Update on NV55PVL

[CopperCyclist]

It's just a shame Londons Roadsafe project isn't national. I'm very envious of it.

 

[benb]

I can't believe some posters here are giving Dan a hard time for reporting this. We all know that driving whilst on the phone is dangerous. Would you prefer that the driver killed or injured someone before any action was taken against them?

The police officer was an idiot, and if I was Dan I'd be feeling really pissed off that I was in trouble for reporting a crime!

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Not sure why I waded through all this. I ride my bike, never been abused by a driver, never had trouble with the police and, interestingly, never thought about wearing a camera.
I'm sure there's a lesson in that.

Yes, there is a lesson: if you are lucky enough live somewhere where drivers are courteous and considerate, you will not feel a need to wear a camera. You lucky chap! :-)

 

[davefb]

one point.

company vehicle. if the company is not providing handsfree and expecting the driver to use the phone OR not making it clear drivers shouldn't use the phone, then they can be liable.. therefore reporting to the company is important.. beggers belief this is harassment..


well until you start following the guy and ringing up every day (etc)...

still, i'm tempted to agree with coppercyclist, I've known people hassled by police (well , two) and the only way it stopped was by them moving.. nothing major just stopping their cars all the time for 'no reason', but pita all the same.

 

[BentMikey]

To be frank, the more responsible companies will also ban handsfree use.

 

[Hip Priest]

Once again, I feel a couple of posters are being over-zealous. One has to learn when to pick one's battles. To discriminate between a crime that's worth reporting and a crime that'll simply cause hassle to the person doing the reporting.

I'd strongly suggest you ignore the advice to contact the chief constable of Northumbria Police and/or the IPCC. It'll just cause you a load of heartache.

 

[4F]

I can't believe some posters here are giving Dan a hard time for reporting this. We all know that driving whilst on the phone is dangerous. Would you prefer that the driver killed or injured someone before any action was taken against them?

The police officer was an idiot, and if I was Dan I'd be feeling really ****ed off that I was in trouble for reporting a crime!

But where are you going to draw the line in reporting ? What about dangerous parking, jumping red lights, stopping in the hatched area at traffic lights etc etc ?

The only way you are going to get people to stop using their phones whilst driving is to disqualify them. Instant ban of 3 months for the first offence and then increase from there.

 

[benb]

Once again, I feel a couple of posters are being over-zealous. One has to learn when to pick one's battles. To discriminate between a crime that's worth reporting and a crime that'll simply cause hassle to the person doing the reporting.

I'd strongly suggest you ignore the advice to contact the chief constable of Northumbria Police and/or the IPCC. It'll just cause you a load of heartache.

Can you explain why this is not worth reporting?
I presume you'd think that drink driving is worth reporting? Well, studies have shown that driving whilst on the phone has a similar level of impairment as drink driving.

We ought to have a zero tolerance approach to driving on the phone.

 

[benb]

But where are you going to draw the line in reporting ? What about dangerous parking, jumping red lights, stopping in the hatched area at traffic lights etc etc ?

The only way you are going to get people to stop using their phones whilst driving is to disqualify them. Instant ban of 3 months for the first offence and then increase from there.

Jumping red lights yes. The others, whilst annoying and illegal, are unlikely to be particularly dangerous.

 

[400bhp]

Can you explain why this is not worth reporting?
I presume you'd think that drink driving is worth reporting? Well, studies have shown that driving whilst on the phone has a similar level of impairment as drink driving.

We ought to have a zero tolerance approach to driving on the phone.

Perhaps we should have a zero tolerance but we don't. The likelihood is 3 points. Drink driving would be a ban.

Rightly or wrongly the current situation is that in the eyes of the law drink driving is a more serious offence.

Trying to change attitudes by cyclists filming, reporting to both employer and police of phone use , more so in situations that the OP filmed (driving slowly etc) in my opinion won't work.

It's all just a bit weird for me.

 

[Hip Priest]

Can you explain why this is not worth reporting?

I already did. It's not worth reporting because nothing good will come of it. I agree that phone use whilst driving should be treated as harshly as drink-driving, but it isn't. And encouraging a young lad to get himself tied up in knots with the authorities isn't going to change that.

 

[Drago]

It'll be brilliant in court, when the first thing the defence advocate asks the witness is to confirm their name and address.

 

[Cycling Dan]

Perhaps we should have a zero tolerance but we don't. The likelihood is 3 points. Drink driving would be a ban.

Rightly or wrongly the current situation is that in the eyes of the law drink driving is a more serious offence.

Trying to change attitudes by cyclists filming, reporting to both employer and police of phone use , more so in situations that the OP filmed (driving slowly etc) in my opinion won't work.

It's all just a bit weird for me.

So i assume being on the phone is a queue is acceptable to you as well. It can me just as bad at slow or fast, what if he went out of lane at slow speed and hit another person something the other way.... The fact is when using a phone or drink driving its not ifs and buts, its when and were.

 

[Cycling Dan]

I already did. It's not worth reporting because nothing good will come of it. I agree that phone use whilst driving should be treated as harshly as drink-driving, but it isn't. And encouraging a young lad to get himself tied up in knots with the authorities isn't going to change that.

The person got advised... something did come of that or did you just miss that fact.

Advised is not the same as nothing was done.

 

[400bhp]

So i assume being on the phone is a queue is acceptable to you as well. It can me just as bad at slow or fast, what if he went out of lane at slow speed and hit another person something the other way.... The fact is when using a phone or drink driving its not ifs and buts, its when and were.

I didn't say it was acceptable.

Lots of things are unacceptable/anti social etc.

Please try and read posts properly.