They're not just using trucks to catch them

[jaxdemon]

robroy:

JaxDemon:

dave_k:
Having had a close friend seriously injured due to a driver not concentrating/using a mobile phone, I’m all for increasing the penalties further again.

Exactly until it affects them they won’t give a [zb]. They are all perfect drivers because they have a HGV license which some here thinks it makes them some kind of God behind a wheel where they’ll never be in an accident or distracted from the road.

God forbid the government for clamping down on mobile phone users and trying to keep the road safe from primitive people who feel playing with a phone is more important then keeping an eye on the road ahead.

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Firstly mate re.your answer to my last post, I did not say ‘If it does not affect me it is all OK’’ so don’t put words into my mouth !

As for having a HGV licence, yeh, but it far from makes me perfect, a God behind a wheel, or any other accusation chucked at me only because I do not share your enthusiasm for official reports and opinions on road safety matters.
I can only speak from my own perspective on this as you are doing mate.

Sorry was not aiming my post at you personally it was more of a rant to the other person thinking he’s God who stated he uses his phone. No offence intended.

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[captain_caveman_76]

JaxDemon:

Captain Caveman 76:

JaxDemon:

dave_k:
Having had a close friend seriously injured due to a driver not concentrating/using a mobile phone, I’m all for increasing the penalties further again.

Exactly until it affects them they won’t give a [zb]. They are all perfect drivers because they have a HGV license which some here thinks it makes them some kind of God behind a wheel where they’ll never be in an accident or distracted from the road.

God forbid the government for clamping down on mobile phone users and trying to keep the road safe from primitive people who feel playing with a phone is more important then keeping an eye on the road ahead.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

I think you’re missing the point. I don’t think anyone is condoning phone use, speeding or drunk driving. From my point of view only, blaming all these accidents on phone use/speeding is missing the real point. There are simply some really crap drivers out there.

I dunno it just seems some here think it’s ok to use a phone.

I just don’t think driving a car is something that should people think they have a right to because they once passed a test. A test that’s being changed loads and become somewhat harder these days.

I’ve no doubt many would fail it if they had to retake it especially if they’ve gotten bad habits.

I see why the government are clamping down on it**. The police get moaned at for not doing anything yet when they do start doing something productive they get moaned at. They can’t win. I’m all for the police getting idiots off the roads. I’ve witnessed the carnage and I want the roads to be safe and yes many idiots on the roads.**

I really feel they should clamp down on those who’ve been caught on dashcam as well who drive like idiots.

I just don’t understand why answering a mobile phone (unless hands free) or replying to a text or checking facebook is so important to some people. So important that it’s worth more then their own life to them and others around them.

I just thought people would be more for tougher action on idiots who value life at around £4-600

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But that’s just it, they aren’t doing anything. They hide in buses, behind walls or unmarked police cars, jumping out and saying “you’re very dangerous, pay £100 and everything will be ok”. People think they’ll not get caught because they don’t see the police, so they carry on this “dangerous behaviour”. If the plod want to stop this, it’s easy. Battenberg up all those unmarked cars and have a high visibility deterent (spotted auto correct that time!)

[jaxdemon]

Captain Caveman 76:

JaxDemon:

Captain Caveman 76:

JaxDemon:

dave_k:
Having had a close friend seriously injured due to a driver not concentrating/using a mobile phone, I’m all for increasing the penalties further again.

Exactly until it affects them they won’t give a [zb]. They are all perfect drivers because they have a HGV license which some here thinks it makes them some kind of God behind a wheel where they’ll never be in an accident or distracted from the road.

God forbid the government for clamping down on mobile phone users and trying to keep the road safe from primitive people who feel playing with a phone is more important then keeping an eye on the road ahead.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

I think you’re missing the point. I don’t think anyone is condoning phone use, speeding or drunk driving. From my point of view only, blaming all these accidents on phone use/speeding is missing the real point. There are simply some really crap drivers out there.

I dunno it just seems some here think it’s ok to use a phone.

I just don’t think driving a car is something that should people think they have a right to because they once passed a test. A test that’s being changed loads and become somewhat harder these days.

I’ve no doubt many would fail it if they had to retake it especially if they’ve gotten bad habits.

I see why the government are clamping down on it**. The police get moaned at for not doing anything yet when they do start doing something productive they get moaned at. They can’t win. I’m all for the police getting idiots off the roads. I’ve witnessed the carnage and I want the roads to be safe and yes many idiots on the roads.**

I really feel they should clamp down on those who’ve been caught on dashcam as well who drive like idiots.

I just don’t understand why answering a mobile phone (unless hands free) or replying to a text or checking facebook is so important to some people. So important that it’s worth more then their own life to them and others around them.

I just thought people would be more for tougher action on idiots who value life at around £4-600

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

But that’s just it, they aren’t doing anything. They hide in buses, behind walls or unmarked police cars, jumping out and saying “you’re very dangerous, pay £100 and everything will be ok”. People think they’ll not get caught because they don’t see the police, so they carry on this “dangerous behaviour”. If the plod want to stop this, it’s easy. Battenberg up all those unmarked cars and have a high visibility deterent (spotted auto correct that time!)

If hiding on a bus sees someone get 6 points and a £200 fine for using a mobile phone and it then stops them using the mobile while driving then I’m all for it.

Majority of people believe they will never get caught speeding,drink driving or using a phone and the fact is it’s now an offence to us a mobile so they are breaking the law right?

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[buckstones]

Only yesterday when waiting at a red light I saw in the mirror that the young woman in the BMW behind was texting, looking down at her lap then up at the lights. When they changed I saw that she stuck the indicator on to go left as she was in the wrong lane, at the next red light she was alongside, still texting, so I rolled down the window and shouted “Put that phone away!”, which clearly startled her, she turned red and seemed to put it down.

Personally I’d confiscate their car AND phone for a month, they are a menace, I agree that young females seem to be the worst offenders for texting.

[captain_caveman_76]

JaxDemon:
If hiding on a bus sees someone get 6 points and a £200 fine for using a mobile phone and it then stops them using the mobile while driving then I’m all for it.

Majority of people believe they will never get caught speeding,drink driving or using a phone and the fact is it’s now an offence to us a mobile so they are breaking the law right?

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Surely it’s better to dissuade someone from using the phone in the first place by having high visibility patrols, unless you’re using road safety as an excuse to raise revenue of course.

[jaxdemon]

Captain Caveman 76:

JaxDemon:
If hiding on a bus sees someone get 6 points and a £200 fine for using a mobile phone and it then stops them using the mobile while driving then I’m all for it.

Majority of people believe they will never get caught speeding,drink driving or using a phone and the fact is it’s now an offence to us a mobile so they are breaking the law right?

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Surely it’s better to dissuade someone from using the phone in the first place by having high visibility patrols, unless you’re using road safety as an excuse to raise revenue of course.

I would agree but people don’t care mate. If they can get away with it they will. I’ve actually heard they are installing cameras to catch people now.

Oh and I fully agree on it being a cash cow but with all the police funding being cut I don’t blame any force trying to raise revenue of idiots breaking the law.

Providing the money goes to them or some of it lol

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[robroy]

robroy:
I wonder what new concepts they are using to catch burglars, drug dealers or those pieces of [zb] that ■■■■■ your curtains and rob your diesel, with the same level of enthusiasm that they are applying to this eh?
Easy options/■■■■ poor policing.

I reckon that just about justifies and vindicates my first post on this.
Stuff the burglary epidemic proportions, let’s nail a few more motorists instead…class.
Different departments or not, the policing in this country and the misguided priorities are a ■■■■ disgrace.

[supermultiblue]

robroy:
I wonder what new concepts they are using to catch burglars, drug dealers or those pieces of [zb] that ■■■■■ your curtains and rob your diesel, with the same level of enthusiasm that they are applying to this eh?
Easy options/■■■■ poor policing.

You are such a ■■■■■■■ nob. These ■■■■■■■ need getting caught. I don’t care how they do it.

Ribroy embarrassing himself once again.

[robroy]

SuperMultiBlue:

robroy:
I wonder what new concepts they are using to catch burglars, drug dealers or those pieces of [zb] that ■■■■■ your curtains and rob your diesel, with the same level of enthusiasm that they are applying to this eh?
Easy options/■■■■ poor policing.

You are such a [zb] nob. These [zb] need getting caught. I don’t care how they do it.

Ribroy embarrassing himself once again.

Oh dear oh dear.
Seriously mate, you are one sad puppy.
Sort your Tourettes out, and try and find yourself a girlfriend this weekend eh, it will give you something to occupy your somewhat tiny mind.
How many more times, …I aint interested in your habitual flirting with me on here.

And ffs learn to spell it’s KNOB not nob.

[javiatrix]

The law has to apply to the lowest common denominator. People are different - some are able to hold down a full blown conversation with a phone in their hand while driving safely whilst some start to drift over the lines simply by looking in their wing mirrors.

Only YOU know what you are capable of and what you’re not. Speaking personally, I learnt to fly years ago, and that involves being a pilot, being a navigator AND a radio operator all at the same time. So yes, I can safely operate a road vehicle with a phone in one hand and driving with the other. Keypad interaction is the real killer when it comes to mobile phone use, whether that be texting, scrolling through Facebook, changing music etc, because the phone then demands more concentration than the task of driving, with driving becoming the secondary autonomous function, which is wholly incompatible with a constantly changing environment.

For people who have a higher aptitude, it just becomes a case of knowing you are perfectly safe, but keeping one eye open for the police who are enforcing a law that came about because of people LESS able. In a way, if you are able enough to use a phone while driving, you should also be observant enough to have a good enough scan of your surroundings going on to avoid detection. Same principle as speeding - the only speeders who deserve to get caught are the ones not paying attention enough to avoid getting a speeding ticket.

I look around and see some drivers (HGV/car/etc) gripping the wheel with both hands, eyes bulging straight ahead, and you can see that they are having to put 100% concentration into just keeping the bloody thing straight. A skilled driver should only ever be operating at, say, 25% mental capacity for the most part, with the rest in reserve for dealing with difficult situations.

Again, everybody’s different, and it’s preposterous to suggest that just because a law is uniform, that it in anyway suggests that nobody is able to safely do what they are told not to.

[franglais]

Javiatrix:
The law has to apply to the lowest common denominator. People are different - some are able to hold down a full blown conversation with a phone in their hand while driving safely whilst some start to drift over the lines simply by looking in their wing mirrors.

Only YOU know what you are capable of and what you’re not. Speaking personally, I learnt to fly years ago, and that involves being a pilot, being a navigator AND a radio operator all at the same time. So yes, I can safely operate a road vehicle with a phone in one hand and driving with the other. Keypad interaction is the real killer when it comes to mobile phone use, whether that be texting, scrolling through Facebook, changing music etc, because the phone then demands more concentration than the task of driving, with driving becoming the secondary autonomous function, which is wholly incompatible with a constantly changing environment.

For people who have a higher aptitude, it just becomes a case of knowing you are perfectly safe, but keeping one eye open for the police who are enforcing a law that came about because of people LESS able. In a way, if you are able enough to use a phone while driving, you should also be observant enough to have a good enough scan of your surroundings going on to avoid detection. Same principle as speeding - the only speeders who deserve to get caught are the ones not paying attention enough to avoid getting a speeding ticket.

I look around and see some drivers (HGV/car/etc) gripping the wheel with both hands, eyes bulging straight ahead, and you can see that they are having to put 100% concentration into just keeping the bloody thing straight. A skilled driver should only ever be operating at, say, 25% mental capacity for the most part, with the rest in reserve for dealing with difficult situations.

Again, everybody’s different, and it’s preposterous to suggest that just because a law is uniform, that it in anyway suggests that nobody is able to safely do what they are told not to.

Couple of comments on your post mate:
Youre absolutely correct that laws are broad sweeping as they have to apply to all, not just good drivers such as ? ? You and me, maybe? But heres the problem you say “Only YOU know what you are capable of and what you’re not.” But that isnt true. Ask any of those idiots you see wandering over the road texting, face-booking, getting stuff off the back seats, whether theyre “a good a bad driver?”. Most NO-ONE thinks theyre a bad driver, but given we all see them, we know they exist, they must have a false estimate of their ability. So we are probably the worst judges of our driving, or any other, abilities. (Dunning-Kruger Effect). .Obviously you and I are different. . . and so are all TruckNet users. . Some others have commented on using marked police cars as a deterrent, seems to me this is missing the point totally: The police probably released the video of this bus exercise so we all see that any/all buses white vans, trucks plain cars could be looking for us on our phones, so deterring their use. Rather than thinking were ok so long as there isn`t a jam sandwich in plain sight.

[scanny77]

Cracking down on however many drivers are on our roads makes news because it affects so many. Burglaries affects a small percentage over a wide area so anything like that will not sell newspapers. My point is that just because they are not sensationalising certain areas of police work does not mean it is being neglected. Good news is not news! In my experience the police do catch criminals even at the inconvenience of a summons being handed to me to appear as a witness (fortunately I was nor needed).

[javiatrix]

Franglais,

Totally understand your point, but I class having bad judgment of your own abilities as poor aptitude also. For somebody with high aptitude/psychometric ability, my argument is still valid. I agree that for the most part, laws help keep the sheep in the pen where they belong, but for somebody who truly appreciates their weaknesses AND abilities, I think my point is still valid.

What you’re referring to are drivers who, whilst lucky enough to have avoided an accident so far, still drift around slightly when picking up a phone/dialling a number, and fail to be as observant of their surroundings when having that phone planted to their ear, but BECAUSE they’ve been lucky, will be convinced they are a good driver.

Whereas somebody who has an appreciation of their TRUE limitations, i.e. the difference between holding a phone, and looking at a phone for longer than the 0.25 seconds it takes to pick it up and dial the number intermittent with continuous scanning of the environment… I’d rather the first one anyday.

I don’t think I’m a great driver. I can drive in a very mechanical/technical fashion and due to the fact I drive 5+ hours everyday (as most on here do), I do have a high baseline level of autonomy to back up my coordination skills.

I would say to any of the nursery brigade that listen to what they’re told and don’t question it - try learning to play the piano, or becoming proficient at chess, or even go and get your Private Pilot’s Licence (by far the easiest of the three), and you will see the TRUE meaning of multitasking, and realise that for any ‘standardised’ human being, with some base experience of driving behind them, operating a vehicle whilst holding down a conversation on a handheld device is so far within the safe threshold that it’s pointless arguing about.

If playing the piano demands 95% concentration, for example, the difference between having a conversation on hands free and on a handheld device (whilst driving) is probably something silly like 15% vs 15.5%. Probably due to having to move your head ever so slightly further to the left to check your N/S mirror as your fingertips may be obstructing it a little.

I’m aware that playing the piano is rarely fatal, but this law regarding handheld vs handsfree is utter tosh… Texting etc, yes. But if you’re going to ban talking on a handheld device, you’ve really got to ban talking in a car outright, and that includes passengers.

[franglais]

I think I can see what youre saying, but my point stands: those who are less proficient at driving will never see it. Anyone who uses a phone to text or whatever only does so because they believe they are safe doing so. Hence those who have "high aptitude/psychometric ability, " will safely use their phone while driving. Those who cant walk and chew gum at the same time, will use their phones because they dont realise they are a menace. A copper in a car or top deck of a bus cant tell which you are, hence the need for a blanket ban.
Conversations in cars or trucks in general? Normally ok, yeah agreed. If Im hands free coming up to a hazard Il say “hang on” to whoever, pause and continue when all clear. Doesnt matter if thats on the phone or with passengers. And can you imagine getting a call from your Missus saying she cant pick you up from work because shes crashed the car, but it doesnt matter because shes running away with the milkman? OK, bit extreme but you`ll see what I mean.

[andrewg]

discoman:
Speeding also kills.

…bollox does it…

Yet another brainwashed lemming…

[joepipe3]

They should bring back hanging for texting while driving,as for myself once I put my eight track on I don’t have to touch it till I park up at night. Joepipe

[biggriffin]

AndrewG:

discoman:
Speeding also kills.

…bollox does it…

Yet another brainwashed lemming…

It’s the stopping that kills.

[indeed]

Overtook a british tractor unit with doubledeck this morning, driver was watching iPhone propped up on steering column.

[the-snowman]

indeed:
Overtook a british tractor unit with doubledeck this morning, driver was watching iPhone propped up on steering column.

Do you regularly stop watching the road while overtaking to peer into another cab long enough to see an iphone on a steering column?

[indeed]

In the 40 seconds it took to overtake the vehicle I checked my mirrors, good enough excuse for being a nosey parker?

Edit…

Was it you?