Rant - Mobile phones

fartingspartan · 9 May 2013 at 09:55

+1 - The "the phoes on the lap or Im talking to my junk" approach also makes me laugh.

Atari said:
It's even more annoying when they're holding the phone away from their face but it's on loudspeaker. No, bint! It's still a stupid idea!!

ZXSpectrum · 9 May 2013 at 10:24

HaloUK said:
Funny enough whilst watching breakfast TV this morning they were talking about rising the fine to £90... OMG I didn't realise the fine was so low. No wonder people are still doing it while there is no real deterrent.

Even so it still isn't that much. £90 is often a night out or a dress/pair of shoes/football boots/couple of rounds of golf. That's not a huge deterrent at all. Maybe it should be mandatory driving without due care and attention and £500-1000 fine. Then see how it effects people when they cant pay their rent because of their stupidity.

Mr Jones · 9 May 2013 at 11:04

As much as I find silly ***** texting whilst driving or having a phone to their ears whilst steering and shifting with the same hand, I find people with kids more of an issue, around here anyway.

Either car train the kid to sit and be safe, stop your car and sort them out or lock them in your house when you go out driving. Swaying your car left and right whilst trying to adjust whatever your kid demands with your hands off the steering or you turning your head and focus on the passenger / back seat whilst going at 30+ miles is just an accident waiting to happen.

miniyazz · 9 May 2013 at 13:07

NathWraith said:
I have a eco game integrated into my dash where I accumulate trees for driving economically. This updates in real time.

I can play this game with no threat from the law.

Unlucky phone drivers.

That's silly. If you drive economically you have less need for trees, not more.. the game should be to get as close to a sparse wasteland as possible

Rilot · 9 May 2013 at 13:15

Mr Jones said:
As much as I find silly ***** texting whilst driving or having a phone to their ears whilst steering and shifting with the same hand, I find people with kids more of an issue, around here anyway.

Either car train the kid to sit and be safe, stop your car and sort them out or lock them in your house when you go out driving. Swaying your car left and right whilst trying to adjust whatever your kid demands with your hands off the steering or you turning your head and focus on the passenger / back seat whilst going at 30+ miles is just an accident waiting to happen.

I got taken out by a woman in an Espace back in 1992 who was sorting her kids out and not looking at the road. Just drove straight across a junction without looking at all. I was fine but my bike was a bit bent.

The funny thing is, she was really rather annoyed that I had hit her. She was more interested in getting her kids to school on time than exchanging details and seemed to view the whole experience as just being a waste of time that was my fault for crashing in to her.

#Chri5# · 9 May 2013 at 15:25

Saw a guy last night in his spanking new Evoque on his phone. That has the have Bluetooth / hands-free as standard doesn't it?

physichull · 9 May 2013 at 16:39

yosamuel said:
My absolute pet hate. There is no excuse for it.

Agreed. It gets me seething when I see people on their phones, although ironically, some tend to slow down considerable when taking a call.

vanpeebles · 9 May 2013 at 17:04

When caught they should their phone crushed and their licence cancelled. Complete and utter scum.

NathWraith · 9 May 2013 at 17:09

vanpeebles said:
When caught they should their phone crushed and their licence cancelled. Complete and utter scum.

Bit keen don't you think.

I crashed my car into a little chef and I wasn't on the phone.

Does that make me scummier or less scummier than the phone wielding bandits?

vanpeebles · 9 May 2013 at 17:10

You might think differently when you have a mate killed by a driver who was using their phone.

NathWraith · 9 May 2013 at 17:16

vanpeebles said:
You might think differently when you have a mate killed by a driver who was using their phone.

I knew this would be the case. One does not simply post so vehemently without reasoning.

Sorry for your loss.

However you cannot tar all with the same brush.

If your phone was crushed and you were banned for life for having a call on your mobile, what would happen if you did 40 in a 30?

vanpeebles · 9 May 2013 at 17:20

I never said banned for life. Revoke the licence and let them retake their test.

If you use your phone that's premeditated thinking into not being in control of a large dangerous piece of machinery. Either drive your car, or use your phone when stopped. No excuses full stop for mucking about with a phone while driving other than being a selfish sod.

cainer · 9 May 2013 at 17:21

p1RATE said:
I heard about this on the radio too, it apparently will include eating etc too.

I wonder how far this will go before people are removed from behind the wheel because we are too easily distracted?

and lighting a ciggy at the wheel, so i guess if your driving alone you cant smoke anymore???

A new penalty of three penalty points and a £90 fine will also be introduced for a number of careless driving offences, including cutting up other drivers, eating a sandwich or lighting a cigarette at the wheel, driving at an inappropriate speed and needlessly hogging the middle lane on a motorway.

http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/news/texting-drivers-face-90-fine-100500236.html

miniyazz · 9 May 2013 at 18:09

Some of these are clear cut and are probably already covered by careless driving/driving w/o due care, but I can see the logic in applying a roadside penalty in the same way seatbelts/phones was introduced. But things that are a bit more vague? Is it only to be used when 'beyond doubt' - for example cutting up other drivers, or driving at an inappropriate speed - there is a speed (or distance) that is appropriate, and a speed which is inappropriate, but it's not clear where the line should be drawn.

Lighting a cigarette I can see the argument for since to light it you have to pay attention to what you're doing (else you might set the car on fire instead) and therefore cannot be paying attention to driving as well. Sandwiches I'm less convinced about..

davy89 · 9 May 2013 at 18:29

I think it's worse the way people try and use them without making it obvious!

PMKeates · 9 May 2013 at 18:33

I think the definition of 'driving' could be better. Sitting in a traffic jam shouldn't count.

geekman · 9 May 2013 at 19:10

vanpeebles said:
I never said banned for life. Revoke the licence and let them retake their test.

If you use your phone that's premeditated thinking into not being in control of a large dangerous piece of machinery. Either drive your car, or use your phone when stopped. No excuses full stop for mucking about with a phone while driving other than being a selfish sod.

The whole problem is with the definition of "using" a phone. Looking down to send a text in a busy high street is indeed dangerous but talking on the phone on a relatively empty motorway isn't. Sadly, the police seem unable to use common sense and just punish both with equal severity.

GT3 · 9 May 2013 at 19:34

I'm on the phone throughout most of the day with my bluetooth headset and I don't get distracted at all, I don't really think if I had to hold the phone to my ear it would be much different either.

Admittedly there are plenty of people that can't multi task as I see regularly verging over the white line on the phone as well as people reading texts and taking their eyes off the road.

In summary I think the police should concentrate on poor driving standards more than just quick ban him he's on the phone!

I did get 2x CU80's back in 2007 though, hence the bluetooth headset!

matthab · 9 May 2013 at 20:00

I will 90% of the time make my feelings heard. I spent the money and had my ibiza fitted with it so there's no excuse especially with cheap kits available.

Tom_ed1987 · 9 May 2013 at 20:03

I have hands free now, but if I didn't I would still use my phone while driving if appropriate.
I also eat crisps on long journeys and swig from a water bottle. child killer