Changes to Rules for Hand Held Devices in Cars
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Years ago I used to drive HGV,s. I changed jobs when I was 29 but kept the HGV licence till I was over 40 and needed a medical which I never bothered with because I had no use for it. This February I reached the age of 70 so to keep my entitlement to drive over 3.5 tonnes submitted a form for a D4 medical which HGV drivers also have to do. Lo and behold the licence came back with my HGV class 1 entitlement back. The question I ask is the last time I drove an HGV class 1 vehicle I was 29 the max gross weight was 32 tonnes. Should I 41 years later be entitled to drive A 44 tonne truck which I have never driven before .
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And let's face it, there are some drivers that should have had their licence torn up in front of them.
Especially the one checking their mobile phones while sitting at a red light. The lights change to green and they hold the traffic up unaware the lights have changed to green.
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... You only need to deal with one of these to realise the consequences and equating it to talking to passengers is quite frankly erroneous, unless you are one of the sort that has to turn around in the drivers seat to talk to someone in the back seat.
I don't get the turning to round to talk to passengers bit. I'm allowed to turn my head to talk to others in the car, but I'm discouraged from talking to someone on the phone while I look forwards/sidewards/etc like I would be if not talking on the phone 🤷♂️
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... Especially the one checking their mobile phones while sitting at a red light. The lights change to green and they hold the traffic up unaware the lights have changed to green.
One of them was sat next to me at the lights yesterday evening .... she might as well have had a flag on her car say that she was on her phone because her face was lit up blue from the phone's screen.
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The system in my car is much more clunky ED. I can get to the call screen with a button on the steering wheel but to find the call recipient it’s necessary to scroll down using an arrow on the screen then press to connnect. I’d have to take my eyes off the road for a considerable time.
My phone deals with texts by sending a message that I’m driving and will get back to them later.
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No. Even if it is held in the hand.
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Just 2 points ED
1. You are not allowed to turn your head if it results in an accident as the RTA would state that you were driving without due care and attention. If it could be proved of course or if a police person actually saw you lose control of your car, again a statistically unlikely event but none of us are immune from that definition.
2. If you don't like the new law then write to your MP. They're responsible for bringing it in.
Presumably as someone has told you that two way radios do not come within this new law then you'll be satisfied as that seems to be your main worry. Obviously you'll check the law yourself though.
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He could Google it, perhaps?
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the cars I would generally make calls from have the option of 2 phone lists .... 1 is everything on my phone, but the other is what you might call 'favourites' so consist of 1/2 a doz people. I can't read texts in the Smart but could if I wanted, read the whole text in the Merc - but who sends texts? 🙄😉 I'd have to read WhatsApps later.
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I never ever said I didn't like the new law ... just don't agree with it. And my cars allow me to comply with it.
So, I'm allowed a conversation on a 2 way radio despite the experts saying that it's the actual conversation that is the distraction. . I'm not worried about 2 way radios but bemused that radio conversations are safe but phone (hands free or not) are not. 🤷♂️
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Re mobile phones ROSPA state.
A substantial body of research shows that using a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone while driving is a significant distraction, and substantially increases the risk of the driver crashing.
Drivers who use a mobile phone, whether hand-held or hands-free:
are much less aware of what’s happening on the road around them
fail to see road signs
fail to maintain proper lane position and steady speed
are more likely to ‘tailgate’ the vehicle in front
react more slowly, take longer to brake and longer to stop
are more likely to enter unsafe gaps in traffic and;
feel more stressed and frustrated.
They are also four times more likely to crash, injuring or killing themselves and other people.
Using a hands-free phone while driving does not significantly reduce the risks. This is because the problems are caused mainly by the mental distraction and divided attention of taking part in a phone conversation at the same time as driving.1 -
we'd better ban Plod from using radios then ..... no way could they chase a 'perp' & hold a conversation at the same time! How do people manage to talk to their passengers then without crashing? Not all passengers are drivers & not all passengers watch other traffic & some passengers just talk & talk & talk .....
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You may have missed it but some time ago a woman was prosecuted here for eating an apple while driving. The police thought she was using a phone but even when it was found to be eating an apple they still went ahead and she was convicted by driving without due care and attention (or something like that) if I recall correctly. I think they even used a helicopter to prove or show that without two hand on the wheel on that section of road it was dangerous to do so even though it was admitted that she was in full control of the car at all times.
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