Mobile phones in cars

[andy hughes]

OK, so now it will be illegal to hold a phone while driving. Does this mean that we can stop risking a rear-end collision with the lorry in front carrying the facile 'How's my driving? Ring 080 ----' because surely this constitutes an incitement to break the law.

[Hippy]

From December 1st you have to reach into the glove copmpartment/handbg/briefcase and get notebook, rummage in pockets/on floor/in hair for a pen and then write the number down so that you can call it later on when you have stopped.

[LeMarchand]

So are headsets OK?

[Hippy]

From the DfT website advice, hands free (including headsets) are fine provided the phone itself is in a fixed cradle in the car/van etc. (not in pocket or just lying around) Further, you have to be able to answer the phone by either auto answer, voice activation, or a single touch to a button. The new regulations specifically say that drivers should not hold the phone in their hands to answer a call.

The advice on starting a call is a bit wooly, but boils down to an advisory not to do so, until the vehicle is at rest with the engine off.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have researched this general area and state that a driver chatting on the 'phone of any sort is 4 times more likely to have an accident. We have all travelled behind someone chatting, and noticed them get slower and less attentive, and I am sure that this is true, although subjectively the person on the phone will think that therer is nothing wrong.

I think I go along wit the general DfT advice to divert to voicemail during driving, or have a passenger use the phone and take a message. I think this option is best for the safety of self and other road users.

[gilf]

I think we have to remember what we did 5-10 years ago how did we answer the phone in the car, we didnt. All mobiles come with answer phone capability so if you think something may be important simply find a place to pull over and then listen to the message. I have a mobile but it bugs me when people feel they can happily cut off a conversation with me to answer a phone, I wouldnt be rude enough to interupt a them when they are on the phone. I can't say on the numerous times people have answered a phone during a conversation/meeting with me has it ever been something I would consider important.

[LeMarchand]

Cheers, Hippy! I rarely use the phone when driving, and keep it short when I do, but it's good tp know that headsets are OK for those rare ocassions when it's an emergency.

[bazwillrun]

Yeah, i can just see all the jack-the-lad white van men not using their phones whilst driving !! . What i'd like to know is how comes the fine for using the phone whilst driving is �30 yet if you get caught by red kens stormtroopers feeding the pigeons in trafalgar square its a �50 fine. Feeding pigeons is hardly likely to cause a motorway pile up !