All driver mobile phone use to be banned (UK)

I had R2 on and Jeremy Vine discussed this on his phone in (always tell myself not to tune in to his show!).  The thing that amazed me was that people wanted to know  exactly how far they could push phone use in the car without breaking the law; the limit isn't a target that people should aim for (you don't drive at 60mph on an A road if the conditions are bad).  It's almost impossible to drive out every scrap of amiguity in the legal speak but the main point is that your driving a car; anything that distracts you from that, then just don't do it regardless of what the law says.  It was the young bloke who said, "I can't ignore calls from my Mum"; so interesting to see how that stands up in court when he's killed someone.  I can't even listen to the radio properly in the car; if there's something important on the road then I just tune-out of what's been said.

All Mobile Phone Use to be Banned - NOT TRUE

Lots of research has shown that using a phone hands free is almost as bad as hands on.
The conversation distracts drivers from the immediate task in hand, and indicators such as reaction time and perception drop off.

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/computing-ict/ha...

Governments of all flavours are reluctant to impliment a ban because it will cost votes

I've had cars that connect to phones for as long as I can remember, but I still see people out on the roads in similar cars using using their phones manually.... especially hire cars / vans where the renter can't be arsed to isn't bright enough to figure out how to connect their phone. 

That said, you can smoke whilst driving a car, drink a hot beverage, eat something equally hot or messy, and get distracted by the kids, paasengers, radio, music, etc.

And as for the shitty navigation system in my Lexus....that should definitely be banned. 

This is good, however..... How is it different to using an entertainment system in a car?

Newer ones are touch screen, full of similar features to a phone, normally not as familiar as a phone to use, yet perfectly legal (and safe in the eyes of the law) to use.

It just doesnt make sense in my head. 

Currently it is quite difficult to report and get a NIP even when there is clear phone use. You need to get footage of the screen and the driver interating e.g. typing. 

I do agree that any phone use e.g. having your phone synced to the car and being on a call while driving is still a distracting. Maybe that should be band as well. 

Good. But we still have to wait for:

Quote:

Next year, laws will go further to ban drivers from using their phones to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or play games.

(from the govt. article here).

In other news, government announces that no more horses will be escaping through the first stable door which they have now told the stablehands to monitor. They are hoping to tell the stablehands to monitor the second stable door some time next year. Unfortunately, due to the estate's long term reduction in livery staff it is unlikely there will be a continuous watch on either door as the remaining stablehands have many other more important duties and there aren't even enough to process warnings of escaping horses supplied by members of the public...

Cycling Mikey conviction rate will be going up

It wouldn't if he was in Lancashire- here a driver could be using a hand-held mobile while crashing through a red light and still get away with it.

So it's illegal to touch a phone being used as a sat nav to do something like pick an alternate route being offered. Yet it is legal to attempt to use the in car sat nav and infotainment system that was designed by idiots to be as hard to use as possible?

The inconsistency of that annoys me, but the general principal of stopping people using phones at the wheel is good.

Does it apply to delivery motorbikes? And uber's driver app is going to be interesting (the police could pull the logs from Uber and fine every driver that accepted a fair whilst in motion).

As ever laws are pointless without enforcement.

Just good.

Should have been done years ago.

TV and radio educational campaign too, and those motorway signs they used to repeatedly tell us about Brexit.