Phone driving going unpunished

That'll fix their wagons!!!!!

I constantly see drivers of Mercs, BMWs and Audis (and other marques besides) who've forked out £30K-£40K for a motor car and can't be bothered spending a hundred quid or so on a hands-free kit.

Forget about £60 and a few points. Take the car off them and crush it. Then they might stop driving along with their phones glued to their ears............

By Ronbo on 28 April, 2010, 8:35pm

Too mean to buy a hands free kit?

I agree with the previous comment. The police don't have time to monitor drivers who use a mobile phone while driving. They only catch the odd one. How much does a kit cost £40-60? Anyone caught should be heavily fined and have a years driving ban. Lots of people have lost their lives by drivers who were using their phone while driving. Its as serious as drink driving.

By bigbazza on 29 April, 2010, 12:18am

Who's fault?

Let me start by saying I get really angry with drivers who hold phone's to their ears. But I disagree with the comment above - if you're paying even £10,000 for a car (never mind £40,000), the manufacturer should provide Bluetooth. After all, everyone has a phone. The stupid cupholder isn't an optional extra!

By Busterdino on 29 April, 2010, 7:40am

Name and shame them all, no excuse is good enough.

Its irrelevant what value car you have, using a phone while driving is not only against the law its obviously just dangerous, if your concentrating on whats going on in your ear your not concentrating on what you are doing. How many times do you see people on the school run with a phone in hand, thats just irresponsible, not only are you endangering your own kids you can also injur someone elses because your not focussed on the road infront. Have these people not seen mythbusters? Personally i would go one stage further and actually make the prosecutions puplic, name and shame these people. To be honest if I had my way i would also extend this to cover smoking in cars, not only on health grounds for passengers but also while they have the fag out the window they only have one on the wheel. I actually say a driver the otherday with fag in one hand and mobile in the other, what were they using to steer?

By 1HARVEY2 on 29 April, 2010, 7:56am

More power to report these dangerous drivers

I've reported several drivers for driving with handheld mobile phones, the Police often either say they need an independent witness, or it's just too much effort to track them down, and they'll deny it anyway, or it is the responsibility of the council.
There needs to be more powers for the general public to report these potential killers before they kill, and that is what it comes down to, as with speeders in built up areas.
I would imagine all expensive cars have bluetooth installed these days and pretty much all phones come with a wired handsfree kit, so there is no excuse. Usually it's oh, I don;t like these things, or I can't set them up, or I didn't have it to hand, then don't make the bloody call or answer it. Nothings worth killing someone over.
There should be cameras everywhere photographing motorists and those with phones stuck to their ears should be put up on posters and shamed to the world, and also fined heavily, and have a ban.
If they cannot abide by this simple life saving law, what other laws are they braking?

By Billinge on 29 April, 2010, 8:33am

If you think it is dangerous, ask a good driver

I guess that a driver who cannot use a telephone while driving should not be allowed to drive.

A good driver never loses its concentration while driving, he may know when to handle or handle not a phone.

So if you think it is dangerous probably you are the danger.

We need driving license by classes.

By nuvo27 on 29 April, 2010, 8:53am

Bunch of Sheep!

Hands on the wheel, the other holding a cigarette whilst speaking to your passenger- no sorry! Hands on the wheel, the other holding a sandwich whilst speaking to your passenger! Sorry I must be confused?
Actually, I'm wondering what happened to common sense? See, if people are going to be prosecuted for said offence's then I think it needs to include the above? In fact I would argue that eating or smoking whilst driving and talking to a passenger is way more distracting than talking on the phone. Not to mention the fact that we are all human beings- regardless of the 40-50K Merc/ BMW we might or might not drive- and even though we no it to be lawfully wrong, each and everyone of us is guilty of the fact- yes all of you above too. Someone old n wise once told me that 'the law is an ass' and how true they were. You all need to think before you open your sheep like traps- BAAAAAA!!!

By Spaceshift on 29 April, 2010, 8:56am

Who's the fool?

nuvo27 sounds like an idiot and maybe he should be banned from the road for thinking that using a phone wjilst driving is not dangerous.

By Lancelot37 on 29 April, 2010, 9:00am

Phoning whilst driving

I have a BMW complete with a super factory fitted phone however, speaking from experience, it is in my opinion, a distraction to use it whilst driving. I have missed turnings which has been a pain although hardly dangerous. Doesn't this tend to prove that one can be so distracted by the conversation, that one is not in full control to handle the unexpected & ALL accidents are unexpected (at least I'd say they were).

By davidvh2 on 29 April, 2010, 9:15am

Enforce law or change it

It is commonplace to see drivers of all types of vehicle using mobile phones , usually recognised by erratic driving and /or changing pace.
If he government want to have respect for laws enforce them , the police have powers but this is clearly an area which is difficult to enforce .
Despite the comments from pro mobile users this practice is dangerous and the state has plenty of electronic spying devices , modify them to pick up mobile usage.
Note there are drivers sensible enough to pul into laybys to use their phones safely - good for that minority.

By tonyk30 on 29 April, 2010, 9:25am

You can buy a decent handsfree kit that'll attach to your sunvisor for less than a tank of fuel. there's no excuse for not having one.

However how do you expect drivers to have sense and be responsible when the police ignore bus lanes, park on double yellows and use THEIR radios when driving. Lead by example.

By marko9910 on 29 April, 2010, 10:34am

Hands Free Myth

Several studies have proven that cell phone use is a distraction that results in slower reaction times and faulty driving decisions. In these studies it made no difference whether the phone was hand-held or hands-free. So get off the hands-free-is-safe delusion. The problem is your mind's CPU and has nothing to do with the hands.

By rango on 29 April, 2010, 11:08am

Take the Proactive Approach

Mobile phones are the bane of our lives we are like sheep and must make contact once summoned no matter what!

I personally make it clear to all including my work colleagues, bosses and family that I will not under any circumstances take a call on the mobile, hands-free or not whilst I am driving. They all now respect this fact. I enforce this stance by turning off my mobile every time I get into the driving seat. If anybody wants to contact me they know that they can leave a message, which I will pick up after my journeys completion, when I have turned my phone back on.

After all I enjoy driving I always have albeit less so on today’s overcrowded, pock ridden road. My car is my personnel space and I don’t want unwanted intrusion being either work or social. Heck! how the hell did we ever manage 20 years ago before every one and sundry had mobiles?

By davidlivermore on 29 April, 2010, 11:34am

Having read the comments sofar, I have found it difficult to decide whether to include my observations of ignorant and/or arrogant phone users over the last year or not... Still, here goes:
1. Drivers who are on the phone when they have passengers who could give or take messages. Ignorant sound about right.
2. The number of taxi and mini bus drivers who use them.
3.The ones who are about to leave a carpark as they dial a phone number, then start talking. Now thats got to be arrogant!
4. Not forgetting a one the other day who had 3 young children, all loose, in the back and driving towards the evening sun, with eyes squinting. - No printable words for this one.
Catching them actually doing it is a tough one for the authorities unless they have more unmarked cars about.
May I suggest that the ones that have an accident whilst on the phone, are shot at dawn....maybe.

By djj01 on 29 April, 2010, 11:56am

I drive while texting and using the phone, but, it's when are where that is important. busy traffic, nope, generally on straight roads with no cars in the immeadiate area to me. let people decide when it's ok to use a phone, don't need big brother to hand hold.

By pfisher44 on 29 April, 2010, 12:12pm

This is dangerous driving and the same penalties should apply.

By Geoff484 on 29 April, 2010, 12:12pm

Just DRIVE - nothing else

Just my opinion, but whilst driving I do not believe you should be doing anything else but driving - namely no phones, ladies no putting on your make up, no eating and drinking, no reading maps etc. Until the law is or can be enforced correctly they should pass a lot stiffer sentences to act as a deterant, for instance doing any of the above and other dangerous acts of driving(I do not mean speeding). Then the Police should be able to seize the vehicle and the person driving is automatically Banned from driving on the spot until they have undergone advanced driving and special coarses designed to show people the dangers of their actions. Added to that if they get caught a 2nd time an automatic 5 year BAN and something in the region of a £5000 fine.

By i_davenport on 29 April, 2010, 12:27pm

D.A.P.

Crush the cars ! Crush the drivers as well.

By pratty9 on 29 April, 2010, 12:50pm

We need a ban on all in-car phone use as well as penalties = dangerous driving. Ban smoking in cars at the same time.

As for smug pfisher44, words fail me. I'd give him/her a lifetime ban starting today, just for making the comment.

By DaveH on 29 April, 2010, 2:33pm

6 points and £150 fine.

By geoffg15 on 29 April, 2010, 3:23pm

What's the point!

What would be the point of raising the penalty when the prospect of getting caught is very low? Why is it low? Because there are no Police out there to enforce the various Road Traffic Laws, including Mobile Phone use. The standard of driving is often appalling, with drivers doing just as they please, when they please - and to the danger of others. If people thought there was a good chance of being caught, they wouldn't do it.

By Christoforo123 on 29 April, 2010, 5:00pm

I don't smoke...

...so the hand I would normally hold a fag in, I can use to hold my mobile phone.

Ban it all, or ban nothing.

By RundSchneemann on 29 April, 2010, 5:37pm

Is a phone call worth killing someone ?

Every day I see lots of drivers using mobile phones so the police must see them to. I am a paramedic and I estimate that nearly half the RTC's I attend are contributed to by someone driving whilst on the phone.

Using a mobile phone whilst driving is illegal - period . It is not an offence that can be committed by accident or mistake, it is a deliberate offence wilfully committed. Therefore the penalty should be severe. I suggest a one year driving ban. Anyone who disagrees should attend the accidents I do and witness the human suffering and tradegy that I and my collegues see every day..

By Sharp on 29 April, 2010, 7:38pm

Never understood the new legislation

It's so New Labour - all they needed to do was say that using the phone while driving was always at the very least driving without due care - and could well be dangerous driving.

I'm sure smoking in cars will be banned soon.

Some policemen think eating at the wheel already is.

By EstateOfMind on 29 April, 2010, 8:05pm

Never understood the new legislation

It's so New Labour - all they needed to do was say that using the phone while driving was always at the very least driving without due care - and could well be dangerous driving.

I'm sure smoking in cars will be banned soon.

Some policemen think eating at the wheel already is.

By EstateOfMind on 29 April, 2010, 8:12pm

Never understood the new legislation

It's so New Labour - all they needed to do was say that using the phone while driving was always at the very least driving without due care - and could well be dangerous driving.

I'm sure smoking in cars will be banned soon.

Some policemen think eating at the wheel already is.

By EstateOfMind on 29 April, 2010, 8:44pm

Never understood the new legislation

It's so New Labour - all they needed to do was say that using the phone while driving was always at the very least driving without due care - and could well be dangerous driving.

I'm sure smoking in cars will be banned soon.

Some policemen think eating at the wheel already is.

By EstateOfMind on 29 April, 2010, 9:13pm

Well said Marko. How can the police prosecute drivers for ANY offence when they are just as bad, if not worse. Here in Towcester, we regularly see the police, two up, yet it's the driver on the mobile phone, and it is clearly seen as a mobile. They abandon there cars where ever they want, drive across hatched markings, pull out in front of oncoming traffic, and even put the blues on to get to the front of traffic queues, turning them off once they have cleared the traffic onto the 43. If the enforcers of the rules can't be bothered, then the common man will say, "why should I?" please don't tell me how highly trained the law are, just look at the times you see reports of their accidents in the press and on line.

By jimbowles2003 on 29 April, 2010, 9:39pm

The failure of the authorities to deal with this menace!

Study after study has shown that 'phone driving is even more dangerous than drink driving, yet every day on a three mile commute I see it happening. The penalties should be proportionate to the risk but the government has failed to address this, making pointless new laws when existing laws were already adequate instead of providing the resouces to deal with it. If the authorities put half the effort into this issue that they put into speed cameras then lives would be saved, but there's probably no profit in it. This present government sees motorists as sub-humans and not worth protecting from these criminals!

By rjsorr1 on 29 April, 2010, 11:46pm

No phones at all in cars

I have found that handsfree or not getting a phone call while driving DEFINITELY DOES reduce your attention to driving and road conditions. Phones should be switched off in cars unless parked up. Fines should be severe enough to be a real threat e.g 6 points and £ 500 . Van drivers seem to be bad as are not as visible to the outside as car drivers.

By Peteant on 30 April, 2010, 2:12pm

Arrogant and ignorant

Big fines and as others have said 6 points - these ignorant drivers need to feel the pain. Often when traffic slows up on the motorway the culprit is the mobile phone user losing his/her concentration. They gradually get slower and have no idea what's going on around them.

By sophie011 on 30 April, 2010, 4:23pm

Give Them The Comfy Chair!

With all the good, but potentially distracting gadgets in our cars these days, it is not just Mobile Phones that cause accidents. However, I believe that a device fitted to all vehicles -not just cars- that stopped a mobile phone signal being received, should be the way forward on this matter. This could be operational when only the driving seat is occupied, allowing for passengers to answer the phone. A sensor built into the front passenger seat would be good enough not to be fooled by a heavy briefcase.
Also, for those caught flouting the law, bring back the birch of they are the cause of an accident, public flogging! And, hit them in the pocket as hard as possible. A minimum fine of £2000 and up to £5,000 depending on morons actions when spotted or known to be using a mobile whilst driving. If they can't pay, take thier car off them, sell it, and give them some money back if there is any left.
Of course, they could always do what the pythons did for the Spanish Inquisition! The Comfy Chair! But then, that's what the government want them to have anyway.

By bob809 on 30 April, 2010, 6:48pm

nuvo27

Are you a moron? How can you drive a car with one hand whilst the other is holding a phone. How do you change gears, turn a corner, overtake someone, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding the phone. You are the type that will that thinks they know it all and will probably be involved in an accident and may kill someone. You ignorant fool!

By bigbazza on 3 May, 2010, 9:04pm

Even if they do get a ticket

Even if plod does spot someone and ticket them the chances of them getting off are too high... people simply go to court 'lie' and encourage others to 'lie' for them (passengers) and they get let off! The CPS don't much care and the Magistrates for the most part don't understand the law. There's no point in giving a ticket if the rest of the system wont follow through on it.

By jonnyp on 4 May, 2010, 8:26am

Harry

I get very weary listening to criminals making excuses for, and arguments justifying, their illegal behaviour behind the wheel. We live in a democracy where laws are made by our elected Parliament. It is not at the individuals discretion as to whether or not to obey these Laws. I see many motorists who would vehemently protest that they are law abiding citizens consciously taking the decision to break speed limits, drink diving, mobile phones etc., every day. These people are CRIMINALS and should be punished severely. Deaths and injuries on our roads are a disgrace to our society, and when one of these events touches you, you may well agree with this view.

By FL51SVV on 4 May, 2010, 10:46am