Tougher punishments for inconsiderate driving

[Frontstep]

I am shocked at the casual disregard some people have to safety.
I have seen people using ipads, laptops,getting oral sex, reaching onto the back seat,texting, you name it ban the lot of them if I could.

 

[cleverdicky]

I am shocked at the casual disregard some people have to safety.
I have seen people using ipads, laptops,getting oral sex, reaching onto the back seat,texting, you name it ban the lot of them if I could.

And you've managed to see all this, while yourself driving a moving vehicle?
Amazing

 

[Corned]

^ He didn't say that any of that was in another car...

 

[st4]

All I can say is that if you also condone drink driving and having no insurance I am glad you are in Spain !
You just cannot equate texting to changing radio stations, which most of us now do with steering wheel controls.
You might not think drinking and driving is so clever if you kill someone while driving under the influence, or if one of your loved ones is killed or injured by a drunk driver.
The law may be an ass but at least it offers us some potential protection from the irresponsible

Thats the usual argument put forward about drink driving.

However, I read that 1 in 6 accidents are caused by excess alcohol being the attributry factor, i.e. if that person wasn't under the influence, the collision would have been avoidable.

That means 5 and 6 collisions occur with those under the limit, and as we know practically all collisions are avoidable with some forward planning etc.

I don't even drink alcohol but I do think the drink driving card is over played. There are numerous ways to impare ones senses, anger, tiredness, anxiety, stress etc all will play a part in your ability to concentrate on a driving. I suffer from insomnia, I know for a fact there are times I am not driving as well if I have had a nights kip?

Someone having a beer really isn't a major concern, nor is someone driving down the M6 at 150mph when its very quiet. Yet School Mum who vehemently lambasts drink drivers as she has little darlings and is therefore automatically correct will pose more hazards on the road through parking on a junction as her fat children cannot be bothered walking to their school, will pull out of junctions and have you ram on your brakes as little Topher may miss long division that morning and those screaming kids will distract them from the task at hand, keeping safe on the road.

A close family member was in a horrific rear end shunt that they've not really recovered from, not a smack heed or a drunk driver, but a silly person who had a dog in the car and it distracted them momentarily, infront of them was my family member, and infront of a family member was a motorbike that overtook a caravan but clipped the side of it. Motorbike rider sadly dies, family member applies brakes, Mrs Dog lover is distracted by pooch and rams into the back of them.

Sober as a judge. Whats my point, drink drivers aren't automatic killers and sober drivers aren't untouchable.

Perhaps we should fine people for carrying dogs in their car?

 

[drmw]

Perhaps we should fine people for carrying dogs in their car?

Without a doubt.

Dogs should either be in caged off areas at the rear of the car or not at all.

I can't think of anything remotely as distracting as some idiotic dog jumping all over the place with the driver (who obviously can't train the thing properly, therefore clearly lacking the power of concentration to do two things at once) trying to get it to sit down.

Even worse than children having a fight in the back seats.

 

[whitenemesis]

I got rear ended (couple of cars ago) by Mum who was admonishing her little darling in the back seat. Fortunately my tow bar took the brunt of the collision.

We already have enough in the way of legislation to punish drivers who allow their attention to wander. No need to be specific, i.e. phone or food or nose picking, anything that precipitates a RTA comes under Driving without Due Care and Attention.

 

[st4]

Without a doubt.

Dogs should either be in caged off areas at the rear of the car or not at all.

I can't think of anything remotely as distracting as some idiotic dog jumping all over the place with the driver (who obviously can't train the thing properly, therefore clearly lacking the power of concentration to do two things at once) trying to get it to sit down.

Even worse than children having a fight in the back seats.

A dog is something thats quantifiable, like drink driving. 1x Dog in a car running a round. Edit on seeing Peters post re Due care and attention, would a copper actually do someone for having a pooch not restrained in a car?

I used to have a school teacher that bred Jack Russels. Long story short, the bloke was alright and took me and my mates shooting with him but one of his dogs tried to make a break out the passanger window at 70mph down the DCW. Mental.

But what about the bloke who's just been made redundant, on the way home and is thinking anything but driving and has a crash.

IMHO life and driving carries an inherinent risk you just have to take, yes you can minimise it by not going on facebook, having 10 beers then driving 200 miles back home etc but because we are human, we'll always have offs in cars.

 

[Clkrichard]

Steve I dont disagree with anything you have just said. A bad driver is a bad driver.
I just couldnt agree with our friend in Spain on texting while driving as I think thats barking mad and asking for an accident. One beer is probably fine and I do that, I also have been known to not always obey all speed limits but I would never ever attempt to text and drive. These things dont necessarily cause the accident but they magnify the chances of not avoiding one.

 

[st4]

I personally have texted when at the wheel, usually to be fair when stopped in a traffic jam and I've gone on facebook too.

On a quiet, very straight road with little traffic, I reckon if you can hold the wheel on one hand and text without having to look at the phone, I reckon its do-able although I wouldn't

 

[flying haggis]

Matt gets it right again


http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02582/060613-MATT-web_2582712a.jpg

 

[RobWheatley]

I seem to recall reading an article somewhere that said a zero limit would be impossible to have, due to the fact that our bodies contain traces of it, and many sauces on food contain it!

imagine how you would feel if you got a driving ban just for eating a trifle, or chicken in white wine sauce etc. then what? you cant drive after having a MEAL? im not condoning anything, merely asking 'where do you draw the line?'

Ok zero might be too low due to the food etc but make it lower than it is now to exclude drinking, some (not all) will think ok one more pint, wine, short and i will JUST below the limit, I have heard people saying it, some pubs and clubs even sell the breath test kits, trouble is they may be under the limit when they do the test and leave but the blood alcohol will continue to rise for a while after.

I have nothing against people drinking and having a good time but get a taxi or have a nominated driver that is sober.

As far as the animals in the cars, I have two cats that we take to france, in the car when moving they are in a cage, if we stop in a services they can come out but they do go back in before we set off. I hate to think of the dogs jumping all over the car and sudder at what damage a 5 stone dog would do to you if you did have an accident.

 

[GEORGEROV]

Best way of punishing those using mobile phones whilst driving is to stop them then confiscate the phone . Those guilty of this offence are usually never off the phone . They would soon get the message when they see their £400 phone disappear !.

 

[d215yq]

I just couldnt agree with our friend in Spain on texting while driving

I suppose you didn't read the bit when i explained that i texted WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE SCREEN (this is actually possible if you dont have a silly smartphone, and a phone with an actual keypad), using only one hand, on roads where my left hand never did anything anyway. Therefore it takes zero concentration from the road or controlling the vehicle.

So please explain to me why i should be penalised by arbitrary legislation and why i am barking mad for doing something that has no impact on the safety of my driving...

 

[cleverdicky]

Text driving 'worse than drink'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7621644.stm

 

[Clkrichard]

I suppose you didn't read the bit when i explained that i texted WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE SCREEN (this is actually possible if you dont have a silly smartphone, and a phone with an actual keypad), using only one hand, on roads where my left hand never did anything anyway. Therefore it takes zero concentration from the road or controlling the vehicle.

So please explain to me why i should be penalised by arbitrary legislation and why i am barking mad for doing something that has no impact on the safety of my driving...

I did read that part and even if you dont even look at your phone it is still in your hand for a prolonged period of time when you should be holding the steering wheel. Your attention will be diverted while you are texting. I stand by my comment that you are barking mad to do it and it does take concentration and diminishes car control. We will never agree on this as you clearly believe you are not only above the law but dont need to apply common sense either. That you think an inanimate object like a smartphone can be "silly" speaks volumes for your attitudes.
I will leave you to have your inevitable accident and dont propose to debate this further.

 

[st4]

You can pretty much say anything to anyone but as soon as your critisce someones driving, hell breaks loose...LOL

 

[Frontstep]

Not the driving the texting methinks.

 

[Clkrichard]

Something that occurred to me on this whole texting and driving thing is the use of the new Iphone kit for the A Class.
Here is some of the spec :

"Some of the functions of the "Digital DriveStyle" app:

Advanced navigation solution from Garmin® with web-based real-time traffic information, Points of Interest search and 3D map presentation.
Local search function powered by Google™ of Points of Interest with StreetView™ and destination transfer to Navigation.
AUPEO!™ Personal Radio with individual music programming.
Internet radio with national and international stations.
Access to the track titles stored in your iPhone®.
Facebook® Feeds and Twitter® Tweets from friends are read out aloud[4].
Socially interactive experience through sharing and posting, e.g. the title of the song currently playing or of the navigation destination on Facebook® and Twitter®.
Glympse™: Communicate to your friends - in real-time - your current location, your vehicle speed and estimated time of arrival.
Intuitive CarFinder with automatic storing of vehicle location on iPhone®. By means of the integrated pedestrian navigation function in the iPhone® it is possible to find one's vehicle conveniently."

So it can be used to communicate in real time - while driving ?
Its not a phone so doesnt break that law but communicating speed and arrival times on the move ..... really ?

 

[coxyhog]

On the subject of a zero alcohol limit whilst driving.
I work in aircraft maintenance and the limit for us in the UK is the same as it is for driving in the UK.
I have worked in Switzerland in the past and the limit there is zero.
We had an incident when an engineer was ground running the engines of an aircraft and he f****d up and the aircraft went through a chain link fence into a forest.He was breathalised twice within 30 minutes of the incident and was fortunately clear.
BTW he was a text addict and while there was no proof,I have my suspicions.

 

[cleverdicky]

Something that occurred to me on this whole texting and driving thing is the use of the new Iphone kit for the A Class.
Here is some of the spec :

"Some of the functions of the "Digital DriveStyle" app:

Advanced navigation solution from Garmin® with web-based real-time traffic information, Points of Interest search and 3D map presentation.
Local search function powered by Google™ of Points of Interest with StreetView™ and destination transfer to Navigation.
AUPEO!™ Personal Radio with individual music programming.
Internet radio with national and international stations.
Access to the track titles stored in your iPhone®.
Facebook® Feeds and Twitter® Tweets from friends are read out aloud[4].
Socially interactive experience through sharing and posting, e.g. the title of the song currently playing or of the navigation destination on Facebook® and Twitter®.
Glympse™: Communicate to your friends - in real-time - your current location, your vehicle speed and estimated time of arrival.
Intuitive CarFinder with automatic storing of vehicle location on iPhone®. By means of the integrated pedestrian navigation function in the iPhone® it is possible to find one's vehicle conveniently."

So it can be used to communicate in real time - while driving ?
Its not a phone so doesnt break that law but communicating speed and arrival times on the move ..... really ?

That will be imposed on employees.
Talk about BB !