Driving whilst using mobile phone

[timwilky]

our company rules used to be you had to have a proper hands cradle in your cars. They stopped that and the rules are that you turn off your mobile whilst driving, end of.

We have all seen examples of appalling driving that includes the use of a mobile. But the truth is mobiles are only on distraction. I have on a number of time realised I am concentrating on my setting the right album/tracks on my cd, or on playing with the sat nav etc.

On my bike, the stereo/sat nav etc are all under the seat fed through the autocom. I cannot play with anything but the road and the phone is not turned on.

My brother also a biker had been hit 5 times for use of mobiles. once they started adding points he equipped his company bikes with hands free. However, he learned not to argue for their use as

1) some plod fail the attitude test
2) the vindictive sods can then go through the wipers, lights, tyres etc. One called a vehicle examiner and made him wait for over an hour when there was no fault.

So my answer, book him. but explain why, Tis the law, but be nice and quick about it. Oh if it was a fit burd, use your discretion to get their number to offer addition safe driving advice

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

"Hello! The bosses phone, MetalAngel speaking. The boss is driving just now, can I help or take a message?"

Yeah, I think I had temporary dyslexia when I wrote that. What I meant to say was HE had to take the call AND keep driving until HE found a place to pull in.

I'm not sure what the policy was on someone else (there was another guy with us as well) answering the phone but certainly this manager didn't suggest it.

I voted you did the right thing in booking the guy on the phone.

Drivers on the phone who aren't handsfree is one thing that really f*cks me off, especially when the price of a headset (brand new) is a fifth of the ticket. Clicky
Last night, for example, I had to get a taxi home from guildford as there were no trains. Cab driver's phone went off and he just picked it up and answered (put it on loudspeaker, even though that's still illegal). His driving became noticeably erratic, swerving into the lane for oncoming traffic and then right back towards the curb on my side. I was very close to telling him to pull over and I wasn't paying 'cause he was driving like a pr*ck and breaking the law. Wasn't sure where I would've stood legally though?.. In hindsight I should have taken his taxi number and complained (not that it would've had any effect).

I wish people would answer the question. Pete said that the bloke's driving was 'fine'. Not erratic.

Originally Posted by Ed

I wish people would answer the question. Pete said that the bloke's driving was 'fine'. Not erratic.

That's been my point throughout this thread!

Other than he didn't notice the X5, driving was said to be fine, and he was going slowly.

I like being in the minority!

Originally Posted by Ed

I wish people would answer the question. Pete said that the bloke's driving was 'fine'. Not erratic.

I never said he didn't Ed. Just saying more often than not it causes sh*te driving in some way. So he was only moving at 10mph in traffic. Would you not be pretty ****ed off if some idiot on a phone went into the back of you 'cause he lost concentration. The speed shouldn't have any real effect IMHO

I'm in Manchester quite a bit, I've made a mental note to look out for X5s there

Originally Posted by TazDaz

That's been my point throughout this thread!

Other than he didn't notice the X5, driving was said to be fine, and he was going slowly.

I like being in the minority!

All it takes is one slip and his "fine" driving could soon change and cause an accident

Originally Posted by Mej

i personally dont think eating an apple and driving should be illegal, and i dont understand why smoking and driving is legal!!

Smoking should be illegal under any circumstances

Eating an apple and smoking don't distract you from what you're doing to the same extent as talking on a phone.

At those speeds other road users (peds, cyclists, etc) sometimes take liberties with your braking zone, nipping in from the side where you can't see 'em that well even when you're concentrating properly and fully.

The law is the law. Book 'em.

Originally Posted by joshmac

All it takes is one slip and his "fine" driving could soon change and cause an accident

Josh mate, that pretty much applies to anything and everything to do with driving though. People assume that as soon as a phone is in someones hand that they turn into lethal weapons looking to kill someone. If at low speeds I see no difference between a driver talking down a phone, than talking to someone sat next to them.

I've lost count how many hundreds (maybe thousands) of pages of STATS19 I've had to read and I'm still yet to find that illusive incident where "use of mobile phone" was listed as a contributory factor.

If anyone is sat there thinking I'm all pro-phone use whilst driving, I've already said that I think it's fine in slow moving traffic (crawling) but at normal driving speeds, basically where gear changes are needed, I'm completely against it.