[Travel] More than 50 drivers a day are still being caught using their mobiles at the wheel

[Stat Brother]

Sorry to link a Mail Online article, you don't have to open it, the title does all the work for you.

EXCLUSIVE: FIFTY drivers A DAY are being caught using mobile phones

More than 50 drivers a day are still being caught using their mobiles at the wheel - putting lives at risk. The number of motorists captured by police has doubled in some areas.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It is actually just a rues so I can shoehorn in this quality bit of editing onto NSC.

 

[drew]

Thankfully, you never see cyclists doing the same.

 

[GT49er]

Bit annoying in one way - in times gone by, if I needed to check the time, I'd glance at my watch. No problem, no risk, no crime. Now, like many people my 'watch' is now my mobile phone - I don't know whether just checking the time would be a legal defence - I wouldn't be doing anything on my phone, just looking at the time on the screen.

Oh well - I'm not going to be the one to test it!

 

[rippleman]

Bit annoying in one way - in times gone by, if I needed to check the time, I'd glance at my watch. No problem, no risk, no crime. Now, like many people my 'watch' is now my mobile phone - I don't know whether just checking the time would be a legal defence - I wouldn't be doing anything on my phone, just looking at the time on the screen.

Oh well - I'm not going to be the one to test it!

Just holding it in your hand is sufficient to get 6 points now. It's irrelevant whether you were taking a call, sending a text....or checking the time.

Quite right too. But I do find it odd that on tv shows like Traffic Cops, you often see coppers taking one hand off the wheel to send a message on their PR. And that's when they are driving at over a ton! Surely the technology exists so they don't have to use PRs in this way.

 

[Weststander]

An automatic 12 points, no excuses, would be THE game changer.

 

[Swansman]

Ban phones and cars. Simple.

 

[fly high]

Bit annoying in one way - in times gone by, if I needed to check the time, I'd glance at my watch. No problem, no risk, no crime. Now, like many people my 'watch' is now my mobile phone - I don't know whether just checking the time would be a legal defence - I wouldn't be doing anything on my phone, just looking at the time on the screen.

Oh well - I'm not going to be the one to test it!

Most cars have a clock on the dash so why do you need your mobile?

 

[GT49er]

Most cars have a clock on the dash so why do you need your mobile?

Most do. Not all do.

 

[dolphins]

Bit annoying in one way - in times gone by, if I needed to check the time, I'd glance at my watch. No problem, no risk, no crime. Now, like many people my 'watch' is now my mobile phone - I don't know whether just checking the time would be a legal defence - I wouldn't be doing anything on my phone, just looking at the time on the screen.

Oh well - I'm not going to be the one to test it!

I'd not be tempted to try that one myself, as most cars have clocks in reasonably visible locations - certainly most "normal" cars. Don't think it would stand up in court!

On the issue of the hefty use of mobiles in cars still, I walk along London Road twice a day at peak times and it is incredible how many people are on the phone. Funnily enough, those who try and hide the phone down near the footwell to be as discrete as possible are the most obvious normally! Each time I see at least a couple of dozen on their phones - and recently, someone who had their phone in front of all their instrumentation (speedo etc) with a video playing (he was driving in a slow moving queue)! There was also a lady in a nearly new Audi with dings down the side of it, merrily texting using both hands, as the car was meandering towards the bus stop near the junction of Carden Avenue and London Road. Wonder how the car got into that condition?

 

[WATFORD zero]

Most do. Not all do.

I'm genuinely interested as to what model of car you currently have on the road that doesn't have a clock ? Unless it's VERY old. I have driven hundreds of different cars over the years and am really struggling to think of one

 

[zefarelly]

Ban phones and cars. Simple.

Most new cars have them built in.

I see people on phone all the time, driving, cycling, padestrians throwing themselves into the road with a gormless screen stare.

more people need to die, we're over populated.

best one recently was an old bloke on a motorbike, open face lid, smoking a fag.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Bit annoying in one way - in times gone by, if I needed to check the time, I'd glance at my watch. No problem, no risk, no crime. Now, like many people my 'watch' is now my mobile phone - I don't know whether just checking the time would be a legal defence - I wouldn't be doing anything on my phone, just looking at the time on the screen.

Oh well - I'm not going to be the one to test it!

I don’t think it’s a good idea to glance at your watch whilst driving. It takes a fraction of a second for a kid to step out in front of you or for another driver to do something equally dangerous.

 

[BNthree]

Surprised the number is so low to be honest. Stand at any busy junction for 20 minutes and you’d probably see that many drivers with their phone in their hand in that time.

 

[vegster]

Most do. Not all do.

You could get one of those neat little folding travel clocks, bit of Bluetack and sorted.

 

[Stat Brother]

You could get one of those neat little folding travel clocks, bit of Bluetack and sorted.

Or put your oven on the passenger seat.
Admittedly that would only tell 'a time' as it's very unlikely to have 'the time'.

 

[FIVESTEPS]

Live in Hove Park driver smashed in to a car writing off his own the car he smashed into and damaging the car in front of that.Another accident due to looking at his phone.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

50 a day are caught. I would estimate at least 1000 times more get away with it.

This isn't a "drivers v cyclists" thing. It's a "taking reckless gambles with other people's lives" thing

 

[BNthree]

Or put your oven on the passenger seat.
Admittedly that would only tell 'a time' as it's very unlikely to have 'the time'.

Never trust anyone whose oven clock has the correct time! They’re likely to be a serial killer.

 

[The Clamp]

There is absolutely no excuse for using your mobile handset in your car unless it’s a 999 call and you’re in an old car that doesn’t have integrated speaker phone.

 

[Motogull]

I'm genuinely interested as to what model of car you currently have on the road that doesn't have a clock ?

Skoda Citigo on a 65 plate.