Scary - for cyclists AND drivers - the sort of driver that is out there!

[J4CKO]

I saw a guy in a large people carrier last Friday in heavy Chelsea traffic. With one hand he was holding his mobile, and talking excitedly into it, and with the other he was patting a large dog which was sitting on his lap.

I was quite impressed with his multi-tasking.

It was just the drivers "hair-bag" had deployed.

 

[Black Sheep]

I think the "no mobile phone" law should be extended to cover things like watching movies on your in-car DVD player while you drive!

I have nothing against someone parking up to watch a movie, just like you're supposed to park up to use your mobile - but doing on the move it nuts!

The law would possibly not change the habits of many, but it would certainly be a deterrent - 3 points on your licence for watching a DVD while driving is not unreasonable!

Fantastic idea! But it would have to be a decent "catch-all" - something like "Driving without due care and attention" maybe?

It does, Driving without due care and attention and i believe dangerous driving has been extended to cover anything that takes your attention from the road, from mobile phones, through DVD players to changing the radio station or sat nav, if it caused a crash, you can be done for it.

the idea being that people should choose their moment to re-tune the radio etc.

Most in car DVD players are set so that only the ones in the rear work when the car is in gear / engine running

iirc the ones in the rangerover can't be seen from the drivers seat despite using the same screen, from one angle its sat nav, from the other angle it is dvd player

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

It would be good if there was some sort of uniformed prescence on the roads, pulling over and dealing with all the dingbats that believe they can do anything with inpunity.

Perhaps the police might be persuaded to exchange form filling for such a role.

Until then we have to wait for the invention of a camera that can recognise a Nokia in use from 50 yards.

 

[Davidc]

What totally unreasonable suggestions. They're outrageous.

Why shouldn't drivers be able to talk on the phone, text, adjust the sat nav and so on while driving? When else are they supposed to do it?

And what's wrong with watching a DVD whilst driving? These long motorway journeys can be soooooooooooo boring you know!

As for suggesting that people should walk - well. They might use a pedestrian crossing and that would slow the traffic down. Can't have that now, can we?

Please don't let these subversives on the forum divert your minds from the inalienable right of anyone in the UK to drive a motor vehicle as they like, when they like, where they like, at the same time as they're performing any other activity they like, and with no regard for anyone else.

It's a basic human right you know.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I saw a guy in a large people carrier last Friday in heavy Chelsea traffic. With one hand he was holding his mobile, and talking excitedly into it, and with the other he was patting a large dog which was sitting on his lap.

I was quite impressed with his multi-tasking.

It was just the drivers "hair-bag" had deployed.

Slightly OT, but in the Middle East, children are often known as "crunchy airbags" because of the propensity of many locals to sit, unrestrained by the safety belt, in the front seat of a vehicle with one or more children on their laps ...

 

[XmisterIS]

It would be good if there was some sort of uniformed prescence on the roads, pulling over and dealing with all the dingbats that believe they can do anything with inpunity.

Goodness, no! The traffic police are much better employed coming down like a ton of bricks on someone who momentarily blips up above the speed limit by 2 mph but who's driving is otherwise exemplary!

 

[ufkacbln]

It would be good if there was some sort of uniformed prescence on the roads, pulling over and dealing with all the dingbats that believe they can do anything with inpunity.

Perhaps the police might be persuaded to exchange form filling for such a role.

Until then we have to wait for the invention of a camera that can recognise a Nokia in use from 50 yards.

In Manchester the Police introduced small marked cars with CCTV. Oficers were able to monitor large areas of junctions and where appropriate record such offences then intervene of fixed penalty.

The ABD amongst others though this was unacceptable and dangerous as "drivers were being forced to look out for Police cars as opposed to concentrating on the road"


This has two points - firstly that there are whole organisations out there who support the concept that censuring drivers for such offences is unacceptable and should be discouraged

Secondly there is a significant minority who actually beklieve this tawddle and that they should be allowed to drive as they like including watching DVDs, using phones etc