Thames Valley Police Call Divert Scheme

[Theorysparky]

Just been on this course, preferable to the points on my license

basically i was caught in a queue of traffic with my mobile in my hand.

i was spotted by one policeman and pulled over 300yards later by another.

some scarry points to be aware of

lots of insurance companies will not insure you if you have points for this offence.

if you are involved in an accident when on the phone the person on the other gets done aswell.

there are no hands free kit on the market that makes you safe from prosecution

pressing a button on the handsfree/satnav/iphone player/mp3 player can be seen by a policeman as you not being in full control of the vehicle.

wearing ipod headphones can be seen as an offence

driving at night with the satnav backlight set too bright can been seen as an offence

and the most important one for the guys here who have staff with mobiles with them in a vehicle.....

IF YOU CALL WHILE HE IS DRIVING AND HE HAS AN ACCIDENT AND SOMEONE DIES YOU CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR

'COPPERABLE HOMICIDE'

the presenters said that the law is so vague with the use of mobile phones in vehicles

be careful.........

(please excuse spelling)

 

[Andy™]

if you are involved in an accident when on the phone the person on the other gets done aswell.

IF YOU CALL WHILE HE IS DRIVING AND HE HAS AN ACCIDENT AND SOMEONE DIES YOU CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR

'COPPERABLE HOMICIDE'

unless they can prove that the other person knew they were driving, then very little could be done about it. there are many times i answer my phone when driving. only have to press 1 button next to gear stick to answer it. most of the time, they dont know im driving unless i tell them

if you have a hands free kit, you could argue that it is no more dangerous than indicating/changing gear to answer, and no more distracting than talking to a passenger

 

[Theorysparky]

You could argue that

but the impression i got was that you would lose.

 

[Andy™]

You could argue thatbut the impression i got was that you would lose.

the law states its illegal for the driver to use a hand held phone whilst driving. it does not state 'person who calls is also commiting an offence'. so would be fairly easy to get away with it.

if the employer phones employee, then it could only be an offence if he has demanded that the employee answers. a very simple 'i told you not to answer whilst driving, and call back when safe' would be an argument

does anyone have any links to anyone who has actually been prosecuted for calling someone whilst they were driving?

and they are supposed to give you the impression that its much worse than it really is

 

[batty]

This really makes me laugh when are they going to ban people from smoking when driving. I don't tend to use mobile phone when driving these days much easier and safer to ring people when stopped.

 

[PC Electrics]

Just been on this course, preferable to the points on my licensebasically i was caught in a queue of traffic with my mobile in my hand.

i was spotted by one policeman and pulled over 300yards later by another.

some scarry points to be aware of

lots of insurance companies will not insure you if you have points for this offence.

Did they name any names? thought not.

if you are involved in an accident when on the phone the person on the other gets done aswell.

there are no hands free kit on the market that makes you safe from prosecution

the point in law here (I suspect) is if the action of being absorbed in a call interfered with your control of the vehicle, not just using a hf per se.

pressing a button on the handsfree/satnav/iphone player/mp3 player can be seen by a policeman as you not being in full control of the vehicle.

Hm! The same could be said of pressing a preset on the radio, or the on/off of the air con or...or... again, it's going to be about whether your attention was sufficiently diverted.

wearing ipod headphones can be seen as an offence

This is defo an offence. It is (or certainly was) an offence to wear any headphones whilst driving. It was for this reason that intercoms were not allowed for road rallying, and the penalty for doing so was exclusion from the results. Similarly it is an offence to wear a motorcycle helmet whilst driving - again if seen doing so on a road section between stages, exclusion)

driving at night with the satnav backlight set too bright can been seen as an offence

Defo. The use of the cars interior light (at the front) has always been an offence. Again the rallying reference - the use of general lighting for navigating was not allowed - hence the use of a 'potti' (http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Motorsport/Rally_Navigation/Map_Lights_&_Potis/1865).

and the most important one for the guys here who have staff with mobiles with them in a vehicle.....

IF YOU CALL WHILE HE IS DRIVING AND HE HAS AN ACCIDENT AND SOMEONE DIES YOU CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR

'COPPERABLE HOMICIDE'

is that where you run over a 'copper' :^O

the presenters said that the law is so vague with the use of mobile phones in vehicles

be careful.........

(please excuse spelling)

Anyone seen 'Myth Busters' on Quest. One of the myths tested recently was " driving whilst on a mobile phone is more dangerous than driving drunk".

the myth was proved.

 

[Theorysparky]

Anyone seen 'Myth Busters' on Quest. One of the myths tested recently was " driving whilst on a mobile phone is more dangerous than driving drunk".the myth was proved.

they told us the exact opposite today

 

[Andy™]

they told us the exact opposite today

police would have told the drink drive class that it was more dangerous than the phone

and mythbusters have tried it, by driving drunk, and driving whilst on the phone

 

[PC Electrics]

As a professional engineer myself, used to proving principles by theory and test, I would have to say that I view most of the experiments carried out on Myth Busters as reasonably scientific and quite credible, though not necessarily as conclusive proof in all cases.

In this case 3 drivers basically did an autotest whilst sober (contol test), whilst on the phone and whilst drunk. It wasn't even close, the myth was 'proved' conclusively.

 

[septiclecky]

This really makes me laugh when are they going to ban people from smoking when driving. I don't tend to use mobile phone when driving these days much easier and safer to ring people when stopped.

It has been illegal in Norway for at least 15 years to smoke whilst driving during peak driving times.

 

[sbcfm]

we dont live in a nazi state yet , i would love to see them try and prosecute someone for daring to ring someone driving.

they want to remember there are here to protect and serve not extort money out of us at every given chance.

mr sb

please refrain from use of such language

thankyou

mr smith

 

[septiclecky]

Anyone seen 'Myth Busters' on Quest. One of the myths tested recently was " driving whilst on a mobile phone is more dangerous than driving drunk".the myth was proved.

Not if you where driving drunk at the same time as on the phone.

 

[Andy™]

maybe they cancel each other out!?

 

[sellers]

The police make all sorts up to suit them, they probably can do you for all what they have said if they have the exact right evidence etc.

Like one of my friends and his dad got locked up for trying to stop a fight outside a pub, they got locked up for being drunk and disorderly after 2 drinks. Next morning they have the option of pay 80pounds admit guilt and be done with it, or go to court pay court expenses to prove your innocent and if your not, get it on your record. You can't win.

 

[steptoe]

LIES

DAMN LIES

and STATISTICS

believe what you want,

because thats the only yhing that will convince you, NOT someone else telling you.

personally I would NEVER even consider getting into the van without having 10 special brew (other beverages are available), a rollie in hand and my missus on the phone,

hopefully that means Im [either] super safe (or a death trap!)