Booked for using mobile while stationery

akkers

I have a friend who came out of a building and got into his car, which was parked on a main road. He started the car first to warm it up (diesel car) and texted his office that he was on his way. Suddenly he was approached by a West Yorkshire Police officer and booked for 'using a mobile whilst driving'.
He had his handbrake on and had not put car in gear; only engine was running to allow car to warm up. Its a bit harsh to get booked for that?
I guess its never safe to use a mobile in a car; only way is to switch car off and go outside.

JustinR1979

Engine was running, people should know the rules of the road if they're going to drive
(diesels don't warm up idling)
Is a bit harsh, but is the way it is.

arcon5

Aye shoddy law enforcedunfairly and disproportionately.
He knows now though. Not really doing the polices rep any good giving out tickets like this either.

benham3160

JustinR1979 wrote: »

Engine was running, people should know the rules of the road if they're going to drive
(diesels don't warm up idling)
Is a bit harsh, but is the way it is.

Sounds absurd to me, on both counts.

As above, it just gets the backs-up of the general public, solved nothing, didn't prevent any accident or injury and now goes down as another statistic no doubt insurers use to beat us over the head with.

Diesels don't warm up idling? Not as quickly as petrol engines granted, but they'll merrily warm up idling, I'm not sticking my finger in to the expansion tank of a diesel engine that's been idling for twenty minutes!

Marktheshark

They are relying on him just paying up.
If the car was parked it was not been "driven"

wiogs

arcon5 wrote: »

Aye shoddy law enforcedunfairly and disproportionately.
He knows now though. Not really doing the polices rep any good giving out tickets like this either.

If he doesn't understand the rules then hopefully getting this fair and proportionate fine will help him learn.

Voltaire7

The more idiots like your 'mate', the less the rest of us have to pay.

Well done to your 'mate'!

Voltaire7

arcon5 wrote: »

He knows now though. Not really doing the polices rep any good giving out tickets like this either.

It doesn't alter my perception of the police. If anything, I would view then more favourably after this.

r2015

The more idiots like your 'mate', the less the rest of us have to pay.

I never knew fixed penalty fines were reduced the more the police gave them out.

benham3160

Voltaire7 wrote: »

It doesn't alter my perception of the police. If anything, I would view then more favourably after this.

Heavens - That's bitter!

I'm not against prosecuting somebody for doing something dangerous, but if the car was actually parked that to me is simply absurd, the ceaseless march of pettifogging bureaucracy.

I know the old chestnut of "haven't you got criminals to catch" can get officers backs up and is often a fallacy but I think it's warranted in this case.

JustinR1979

benham3160 wrote: »

Diesels don't warm up idling? Not as quickly as petrol engines granted, but they'll merrily warm up idling, I'm not sticking my finger in to the expansion tank of a diesel engine that's been idling for twenty minutes!

I've only owned 1.9 vag tdi's, which are so thermally efficient they don't warm up idling - or maybe I haven't had need to leave a cold engine running for 20 minutes as that would be stupid.
Excessive idling does more harm than good, camshafts and lifters, turbo seals etc.
30 seconds to a minute to get the oil round - you may have good oil pressure at idle but the pump speed it still low.
Most wear is done on a cold engine, the longer you're idling, the longer the engine is running below ideal temperature.