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The law is an ass

Khamelion said:
Talking on a mobile is distracting and dangerous, if you are holding it to you ear, not only have you only got one hand on the steering wheel, you concentration is not fully on the main task at hand.

That written, you're not supposed to eat while driving, people can get stopped and prosecuted for eating or drinking while driving.

So why can people smoke while driving without any legal comeback?
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Which is worse IMO, if an emergency occurred which you needed to react to, I'd think nothing of dropping my Mars bar or sandwich on my lap, however, what you gonna do with a lit fag?
 
Fish said:
Which is worse IMO, if an emergency occurred which you needed to react to, I'd think nothing of dropping my Mars bar or sandwich on my lap, however, what you gonna do with a lit fag?
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Indeed, many while argue that smoking is the same to eating, in that it is natural automatic action. People know where their mouth is and bring a lighter from the car or otherwise up to light a cigarette or cigar is easy and not dangerous.

However if a bump, pot hole is hit or there is a requirement to hit the brakes causing said orally inserted object to fall from the mouth, not many will be fussed about dropping food, but something burning at 800 degrees, now that will distract.
 
drdel said:
You're right sometimes there are no words.

Don't understand (without the details of course) how killing anyone can be anything less than manslaughter!
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Not that I know that this happened in this case but say you were driving along and someone randomly ran out into your car and there was nothing you could do about it. What you expected to be charged with manslaughter?
 
CheltenhamHacker said:
Other than the fact more people use phones while driving, what is ridiculous about it?
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Fish said:
Nothing ridiculous about it, until proper strict sentences are imposed for using a mobile whilst behind the wheel the more people will risk their lives but more selfishly, the lives of other road users. I was behind a driver only yesterday on the M1, he was wandering crossing in and out of the outside (fast) lane at around 80mph and every now & then braking sharply as he lost concentration, guess what he was doing, texting! He could have easily caused another vehicle to swerve and crash leading to life threatening consequences, they need to have severe punishments dealt out so the deterrent is in place, currently the law is a joke where mobiles behind the wheel are concerned, IMO!
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His comment around driving whilst using a mobile should carry a harsher sentence than that of a drunk driver is what was ridiculous about it.
 
Ethan said:
Obviously a cock-up in this case. Sorry to hear that your son suffered unnecessary pain and distress because of this. I have a 6 year old and if the same happened, I would be furious.

But that story doesn't make a huge institution incompetent though. It is staffed by humans, so human error is inevitable and at some level, unavoidable.
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I could give you personal examples of the NHS being both brilliant and totally incompetent, and in both its pretty much always the staffing by humans that makes it so. Some of the incompetence beggars belief though! I also feel that some NHS staff like to give the impression that "it's free so what should you expect?" It is absolutely not free and I think we should all expect a first rate service
 
I just overtook a double decker coach with the driver chatting away on his mobile, absolute idiot! 😡😡
 
Driving whilst under the influence is, quite rightly, seen as being socially unacceptable...

However having/causing an accident whilst using the mobile or travelling at speeds above the limit are seen as merely tough luck...

Outcomes can be the same though.. Loss of life...


Motoring should go back to being a privilege not a right...
 
woody69 said:
His comment around driving whilst using a mobile should carry a harsher sentence than that of a drunk driver is what was ridiculous about it.
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But you haven't actually said why a drunk driver is worse, and therefore why they should receive a harsher sentence. If you can't justify that, then surely they deserve at least the same?
 
CheltenhamHacker said:
But you haven't actually said why a drunk driver is worse, and therefore why they should receive a harsher sentence. If you can't justify that, then surely they deserve at least the same?
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It should be obvious. A drink driver will be permanently impaired whilst driving, where as someone using a mobile will only be so whilst partaking in that activity. Driving drunk can also slow eye muscle function, alter eye movement and alter visual perception possibility resulting in blurred vision. Drinking can also possibly reduce eye/hand and foot coordination.

Of course using a mobile can be dangerous, but it isn't even in the same league as drink driving, so lets not pretend it is.
 
Fish said:
I just overtook a double decker coach with the driver chatting away on his mobile, absolute idiot! 😡😡
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Did it make you so angry that you had to post this reply from your phone whilst driving? :rofl:
 
Of course it's in the same league, you can be just over the limit after a pint in Scotland for example and not really know it, personally after 1 drink I think you'd be fine but the law is such that your classed as a DUI, mobile phone use has the same outcome and until they get draconian on the offenders it will continue to happen on a regular basis. How often do you see a DUI and how often do you see a car swerving all over the place due to phone use especially texting, texting especially should carry an instant ban, and death by phone use should carry a prison sentence
 
Interesting that the article posted says that phone use is much worse than driving at the drink drive limit. OK, it's for the duration of the call, but that call could be for the duration of the trip. It's a nonsense to me. Phone use in cars should be banned.

Along with children, pets, and wives.
 
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