Reporting mobile use while driving

[661-Pete]

If people are aware of other schemes around the country, perhaps they could also post details?

For those living in Sussex, we've had Operation Crackdown for quite a while now. This is for reporting general vehicle crime, not just mobile phones. I must confess I have yet to make my first sortie onto the site , but one day perhaps...

 

[Twenty Inch]

I made the point badly in the original post - the form IS for all vehicle crime, including stolen, untaxed, uninsured etc. I use it mostly (one a day!) for mobile phone use, as this is what I see most of and is a particular irritant. Give it a go, Pete, but it's a slippery slope....

 

[Calendula]

If it really does work, it'll be excellent. A close pass this morning and a mobile user, damn their eyes.

 

[661-Pete]

Problem, as I see it: if I were really to do the job properly re mobile phones, I'd be 'shopping' just about every fourth or fifth motorist I pass on the road. I don't have the energy, and I think the police would be overwhelmed and have all the more reason not to follow any of them up.

Now, if the initiative were to come from the police, say an announcement of some sort of 'clampdown' week, encouraging fellow citizens to grass up on offenders, and if the police diverted extra manpower to deal with the expected influx, that would be different. Of course the regular offenders would be wise to it too...

 

[beanzontoast]

Looks good, wish they did something like that in the Midlands.

+1. We get plenty of phone-wielding drivers up here as well. Why not roll it out across the UK?

 

[Twenty Inch]

Problem, as I see it: if I were really to do the job properly re mobile phones, I'd be 'shopping' just about every fourth or fifth motorist I pass on the road. I don't have the energy, and I think the police would be overwhelmed and have all the more reason not to follow any of them up.

Now, if the initiative were to come from the police, say an announcement of some sort of 'clampdown' week, encouraging fellow citizens to grass up on offenders, and if the police diverted extra manpower to deal with the expected influx, that would be different. Of course the regular offenders would be wise to it too...

Absolutely understand both points. However I have accepted I can't report all the phone users I see, so I just do the one whose details I remember until I can write them down. I also don't know why the Met is not making more noise about this initiative, although it's quite possible I've missed some publicity, I'm a bit news-phobic. However it's clear that they are trying to change the environment, and improve enforcement. I feel that if I don't report people, I am contributing to the problem. I have no idea what their research entails, what options are available to them after they research the driver, how long the initiative will last, what sort of evaluation of results will be carried out, or whether they'll be made public.

However, I've seen the catastrophic effect of using a mobile phone on my driving (I did it once - never again), I and my family have nearly been killed by a phone user doing 80mph across all three lanes of the M2, and I daily see people putting themselves and others in danger with this selfish and illegal behaviour. Why WOULDN'T I report people?

 

[hackbike 666]

Good god...Im glad I don't have to use motorways or use them very rarely.I see too many morons in Londinium so I can just imagine what it is like out there.

 

[Amanda P]

hard to see what they can do with it, anon allegation of something that can't be proved?

Commercial vehicles have tachos. A signed tacho chart, plus the mobile phone network's records would be solid evidence for a conviction. (Unless the tacho chart was tampered with, but that's a conviction in itself). The anonymous allegation would just tell them where to start looking and which companies' records to examine.

A couple of officers with the will to push some of these things through could make a difference.

 

[longers]

While riding to and from work I've been thinking about whether the police could have cycling officers who are equipped with helmet cameras who are out and about as part of crackdowns on mobile phone use.
I see quite a few drivers on the phone, they might be able to film them in action.

Would it work?

 

[661-Pete]

One manoeuvre that really worries me, is doing a turn whilst holding a mobile phone to one's ear. I see it happen, often enough. I know my driving lessons were a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure I had it drummed into me: when turning a corner both hands on the steering wheel no matter what (I think my instructor 'explained' this to me, when I tried to change gear while turning...).

 

[Twenty Inch]

Email conversation with the admin officer shows that they pass commercial vehicle details on to the relevant companies, and for private cars they check ownership, insurance, tax, licence, and the "many other databases available to us" and the results of these checks determine their approach.

The officer also says that they often receive links to youtube footage - perhaps they can now access it?

 

[Debian]

The crux of the problem is that there is practically zero enforcement of any motoring offence apart from those caught on speed / light cameras. Therefore drivers are lulled into a sense of security that they can get away with things.

If there were to be a real crackdown on the minor motoring offences then the message would get around that one is quite likely to get caught.

For example, look at the number of idiots who drive with front fogs/spots on, cars with one headlight not working, rear/brake lights not working, etc. How many times do you see or hear of anyone being collared for such offences? - practically never. Now these offences are easy to spot, mr traffic officer doesn't even have to be able to see inside the vehicle to spot the offence so there's no reason / excuse for such vehicles not being pulled but they never are. This just reinforces the mindset that "it's only a traffic offence and we'll probably not get caught anyway" and that mindset then moves up the chain to mobile use, drink driving, etc.

What is needed is a zero tolerance program towards these offences; if traffic cops pulled and booked the driver of every offending vehicle they saw then I'm sure the message would get around.

 

[gaz]

I reported

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HlJNodCgKM
2 weeks ago, apart from the inital response i had nothing. Chased the met up today via the general phone line, seamed to get a positive response and they are chasing up what has happened so far. Again i'm hoping i hear something.

On a side note, the two people i spoke to at the met had never heard of this page.

 

[hackbike 666]

Another one is intimidation/bullying using a traffic vehicle.

 

[HLaB]

I found out today, that an apple could be worse than a mobile (perhaps it was an edible iphone) ,however at least they are visible giving you plenty of time to cover the brakes.