drivers on mobile phones

[whurules]

apparently it is encouraged to report to the police on 101 (non emergency,) drivers using mobile phones whilst driving, giving details of reg no and make of car and description of driver ,time and location. perhaps if this practice was widly adopted we might see a reduction in accidents where the driver was destracted.

[Davethedog]

Next stop neighbours ring 101 and report if your neighbours are mixing thier recycling, oh and by the way are they communists.

I believe this is how the stasi started.

We employ a police force, which are having thier funding cut, we do thier job they will just cut more.

[factor-fiction]

There certainly seem to be many drivers who ignore the rules. I live on an estate and see people on their phones as they struggle to reverse out of their drives onto the road. I recently saw two cars with both drivers on the phone- one turning into a side street and one turning out of the side street at the same time- and both drivers swerved in such a way that they passed each other with both on the wrong side of the road.

[jake-the-peg]

We might not se a reduction

//A 2005 review by the Hawaiian legislature entitled "Cell Phone Use and Motor Vehicle Collisions: A Review of the Studies" contains an analysis of studies on cell phone/motor vehicle accident causality. A key finding was that: "No studies were found that directly address and resolve the issue of whether a causal relation exists between cellular telephone use while operating a motor vehicle and motor vehicle collisions."//

It's hard to reduce on zero

[Old_Geezer]

Whilst we might see a reduction in mobile use whilst driving it would depend on fear of getting caught, which is not proven to be too successful in the past. Besides it would be the start of the type of State where each citizen spied on their fellow citizens, something that I have normally associated with some past Eastern Europe countries and hope doesn't take hold here. Next thing one knows someone will be praising the virtues of the secret police.

[ChuckFickens]

And meanwhile somebody else it reporting the driver doing the reporting for taking on a mobile phone to report the first driver.

this could be never ending.

[redcrx]

and what happens when a person is reported by a member of public this way?

can i call and report the driver of car in front for driving whilst using mobile phone (even though they arent) just because i dont like the fact that they wouldnt let me out in front of them, or for a laugh?

[joko]

yes it is open to abuse... spiteful neighbours and ex's ...and also revenge attack...people believing the report was down to someone they know rather than a random passer

and there is also no proof other than the word of someone else

there would be no way for the police to prove it enough to convict etc

i woudl still suggest reporting them...even if the police just sent a warning letter it might be enough to deter them...

[daftgrandad]

If they increased the penalties for using a mobile phone,whilst driving to
a £500 fine and automatic 3 month ban,it would hopefully act as a decent
deterrent.

[ChuckFickens]

"yes it is open to abuse... spiteful neighbours and ex's"

To be fair though, so is crimestoppers. a friend of mine got raided twice for dealing drugs (he doesn't) due to malicious reports to crimestoppers. The second time (and of course after not finding a single thing in the house) the police were very apologetic and admitted that there are quite a lot of reports to crimestoppers of that nature.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

While were at it why dont we ask MP's to report fellow MP's for fiddling expenses.

[Paul22118]

Reporting other drivers misdemeanours has always been an option, so this is not new. What you need to realise is that if the sheriff takes the case to court, YOU will be the prosecution witness. Think on.