Using Mobile phones whilst driving!

[TWR]

Should the Law be changed to a 6 month ban + 6 points for 1st offence?

[factor-fiction]

Yes. I'm driving up the M1 now and I can see lots of drivers using their phones. One just drifted into my lane and I had to swerve which caused me to drop by shaver in my cup of coffee.

[dotty.]

the law or the minimum penalty?

[R1Geezer]

Yes, I'd go along with that, it is an increasing menace, people need to be trained out of using their phones whilst driving, I just ignore mine if it rings when I'm driving.

[dotty.]

I think the satnav is also a distraction and they should be banned. the old way of reading a map whilst driving or craning your neck to read a roadsign as you drove past was always good enough before

[factor-fiction]

I once sovertook a man driving down the motorway with an open newspaper spread over the steering wheel.
Something needs to be done because too many drivers are using them but I supppose they all think they won't get caught so perhaps tougher sentencing won't make a significant difference.
Maybe the plice should do a blitz in certain areas and then ensure they get a lot of publicity when drivers are prosecuted

[milly143]

Factor, that's terrible. It must have distracted you from trying to type your answer on here too! ;o)

I think a 6 month ban is a bit excessive, especially for a first (caught) offence.

I used to have a bad habit of not being able to ignore text messages that came through when I was driving but since I've got older I've realised it's really stupid so I now purposely turn my phone to silent and put it in my handbag so I dont' know if it's ringing while I'm driving. Most calls are not so important they can't wait until you get to your destination.

[factor-fiction]

Apologies for the typos. It's not easy typing whilst driving.

[sigma]

When stopped by the police not only should you be fined but the phone and sim card should be confiscated on the spot.

[joggerjayne]

Spreading a newspaper over the steering wheel is really stupid.

If you fold it lengthways, you can tuck the top and bottom inside the wheel, and then you can still steer (although it's tricky to turn the wheel when you're trying to do the crossword).

[R1Geezer]

I remember news reports once of a woman on the M4 getting caught doing a crossword with the newspaper strapped to her leg!

[jake-the-peg]

Huh?

Why give someone 6 points ban them - the whole point of the points system is that they add up to a ban.

And I don't think that's the point - people still do it because they think there is a low chance of getting prosecuted.

Deterrants don't work if people don't think they will be caught - you need some sort of speeding camera type system that guarantees people will be caught - only then will there be a change in behaviour

[deggers316]

dotty
sat nav is a god send you dont have to look at it or even have the screen on it will talk you thru to your destination and yes just try navigating thru Birmingham without one, your looking out for signs etc constantly and risk bumping into god knows what sat nav- a god send if you know how to use one

[vivandorron]

Viv was driving me home along a narrow twisting country lane and observed over the hedgerow a large delivery vehicle approaching the oncoming bend. Viv stopped and we saw that the driver was negotiating the bend with only one hand on the steering wheel whilst on his mobile. He was halfway around the bend and courteously raised a hand to acknowledge that he had been given space to continue forward; without then a hand on the steering wheel.......... Makes one think that the law needs to be tightened.

Ron

[deggers316]

its got enough law now you can only get a conviction if your seen by a police officer or if you have an accident and can prove that the other driver was on the mobile at the time of it by having his mobe records checked over you could put the death sentence on this it will make no difference
if your not seen by a law enforcer you wont get done,and only then if there bored with nothing else
to do

[McMouse]

Using a mobile whilst driving or greatly exceeding speed limit in 20 or 30mph zone should carry risk of custodial sentence on grounds that it is a reckless disregard of the safety of others.

[TWR]

Is this Question really hard to understand? I see some cannot understand the outcome or fatalities that occur when using / Text! is It more important than someones life! Sad world we live in.

[kat1]

10 yrs!

[bimbo123456]

They should put dampeners on all car engines when they are MOTd then noone would be able to use a phone at all in a car. How did we manage when we had to be in a building or a phone box to make a call?????

[vivandorron]

bimbo is right. I understand that it is possible for a component to be inserted into the electrical circuitry of a car to prevent the use of a mobile phone. Perhaps this should be made mandatory, with failure to comply resulting in a prison sentence. Obviously certain vehicles would have to be excluded; such as Ambulances, Fire engines, Police cars etc. (providing that the driver is not the actual user whilst the exempted vehicle is in motion)

Ron.