View Full Version : Change in UK Law -mobile phone and driving-
jon_s
11-01-2003, 02:09 PM
With effect 01 Dec. 03, it will be illegal to use any mobile phone that is hand operated.
This means, that if you need to hold the phone in your hand to dial a number or use it in any way, you will be liable to a fine of £1000.00. The only kit you are allowed to use is a dashboard mounted kit.
Walkie Talkies are also being outlawed, unless they operate on certain frequencies, which I can't remeber just now.
Pretty normal to me.. around here is that way already since some years :)
But the fine here is around 50 GBP (I received one, .. that's why I know that LOL)
Anyway it seems ok considering there are lot of ppl barely able to drive a car (worst driver anyone?).. let alone drive and use a phone..
jon_s
11-01-2003, 02:19 PM
I personally agree with this one, what is wrong with a hand free setup?
It's way better anyway to have an hand free setup :D I still prefer not to use the phone while I drive, since the mind is anyway distracted.. but into the slow moving traffic of a city is ok :) and having both hands to control the car is way better :) so basically a law can be also pretty pointless ;) since ppl should think about it w/o help of a 1000 GBP ticket :D
graywolf624
11-01-2003, 02:25 PM
Not sure I like the idea of legislating for stupidity. I would deeply fear the possibility of mistaken pull overs and other situations. I would be more in support of a stricter proportion of fault going your way if you cause an accident while on the phone.
I think this is already considered in many countries... if you cause an accident while at the phone, or while drunk or whateverm your fault is "bigger"
graywolf624
11-01-2003, 02:42 PM
Yeah except for the US. Of course in this country you can blame it on your parents treating you bad as a kid and get away with it. (Alcohol yes, cell no(beyond your typical its your fault, and even then some states are no fault)).
Lack of responsibility sickens me.
:(
DeMoN
11-01-2003, 04:04 PM
well only 1 guy that I saw on british worst driver had a problem with his cell phone. Hands free might distract you in the way that your awareness is not only on the road anymore, but on the person who talks to you... then this would be the same as hearing a song in the radio... and well stig does it when he drives so.. dumb idea.
stracing
11-01-2003, 10:24 PM
yea we lose 3 out of 12 points on our license plus a hefty fine. good idea tho. i reckon using mobile phones should be completly banned, its the talking that distracts the drivers.
dis3as3d
11-02-2003, 12:41 AM
Its not outlawed where I live, but let me say its DAMN hard to drive a stick and talk on your phone :twisted:.
leinad111
11-02-2003, 12:46 AM
Yeah except for the US. Of course in this country you can blame it on your parents treating you bad as a kid and get away with it. (Alcohol yes, cell no(beyond your typical its your fault, and even then some states are no fault)).
Lack of responsibility sickens me.
:(
i agree that lack of responsibility is the case for many things in the US but in this case i disagree. have you ever seen a driver in front of oyu break early or late, veer off in the lane, and not see the traffic light when it changed?? i have, all because the driver was on a cell phone. try typing on a keyboard a story, something basic, and have a conversation at the same time and see what happens. you dont pay attention to the person talkin or you'll stop typin to listen to them. same thing with driving and cell phones, you need 100% for each individually, tryin to do both is foolish.
graywolf624
11-02-2003, 12:44 PM
"have you ever seen a driver in front of oyu break early or late, veer off in the lane, and not see the traffic light when it changed?? "
In the US people do that while playing with their radio, looking for a road to turn off on, and many other things. This happens regardless of cell phone usage, and I have seen several people that have pulled off the cell phone thing with no negligable results(I mean we've seen people like tiff race around a track while talking to a video camera, some people do have the talent. One could argue those aren't the people who do so, however thats another story). I am a firm believer that we shouldn't regulate choice, because where does it all lead? Suddenly are radios banned in cars cause people look down? When they invent cars that drive themselves(I'm sure they will), do ones people drive get banned because they get in more accidents?
This is not a winnable arguement, and I see both sides. I hope you can as well.
leinad111
11-02-2003, 02:29 PM
"have you ever seen a driver in front of oyu break early or late, veer off in the lane, and not see the traffic light when it changed?? "
In the US people do that while playing with their radio, looking for a road to turn off on, and many other things. This happens regardless of cell phone usage, and I have seen several people that have pulled off the cell phone thing with no negligable results(I mean we've seen people like tiff race around a track while talking to a video camera, some people do have the talent. One could argue those aren't the people who do so, however thats another story). I am a firm believer that we shouldn't regulate choice, because where does it all lead? Suddenly are radios banned in cars cause people look down? When they invent cars that drive themselves(I'm sure they will), do ones people drive get banned because they get in more accidents?
This is not a winnable arguement, and I see both sides. I hope you can as well.
very VERY good point of view, haven't looked or seen it like that. but lets not stop there, people should have the choice to have a cell phone convo while talkin right? then we should give people the choice to decide if they are capable of driving after they have been drinkin. oh wait we do that and assholes still get in their car and kill people, why? the answer is because some people are careless and irresponsible, we have to make rules and have them enforced so that carless people dont mess things up for the rest of us. there's nothing wrogn with a hands free device and most cars are making radio and audio controls on steering wheels where it is less of a distraction.
Obviously I agree on the fact dumb and nto skilled ppl are still able to mess up even turning the lights on, or the whipers or whatever else...
But sadly it's impossible to judge case by case and decide if somebody is able to drive safely or not.. (in a perfect world obviously only Tiff and skilled ppl in general would have a license ;)). So better enforce as many laws as possible (intelligent ones of course), to try to reduce dangers :)
leinad111
11-02-2003, 02:39 PM
Obviously I agree on the fact dumb and nto skilled ppl are still able to mess up even turning the lights on, or the whipers or whatever else...
But sadly it's impossible to judge case by case and decide if somebody is able to drive safely or not.. (in a perfect world obviously only Tiff and skilled ppl in general would have a license ;)). So better enforce as many laws as possible (intelligent ones of course), to try to reduce dangers :)
EEEEXXXXACTLY!!!! :)
True, even here, you're not always punished for the cell phone.. but it's the same for used tires, seatbelts or parking outside the proper areas and so on..
It MUST be a law IMO, but of course in every sector, there are important and less important ones. That doesn't mean IMO that a country should only have laws about murders or robbery...
It's there, and even if not always "fined", drivers knows about that, and will think about it.. why the law was made and so on...
leinad111
11-02-2003, 02:50 PM
gettin a ticket doen't necessarily make you a criminal.
Exactly.. and we have to understand the law is there to protect us, not to make us criminals...
jon_s
11-02-2003, 03:22 PM
I feel that this law was made on policy grounds, the government can't be seen to be doing nothing about an obvious risk. The police in the UK are already pretty hot on the issue, you only have to watch the Rubywax Gumball to see Mr Hill get told off for it!
As for reading a law book, well, I have done a bit of that, and one of the best things that I have found is: If you drive my car and speed, as long as I am in the car, I can be done for 'accessory to speeding!!' Having said that, this has not been enforced for MANY years!!
graywolf624
11-02-2003, 07:01 PM
As for the alcohol arguement. Yes and no for a few reasons. The correlation between accidents due to alcohol versus due to cell phones is far more of a proven fact. Furthermore, as the other poster said, too many laws causes more problems then it solves. I actually somewhat consider that alcohol should not be as strictly enforced(though not to such an extreme as abolition). How do people get pulled over for drinking? Very rarely, at least in the US, is some drunk person pulled over because they are seen with a bottle in their car. So the answer becomes by driving wrecklessly (swerving, eratic behavior, ect). So perhaps the point is to deal with the people who are driving wrecklessly and cut out the middle man of alcohol and phones.
" the answer is because some people are careless and irresponsible, we have to make rules and have them enforced so that carless people dont mess things up for the rest of us."
The problem with this is where does it stop. What is a reasonable level and who makes these decisions.
The same point comes into effect when one argues for lower speed limits. The 55 mph speed limit the US instituted in the 70s saved no extra lives according to statistics. However it was thought that to make it safe for the dumbest driver we had to institute the limit.
If you limit or outlaw one thing, where do you stop? There are people out there so stupid you would be amazed. Should we all live our lives in a padded cell because they are morons?
Just my 2 cents. I do see your point however.
Also the alcohol issue is not so simple basically.. some ppl are completely done after a glass of beer, other can drink a liter of Vodka and still be able to drive normally, but with all what we know today about modifications caused by alcohol, IMO the right way to go is the one we're hopefully going toward in Europe: completely make illegal alcohol if you have to drive. 0.0 that's all... actually this seems even easier than the cell phone...: I can understand ppl with important jobs have absolutely to be always reachable, as for alcohol, nobody is forced to drink.. you drink because you like it... if you like to drive you don't drink, stop :D
initiala4
11-02-2003, 08:27 PM
Hey in NY it is an offense if you use a cellphone without handsfree...still some people use the phone holding up and driving like an idiot on the roads.
hemi_fan
11-02-2003, 11:02 PM
Same here in Canada for the past 2 or 3 years... doesnt really bother me cuz i dont have a car or phone lol
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