Club Arnage

The SI has been issued which bans use of mobiles whilst driving, unless they are hands free.

It's here, if anyone is interested http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2003/20032695.htm

I understand it's OK to use your Dictaphone though... ;D

Is that "hands free", wouldnt voice dialling be easier?  ;D ;D :D

Looks like the Police will be recieving lots of crank calls to evade the penalty then  ::)

So will it also be illegal for the Police to use mobiles and  radios while driving???

After reading the info and having a friend in the job , he states . No F*****g way . All Plod cars in Hampshire have hands free radios and those that need them hands free phones and have for years . Somehting about road safety  , image ... blah blah blah.

The excuse is that they are dealing with the emergencies i suppose ? Either that or the Plod will be issued with handsfree kits for the phones ??


Wait for the Sun to get hold of that one and dig around.... remember the Kit Kat eating lady on the M3 a few years ago .......

I actually agree with this "hands free" thingy.

I do 35k miles a year in my work and I see so many "knobs" driving erattically and not concentrating on what they are doing when using phones while driving.

I've been using hands free for 3 years and have found it much easier to drink a cup of tea without using ths cruise control to do the driving, and make phone calls at the same time.

Wishy

Look like two-way radios are specifically excluded

"(4) A device referred to in paragraphs (1)(b), (2)(b) and (3)(b) is a device, other than a two-way radio, which performs an interactive communication function by transmitting and receiving data"

6 (d) "two-way radio" means any wireless telegraphy apparatus which is designed or adapted -

(i) for the purpose of transmitting and receiving spoken messages; and

(ii) to operate on any frequency other than 880 MHz to 915 MHz, 925 MHz to 960 MHz, 1710 MHz to 1785 MHz, 1805 MHz to 1880 MHz, 1900 MHz to 1980 MHz or 2110 MHz to 2170 MHz;

I thought that was the case Smokie!

I agree Wishy. I use a hands free kit myself and get sick of seeing people weaving around the road with one hand on the phone and one ofn the gear stick while they try to steer with their knees. That said, UI also get annoyed with people driving along not looking where they are going whilst looking backwards over their shoulder to talk to the kids in the back. I also saw a woman about a month ago swerve across all three lanes of the motorway, apparently she had dropped her lit cigarette into her lap!!

If there's a Band-Wagon, I'm on it...  :D

Are there any plans to get Corsa's and Micra's banned? They seem to have been designed with slow poor drivers in mind...

As a general rule, if you can't see the back of the head of the driver in front, because they are shorter then the head rest, they will be going about 20 - 30 miles an hour below the speed limit, they won't indicate, and they think they are being safe... A leathal combination!  >:(

I must confess,  ::) I was given some very glaring looks when I was smoking a cigarette, reading a map and on my phone whilst at the wheel.... but the dopey tw@t giving me evils neglected the fact that I was stationary... It makes me wonder if the great marvel that is a human brain is actually all it's cracked up to be!  ;D

I'm in agreement with Wishy, too.  There are hands free kits out there that don't cost the earth.  Mine cost £20.  Works well enough.  How about legislation to force the phone companies and outlets to include in-car kits with all new phone sales.  Or what about one of those phone companies taking a responsible stance and do this voluntarily. >:(
Russ, can the ban also include all women driving 4x4's during school run times, that would clear 50% of traffic during the morning peak periods! ;D

The was some knocker on TV today harping on about actually having a conversation on a phone is distracting and that using a mobile, hands-free or non, should be out-lawed (he was from the Institute of Advanced Motorists BTW) as your mind is elsewhere even after the call!!!!  There are far worse drivers out there, even with their minds supposedly on the road.

What a "see you next tuesday" !!!  What is next for the ban - talking to passengers? Carrying passengers without gags? Changing radio channel?  Smiling? Enjoying driving your car?  Thank f**k for tracks.....

Depending on the type you have, that may actually be illegal anyway   :(

My understanding is that it has to be a hard wired in car hands free kit. The "in your ear" type that most people get free with their phone won't be legal. I've heard question marks about the ones  that plug into your cigarette lighter too.

Whats the difference between hard wired and cigarette lighter type.....!!!The only differnence I know of, is that if you have the radio on the hard wired type mutes the radio for the call coming in or if you are dialling out.

ihave the cigarette lighter type and a phone mount wihich i find adquate for the job.

Wishy

The official regs in my link seem to indicate that it's OK so long as you never have to actually hold the phone. So manual dialling seems to be OK so long as it's in a cradle.

I'm probably wrong, and I'm not a lawyer, so this is purely a personal view...

Awwww Smokie - and there was I all rady to use the "That bloke of the internet, 'Smokie' said it was OK for me to do....."   ;D ;D ;D

Case Law will sort this little baby out . Some gent will be stuck on for an in ear type thing ( what i have just bought for £20 )  and will argue that it is as effective as the others and get of it , thus amending the law .

Although you would have to meet a real TW@T of a copper to persequte you for it .

BEWARE - Hampshire , Surrey , Sussex , MET , Avon and Somerset are ste for an operation to clamp down in the first month, thus creating figures to back up the Governments new laws. ( or so i am told )

Quick question  - can you be done for talking on a mobile phone whilst hands free on a motorbike ?( soft ear thingy type )

Answer No , you are not driving.

Hi all,

just sipping my breakfast tea and reading this discussion with some amusement. Here in Hanoi (where I live) it's a common sight to see 4 people sitting on one motocycle with the driver riding it single-handed and having a mobile in the other hand taking calls while driving (no one wears a helmet here, so that's no problem). Going back to Europe next year, so it looks like I have to change my own phone-while-driving habits too..;-)

Cheers, see you all in June 2004

Werner

For those of you who live in and around Hampshire or have to travel through it at some point of the year, read on.....


Just found out from my friend at Hampshire Police that they have written up a Policy , which maybe on there website.

Anyone using in their hands a phone or messaging device whilst driving will be issued with a £30 non endourcable ticket . All types of hands free devises are suitable for use.
Drivers of vehicles larger than a car will NOT be issued a ticket , they will be reported to court where the fines can be upto £2500. ( aimed at Lorries , White Van man and buses )

Hopefully that may help

i think they should ban farting in the car. if thats not a distraction (with all the gaging and looking at who did it) then i dont know what is.
can you imagine the trouble the copper would have trying to persue that case  :D

This falls nicely into place for the unofficial Xmas Drink Driving random breath test  campaign.
"Excuse me sir, the reason I stopped you was that I had good reason to  believe you were using your mobile phone but it seems I was wrong,  while you are out of the car though would you kindly blow into this for me."
Beware.

On this subject also. I saw a report this morning on the Beeb news concerning this lady who sadly lost her daughter after a car accident caused by someone using a moblie phone.
She now spends her time honking and gesturing at people that are using phones while on the move.
As sad as her case is, I don't think she was considering fully or was briefed properly as to what she was saying, as this behaviour is equally as dangerous and possibly even more likely to cause an accident than the person she is aiming her anger at.

Perhaps there is a government body that can look into the statistics for this, maybe combined with the effects of drivers looking at there speedos checking that they are not breaking the limit whilst gossiping with their passengers and screaming at the 5 kids they have in the back as they pass the ever increasing number of gatsos and mobile "safety camera" vans rather than concentrating on the road and there driving.
;)
Rusty

[attachment deleted by admin - age > 25 days]

Work of genius.

Watch out Bill Gates, your time is nigh.

Rusty

The IAM ( istitute of advanced motorists) wants to ban the totla use of phones in cars , as its dangerous, even with hands free . Must be dangerous then during the lessons when the pssenger is talking to you too..

Pnies

What about two way communication in all motorcycle training, is that at risk too ??

What about the f**k*ng motorcyle test when you have to listen to the communication from the numbnut fascist following you in the car !!!!
What about that one then eh ?.

Lets go back to the good old times. Twice round the block and you can ride a Kawasaki H2!!!!  :o

Rusty
Bring it on baby!!!!

Yes Rusty, but on one wheel??  :o

Bikers will know that the Kwak triples were THE wheely machine of choice.

Two way radios are specifically excluded from the legisation.

They were originally going to completely ban all use of mobiles but realised it was unenforceable and also that people would ignore it en masse. I actually think what they have here is a reasonable compromise. I bet you still see plenty of people holding the thing to their ear though...

I'm going with Nordics solution.
Dunno if I can get it under me helmet though. :-\

Rusty

Rusty ,

I can get my Body Glove earpiece thingy under my Arai , fits best with a balaclava .

Only slight problem is i cant hear who i am talking to  >:(

i've warned you about wearing your lid in the car. will that be illigal in december?
more rally driver will be snookered then. ;D