Mobile-using drivers face two years in jail

mick.fr

Sorry if this is old news, been published on the 20th of December.
I am a very surprised about this kind of law. I suppose they must have thousands and thousands of dead people in UK because they were using their sat nav just before an accident.
You better of not touching your radio, SAT NAV, well anything else than your steering wheel while driving in UK...

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2206139/gadget-drivers-face-two-years?vnu_lt=vnu_art_related_articles

Anan1

I think you should read the article you linked to.:)

mick.fr

Anan1 wrote: »

I think you should read the article you linked to.:)

Well if you could be more explicit that would help.

DonJose

Sounds good to me, they should bring it in here. Some gobsh!te drove out in front of me today at a roundabout (I had right of way) with a mobile in his right hand, didn't even look my way and I was already entering the roundabout. I easily see a dozen people a day driving while talking on mobiles.

Anan1

mick.fr wrote: »

Well if you could be more explicit that would help.

"It is not every single driver using a mobile phone while driving that faces jail. It is those few drivers whose behaviour leads them to have a crash when they are using a mobile at the same time," Gifford told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

DonJose

mick.fr wrote: »

Well if you could be more explicit that would help.

He probably means this, "Rob Gifford, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport Safety, said that the new rules would affect only those whose reckless actions led to an accident."

WHITE_P

mick.fr wrote: »

Sorry if this is old news, been published on the 20th of December.
I am a very surprised about this kind of law. I suppose they must have thousands and thousands of dead people in UK because they were using their sat nav just before an accident.
You better of not touching your radio, SAT NAV, well anything else than your steering wheel while driving in UK...

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2206139/gadget-drivers-face-two-years?vnu_lt=vnu_art_related_articles

Good enough for them. If they can afford a car they can afford a car kit. Too many @ssholes out there using hand held mobiles while driving. I was behind a girl a few years ago going through Dromod in leitrim one Sunday morning and she drove onto the footpath becasue she COULDN'T control her car and use the phone at the same time. I thouught she was drunk at first.

The driver of a car should only be concentrating on driving, and if he / she doesn't know where they are going then, pull over and figure it out for those of you with SAT Nav. or try learning to read a map and plan your route.

Hooky 25

Was caught myself using mobile while driving learned my lesson, but I can't believe the amount of Gardai i see cruising along on the mobiles while driving.
:eek:

stepbar

.... that and the lack of indicators..... :rolleyes: Some Gardai would annoy the fcuk out of me.

I don't know how anyone can have a phone up to their ear whilst driving. Its as easy to just put the phone on loudspeaker and stick it up on the dash.

WHITE_P

Yeah they should practice what they preach, but then show me a District Court judge who has not commited half the offences they judge other people for, themselves.

Seth Brundle

It is not illegal for a garda to use a mobile phone whilst driving as part of their duties! In several places around the country, the garda radio is not adequate. Should a garda in a pursuit pull over to contact base?

Michael G

WHITE_P wrote: »

Good enough for them. If they can afford a car they can afford a car kit.

Yes and could they please be given an extra punishment for driving with the front fog lights on at the same time. Preferably a sharia-type penalty involving amputation of the right foot.

littlejukka

another hysterical, over-reactionary, nonsense thread about absolutely nothing at all. i despair.

Seth Brundle

littlejukka wrote: »

another hysterical, over-reactionary, nonsense thread about absolutely nothing at all. i despair.

Surely you are used to it by now?

budweiserfrogie

Michael G wrote: »

Yes and could they please be given an extra punishment for driving with the front fog lights on at the same time. Preferably a sharia-type penalty involving amputation of the right foot.

I know you probably disagree but.
As far as i'm concerned front fog lights are for use in bad visibility conditions. If it is raining and i am driving on a narrow unlit country road in darkness i would rather have the assistance of my front fogs. At times it's the difference in seeing or not seeing that child walking home or some1 walkin home from the pub. A neighbour of mine was killed 2 years ago walking home late at night and if more people used front fogs in these conditions maybe we would have less pedestrians injured or killed.

lightening

budweiserfrogie wrote: »

As far as i'm concerned front fog lights are for use in bad visibility conditions.

You should go to spec savers if you need fog lights when there is no fog.

_feedback_

kbannon wrote: »

It is not illegal for a garda to use a mobile phone whilst driving as part of their duties! In several places around the country, the garda radio is not adequate. Should a garda in a pursuit pull over to contact base?

No, it wouldn't make sense to pull over during a pursuit. However, it would make sense to install a car kit like everybody else. It's ridiculous to make gardai exempt from the mobile phone laws. It's like telling motorbike Gardai that they don't have to wear a helmet in the course of duty!!

WHITE_P

lightening wrote: »

You should go to spec savers if you need fog lights when there is no fog.

Couldn't agree more. don't mind them being used either as day time running lights or as they were originally intended, in FOG. But turn them off when the time comes to turn your main / dipped lights. Think about it when they are on at night, is aonther 90 to 110 watts of light coming from the front of a car, and while they really only light up a small area directly in front of the car, they add additional glare to oncoming traffic. Not to mention that it is an offence to use lights inappropriately, can't remenber the section of the Road Traffic act, but it is there somewhere.

Cookie_Monster

lightening wrote: »

You should go to spec savers if you need fog lights when there is no fog.

They are spotlights more so than fog lights as far as i am concerned. I use them all the time driving on unlit country roads as they give you much better low down visability of the road edges.

Seth Brundle

budweiserfrogie wrote: »

I know you probably disagree but.
As far as i'm concerned front fog lights are for use in bad visibility conditions. If it is raining and i am driving on a narrow unlit country road in darkness i would rather have the assistance of my front fogs. At times it's the difference in seeing or not seeing that child walking home or some1 walkin home from the pub. A neighbour of mine was killed 2 years ago walking home late at night and if more people used front fogs in these conditions maybe we would have less pedestrians injured or killed.

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

They are spotlights more so than fog lights as far as i am concerned. I use them all the time driving on unlit country roads as they give you much better low down visability of the road edges.

You both make a great pair!
Fog lights are not spotlights whatever name you want to give them! They provide very limited visual help. They help if you are driving slowly and if in normal conditions, you find that you need them then there is an issue with your existing lights (lenses dirty, bad bulbs, etc.).
However, I acknowledge that neither of you don't care about other road users and I won't berate you for your selfishness. I just hope theat some day the gardai will enforce this particular law!

Seth Brundle

elviscostello wrote: »

No, it wouldn't make sense to pull over during a pursuit. However, it would make sense to install a car kit like everybody else. It's ridiculous to make gardai exempt from the mobile phone laws. It's like telling motorbike Gardai that they don't have to wear a helmet in the course of duty!!

Despite our recent economic prosperity, services in this country are being damaged through underfunding. This includes gardai who spent years looking for stab vests. The fact is that for many of them, the mobile is a necessary piece of equipment. Many members seemingly are using their own mobiles for work use! If you disagree with it then complain to your local TDs.
Also if you look at the particular piece of legislation you will note that the law "does not apply to a member of the Garda Síochána, an ambulance service or a fire brigade of a fire authority (within the meaning of the Fire Services Act 1981) who is acting in the course of his or her duties and holding a mobile phone in relation to the performance of his or her duties."

_feedback_

kbannon wrote: »

Also if you look at the particular piece of legislation you will note that the law "does not apply to a member of the Garda Síochána, an ambulance service or a fire brigade of a fire authority (within the meaning of the Fire Services Act 1981) who is acting in the course of his or her duties and holding a mobile phone in relation to the performance of his or her duties."

I realise that 100%. My point was that it is ridiculous and could be compared to that same Act saying If a member of the Garda Siochana is on a motorcycle while performing their duty, that they don't need to wear a helmet. It's safety and common sense. Invest a few quid in car kits.

Seth Brundle

elviscostello wrote: »

It's safety and common sense. Invest a few quid in car kits.

AFAIK thats pretty much the problem. Tight budgets don't allow it!