The Association of Police officers has signed a memorandum of understanding to inform the Traffic Commissioner of when drivers have been convicted of using a mobile phone, including hands free where there is evidence the driver did not have proper control of the vehicle. The Traffic Commisioner says her powers are different from the police and she can suspend a drivers licence for some drivers this means they could lose their job.
Full story in this weeks CM
Fair enough as those driving large vehicles have a greater responsibility and accept that responsibility when they accept the licence
That also means they accept any current or changes in law which govern them and if they do not agree with that they they do have the option of not using that licence
Many might say that they do not have that option because of this or that but in reality they do as nobody makes them drive large vehicles
Will this stop TMs/planners phoning in the middle of a run?
chicane:
Will this stop TMs/planners phoning in the middle of a run?
NO it won`t but your a fool to answer it.
Handsfree or not my phone does not get answered. End of story!!!
chicane:
Will this stop TMs/planners phoning in the middle of a run?
No but should stop you answering.
i thought you had to inform the tc anyway if you got caught driving with a phone in england?? why things different in scotland and they just cut the middle man out? as cant imagine drivers rush home and pen a letter to the tc telling them 
Can’t wait for this 
TM “Are you going to make your next drop on time?”
You “No”
TM " Why the ■■■■ not?"
You “Because you rang me and I had to find a safe place to stop so I could call you back”
schrodingers cat:
Can’t wait for thisTM “Are you going to make your next drop on time?”
You “No”
TM " Why the [zb] not?"
You “Because you rang me and I had to find a safe place to stop so I could call you back”
Patrol officers talk on their radios all day, presumably that curly wire makes it safe. 
Harry Monk:
Patrol officers talk on their radios all day, presumably that curly wire makes it safe.
CBs are legal for the same reason.
Patrol officers, those on hands free and CBs are all subject to the same laws of DWDCaT
The only reason that specific laws were brought in for mobile phones was because the use of them was getting so prolific - and still is
So instead of having to use DWDCaT laws a FPN was introduced for HAND HELD mobiles but that still left the using of HANDS FREE which remains under DWDCaT
Personally, I would have liked a law which stated that no mobile communication device can be legally used by the driver of a vehicle unless the hand/park brake is fully applied and the vehicle is stationary except in an emergency or for specified operational reasons such as the police and those using them for such operational reasons must be fully trained to do so
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walterfirelake:
Re: Use your phone- lose your licence- (Scotland)
Unread postby ROG » Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:12 pm
Fair enough as those driving large vehicles have a greater responsibility and accept that responsibility when they accept the licencethis ‘logic’ seems to me you see a different outcome when a car driver on his/her phone slams into a hgv as opposed to the other way round.
If the punishment for the hgv driver is being banned, so my logic calls for the car driver to be banned also, theres no guarentee they aren’t going to crash into a petrol tanker for instance, are you going to give the car driver a £60 fine and three points?
I think in the event of a serious crash, it can be upgraded to a Driving without due care charge which is much larger fine, or even Death by Dangerous Driving if someone is killed.
I would be very surprised if the TC suspended the LGV categories for simply being caught once on a mobile phone
I suspect these powers will be used in the case of those who have been caught at least twice even if the first was in a non LGV
I would like to see the guidance notes for the TC on this
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I wonder how many would use their mobiles when driving if the part of the punishment was instant crushing of the phone including the SIM card ?
Should this include hands free though? If so then there should be a sound proof barrier between passenger and driver, after all its the talking not holding the phone thats the culprit. What about a driver that wants to take a sip of a drink while driving? Maybe an asthmatic taking a puff of his inhaler, where the hell do we stop legislation? Maybe it woud be safer if we all walked everywhere and could only buy local goods so nothing needs transporting.
Fact is theres risk in everything we do and we need to mitigate those risks against the lifestyle we want. Overdoing H&S will only mess up everything.
schrodingers cat:
Should this include hands free though? If so then there should be a sound proof barrier between passenger and driver, after all its the talking not holding the phone thats the culprit. What about a driver that wants to take a sip of a drink while driving? Maybe an asthmatic taking a puff of his inhaler, where the hell do we stop legislation? Maybe it woud be safer if we all walked everywhere and could only buy local goods so nothing needs transporting.
Fact is theres risk in everything we do and we need to mitigate those risks against the lifestyle we want. Overdoing H&S will only mess up everything.
The DWDCaT law can be used in any circumstance where the driver has been deemed to be distracted
Although police will bring this charge it will ultimately be up to a court if a driver refutes it
Kettle calling pot… the thing everyone fails to argue about is its called MOBILE PHONE, police use them when driving but rules for one doesnt make it right for all, if its called mobile and you cant use it what is it called ? answers on a postcard to ■■? just keep your gob shut do as your told and keep taking those big spoons of ■■■ they call rules and regs, or simply just dont use the phone. 
ROG:
Personally, I would have liked a law which stated that no mobile communication device can be legally used by the driver of a vehicle unless the hand/park brake is fully applied and the vehicle is stationary except in an emergency or for specified operational reasons such as the police and those using them for such operational reasons must be fully trained to do so
If by this you mean that hands free devises should also be banned then as there’s no real difference between talking on a hands free mobile devise and talking to someone in the back seat, or the front passenger seat for that matter, presumably you would also like to see it made illegal to talk to passengers unless the handbrake was on ?