Using Mobile Phones While Driving - New Laws

[Justin Smith]

I suppose an increase in the fine wouldnt be to raise extra revenue for the Government would it ?

 

Nah, they wouldnt use motorists as cash cows , would they ?

 

Penny you`re just looking stupid now, and, in this case not just because you`ve got Trump as your Avatar. Are you seriously suggesting that fines for mobile phone use whilst driving are about raising more revenue for the Govt ? It`s a ridiculous thing to suggest, but, quite apart from anything else, 99% of drivers would be far more bothered about the points on their licence and the probable increased cost on insurance.

By the way, do you still speed through our village (Oughtibridge) ? If so kindly desist. After all, you`re putting all those English kids lives at increased risk, and as a "good" English Nationalist you wouldn`t want that would you......

[Guest sibon]

I suppose an increase in the fine wouldnt be to raise extra revenue for the Government would it ?

 

 

I think that taking money off stupid people, behaving dangerously in a heavy vehicle, is to be applauded.

 

The more money we raise from criminally dangerous motorists, the less we might have to raise from tax on baccy. Then people might stop supporting organised crime by buying knock off fags.

 

Are you in, Penny?

[tzijlstra]

Some woman drove into the back of my girlfriend's Citroen C3 whilst she was waiting to pull out at a junction a few weeks back, severely damaging (beyond repair) the rear bumper. The woman admitted that she'd been on her mobile and not paying attention.

Against my advice, my girlfriend said that if the woman paid for the repair, she wouldn't contact the police or insurance fearing the woman may lose her license and all bad stuff that happens when you do. Also, my girlfriend didn't want it to affect her own insurance, which I'm pretty sure it shouldn't have anyway.

I sourced a new bumper, John Bee painted it, and I bolted it on last weekend (pain in the neck, involving removal of rear wheels and inner wheel arches among other things). Top marks to John Bee though for an excellent colour match/paint job

 

I think the woman got off extremely lightly. Not all girlfriends are so empathic.

 

Astonishingly, it might well do. My car got stolen nearly a year ago. Insurance accepted the claim and then put my premium up... apparently it is quite normal practice.

[Alcoblog]

Astonishingly, it might well do. My car got stolen nearly a year ago. Insurance accepted the claim and then put my premium up... apparently it is quite normal practice.

 

Very astonishing! Someone causes you (doing nothing wrong whatsoever) to be involved in an accident, then you get penalised for it? Daylight robbery.

 

The trick is obviously not inform the police or insurance company if you're involved in an accident. In which case, why bother with insurance at all? (Don't worry, I am insured, and happily, my insurance has come down this year)

[Phanerothyme]

https://www.drivermetrics.com/2013/04/02/research-evidence-dangers-hands-free-mobile-phone-driving/

 

"Using a hands-free mobile phone is currently legal in the UK and many fleet-based companies allow drivers to take work-related hands-free phone calls. However, many studies show that hands-free mobile phone use does not reduce the level of risk when compared with handheld and makes little difference to the level of impairment in driving performance or crash involvement rates. This is because the mental distraction and divided attention involved in conducting a phone conversation is responsible for the increased risk. Many drivers consider that a hands-free phone call is just the same as talking to a passenger but research has shown that it is more dangerous (Charlton, 2009). Indeed, having a hands-free device in the vehicle may actually encourage drivers to use their mobile phone while driving more often (Gras et al., 2007)."

[carboy42]

In that case they should stop including more than 1 seat.

 

---------- Post added 01-03-2017 at 15:49 ----------

 

 

Out of 1732 people killed. That's pretty much what I was getting at. Down in a decade from 3201 people killed.

 

So deaths caused by mobile phone use, 1.2%

 

What are we doing to address the other 98.8% of deaths?

 

Looking at 2013 (which had a similar total number of deaths, 1754).

230 were down to drink drivers, 10 times that of phone drivers.

 

The most often recorded contributory factors are;

Loss of Control 35%

Failed to look 26%

Careless/reckless 20%

Speeding 16%

Poor turn/manoeuvre 15%

 

On the phone at 1.2% isn't the biggest problem is it.

 

 

Lots are been done to make cars safer and educate drivers. But mistakes happen because we are human.

 

Picking up a phone is a choice not a mistake for been human. So lets stamp out 1.2% and continue working on the rest.

[Phanerothyme]

Lots are been done to make cars safer and educate drivers. But mistakes happen because we are human.

 

Picking up a phone is a choice not a mistake for been human. So lets stamp out 1.2% and continue working on the rest.

Indeed.

 

1.2% is not much, but it represents real people being alive, instead of dead -

 

 

so I would say it's pretty bloody mandatory to not use your phone at all when driving.

[DT Ralge]

Indeed.

 

1.2% is not much, but it represents real people being alive, instead of dead -

 

 

so I would say it's pretty bloody mandatory to not use your phone at all when driving.

 

I agree.

I have met company drivers who admit to negotiating mega contracts whilst hands-free, to having their annual performance appraisal hands-free.

All the research shows that it is the conversation that represents the bulk of any cognitive overload rather than the holding of the phone to the ear. (Texting etc is beyond the pale, though.)

Welcome as the crack-down is, it won't eradicate the deeper issue and the Police will still be checking phone records as part of their serious/fatal crash investigation.

[Cyclone]

Indeed.

 

1.2% is not much, but it represents real people being alive, instead of dead -

 

 

so I would say it's pretty bloody mandatory to not use your phone at all when driving.

 

The focus on it and the level of penalty is disproportionate to the size of the problem though.

[Eater Sundae]

https://www.drivermetrics.com/2013/04/02/research-evidence-dangers-hands-free-mobile-phone-driving/

 

"Using a hands-free mobile phone is currently legal in the UK and many fleet-based companies allow drivers to take work-related hands-free phone calls. However, many studies show that hands-free mobile phone use does not reduce the level of risk when compared with handheld and makes little difference to the level of impairment in driving performance or crash involvement rates. This is because the mental distraction and divided attention involved in conducting a phone conversation is responsible for the increased risk. Many drivers consider that a hands-free phone call is just the same as talking to a passenger but research has shown that it is more dangerous (Charlton, 2009). Indeed, having a hands-free device in the vehicle may actually encourage drivers to use their mobile phone while driving more often (Gras et al., 2007)."

 

I remember seeing a TV interview, several years ago, with a youngish looking male MP who had been part of the parliamentary group which designed the legislation banning the use of hands held phones. Sorry, I can't remember his name, and have never been able to find the interview since.

 

He said that the evidence clearly showed that hands free phones were basically as dangerous as hand held ones. However, at the time, they did not believe that public opinion was ready for the banning of the use of all phones, so they went with just the hand held ones.