ITV Car phone free campaign

[jdtate101]

Just noticed this today. A good idea, but I'm quite sure it won't make any difference. Only harsher penalties and an increased likelihood of being caught will force a change. Still better than nowt if it gets one person to not use their phone in the car.

 

[Cycling Dan]

They need to make it so unaffordable that people wont do it.
Like a few hundred pounds... also place their personal proverty as the liability(eg car).
Make the risk so huge and clearly enforced, people will stop.

 

[Robson3022]

Make the fine £500 and people will sharp stop. £60 and 3 points means nothing to a lot of people.

 

[4F]

Make it a 3 month ban rather than a fine

 

[Nearly there]

Instant 3 month ban

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I didn't know ITV did that kind of campaigning. Here's a video from them - http://www.itv.com/daybreak/hottopics/shell-stations-list-phone-free-zone/

 

[Leaway2]

I think that the public need to be made to feel that using their phone is morally wrong, like drink driving.
When I was working in America, they were still of the opinion that when other people got caught drink driving they were unlucky. Not that it is unacceptable.
Attitudes need to change.

 

[jdtate101]

I like the idea of a 3 month ban a lot. That would really sharpen people's perception, especially if their employers made it a condition in their work contract, "Use your mobile phone whilst driving and get banned and you will lose your job", much like they do currently for drink driving (certainly this is my company's attitude).

 

[green1]

I use my phone in the car all the time, perfectly legally, it isn't difficult.

 

[Scoosh]

I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it is possible to have phone-reception-free zones, so the real way to do it (stopping phone use while driving) would be for the vehicle manufacturers to make the vehicles unable to get phone reception - but that would penalise passengers from using phones .. unless it could be a driver-only ...

Getting a bit complicated

 

[green1]

I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it is possible to have phone-reception-free zones, so the real way to do it (stopping phone use while driving) would be for the vehicle manufacturers to make the vehicles unable to get phone reception - but that would penalise passengers from using phones .. unless it could be a driver-only ...

Getting a bit complicated

Why bother? Make hands free compulsory in all new vehicles. Talking on the phone is no more distracting then having a passenger in the seat next to you and a hell of a lot less distracting than screaming kids in the back. What next, ban them?

 

[jdtate101]

Now that smartphones have GPS it would be easy to automatically divert incoming calls to answer phone and disallow outgoing calls when the phone is moving above walking speed. They could make this an automatic function that cannot be shut off except for calling 999 (say your passenger is reporting a drunk driver whilst you are following). Not sure if this would work or is even desirable as it would shut off use on trains (not a bad thing in my mind) and also would not work if your phone couldn't get a GPS lock.

 

[green1]

Now that smartphones have GPS it would be easy to automatically divert incoming calls to answer phone and disallow outgoing calls when the phone is moving above walking speed. They could make this an automatic function that cannot be shut off except for calling 999 (say your passenger is reporting a drunk driver whilst you are following). Not sure if this would work or is even desirable as it would shut off use on trains (not a bad thing in my mind) and also would not work if your phone couldn't get a GPS lock.

A driver could do that by themselves. (although I was told it wasn't an emergency when I rang up to that but that's another story)

https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-driving-the-law
When you can use a phone in your vehicle

If you’re the driver, you can only use your phone in a vehicle if you:

• need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop
• are safely parked

 

[Lee_M]

I find having ridden up to the drivers door without them noticing and then banging hard on the drivers window and tell them repeatedly to put their phone down has quite an effect, and hopefully makes them more wary of using them in future (I am an optimist!).

It certainly worked last saturday, as she had no idea that she was a) drifting into the middle of the road and b) had been caught up

Of course in reality its likely some big bloke will get out of their car and kick the crap out of me , after all if someone can try to kill me just because he couldn't get in front of me at a turn right filter anythings possible

 

[jdtate101]

It would also screw battery life having the GPS on constantly....