Definition of a stationary vehicle?

Originally Posted by Littlepeahead

Not to be confused with one of these - which is a stationery vehicle

So to clarify, any vehicle with a pen or pencil in is a stationary vehicle? Great, I'll carry on....

[Littlepeahead]

Yes so if the policaman stops you ask if you can borrow a pen....

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

I wouldn't under any circumstance admit to knowing me, they would definitely find something on you then.

Incidentally, if they pull out and follow you in order to give you the tug, and you're feeling particularly brave, ask them under what authority they did so, especially if they are single crewed. There is no exception in law for a police car to cross a solid white line either, the only one they can try and use is the "following direction by a constable in uniform" which is a bit awkward if they are on their own...... Of course your case is helped considerably if they reply "It was necessary to pass the stationery vehicles....."

Love it

Originally Posted by Bibio

stationary is a loose term. if on a mobile for instance i would expect to be in neutral and the handbrake on. if in a cue of traffic safe to say you can be in gear unless at the front of the cue.

Well not really, stationary is stationary.

I've passed coppers over SWLs before. The best way is if you can be careful to be inside the lines while you do it but it wouldn't bother me if I had to go over them a touch.

If there is oncoming traffic then so much the better as a tug is less likely.

What might be harder is arguing that slow moving traffic is close enough to stationary. Not like I'm going to sit behind them all at 12mph, just do your best not to get caught.

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by Bibio

stationary is a loose term. if on a mobile for instance i would expect to be in neutral and the handbrake on. if in a cue of traffic safe to say you can be in gear unless at the front of the cue.

Without sidetracking to much I'd be careful with that one. There is a huge difference between "stationary" and "driving". Mobile phone legislation refers to using a hand held device whilst driving and "the driver". Just because you are stationary in traffic you don't cease to be the driver or driving, so it is still technically an offence to use one under those circumstances. In reality common sense does prevail, but don't rely on it.

I don't agree that not nicking people texting on their phone stationary in traffic is "common sense" (other then being picky about what you mean by common sense). I have seen it several times where someone is in the middle of a queue texting and don't notice the car ahead of them move off. They suddenly look up, see that they were meant to have moved 10 seconds ago and suddenly move off without any knowledge of what is around them, often not exactly in a straight line. This is very dangerous particularly in London traffic. And is one of the reasons why the legislation was introduced.

[Red Herring]

Can't argue with that, but I wonder what your view would be if next time the M1, M25 or whatever had a 10 mile tailback the police spent their time giving tickets to all the poor souls stuck in the middle rather than clearing the problem at the front?

[Bibio]

my wording looks wrong and that's why i put a full stop in. they were to be read as 2 separate sentences.

in this day and age there is no need to even have a mobile out of your pocket while driving in a car.

it might be because i have no friends that i don't feel the need to constantly be on a phone and even when i do get calls texts i just ignore them till i'm ready to answer them. call me an old fashioned fogey.

Originally Posted by Bibio

in this day and age there is no need to even have a mobile out of your pocket while driving in a car..

Which day and age was there a need?

In that instance RH, I would expect your engine to be turned off before you get your phone out. or at the very least, as Bibio said, to be in neutral with the handbrake on.

If it is a moving tail back or stop start, then my view does not change.

I can see your point if it is starting to flow and everybody is texting, the officers have a choice of continuing the gridlock by tugging everyone and letting it slide. I still think they should be nicked for it, but it is the lesser of two evils to get the traffic moving.

[PyroUK]

Originally Posted by ClunkintheUK

I don't agree that not nicking people texting on their phone stationary in traffic is "common sense" (other then being picky about what you mean by common sense). I have seen it several times where someone is in the middle of a queue texting and don't notice the car ahead of them move off. They suddenly look up, see that they were meant to have moved 10 seconds ago and suddenly move off without any knowledge of what is around them, often not exactly in a straight line. This is very dangerous particularly in London traffic. And is one of the reasons why the legislation was introduced.

Just witnessed that on the way home at a cross road. Guy in the right hand lane at the from wasn't paying attention light was green for a bit and he floored it and nearly went straight in to the already moving traffic going the opposite direction straight on.