I saw the chap ( that was in the commercial motor a few weeks ago that had his license taken off him ) last week driving his silver Daf XF on the A55 and yes he was talking on his hand held phone again. He operates about 8 vehicles on a 5 licence O-license and is a well known cowboy in this area. He has even been caught “stealing his own trailer” with his customer freight on it. So no doubt you’ll be reading about him again !!
Wheel Nut:
I agree with the TC decision except it should be all drivers, not just HGV drivers who are punished.It should be an immediate 6 month ban where the copper takes your licence at the side of the road there and then.
If you ride a motorcycle you will know where Im coming from. There was a few cases in Portsmouth where a guardian angel on a bike was slashing car tyres of anyone seen driving with a mobile
Agree 100% - I loathe mobile 'phones and everything they stand for… I refuse to have one - and survive quite well. Funny, before their invention everyone else coped amiably too!
Seeing numpties - in whatever vehicle - using them makes my blood boil! 
is that the “Hell Drivers” lorry in your avatar Sir LANs-a-lot ?
what about summary execution at the roadside a 9mm to the back of the head vosa action squads it would stop me using a handheld again 
Agree 100% about the proposal of a ban, in reality it should be a complete ban, requiring a retest before you can resume driving, that might put people off a bit more effectively. Whether people think they are safe to do so or not, the rule is in place, and quite frankly its an embarresment that people are still getting away with it day in day out.
HGV drivers are particularly bad for it at the moment, im noticing. Of course, they cannot be seen from behind so the chances of being caught are much lower than for car drivers.
I am often to be seen suggesting to people to get off the phone, and have shouted at people in convertibles in the past. Apart from being stupid, and irresponsible, its a flagrant disregard of the rules which ■■■■■■ me off. The amount of publicity the ban recieved, I dont think anyone can plead ignorance.
They know, and they choose to ignore, so they should be taken to the cleaners!
WildGoose:
Agree 100% about the proposal of a ban, in reality it should be a complete ban, requiring a retest before you can resume driving …
Once again, agree totally. Have you noticed the latest tend, especially as current mobile 'phones are so small, of the numpty leaning their right arm on the window edge and then leaning their head into their hand - trying to hide the fact they are using a mobile. Do they really think we can’t see what they are up to? They obviously know that what they are doing is wrong - or why hide the evidence? It makes my blood boil…
WildGoose:
I am often to be seen suggesting to people to get off the phone, and have shouted at people in convertibles in the past…
Phew - glad I’m not the only one to do that!! 
The majority of mobile 'phone-touting prats have such a high opinion of their own self-importance. It’s almost like, “Oh, I must be on my 'phone at all times because I’m so totally indispensable…” Gahhhhh! The sooner the mobile 'phone networks collapse (hopefully permanently!) under some yet undiscovered flaw the better!
On a light note: Yes, ROG, my avatar is old number 13 from Hell Drivers! 
Doesent really matter tho whats legal and whats not.
Unless you start getting cameras being able to spot people on phones no one is gonna enforce it.
When laws changed saw police out for a week or so looking for drivers on the phone, since then see hundreds of people each day on the phone doesent make much of a difference.
Trunking at night lucky to ever see the police, but see lots of truck drivers on the phone, more than a fair few watching dvd’s, and a dutch truck driving along with seat right back and legs up, in quite busy traffic on the M6.
Worst recently was on the M6 near Lancaster a truck was all over the road, veering from the hard shoulder to lane 2 doing about 45mph. I came up on him and passed him in lane three because really didnt wanna sit at 45mph all the way to Glasgow and didnt fancy him ramming into the side of me passing in lane 2. Passed him and noticed he was on the phone texting.
Thats just truck drivers who in general drive well, start going into the behaviour of car drivers and would need a seperate internet site.
Are you joking steve? Most drivers cant manage using two hands never mind one
Driving in the uk is going down the pan rapidly
totally agree with you, the standards are shooting downhill rapidly in this country
Drivers of any vehicle caught driving while holding a phone to their ear should be banned for six months…
why?
They know, and they choose to ignore, so they should be taken to the cleaners!
and you obey every law of the land do you?
i cant believe the mindset of all the sheep on here these days, ie the way they follow everything they’re told by the government.
a couple of idiots go shooting people and we all have to give up shooting
a couple of idiots crash while using a phone and we all have to give up talking on the phone
next there will be a couple of crashes while drivers were picking their noses and we’ll all have to never pick our noses again while driving on penalty of a heavy fine, points and suspension and you same idiots will be backing the government cos they’ve made a new law
Seeing numpties - in whatever vehicle - using them makes my blood boil!
i’ve been promoted
Quinny:
You can’t use a phone,or take a drink,but can smoke a ■■■,take your eyes off the road while tuning the radio,alter your sat nav,pick your nose,scratch your arse…Ken.
Actually using a sat nav, pda or anything similar is covered under the mobile phone legislation. It is not only the issue of having one hand off the wheel, but the cognitive (thinking) processes involved when carrying out the task.
We’ve all seen the wandering driver, deeply engrossed in a phone call or text session 
I think the ban on using phones has led to an increase in texting while driving. I seem to pass a hell of a lot of cars these days where the driver is texting with the phone held way down low out of sight. I usually see it while I’m undertaking them when they are dawdling along in the middle lane oblivious to what is around them. 
ROG:
Just been reading the “Wheels” magazine from URTU and it has a a piece on page 11 about a LGV driver who was caught using his hand held mobile phone. got the £60 fine and 3 penalty points but got reported to the Traffic Commissioner. Apparently this is now done as standard. The Traffic Commissioner usually suspends the LGV licence for 2 weeks but this chap got away with just a 1 week suspension.
I was unaware of this standard practice - I wonder how many of you were as well
been standard for ages mate
safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12299
Quinny:
It’s a funny old world,isn’t it?You can’t use a phone,or take a drink,but can smoke a ■■■,take your eyes off the road while tuning the radio,alter your sat nav,pick your nose,scratch your arse…
Ken.
Think that just about says it all Quinny…The world has gone ferking mad. 
Well said
The contributary factors for accidents in 2005 shows that accidents whilst driver used a mobile phone didn’t even reach 1% of all accident. But a seperate law was made as a result of another media lead knee jerk reaction, despite there already being a law in place that could deal with it.
More people were killed or injured due to passing to close to a cyclist (1%) or due to fatigue (3%) or 9% of deaths due to pedestrians failing to look properly.
It not that I think it’s okay to use a phone whilst driving as it does distract your attention, but then so do many other things, but there is already laws to deal with it, what there isn’t is enough proper traffic officers to catch offenders who are driving without full attention on the road whether it’s due to using phones or other factors.
interesting i read this thread tonight. This afternoon nipped down the M55 towards Blackpool in my car. Nearing the Blackpool end, quiet traffic, dry, good visibility, i was doing, errr, a good 70 mph.
White van man passed me in lane 3 as if i was stationary, i happened to look accross… he was leaning forward, steering with elbows & on the dog n’ bone!
somewhere between 80 & 90 mph i’d say.
“Driving behaviour is impaired more during a phone conversation than by having a blood alcohol level at the UK legal limit.”
Source: Transport Research Laboratory, Report Reference Number TRL547.
and the uk legal limits is…
if you drink at all 12 hours b4 getting behind the wheel of any vehicle you should be banned.
i have been driving general goods trucks for 17 years, when i passed my test, i went out for a few drinks with my mates to celebrate and havent touched a drop of alcohol since…
mobile phones on the other hand, have become a life line in the business sector… but its illegal to use them whilst driving…
go figure… you can sup 2 pints and trog a 40 tonne truck down the m1… but pick up your phone and your screwed…
my thread http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=27050 here
mercjim:
and the uk legal limits is…if you drink at all 12 hours b4 getting behind the wheel of any vehicle you should be banned.
i have been driving general goods trucks for 17 years, when i passed my test, i went out for a few drinks with my mates to celebrate and havent touched a drop of alcohol since…mobile phones on the other hand, have become a life line in the business sector… but its illegal to use them whilst driving…
go figure… you can sup 2 pints and trog a 40 tonne truck down the m1… but pick up your phone and your screwed…
my thread http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=27050 here
If it take 2 hours to clear a unit of alchol through your system then why should you be banned for having for having a drink 12 hours before and provided you drink in moderation and have time for it to clear your system then there shouldn’t be a problem. Also drinking in moderation probally does you more good than harm.
As for phones and at the risk of repeating myself the present phone law is a knee jerk reaction to the media and pressure groups, there were already laws in place to deal with bad driving caused by mobile phone use and other driver habits that don’t have thier own laws have been the cause of more death and injury.
my point was… unless your weaving your not gonna get pulled for having a few over the limit, but you have a piece of plastic stuck in your ear and you get the book thrown at ya…
go figure… you can sup 2 pints and trog a 40 tonne truck down the m1… but pick up your phone and your screwed…
Because it is more dangerous than than the 2 pints - this has been proved by various experts.
Personally, I think they got the whole thing wrong - They should have banned all use of mobiles in vehicles unless the handbake is applied - this would have allowed for people to legally make calls etc when stuck in traffic jams with the handbrake on and stopped any conversation distracting the driver when moving.
Coffeeholic:
I think the ban on using phones has led to an increase in texting while driving. I seem to pass a hell of a lot of cars these days where the driver is texting with the phone held way down low out of sight.
Any Ladyeeeez and Gents on here wanna fess up to excessive txting whilst driving, or shall they remain silent