Mobile phone/driving government consultation

[mickle]

Here's our chance to make our case:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consu...s-changes-to-penalties-for-use-whilst-driving

Please share it widely.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

Discussing penalties is pointless when there are so few traffic police around to enforce it!

Give us more police on the roads!

 

[mickle]

Pointless? Really?

 

[PhilDawson8270]

Pointless? Really?

yes. Why does charging an extra £50 and sticking some points on something that isn't enforced make sense?

Enforce the laws and penalties they already have.

 

[growingvegetables]

yes. Why does charging an extra £50 and sticking some points on something that isn't enforced make sense?

Agreed.


Almost ........






I suggested doubling the fine, and imposing a £1000 "traffic police recruitment surcharge."

 

[flake99please]

I agree with the fact that enforcement of current laws should happen. Using a phone whilst operating a motor vehicle needs to be seen as 'as socially unacceptable as drink driving' for people to start to take this law seriously. I also think that a shorter sharper shock may be of benefit. Introduce an instant one week ban for offenders. A fine incorporated into towing/storage of cars could also be implemented.

 

[RichardB]

When I was young, drink-driving was seen as naughty but broadly acceptable. After a massive campaign of education and some heavy enforcement over decades, this is no longer the case. The same needs to be done for mobile phone use. Mandatory year's ban and £1000 fine for a first offence, and it gets worse from there. There is no phone call that is so urgent that you can't pull of the road, turn off the engine, and call the person back.

I would keep the current exemptions for 999 calls and so on. I would suggest the same for hands-free use as well, but that would be far harder to enforce.

 

[ufkacbln]

Personally I would like to see the points system abolished altogether

When you have 7,000 drivers allowed to drive with more than twelve points, and IIRC the worst case was a woman still being allowed to drive with over 40 points on her license

I would equate points with a month's ban


Simple

The moment you are awarded points, you lose your licence, no appeal, no excuses, no "but I need my car for my job

Three points - 3 months off the road

You chose to drove like a muppet, now take the consequences



Sorted

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Give the police a percentage of the fine revenue to recruit more police.

 

[steveindenmark]

I would love a civillian job enforcing this. Driving an unmarked car and just using video evidence. £1000 fine and £500 goes to the enforcer. The Technology is there and you could hire civillians on a commission only basis. I could make £1000 on my way home every day.

You could stamp illegal mobile phone use out very quickly.

 

[Spinney]

There is a box near the end of the survey that asks if you have any other suggestions - that is the place to put in something about more enforcement.

 

[mjr]

Mobile phone enforcement cameras. They can detect transmissions and take pictures, I'm sure image recognition can pre filter ones likely to have a hand up to their ear, then a human do a last check before the paperwork is sent.

Still needs traffic police to deal with texters and app jockeys, but it should make a dent on the more common stupidity.

 

[mjr]

I would love a civillian job enforcing this. Driving an unmarked car and just using video evidence. £1000 fine and £500 goes to the enforcer. The Technology is there and you could hire civillians on a commission only basis. I could make £1000 on my way home every day.

You could stamp illegal mobile phone use out very quickly.

Aye. Stopping for a minutes by the A10 with the bike cam running would capture several

 

[newfhouse]

I would love a civillian job enforcing this. Driving an unmarked car and just using video evidence. £1000 fine and £500 goes to the enforcer. The Technology is there and you could hire civillians on a commission only basis. I could make £1000 on my way home every day.

You could stamp illegal mobile phone use out very quickly.

Let's follow this line of thought. G4S, Serco, the usual suspects set themselves up to do this. Offending falls - which was the whole point after all - and now the profit has gone. What happens next? Unintended consequences.

Or we could properly fund, prioritise and task the police to take a wider view of road safety.

Mobile phone enforcement cameras. They can detect transmissions and take pictures, I'm sure image recognition can pre filter ones likely to have a hand up to their ear, then a human do a last check before the paperwork is sent.

On a busy road, how will the camera equipment know which vehicle the transmission is coming from? What if it detects my phone, or my passenger's, automatically polling for mail while I'm scratching my ear?

 

[mjr]

On a busy road, how will the camera equipment know which vehicle the transmission is coming from?

Why does it need to?

What if it detects my phone, or my passenger's, automatically polling for mail while I'm scratching my ear?

Then the final human checker won't be able to see a phone in your hand and no ticket will be issued.