disagreement at work over using the phone while in the car, anyone know whos right?

Rover_Driver

AndyMc..... wrote: »

If it's on the seat it's hand held so operating it (touching buttons to skip a playlist) is using it.

If it is laying on the seat, it is not being held, so it is not being 'hand held'.

As in Mercdriver's post, even the police get it wrong at times.

AndyMc.....

Rover_Driver wrote: »

If it is laying on the seat, it is not being held, so it is not being 'hand held'.

As in Mercdriver's post, even the police get it wrong at times.

Is that what they told you when you were a hobby Bobbie?

Rover_Driver

AndyMc..... wrote: »

Is that what they told you when you were a hobby Bobbie?

No, it is the legislation - see the links in posts 2 & 8.

DoaM

AndyMc..... wrote: »

And your point there is?

Erm .. I was agreeing with you?

Nodding_Donkey

I can remember when mobiles first came about you could dial a number without looking at it thanks to the proper keypad and little bump on the number 5. Then came touch screens and it was impossible to make a call without looking at the screen.

Now of course everyone keeps the phone out of sight which means that they are looking in their lap or on the passenger seat when dialling.

Progress huh?

Huskydays

This thread is going in all sorts of directions. Rover Driver is spot on with the legislation and getting back to the OP's questions:

The offence carries a £200 fine (£2500 if driving a bus, coach or HGV) and 6 points on your licence. If you go to court and lose, you can be fined up to £1000 (£2500 for HGV/Bus/Coach) and possibly disqualified from driving (this will also, of course, add a conviction on your criminal record).

There are no laws against using any form of headset (wired or not) and the offence, somewhat bizarrely, does not apply to cyclists.

However, using anything in your car/hgv/bus/coach/motorcycle that distracts you can get you done for driving without due care and attention. This carries an unlimited fine and the court can choose between adding 3-9 points to the licence or issuing a disqualification.
Similarly, cyclists can be done for careless cycling (£1000 fine) though I'd be intrigued to see that stats on that.

trinidadone

Thankyou for the contributions all. I think the responses suggest there is confusion somewhat with "handheld". What if a road user uses a button positioned on a wired head set to disconnect a call??

peter_the_piper

Mine works by bluetooth through the radio but a button is on the steering wheel to disconnect at the end of call.

trinidadone

Strider590 wrote: »

Here we go again.............

Fairly certain this poster has started some anti-cyclist threads in the past, I can just see where this is going.


But basically, my opinion on this is DO NOT touch your damn phone whilst on a public road!!

Ouch, very touchy I see. Just for you I changed my second posting to "road user" just for you, so you dont think mentioning the word "cyclist" was a anti cyclist thread.

Strider590

Johno100 wrote: »

Well they are evidently considering them now with regards mobile phone use.

trinidadone wrote: »

Ouch, very touchy I see. Just for you I changed my second posting to "road user" just for you, so you dont think mentioning the word "cyclist" was a anti cyclist thread.

And yet you "thanked" the above response.