by existing legislation such as careless or dangerous driving. The extra emphasis on a mobile phone law is because it is such a common offence. The idea that you can have one legal status when not moving and a different one whilst moving is pretty hard to enforce I would suggest. I don't think it addresses the problem however. The issue is about what the driver is concentrating on.
One more point - 170,000 offences dealt with seems to me significant but actually is the tip of the iceberg. Independent research suggests about one third of motorists admit the offence.
On the television program Brit Cops - Rapid Response (don't ask...) last night, they said that they stop 60,000 people each year driving while on their hand held mobiles. Seems a small figure to me considering I personally must see a dozen people every day doing it.
Comments
Simple rule, easy to remember!
Seat belt on, phone off!!!
At Trinity Road they have regular 'filters' where vehicles are diected into a police lane - I have seen numerous cars get driven away or put on the back of a lorry .. the miscreants just smile - hold their hands up and laugh as they walk away. They paid little or nothing for a vehicle they haven't taxed or insured and when the vehicle is confiscated they have no intention of paying a fine.
A fine for using a mobile? meaningless.
And if I accidently bump into someone (I never have, being a mum I'm a great multitasker) I'm hardly going to kill them am I ... unlike the idiots who use phones when driving a potentially lethal vehicle.
When you're busy texting I hope you're also aware that your children are not getting too close to the curb or dangling your buggy over the curb which lorries and buses get close to as well as cyclists. And, if you bumped into me with a pushchair whilst texting I would be tempted to do GBH to your phone.
If you read my post you will see that I don't bump into people. By some miracle (called motherhood) I can manage to do at least 2 things well at the same. Try it sometime.
As yet you have not bumped into me.
But: the subject is driving and mobiling.
Now, lets get back to mobiles and cars!
OTOH you can laboriously input a postcode on the satnav, hunt for a CD under the passenger seat, eat (or even make!) a sandwich or roll a ciggie all while doing 70 down the M4. OK, if you cause an accident through doing one of these you'll be prosecuted but they aren't specific offences in themselves.
The idea that you can have one legal status when not moving and a different one whilst moving is pretty hard to enforce I would suggest. I don't think it addresses the problem however. The issue is about what the driver is concentrating on.
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