Using a mobile telephone whilst driving

[David Morton]

For guys in the UK:
As from 27th February 2007 it will be an endorsable offence if you are caught driving whilst talking on your mobile phone which means 3 points and a £60 fine.

 

[Bill Musarra]

It's tough in Dekalb County in Atlanta, where if you are involved in an accident while talking on a cell, it will cost you a $500 fine.

Bill

 

[Simon]

For guys in the UK:
As from 27th February 2007 it will be an endorsable offence if you are caught driving whilst talking on your mobile phone which means 3 points and a £60 fine.

About bl**dy time too.
It amazes me that people who spend tens of thousands on a car can't afford a £30 bluetooth thingy.

Simon

 

[Lynn Larsen]

Many years ago, I was on a conference call on my cell phone. When the call ended, I was on the other side of the city with no clue how I'd gotten there. I bought a headset for the car that day and haven't been without one since. It really scared the #@!! out of me.

Simon is spot on: there is no excuse for not having a hands-free device for the car in this day and age. But one must still be aware that the distraction and slowed reactions of someone talking on the phone (even hands-free) is the same as if you are drunk.

Lynn

 

[David Morton]

Bill,
I think the penalties here are similarly draconian if there is an associated accident. A recent televised case here was a truck that took the life of a young lady and the police found the mobile phone was in the middle of a text message to be sent, or some such. I believe the truck driver is in jail for a few years - quite rightly
Simon, spot on. These bluetooth setups are brilliant and I'm replacing the car kits in my daughters cars with the Nokia 7W system (I've had one for a couple of years now) as they have all ditched their 6310i phones (which the original car kits were tailored to fit) and the only thing in common now is all their phones have blue tooth.
Lyn,
I did something akin driving home from the airport few years back steeped in a conversation and missed the motorway (freeway?) exit. Instead of 4 miles to home it was another 25 miles or so. Quel un prat.
My biggest pronlem is getting my wife to try and use the built in system in her car - she's a blonde and it means remembering and pressing 4 buttons in sequence which seems too technically bewildering for her. She's good at other things though.
Clues on a post card please as I have given up.

 

[Keith]

Hey David, why ditch the 6310i? It's probably the best phone Nokia ever made and the first ever made with Bluetooth so it is still current, unless they all want photos, videos, games, this that and the other, plus the battery life is also the best on the market.

Mine's been to hell and made it all the way back....still working......

If they're committed to dispose of them, may I have first refusal? I'll stump up some pennies for them...

 

[David Morton]

Don't worry Keith. Apart from Japan, my sim is in a 6310i. If you really need one, I'll try and sort one out for you. I think I've built up a reserve of them.
I hope Nokia are reading this !!!!

 

[ChrisL]

I’m a big believer of education rather than legislation. Of course it’s dangerous to be conversing on a phone while driving. We don’t need legislation to tell us this. We already know this because we have our driver’s licenses don’t we? All drivers also know that it is just as dangerous to have an argument in the car or to have a good belly laugh or to notice an attractive lady on the side of the road or to tune the radio or to sneeze or whatever, don’t they? Or do they?

Phone legislation to the exclusion of all else sends the wrong message (no pun intended). People will deduce that mobile phone conversations are far more dangerous than any other distraction. Educate and they will understand how to be a better driver. Legislate and you have gained little.

 

[al nuttall]

I'm With You Chris, If You Ban Moblie Phones, You Better Stop People Tuning Their Radio, Putting A Cd In And Using The Demister, It's Not The Equipment Thats Causing Accidents, Its The People Using The Equipment At The Wrong Time.

 

[JimmyMac]

Maybe one day somebody will invent a 12V hair dryer.

 

[Dalton Veitch]

Chris,
Couldn't agree more. You just cannot pass enough legislation(or want to) to cover safety in all situations. What is a safe speed at night, in rain, in snow, etc. etc.? I'm opposed to much of the legislation (eg. speed limits) and also believe in education. A driver MUST be able to make judgement calls, and decide for himself. You train him to do this, like flying a jumbo safely, and of course it will take experience to be really good at judging so hopefully the driver has enough training to get him to this point.
The conflict between watching the traffic and that stunning woman with the short skirt and large personality is painful, but hopefully the safer option will win.
Coming back to mobile phones, I have sighted research which appeared to indicate it was not whether your hands were tied up or hands free, but where your mind was engaged. The accident rate was similar with hands free phones to the others. Some of the above posts have already illustrated that the drivers' minds can be on the phone call and not the driving, which is where the danger is. But then you start to think about music playing, conversations with passengers, smoking, eating, etc. etc. Education on the importance of focus would seem to be the answer.
My 2c worth, anyway. Safe and fast driving, everyone.
Dalton

 

[Price Walton]

Jimmy,

Unfortunately I've already seen a 12v hair dryer. Just the thing for the inlaws' caravan.

'er indoors saw the look on my face when it came out and knew better than to comment, even in jest....

 

[JimmyMac]

Freewheel,
Magic stuff - imagine this.
One with the plastic hat and the hose on the rear would be great for keeping the old bald head warm in an open-top.

 

[DCraig]

I have a cell phone jammer :lol:

I use it when I am being annoyed by some inconsiderate, self involved, self serving, a$$hole in an enclosed public place like a restaurant, grocery store, concert, sports event, etc. I turn the power down so it only blocks the phones within about 25 feet of me. Any farther away and it isn't annoying me, eh? I have had such fun with that. Can you hear me now?

A perfect example: I was having a nice dinner at The Smokehouse in Burbank across from MGM studios and the booth behind us had four studio types in it. One was listening to his endless voice mail messages with his speaker on. After about a minute I asked him to take it outside please. He told me to jam it up my "rusty crusty" and that got a laugh from his buddies. I mentioned that one could no longer enjoy corn on the cob without any front teeth and he told me to mind my own business. I found that the owner was there so I told him what had transpired. I believe that I mentioned that I was fixin to drag the guy out by his balls and beat the crap out of him in their parking lot. I grew up in Dallas and Austin and my neck still shows signs of once being a bit red.

He paid his bill and came back to ask me if I wanted to make good on my threat to knock his front teeth out. I told him to tell me what hospital he wanted to go to and I promised that my wife would not shoot him with the 9MM Browning in her purse and I would not shoot him with the Glock 21 I was carrying. While he was trying to think of a snappy answer I pulled my carry permit out and showed it to him. He quietly left.

Two weeks later I was in London and bought my jammer.

 

[Keith]

Hmmm perhaps you'd be good enough to let us know next time your'e in London and what restaurants you're likely to visit so that I can avoid them...

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

We have mobile use in Queensland for some years but it is not policed well at all. In fact you hardly see a cop on our roads unless he is manning a radar trap (revenue raising) or a booze bus.
People get to know where the radar traps are located (no imagination our cops) and speed everywhere else.
And if they are 18 Blonde and driving a Hyundi that daddy gave them they can multi task. Do the make up, speed and talk on the mobile all at once.

Scares me sh#tless.

 

[Fred/Belgium]

Tried twice to answer phone whilst driving in my GT..neighter the caller nor myslelf understood anything but caller enjoyed the great sound of a V8 supplied by 8 Webers.....

fred

 

[David Morton]

We're not allowed to carry firearms in the UK AND RIGHTLY SO. What if he then showed you his permit for something equal to or greater than yours ? IMHO f-----g stupid. I speak as someone who (i) was issued with a 9mm FN (like the Browning) in the military, and (ii) was once hit in the thigh with a ricochet (once is enough !) and (iii) nearly made a terrible mistake which I think about often. If you have to carry side arms for your own safety, go and live somewhere else. Usually judgements are made in a hot red mist and more often than not, regretted on a cold grey dawn.
My opinion....

 

[frank beuker]

I saw on the tv a spokesman of the police and he said if it was up to him he would ban the phones out of the car but not only that, he said also to ban eating,drinking,loud music,make up and all while driving
and the ticket in holland for driving and phoning without a hands free is minimal 140 euro and a maximum of two months in jail or 2000,- euro

so i made the investment of 40 euro

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

..a rumor heard when Clay Regazzoni had his fatal accident said he was talking at mobile, during crash.