Reporting mobile use while driving

[Arjimlad]

Someone did a FOI request for outcomes. Avon & Somerset seem keen on sending out warning letters rather than prosecuting phone users. The difference between a driver getting a warning, or prosecution seems to be whether the vehicle is in motion or not, judging by my report outcomes.

 

[MorbidMonkey]

Here in the US we have 50 different states. Each one has different laws. Then take each state and divide it up into counties that have their own rules. Then divide that up byt local cities and towns who have the worst rules. You can go one mie and you have to have a helmet and cant use your phone while biking.. and another mile and another town will write you a ticket for having helmet.. Ive gotten a ticket for riding on the sidwealk then on the way home have another cop from same town give me a ticket for riding on the road. Went to court and the judge was like where is he supposed to ride? Dismissed both.. In Atlanta, GA i was giving a ticket for speeding downhill 57 in a 45.. Actually went on to my drivers liscence. They consider you legally a motor vehicle minus having to have registration and insurance. So what im getting at is if your using your phone while biking you might get a distracted driving ticket while on a bike if in motion.. I know the park ranger on the trail near us told me you cant be on phone touching it.. It have to be in a mount and not in use other that gps.

 

[chris667]

I had a satisfying one last week. I don't have a smartphone and I am too busy to be photographing people if I did, so I can't report it.

I live on a main thoroughfare into our town, and on bin emptying days there's a big queue of people.

I crossed the road to get to my bins (they are on my parking space which is on the other side of the road). A woman didn't see me and was trundling along looking at her phone. It was all very slow motion, but I did have to get out of her way.

I slammed my hand down on the bonnet of her car. Gave her a terrible shock. I said that if I hadn't got out of the way she would have driven her car into me, and that it was the school holidays and kids were playing on this road.

Have I made a difference? No idea really. Hope so though. It was rather satisfying.

 

[cyberknight]

I had a satisfying one last week. I don't have a smartphone and I am too busy to be photographing people if I did, so I can't report it.

I live on a main thoroughfare into our town, and on bin emptying days there's a big queue of people.

I crossed the road to get to my bins (they are on my parking space which is on the other side of the road). A woman didn't see me and was trundling along looking at her phone. It was all very slow motion, but I did have to get out of her way.

I slammed my hand down on the bonnet of her car. Gave her a terrible shock. I said that if I hadn't got out of the way she would have driven her car into me, and that it was the school holidays and kids were playing on this road.

Have I made a difference? No idea really. Hope so though. It was rather satisfying.

Give it 5 mins and she will have forgotten and carry on regardless

 

[T4tomo]

Have I made a difference? No idea really. Hope so though. It was rather satisfying.

Hopefully she soiled herself and will make her more aware of the distraction.

 

[matticus]

I crossed the road to get to my bins (they are on my parking space which is on the other side of the road). A woman didn't see me and was trundling along looking at her phone. It was all very slow motion, but I did have to get out of her way.

I slammed my hand down on the bonnet of her car. Gave her a terrible shock.

According to several people on The Other Thread, you're giving bin users a bad name, and will turn the public against you.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Still see at least a couple of clowns each week doing this. The main problem is that most of them are the kind of blokes that look like they would get out the car and start a fight so I tend to keep my mouth shut.

 

[Arjimlad]

Still see at least a couple of clowns each week doing this. The main problem is that most of them are the kind of blokes that look like they would get out the car and start a fight so I tend to keep my mouth shut.

Record, retreat, report is what is advised. If the reporter engages in any interaction with the driver, Avon & Somerset police will tell you off. Mouth shut & ride on. Problem is they're now taking 12 weeks to process the report which undermines the messaging about how serious a problem phone-distracted driving is.

 

[markharry66]

Surely its more important to set up cameras amd report cyclists jumping red lights, we are the danger to society afterall according to the media.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Surely its more important to set up cameras amd report cyclists jumping red lights, we are the danger to society afterall according to the media.

Surely delaying important people in their SUVs by riding more than 3 inches from the kerb is more important
such people need to be locked up!!!

apparently

after all they should be on the pavement
(or on the road if the same person is walking)

 

[Timos]

There's a few London based cycling camera vigilantes out there (for lack of a better word) who are on YouTube just about every day with clips of drivers on phones and talking about their penalties.

Cycling Mikey ? Is he one ?

I like Cycling Mikey - he’s got balls. It’s incredible some of the reactions he gets from people on their phones - “I’m not moving, what’s the problem?”

I see people using their phones every time when I’m out and about to and from Leeds. Every time.

It drives me nuts.

 

[blackrat]

I like Cycling Mikey - he’s got balls. It’s incredible some of the reactions he gets from people on their phones - “I’m not moving, what’s the problem?”

I see people using their phones every time when I’m out and about to and from Leeds. Every time.

It drives me nuts.

Around here we call them phone zombies and they are ubiquitous! Almost every driver - Amazon delivery drivers in private cars are the worst - every pedestrian and every person working in a shop does it. Their brains have migrated to their phones such that sans phones they are morons.

 

[Chief Broom]

So many drivers use there phones in the Highlands you would think its obligatory....cops are a rare species up here!

 

[DRM]

So many drivers use there phones in the Highlands you would think its obligatory....cops are a rare species up here!

It's nationwide, carp driving & a lack of Police Officers

 

[Arjimlad]

Interesting chat last night. i was riding home from work up to some traffic lights when I observed a driver using her handheld mobile phone playing some sort of game. She even held it up & showed it to me when she saw she was being observed. I've never seen such brazen phone use.

I've reported this driver twice due to her using her phone behind the wheel in this location. Only the first report has been processed by the police.

She wound her window down & I asked if I could ask her a question. I explained that I'd reported her phone use twice, last year, and here she was still using it. I asked what if any action the police had taken, as they'd only told me "positive outcome".

She got very indignant/agitated at this and said that she only ever used the phone when she was stationary, handbrake on, effectively, she said, parked.

I pointed out that on one of the occasions I'd observed her last year, she'd failed to see the traffic light going green, and had started moving (very fast) so late that she ended up going through a red light.

She refused to tell me what action the police had taken, which I was fine with, and carried on saying how safe her phone use was.

I can't report this third incident of her using her phone because Avon & Somerset will "discipline" me for interacting with her, and have threatened to bar people from using the online reporting service if they interact with drivers after being warned not to do so. It was interesting to hear her excuses and entitlement though. At the end of the day, she can't change the law, so next time I observe her using her phone I will avoid all interaction and send it in as usual, presuming that she still carries on with her word game.

Of course, the second report from last November might yet be actioned with a NIP or fixed penalty notice with 6pts and £200 fine, which might help her to give up her distracting habit.