Law25 mins ago
And Again Another Death
Daily Mirror this morning, HGV Driver causes the death of a motorist by looking at a text message, when is this government going to get it in it's thick head that Texting whilst driver is as bad as Drinking & Driving, if caught there should be an instant ban of a 12 month & a hefty fine, how many more deaths have to happen before serious action is taken against these Inconsiderate fools.
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I don't think increasing the size of the sentence will make much difference unfortunately. The main issue is that people think they will never be caught. I nipped out yesterday for a walk and saw a white van driver on his phone as he turned out of a junction and then a speeding car went past with a group of teenagers and the driver had a phone to his ear as he swerved round a bend at speed.
One day last year, I was waiting for the lights at a pedestrian crossing. As they turned green I and a young mum with a pushchair stepped off the curb. A police car with a uniformed officer driving whilst talking on a hand held mobile phone went straight though, missing the pushchair only because I pulled it back a bit. The driver was completely oblivious to all about him. From the look on his face it wasn't a duty call. I went straight to the police station and reported him.
I echo ff. Draconic punishment doesn't work if the perception is that getting caught is a near zero risk.
Given policing this is near impossible given the priority work for limited resource, the practical way to go is to develop the tech so the risk of problems becomes vanishingly small. Hands free speech to text and text to speech would help with that.
Given policing this is near impossible given the priority work for limited resource, the practical way to go is to develop the tech so the risk of problems becomes vanishingly small. Hands free speech to text and text to speech would help with that.
It's not the government it is THE DRIVERS.
Drivers need to be re-educated in the same way they were with seat belts.
I remember when seat belts became law and there were adverts all over the place. Crash test dummies being shown all over the place.
Perhaps a six month campaign that really drives home (no pun intended) the dangers of phone and tex use in the car.
Although to be fare I have always thought that the punishment for killing someone with your vehicle should be much higher. Manslaughter rather then dangerous driving or anything like that.
Drivers need to be re-educated in the same way they were with seat belts.
I remember when seat belts became law and there were adverts all over the place. Crash test dummies being shown all over the place.
Perhaps a six month campaign that really drives home (no pun intended) the dangers of phone and tex use in the car.
Although to be fare I have always thought that the punishment for killing someone with your vehicle should be much higher. Manslaughter rather then dangerous driving or anything like that.
I used to text on my phone all the time when driving, Im not saying its right!
these were the old phones where you had real buttons to push, they were so much easier to operate whilst driving.
I now have had smart phones for the last 8 years, I would not even attempt to use one whilst driving, they are more complex and they do require you to look directly at the screen when operating them, I would consider it suicidal to even attempt it now!
these were the old phones where you had real buttons to push, they were so much easier to operate whilst driving.
I now have had smart phones for the last 8 years, I would not even attempt to use one whilst driving, they are more complex and they do require you to look directly at the screen when operating them, I would consider it suicidal to even attempt it now!
cassa is right. Drink driving has become socially unacceptable due to hard hitting campaigns and the same can be done for texting whilst driving.
Motorists who cause a death whilst texting do get sent to prison for around 6 years but those who do it know the chances of them being caught are very slim so carry on anyway. One lorry driver got sent to prison for 6 years and was banned from driving for 10 years but this still isn't a deterrent.
Anyone caught texting behind the wheel may be disqualified from driving and fined up to £1000 but we need the tv campaigns and insurance companies to hike the premiums for anyone caught committing the offence.
Public perception is key to ending this menace
Motorists who cause a death whilst texting do get sent to prison for around 6 years but those who do it know the chances of them being caught are very slim so carry on anyway. One lorry driver got sent to prison for 6 years and was banned from driving for 10 years but this still isn't a deterrent.
Anyone caught texting behind the wheel may be disqualified from driving and fined up to £1000 but we need the tv campaigns and insurance companies to hike the premiums for anyone caught committing the offence.
Public perception is key to ending this menace
fiction-factory - //The main issue is that people think they will never be caught.//
That particular aspect of human nature applies to absolutely every crime ever committed - from swiping sweets to murder.
No-one ever commits a crime having considered that they will be caught, or that consequences of being caught.
That is why draconian punishments - including capital punishment - with a view to deterrents, are pointless.
That particular aspect of human nature applies to absolutely every crime ever committed - from swiping sweets to murder.
No-one ever commits a crime having considered that they will be caught, or that consequences of being caught.
That is why draconian punishments - including capital punishment - with a view to deterrents, are pointless.
There is already legislation and texting (any mobile phone use) is forbidden. You cannot blame the Government. The police are in charge of enforcing the law.
On a walk into town and see literally scores of drivers using phones. Yet the police never catch and prosecute them. As you say, if the driver were drunk or drugged they would be prioritised and stopped. But the police largely ignore phone use unless there is a tragedy.
On a walk into town and see literally scores of drivers using phones. Yet the police never catch and prosecute them. As you say, if the driver were drunk or drugged they would be prioritised and stopped. But the police largely ignore phone use unless there is a tragedy.
AG - //Is it some people's weird definition of 'urgent' that requires them to carry out potential life threatening acts such as texting behind the wheel?
Just barmy.. //
It is exactly that.
The explosion in portable communication means that people honestly feel bereft if they are not constantly able to check e-mails and texts, and be in touch 24/7 with friends.
It is a generation thing - having grown up before the advent of mobiles, I still use mine as and when I need to speak to or communicate with someone. It's doubtful if I check my phone more than once a day for messages, and I speak to my family as and when, but it is not usually every day, except for my youngest daughter who rings me to chat on her way to and from work.
I find the obsession irritating, especially in the cinema, where the glow of screens is really distracting, and at concerts, where constant photography is another annoyance.
Do I sound like a grumpy old man?
Leave it!!!!!
Just barmy.. //
It is exactly that.
The explosion in portable communication means that people honestly feel bereft if they are not constantly able to check e-mails and texts, and be in touch 24/7 with friends.
It is a generation thing - having grown up before the advent of mobiles, I still use mine as and when I need to speak to or communicate with someone. It's doubtful if I check my phone more than once a day for messages, and I speak to my family as and when, but it is not usually every day, except for my youngest daughter who rings me to chat on her way to and from work.
I find the obsession irritating, especially in the cinema, where the glow of screens is really distracting, and at concerts, where constant photography is another annoyance.
Do I sound like a grumpy old man?
Leave it!!!!!
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