39 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

 

Nowhere in law is it stated that it is illegal to eat or smoke whilst driving. What is illegal is to drive without due care and attention and you might be doing this if eating or smoking, but then again you might not be. It depends on the way you are driving and whether it appears that you are not exercising proper control over your vehicle. It is hard to prove in court unless there is an accident.

 

Mmm smoking at the wheel. There you are having a tab when the end just happens to drop in your lap. The next thing you are doing is frantically trying to leap around in your seat trying to put it out. Now if that is not a distraction at the wheel while driving i don't know what is. 

 

Oh and that was speaking from experience when i used to partake in the filthy habit. So having a tab while driving really does fall into the same category as using a mobile in my eyes. You could go onto drinking a hot beverage as well. Scalding coffee or tea spilt on the family jewels will make you leap around like a demented idiot.

 

 

My late father was a driving instructor for a while back in the 1960's and he once said smoking in the car had saved his life!......he was instructing a driver from the passenger seat when the learner driver froze at the wheel and the only way my dad could make him let go of the steering wheel to avoid a head-on collision with a Lorry was to stub his lighted cigarette into the learner drivers left hand. He immediately released his iron grip on the steering wheel and my dad was able to steer the car away from the impending collision!

[JBW]

A woman was fined for eating a banana whilst stationary in traffic jam. 

 

http://www.mirror.co...s-fined-5959012

 

As said previously its not actually illegal, but I knew I'd seen something about it, so that's why I thought it was.At work we call it meals on wheels !

[mini-geek]

I think the punishment is too harsh.. a series of campaigns and advertising show what happens if you do would be better..

problem is both solutions will be forgotten about in a free years and people will forget/ignore the risk and potential punishment..

One solution I can understand they haven't implemented is compulsory hand free kits in all new cars..

They also seem to like to "catch" people using phones in stationary traffic.. that seems harsh.

[Carlos W]

It'll work for a couple of months, but then people will kind of forget about it.

[tiger99]

I don't have any definitive proof, but what I see suggests that a very large number of the culprits are white van drivers. I would suggest that if they, or indeed any business users, are caught, there should be an automatic fine on the employers too, starting at about £10k and working up to prison sentences for directors after repeat offences.

 

My reasoning is that many of the white van drivers are doing illegal things (not just using the phone, they are often seen at speeds and in circumstances where neither Lewis Hamilton nor most Mini drivers would venture) and that much of it is due to unreasonable indirect pressure from their employer, who of course will have an official policy that tells their drivers to comply with the law at all times to try to keep the management out of trouble.

[Scousemouse]

A woman was fined for eating a banana whilst stationary in traffic jam. 

 

http://www.mirror.co...s-fined-5959012

 

As said previously its not actually illegal, but I knew I'd seen something about it, so that's why I thought it was.At work we call it meals on wheels !

Are they sure she was eating it???, or just picking her teeth or even naughtier things

[Scousemouse]

Coincidence or what!!!  just got a text off 3mobile, telling me Not to use my mobile while driving as the penalty has been DOUBLED from 1st March 2017.

Should bring back HUNG-DRAWN-QUARTERING........or should we cry FREEDOM Jimmy?

[Cooperman]

There is always something that someone wants to make illegal. You can't please everyone.
One might take a view that badly or stupidly modified cars are more of a danger than eating or smoking at the wheel.
We need to accept that life has risks and to manage those risks in a realistic manner.
I broke the mobile phone law yesterday when I moved my mobile phone within the centre glove box to get to a packet of strong mints. Opening the packet of mints was not illegal, but moving the phone within the glove box was. The phone was not switched on by the way.

[Ethel]

Tiger,

 

I gave you a like but many of those white van men are self employed contractors. I reckon they're a phenomenon caused by tougher regulation of Hauliers, tachographs and crippling vehicle duty has created the opportunity to drive for longer and faster in a smaller vehicle. You'd probably need the same tactics as used on the HGV's to regulate them.

 

I agree a change in social attitudes and greater detection would be more effective than harsher punishments. Surely it wouldn't be that hard to write an app that can detect your phone is moving at road speeds and at least give the user a warning if they use messaging or similar. You could even offer a carrot if the same app could read an incoming message aloud.

 

Or how about a financial punishment that puts up the cost of of an offender's texts, say a quid a text for the next 3 months? Sue it could be side-stepped, but it'd still be an embuggerance.

[nicklouse]

it wouldn't be that hard to write an app that can detect your phone is moving at road speeds and at least give the user a warning if they use messaging or similar.

Waze, a great navigational app requires you to say you are a passenger if you start imputing text in the search bar if you are in motion.

 

it also accepts voice and hand controls IIRC

 

it always knows where I am going so I don't need to do a thing.