Blatant Stupidity or Just no Deterrent?

[exBanditOwner]

maybe that was a bit much. but the rest is true

[Boomer]

I regularly drive whilst speaking to a passenger and it in no way affects my driving as I make driving the priority.
I have also driven whilst on the phone (handsfree) with no ill effect and smoking (e-cigs since last May) doesn't seem to affect my driving either.
However, texting, holding the phone, eating, drinking,  operating the satnav, etc. all affected my driving so I don't do them unless I am completely stationary and the gearbox is in Park.
The problem is so many people just don't care about the effect their actions have on others.
If those people you photographed were stationary and in Park or handbrake on, then why not?

[Lonewolf]

George I put the photos on to encourage debate on the topic. I completely hear what you are saying, i.e. if they are stationary, then what harm are they doing? However my interpretation of the situation is that, apart from it still being an offence to use your mobile when stationary, (as you are still driving) they are a hazard to themselves and others. They are not aware of what is going on around them, they are cocooned in their own world & oblivious to the movement of other road users .

I'm deliberately drip feeding info to this thread. 

If you knew that one of the above motorists who wasn't paying attention to the hazards developing around them, impeded the progress of a Responder on route to an unknown medical emergency, would that change your perception and opinion of the information you currently know or would you stand by your comment in that "Why Not"

[O.C.]

I Agree again Steve .....like I said in my previous post " I'm with you Steve, the use of mobiles whilst driving is completely unacceptable     ......no excuses whatever   

I've seen plenty drivers using their mobiles whilst on the move , both texting and calling, they are equally at risk of being distracted whilst stationary, its vital to have your wits about you at all times even in standing traffic,.....what about the biker (push or motor) who is filtering in between standing traffic and goes unnoticed whilst a driver is using his or her mobile, ?    it doesn't take much to knock someone off with often disastrous consequences 

[100milesaway]

I Agree again Steve .....like I said in my previous post " I'm with you Steve, the use of mobiles whilst driving is completely unacceptable     ......no excuses whatever   

I've seen plenty drivers using their mobiles whilst on the move , both texting and calling, they are equally at risk of being distracted whilst stationary, its vital to have your wits about you at all times even in standing traffic,.....what about the biker (push or motor) who is filtering in between standing traffic and goes unnoticed whilst a driver is using his or her mobile, ?    it doesn't take much to knock someone off with often disastrous consequences 

A few months ago whilst on the A1 in North Yorkshire, a lass passed us in the middlelane. We were doing 65, she was more than likely doing 70 whilst steering with the front of her thighs, whilst doing a double handed text message. or  the stupid barstewards.

[Rusty]

Nice piccies Steve .... you should go for a job in SV 
They are all idiots ... every single one of them ... just stick your mobile in the boot with the dog and you cant get to it ... have a bit of peace and quiet whilst your'e driving about .... lovely.

[Boomer]

So are we to ban everything from the car? No passengers, no radio, have all non-essential controls locked out whilst the motor is running? I have seen an accident caused by someone trying to turn up their heating. There are lots of distractions for motorists to contend with and its up to the motorist to give driving their priority. The Yanks have a charge of "Distracted driving" which would apply to so many out there, including many on this forum.

If the idiot impeded an emergency vehicle then they should be charged with it.

The law needs the application of uncommon sense rather than blind enforcement.
Someone doing 90 on an empty motorway is way less of a danger to society than someone doing 40 past a school yet both would be looking at the same penalties according to the law.

In my 120 miles per day I see a lot of good drivers,  lots of marginal drivers, and a few right  :censored:wits.

The marginal ones can't be bothered to signal when they pull out, or have lights not working, or don't dip their lights for other road users. They sit in the middle lane at 60 regardless of the empty left lane and they have no idea how to negotiate a roundabout. They are the ones who don't think at all.

The  :censored:wits are those who do think but in their opinion only they matter.
They are the silly speeders, the tailgaters, the ones who swerve across 3 lanes because they missed their junction, the ones who tell the Police Officer who is nicking them "Why aren't you out nicking real criminals?", and an inordinate number of them drive BMWs and Audis.

[Foody]

The issue with the use of a phone in the car has been shown that the distraction is the same for hand held or hands free.  And that they distraction last for about 15-20 minutes after the call has ended.

The distraction is deemed to be similar to driving under the influence of alcohol.

It's not the same as listening to the radio or talking to your passengers.  It's because you get engrossed in a conversation with somebody outside of the environment that you are in.

With regards to enforcement?  Enforcement by who?

A report out recently states that road casualties have shown a sharp rise which coincides with the vast reduction in Traffic Police Officers.

Traffic Policing (or the posh new term Roads Policing Unit) is not a 'Performance Indicator' for Chief Police Officers so comes much further down the priority ladder that many other topics.

Many UK motorways no longer have dedicated Motorway Traffic Departments.

For example, I know that the Chief Constable in South Wales at the time that the new 'Orange' Highways Patrol 'Traffic Officers' were coming in withdrew the Police cover for the M4 immediately.

As the Goverment withdrew her budget for Police motorway cover to put it towards the new highways Patrols she pulled the police cover.

Whilst the roadside cameras can issue far more tickets in a day than I ever could in a shift, they don't deal with the other 'crash causation' factors like tailgating, lack of lane discipline and using the mobile phone etc.

The cameras have no discretion and no on the spot education value, as getting pulled and having a bollicking on the side of the road at the time of the offence by a Traffic Cop!

[exBanditOwner]

I'm all for More traffic cops. they were especially good at slowing traffic a few years ago when you could spot the distinctive colour of their headlights. we all know that speed cameras are revenue making machines those who say different are deluded.

ever noticed how people's driving changes when there is a jam sandwich in the vicinity? it shouldn't have any effect, but it does.
I'd prefer the human aspect and people getting pulled for driving like a knob. Speeding, like Boomer says is subjective, and i'd like to think a decent Policeperson would understand that.