Two-thirds of drivers 'unaware of mobile penalties'

stockhausen

stockhausen

stockhausen

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Almost two-thirds of drivers are unaware of the punishment for using mobile phones at the wheel, more than 12 months after the introduction of tougher laws, a poll has found.

The RAC found only 36% of the 2,000 UK motorists quizzed knew offenders face six penalty points and a £200 fine.
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I wonder what (tiny) percentage of drivers are unaware that using a mobile phone while driving is illegal, dangerous and stupid?

I see people using a mobile phone while negotiating a roundabout, turning a corner, overtaking, etc., etc., etc. every goddamned day - the Police don't care.
 
Meh, studies have shown it's the act of having the conversation not holding the phone that is the distraction.

I know more than one firm that has banned all phone calls to and by their employees while driving, inc hands free.
 
Freakbro said:
Meh, studies have shown it's the act of having the conversation not holding the phone that is the distraction.

I know more than one firm that has banned all phone calls to and by their employees while driving, inc hands free.
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Definitely agree. I find if I'm using hands free whilst driving I can't recall the part of my journey that occurred whilst making the call. Saying that I find you can immediately tell when someone is on their phone whilst driving before you even see it.
 
Yep, bit of a non-story.

I’ll be honest, I thought it was 3 points and a £100 fine like a ‘normal’ speeding fixed penalty.

I still knew it was illegal.
 
Gigabit said:
Most people have their phones illegally mounted.
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I've got no idea if mines mounted legally and if you can be fined for touching it while using it as a sat nav.

I don't use hands free though, just ignore calls until I've stopped. Find it distracting and no-one has anything interesting to say anyway :p
 
Freakbro said:
Meh, studies have shown it's the act of having the conversation not holding the phone that is the distraction.

I know more than one firm that has banned all phone calls to and by their employees while driving, inc hands free.
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That's all very well if all people are using them for is phone calls.

The bigger problem now is people using them to whatsapp, facebook, email, instagram, twitter... Just look at the increasingly popular 'prank' videos from van drivers shouting/throwing things at completely unaware people on their phones - they're not having conversations, they're staring at their lap while driving along, they're not even looking out the window, never mind whether they're distracted.

I took a trip up to Luton airport the other week to drop someone off, M3, M25 and M1 - it was absolutely frightening the number of people constantly looking down at their laps doing 70mph along the motorway (I didn't drive on the way back, before anyone wants to be smart about me not paying attention to the road).

These people need to be strung up frankly, it's significantly worse than the distraction of a phone call with the phone held to your ear. I bet if you did a study over whether it's worse to drive whilst having a conversation or whilst not looking where you're going, the latter would come out much worse.
 
Got rear dash cam footage of a white van driver on a major A class road driving behind me with no hands as he was rather occupied with his mobile :(

My phone is in the glove box plugged into my carplay headunit so no worries about my driving etc ;)

Not sure what to do with the footage ?

Cheers all
 
Or approach the police with it I was nearly knocked of my bike a few weeks ago by a guy who failed to give way at a roundabout as he was too busy on his phone got him clearly on my helmet cam and got all the details of his vehicle.

Went to local Police station they called a traffic patrol in who took a copy of the footage so I could take my card away and a very short statement.

On Fri got a letter telling me the driver was being prosecuted.

So contrary to popular belief they will do something if they are given the evidence to support it.
 
Interesting. I'm sure last time I looked the official line on this was, "We don't want your dashcam footage as we don't have time to even review it". Wonder if it various from force to force.
 
I'd be fine with a ban for using a phone while driving. No points, no fine just a ban. Same goes for people that focus on more on sat nav directions than actual road signs and what is happening around them. God knows how many accident sat nav's have been a configuring factor in.
 
jigger said:
I'd be fine with a ban for using a phone while driving. No points, no fine just a ban. Same goes for people that focus on more on sat nav directions than actual road signs and what is happening around them. God knows how many accident sat nav's have been a configuring factor in.
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what about they ban all touch screen from cars and replace them with these amazing things called buttons whichyou can feel and change things while driving without looking. it is dumb to ban someone touching a phone or a satnav which are normally mounted high on the dash or windscreen vs a oem unit which is normally half way down the dash.
 
Yea I agree the punishment should be high for using a phone, maybe give some leniency if you are stuck (rail crossing is a good example) but yeah, always go after people speeding, cus it's easy to prove/convict.

I speed all the time but only in the right circumstances, never around town, and I always concentrate and leave plenty of braking distance.

People doing their make-up, on their phones, anything that is dividing their concentration is far more dangerous, it is also much harder to prove/convict.
 
Jumper118 said:
what about they ban all touch screen from cars and replace them with these amazing things called buttons whichyou can feel and change things while driving without looking. it is dumb to ban someone touching a phone or a satnav which are normally mounted high on the dash or windscreen vs a oem unit which is normally half way down the dash.
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I see this a lot, and it isn't the same at all. The HMI in a car infotainment system undergoes testing / study wrt distraction, what can or cannot be enabled at various times etc to ensure it's safe to use whilst driving. Your phone does not.

(source; I'm an automotive software engineer)
 
GeX said:
I see this a lot, and it isn't the same at all. The HMI in a car infotainment system undergoes testing / study wrt distraction, what can or cannot be enabled at various times etc to ensure it's safe to use whilst driving. Your phone does not.

(source; I'm an automotive software engineer)
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lol. i have never been in a car where it doesnt let you change anything on the screen while driving yet.
 
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