Reporting mobile use while driving

[hackbike 666]

The trouble with car drivers today as they see it as a god given right to drive and so they tend to drive how they feel like,knowing they will probably get away with it and nothing will be done.

I see more and more early morning RLJing* from car drivers but seeing as there is no-one around apart from an idiot cyclist this seems to be ok.I have to really keep my eyes peeled.

*=I wonder where they got this from.

 

[Grendel]

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.

Regularly, and indeed have been stopped myself. You will be issued with a HORT/1 form, and have to present your documents and a certificate stating the vehicle has been repaired, at a local police station.
Having been stopped for a blown bulb I replaced it and took it to the police station with my docs. On asking that they look and see that my brake lights were now working, they refused, as they "aren't qualified to confirm they work". "That's strange" I said, "You are qualified to say they don't work, but not to say they are"?

 

[SquareDaff]

I see loads of drivers on mobiles whilst cycling in Leeds. However I'm pretty sure that if I sent in my camera footage to the police it'd be ignored as it would be inadmissable (or equivalent excuse). We have police on bikes so was thinking the other night....why don't they fit cameras too??!?! If they saw half the number of offenders I do then the police coffers would start to swell from the fines in no time. And you could hardly argue with the validity of the evidence then could you?!?!?

 

[davefb]

I'm afraid it wasn't really good enough to post. Although I could clearly see the woman's actions the video wasn't so hot. Just back on the bike after a few months and I'm afraid I'm desisting from posting anything that isn't absolutely either a) very damning or b) very positive! Don't worry though, as I now have a rearward facing cam also there will be something new posted as soon as I can work out how to do the split screen thing.

surprised your camera still works after the damage that must be caused by that horn . its certainly making my ears bleed watching your youtube channel with headphones on !

 

[BSRU]

I see loads of drivers on mobiles whilst cycling in Leeds. However I'm pretty sure that if I sent in my camera footage to the police it'd be ignored as it would be inadmissable (or equivalent excuse). We have police on bikes so was thinking the other night....why don't they fit cameras too??!?! If they saw half the number of offenders I do then the police coffers would start to swell from the fines in no time. And you could hardly argue with the validity of the evidence then could you?!?!?

I was told by a copper that they think you would use your Steven Spielberg editing software to implicate someone out of spite, even a complete stranger.

 

[Tinuts]

surprised your camera still works after the damage that must be caused by that horn . its certainly making my ears bleed watching your youtube channel with headphones on !

There's a lesson to be learned there then.

 

[porteous]

I think most of these reporting systems are about building up an intelligence picture. One report can be ignored, but five or six or sixty begin to put a real question over that driver's behaviour and they go on the "stop and have a chat" list perhaps?

I wish more areas had an online report systems, especially for mobile phone stupidity and near misses!

 

[As Easy As Riding A Bike]

I think most of these reporting systems are about building up an intelligence picture. One report can be ignored, but five or six or sixty begin to put a real question over that driver's behaviour and they go on the "stop and have a chat" list perhaps?

I wish more areas had an online report systems, especially for mobile phone stupidity and near misses!

Sussex Police's "Operation Crackdown" works on the principle that they "have a word" with someone who has two separate reports.

 

[Timmy201]

So glad there is a reporting system - you see this so often in London and I've got really frustrated with no police around - grinds my gears so to speak. I shall now be carrying my little video camera around with me everywhere!

 

[marmalade400]

I wonder if moble use whist driving will be targeted by the latest Police endeavour; known as Operation "Let's Not Bother" :-
Link

 

[campbellab]

In the car today - WMV infront sat for 10 seconds after light went green because he was on mobile. Saw him clearly in his wing mirror because he then took a poor line around the roundabout. Then an the next roundabout/traffic lights car behind on mobile all the way down sliproad and onto the M4. Don't really have a mechanism to record details in the car, short of pulling out the mobile phone and writing a text!

I wonder how much better the roads could be if most people had onboard video recording, would be good for any insurance claims at least

 

[the snail]

How about getting together and organising a joint operation - maybe set up sommewhere with video / photographer, maybe 3 people to provide moral support, as visible as possible. Three people's evidence would carry more weight, and even if no convictions result it would be good publicity - if enough drivers get wound up it might be newsworthy even?

 

[Origamist]

Check out the this reply - it gives you data on how Roadsafe is operating:

1.
How many peoples have visited the site since its inception?


Since November 2009 the site has been visited 8235 times.



2.
How many copies of the form have been filled in? By how many individuals?


From Nov to Dec 2009 = 12 reports


From Jan 2010 to date = 1213 reports.


The system does not capture data to provide detail of how many individuals have filled in forms.



b.
What transport method was in use by those filling in the form? (Where this data is available)


Details of mode of transport is not logged.



3.
How many people have been contacted (i.e. those listed in `driver details' or `vehicles details')


We have sent 659 letters to registered keepers and/or companies.



b.
How many individuals and individual vehicles have been named in these forms?


58 drivers named.



4.
What action has been taken in each instance? (If detail is expensive to provide, you may simply advise how many have been cautioned, how many have had words of advice or similar, and how many have been pursued with further legal means).


The table below provides individual report types received:


AUTOMATIC

2010 Roadsafe reports by type


COUNT


1

LOS = Stolen Cars


6

DD = Drink Drive


9

Disq = Disqualified Driving / No Licence


19

Docs = No Insurance / Document Offences


476

ASBO = Anti social /Nuisance car use / Inconsiderate Driving


4

Crime = Crime Linked to vehicles


0

Org Crm = Organised roads related crime


530

Cycles = Cycling 'Near Miss'


25

Other = Any other road related information





The following actions have been generated:


Nine specific tasks aimed at disqualified or drink drivers. Resulting in two disqualified drivers arrested, one suspected persistent drink driver stopped.


Eight reports generated and forwarded to our criminal justice unit for a decision on prosecution.


Twenty eight intelligence reports passed to the MPS Cab Enforcement office.


Four interest reports added to the ANPR database.


Twenty one Intelligence reports disseminated to other MPS units.


Twenty nine previously unreported collisions received.


Four company visits made by our Commercial Vehicle Unit.


Twenty one cycle intelligence reports passed to newly formed cycle team to deal.


Eleven reports passed to our Traffic Management Unit to investigate alleged problems with road engineering. One of these resulted in recommendation to council for engineering solution. This has now been completed with new bollards and signs put in place.


There have been 393 instances of no further action from reports created.



5.
Has any cost benefit analysis or similar been done of the site and its activity? (If so, can you supply this data or report?)


No.

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/efficacy_of_roadsafe_website

 

[gaz]

damn it origamist!!!!!!!!
I just got passed that yesterday and wrote about it on my blog today.

 

[Tinuts]

So, out of 530 Cycling 'Near Miss' reports we have the astounding figure of 21 cycle intelligence reports passed to the newly formed cycle team.


It's great to be taken seriously.........