STOP PHONING AND TEXTING WHILE DRIVING? | Vital Football

STOP PHONING AND TEXTING WHILE DRIVING?

Welshtel

Welshtel

Vital Football Hero
I think the practice is really bad if you're driving while you're also on the phone. Whether you put a phone to your ear and drive one handed or with head cocked on one side to let your hands go free, either way you're not heading home, you're heading to someone's disaster, either yours, an innocent party's or both and ultimately hospital or the courts.

OK we're talking about the latest Daily Mail 'MAKE PEOPLE AWARE' project but they have a good point and let's face it, some very innocent people have lost their lives, ranging from the young to pensioners, idiocy is no respecter of persons.

IT IS time, in my view that we all put a stop to the practice because all of a sudden, someone's life will change from happy and free to utter devastation and a ruined future/rest of their lives, because that lovely sister we grew up with or the son we struggled so hard to get to this level of maturity and was now doing well, has been wiped out by someone ON A PHONE? Oh come on. it was an accident? No, think it out, it was a stupid error of judgement to say, "I'm OK doing it, 'done it hundreds of times with no problem". But this one time it doesn't come off and now someone's dead.

"A bit dramatic Tel!" Yes it is but someone dying usually is.
"And you're trying to bull it up a lot to make the point!" Yes, that too but if me, the Daily or someone else doesn't, more people will die.

SO WHAT'S the answer? Does everyone agree that bigger sentences are the answer or heavier fines, more policing?
If it wasn't for the possible chaos it might cause I would like to advocate that we all beep our horns at anyone we see on the phone or even texting (I cannot believe people do this, I know they do but really?) but distracting them while they are on the phone may not be the right thing to add to their already bad distraction from driving their car. It would be good otherwise to have a drivers code to do 3 beeps or similar, a code recognised by everyone so that we all know what they're doing so that we can shame them but as I say, too risky.

Does anyone have a suggestion? In 10 years over 200 people have died because of people being on the phone while driving, thats 1000's of lives ruined, their close relatives, friends, lovers, son's fathers, daughters, mothers, sisters, work colleagues...... the list goes on.

Suggestions on a postcard to your local .....
 
I already beep the horn when i see such deplorable action> IMO withdrawal of driving license and voluntary work for 1000s of hours in crash victims' treatment/nursing homes. Jail term is way too easy.
 
I'm just afraid 'Highgate', that if I unsettle these morons further while they're at the wheel by beeping the horn while they're phoning or texting, they will be MORE dangerous than they already are. Like you, I've beeped in infuriation but stopped after a couple of times because I couldn't depend on it not causing a crash.

BUT I would love be able to do it. Alas I think I would imagine people like us would probably get the fine rather than the perpetrator of this CRIME. Yes I'm shouting again.

We TODAY passed a guy texting as he drove. We went carefully past him and slowed to see that he actually WAS doing it. He even seemed unaware of us passing him. As we approached the vehicle, my wife said, "Look at this, I bet they're on the phone!" and they were but at least with phoning they can look ahead and not at the screen.

I would like to see a website where we could post photographic evidence of people on the phone (taken by our passengers of course) followed by a photo of their registration plate. I dare say though that the PC brigade would find something wrong with that.

The latest in the Daily Mail is about Police going soft on this crime, court convictions have halved in the last 4 years according to official figures. Fixed penalty notices have also dropped by 78% due to Police cuts. The RAC state that we now have an EPIDEMIC of people on the phone while driving. The odd thing about the law to me is that the justice system says this is wrong but lighting a cigarette while driving is OK everyone does it that smokes and drives as far as I know. It involves getting the fag out of the packet, closing or putting the packet down etc and then looking to see where the end of the fag is to light it. AND what about the fag ash, where does it go? or the lit fag end when it's tossed out of the window. I know of at least one instant where it ended up on the back seat of someones convertible. Something needs sorting when people die as a result of drivers being distracted by doing other things when driving.


 
Welshie, I have done similar things that you mention but probably more vigorously. I have seen damage done at close hand it is heartbreaking to see the aftermath of such stupidity. Saying 'sorry' just doesn't cut it! The most effective way for is to 'flash' them and hand sign of phone with a quizzical face. Once I was accosted by one person when I did this and sI simply said if he wants to see what happens when a crash takes place. I invited him to come along to the centre where I used to volunteer. The guy was speechless but didn't take up the offer. don't go out of my way to look for these things but will do something to stop it - just as I won't walk by someone getting beaten to death. Most car manufacturers are bringing in inbuilt car phones.. hopefully a visible phone in the car will be made illegal.
 
Amazing HGS. Yes I notice how people back down when it comes to seeing what happens. I have an X type with the full hands free kit, you just press the speak button on the steering wheel and tell it what to do like, "Phone, Dial, Fred" and it dials out. Even then you have to say that it breaks some concentration but you don't take your eyes off the road and don't have to take your hands off the wheel or fumble for anything, which are dangerous bits.

So the Daily Mail campaign has pushed the government into setting a 'six points on your licence' deal if you are caught. A better sentence but the Police still have to catch you and successfully prosecute. I think it should be followed up by a driving course paid for by the motorist concerned. But with Police time at a premium and more important crimes to be sorted, I wonder if it will make a difference, this latest initiative..
 
About time, i am fed up swerving to avoid wankers who cross the centre line because they are texting or phoning and not concentrating on driving .....and then give you a look to say...'what?'
 
In the light of what you say there Greavsie, do you think that people are really aware enough of the law against it? It does seem to be ignored so much by drivers that you wonder if many know of the law. Maybe we need a HUGE campaign on TV and radio and endorsements by people in the public eye.
 
Confiscate their phone and levy a large fine that needs to be paid prior to its return. Repeat offender, impound the vehicle.
 
Welshtel - 19/9/2016 16:55

In the light of what you say there Greavsie, do you think that people are really aware enough of the law against it? It does seem to be ignored so much by drivers that you wonder if many know of the law. Maybe we need a HUGE campaign on TV and radio and endorsements by people in the public eye.
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Everyone knows it but the addiction to answer the phone or interact with phone has grown way beyond reason!
 
Sorry folks as dangerous as they may be i find pedestrians far more annoying. Whilst driving whether it be a on a main road, in a car park, or... okay let's face it anywhere where there's a road, pedestrians believe they have the right away. I'm sick & tired of them walking aimlessly down the centre of the road holding traffic up as if they have the inherent right to do so. Dickwads the lot of them.
 
been announced that, nationally, these offences have dropped by 40%. Here in Bradford it has gone up by over 200%! No prizes for guessing who are the biggest offenders. They never wear seatbelts either.

And another kid died this week in a mindless high speed crash. These type of accidents and mindless driving are daily news, with a mortality almost weekly.
 
And in lght of the recent 10 year sentence for the lorry driver who killed a woman and her three young children when changing the music on his ipod or whatever and plowed into a line of staionary vehicles, there is only one answer ....

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT USING YOUR/A MOBILE DEVICE WHILST DRIVING YOU ARE BANNED FROM DRIVING FOR LIFE......end of...no exceptions.....surely only a thick stupid fool would risk doing it after that was made law!
 
or....

why not just add a hardware component into cell-phones that disable them when its motion-sensors read (using GPS) that its moving at more than 10mph ??

sorted.
 
I'd set it at 10mph cos then you could still use it when out walking.

theres always a probability (however tiny) of anything happening, you could get struck by lightning walking out of your home.... its about reaching a balance of risk and how Society can function..

don't make the perfect the enemy of the good.
 
thats my point oldboy.... nobody walks at 10mph therefore anyone who is walking along the pavement can still use a phone, whereas the ones going more than 10mph must therefore be in a vehicle and not be able to use their phone, as it would then cut out...

it would mean that passengers too would also not be able to use phones while travelling, as well as drivers.... but it may be a price worth paying..
 
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