Texting and Driving

It is so dangerous! I am not dexterous enough to text without 2 hands but even if I was my concentration would divided if driving too which is far too risky in my opinion...and the laws!

It drives me mad when I see people using mobiles whilst driving.

These people should not be allowed a licence. I worked for a head injury service and saw the results of these sorts of irresponsible behaviour.

A 19 year-old girl from our village killed a woman by texting/driving and was sent to prison for several years.
Somehow when it's so close to home it seems even more shocking

All my friends and family know that I ignore my mobile whilst driving, and will only respond once I have pulled over into a safe place.

There are quite a lot of people out there who just don't think certain sensible safety rules should apply to them. The trouble is if you are driving you cannot photograph them doing this stupid stuff. I have been known to sound my car horn and gesture rudely at the offender, which is probably not advisable from my point of view.

Not only using phones, I have seen people reading novels and a few weeks ago police caught lorry drivers watching DVDs. Total idiots.

I've certainly seem men shaving while driving to work.

We have a fairly tricky double roundabout in the middle of town and our local paper caught on camera an amazing number of people using mobiles while negotiating this roundabout and published their pictures on the front page of the paper. I never saw in the paper that any action had been taken by the Police.

At the top of our road there is a really bad junction and a really stupidly placed zebra crossing. I once saw a friend negotiating the corner and crossing whilst smoking and on the phone. When she saw me she tried to wave too.

since the 'no mobile while driving' law was introduced some years ago, I have been appalled to see drivers on country lanes (single track with corners and potential head-on collisions) using their mobiles and driving one handed. I can only assume they think - no-one will see me out here so I can do it. They are so obviously missing the point that just because you are not thundering down the motorway at 70 and you think you are only going at 30-40 (no speed limits on country lanes) so it is safe to be distracted and drive with one hand !

I am quite a nervous passenger (which drives my OH mad!!) but I always say it is not his driving that makes me nervous but all the other idiots out there. They seem to think they are indestructible. I think all new drivers should be shown a few home truths with real photos, and also I agree with this idea that youngsters should not be allowed to drive at night immediately after passing their test. They should have P plates compulsorily for a year as well I think.

A neighbour usewd to set off for work each morning driving one-handed whislt drinking a cup of coffee! Unbelievable - the tiny hilly lanes round here demand total attention for safety.

If there was an automatic 5 year ban, perhaps people would think twice about texting and driving.

Ylil Its a thought, but I doubt if the type who persist in doing this would ever believe they would get caught, never mind hurt anyone by their actions!

Frustrated emoticon.

I think this is a very British thing. We do a lot of driving in Europe. (off to Cadiz in a month) and you very rarely see this.

And yet more.
Today when I was walking my dog for 30 minutes I saw 9 people on their phones while driving one a very big lorry.

nanapug

I am not sure about not allowing youngsters to drive at night.
Both my daughters are in their early 30's and the one has never had an accident and the other had a 65 year old motorist hit her car. He came through a red light which was proved by the camara flashing and he was convicted of drink driving.
She also took a neighbour to the hospital at 1am the day after she passed her test.
I passed my test when I was 17 and had my first accident when I was 39 and that was due to brake failure on the other car.
I did not really think the other driver was really at fault as the car had passed its MOT 2 days before and had been serviced.
The brake master cylinder had collapsed and the police examiner said this could not have been forseen.
The car was only 4 years old.

Frank

I always put my phone on "silent" when I'm in the car so that I'm not even tempted to look at it should a text come through [pious emoticom]

I keep my bag in the boot with my phone in it. No temptation there!

In the boot! anno, how can you bear to be that far apart from your handbag???

it is inexcusable!! i HAVE bluetooth in my car but would never dream of texting and driving, not even got the bluetooth set up at moment there really is not anything that cannot wait or at least I would pull over to read a text, I never hear of anyone being pulled over for it, it all seems to be for speeeding in our area.

annoys the hell out of me when I see people on their mobiles while driving.

The problem is that the police are too lenient and do not ever inforce the law against using mobile whilst driving!!

Hi yogagran

I think it is ok to leave the phone on but I call back when I get to a safe place.
If the person does not leave a number it can not be that important.
I was annoyed when coming back from holiday a few months ago.
The phone went 3 times in my journey and I stopped at the first available opportunity and they were recorded calls about PPI.
A few years ago I pulled in straight away to answer the phone. I was in a traffic jam and the car behind was police.
I got the thumbs up from them so they were obviously pleased.
They were probably fed up with people answering their phone while driving.

Frank

Hi cheelu

I know a few police officers and they would like to deal with all unlawful use of phones while driving.
Unfortunately they are often dealing with more serious incidents.
They do not use blue lights when they are dealing with every incident.
They do say that every motorist who uses his mobile phone on a regular basis will get dealt with at some point.
It is just a matter of time.

Frank