Another Police Debate

[Guest Bob Rowell]

This is a fascinating discussion, and I must admit that my view has swung one way then the other while reading the various comments.

I am also a high mileage driver, usually covering 50-80,000 miles each year. Like others I have seen sights that make me shudder - like the bus driver a couple of weeks ago- negotiating a roundabout, steering one-handed, and talking on his mobile. His bus was completely full of passengers...scary

The company I work for has a very clear statement in the contract of every employee 'you MUST NOT use a mobile phone whilst driving, this applies to both hand held and hands free equipment. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action'.

Maybe other companies need to consider something similar?

[Guest paul thompson]

I checked out my company policy on this to find out what the directives are. They say,

"All company mobile phones are supplied with a hands free kit. These must be used while the employee is driving a vehicle even if the vehicle is in stationary traffic. Use of personal mobile phone whilst driving a company vehicle is only permitted with the use of approved hands free equipment. It is reccomended that only incoming calls are taken whilst driving, the company strongly discourages making outgoing calls whilst the vehicle is moving even with the use of hands free equipment. If a call needs to be made the vehicle should be parked in a safe place before an attempt is made to make a call. The use of mobile phones, either private or company for the sending or reading of texts or SMS's in a vehicle whilst driving is completely forbidden. Failure to comply with these directives will be treated as a disciplinary matter and repeated offences can lead to dismissal on grounds of gross misconduct."

 

It does not say anything about turning off the engine, only tha the vehicle should be parked. It does say you should allways use the hands free even in stationary traffic. It does not say how many repeats are gross misconduct. Interesting.

 

Someone said, can't find the quote but, it's not just holding the phone the conversation is a distraction. What's the diference between having a conversation with your passanger, and talking on a handsfree? i.e. talking to someone in the car (who you might turn to look at occasionally) and someone who is not in the car (who yuo could not look at if you wanted to). Also, I have seen families driving where the kids in the back are screaming, the mother who was driving turning round to smack the kid and running up the kerb as a result. If you want to take it to extremes then all cars would be single seaters! or liek taxis where the driver is cordoned off in a glass sound proof cage! I stand by my earlier statement the fine is not enough, and the people who go out with speed cameras should be given mobile phone trapping equipment instead.

Coming back to Bills point however, I think it would have been better for the Police to have had a word with her during her call, and given her a caution to make her aware that even stationary she was breaking the law.

LOng post over!

[Guest timswait]

A good few years ago my Grandad wiped out a street's electricity by crashing into a fuse box while trying to sort out a fight between my dad and uncle in the back, anything can cause a distraction!

It's a known fact that talking on mobiles is more distracting than talking to a passenger, proven by several studies. I read some research in the New Scientist which suggests this may be down to the poor sound quality. They got some people to concntrate on tasks on a computer while playing them audio clips of someone speaking. As they degraded the sound quality (so the person had to concentrate more to listen) their performance on the computer tasks deteriated. Not good for those of you that use scratchy old CB radios!

[Grim]

i thought of this thread the other day as i was stopped in a safe place looking at the map when i received a call. I made sure to turn the engine off

[Mitch]

you stopped to read a map!!!,

whats happened to multi tasking, you should have been able to read the map, answer the phone and drive on with your knees steering the car!!!

 

bloody amateur :

 

 

MitchD

[Big Jim]

i was stopped in a safe place looking at the map

Wot! no Satnav!

(must be one of the poor relations!)

 

I made sure to turn the engine off 

don't forget to pull the handbrake on, and throw the keys on the back seat.

[Grim]

hehehe, no sat nav, I prefer to avoid gated lanes. Especially in urban Rotherham

 

Yes, handbrake was on, immobiliser activated, fuel and electrical cutoffs on, and steering wheel removed.

[Big Jim]

Yes, handbrake was on, immobiliser activated, fuel and electrical cutoffs on, and steering wheel removed

I think that might just confirm that you weren't driving, ................But wait a minute!. ..............where were the ingintion keys?

[Guest chris brown]

Wot! no Satnav! 

Sensible man at least he wont have map failure when leading 15 Hoods along gated roads.

 

Sorry Jim just couldn’t resist.

 

Now going into hiding

[Mitch]

WUSS, you wont get another gong by running away, (unless your french)

 

Mitch

[Grim]

I think that might just confirm that you weren't driving, ................But wait a minute!. ..............where were the ingintion keys?

oops... still in the ignition

[Guest Nishka]

oops... still in the ignition

Quick crush that mans car, lock him in irons and deport to Oz right away. :gdit:

 

How could he be so criminal! :gdit: :gdit:

 

Nishka

[Guest charlyfarly]

Someone said, can't find the quote but, it's not just holding the phone the conversation is a distraction. What's the diference between having a conversation with your passanger, and talking on a handsfree?

The research I've seen does suggest that having a conversation over a phone is more distracting than having one in person.

 

Its believed that this is because your passenger is physically there the conversation tends to adapt to conditions.

 

However it is also shown that in car conversations, especially with normal human behaviour to look at the person, are distracting as well; just not as much as phones.

 

 

When the law was drafted the intent was to stop drivers holding any phone conversations whilst in control of a vehicle, as even on hands free the distraction is a danger. RSPoA, amongst others, wanted a law that required all phones in cars to be interlocked with the ignition, but this is largely unworkable and unenforeable.

 

The decision was made to make the law apply to not handling the phone and having it in a fixed holder. This is enforceable, and the intent is to make drivers more aware of the dangers in the hope that most will then choose to limit thier use of a phone whilst driving.