Texting and Driving

Hi HunterF I understand that the police may be dealing with immediate issues but I think that prevention is better than cure -- it may seem a minual offence compared to others however, what I think may not be understood is that using your phone while driving is a potential,,has happened murder case and it doesnt get any more serious and immediate than that....

If there was political will, the law on mobile phones could be enforced ..... a hard-hitting government information campaign, followed by high-profile enforcement - people would soon get the message.

I remember the morning that seats belts became compulsory in the early 80s - walking along my very long high street on the way to work I saw only one transgressor. You never see people without seatbelts, but driving and using a mobile phone is commonplace.

Ana, if I had my handbag in the car, I might find myself rooting around in it for tissues or chocolate or something equally essential. This could be as dangerous as phoning or texting. I started putting it in the boot when there was a spate of bag snatches from cars stopped at traffic lights or junctions - not in this country, I hasten to add.

I really don't believe that everyone who uses a mobile whilst driving will eventually be caught as so many people do it. It's something that annoys me greatly; when it was said to be illegal a few years ago and that the police would pull people over for doing so I rejoiced but still see just as many people doing it. I just don't see what's so important that they have to have their ear attached to a phone all the time, especially when they've got children in the car. In fact seeing young mothers with toddlers running on ahead of them or [this happened yesterday] stood by the side of the road with them waiting to cross; not holding their hands or watching them but busily chatting away on a phone makes me furious. Sorry; rant over [it's one of my pet hates and has been for a long time]. I know the police have other things to do and I do understand their predicament but this does actually kill people and the perpetrators are too thick to understand that .

Cheelu the law is the law how can the police choose wether to be lenient or not? have to say HunterF I cannot think what can be more serious than endangering other peoples lives while driving.

I think that is the same for speeding drivers too HUNTER, I do hope so.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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]

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 !

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.

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.

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

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

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.