115,000 nabbed for in-car calling
Drivers get the message, but only after pulling over
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More than 115,000 people in England and Wales got fixed penalties for being on the blower whilst driving in 2007, dropping off from the 2006 peak of almost 160,000.
Figures are only available up until 2007, but according to a parliamentary answer the number of drivers caught talking on the phone peaked in 2006, and is dropping as they either learn the error of their ways or die in the resulting accidents.
The number of drivers caught talking on a mobile phone ramped up steadily once offence-specific legislation was introduced in 2003. That year only saw two thousand fixed penalties issued, though to be fair the legislation only came in late in the year.
The number was up to 70,000 by 2004, and almost doubled in 2005 and peaked at 158,605 in 2006, before falling off slightly come 2007, the last year for which figures are available.
The statistics come from a written parliamentary answer and also show that almost 10,000 people ended up in court for the offence in 2007, compared to 1225 in 2006, a sharp rise that's attributable to new penalties introduced in 2007 when it seemed the message still wasn't getting home. ®
COMMENTS
Reporting them
Just outside our property is a sharp bend. We can step out of the back gate and be killed by todays typical careless driver, mobile phone using or not. I already had my life permanently affected by a twat-in-a-box, so I'm not inclined to just let them get away with it. So when I stepped out of said gate and a woman drove round the corner, mobile jammed to her ear, I noted her description, the car make, model, colour and no. plate, and reported her to the local police. They replied that unless one of them sees someone using a hand-held mobile while driving, there's nothing they can do about it.
I responded:
"I did think that, seeing as how there are two independent witnesses that put me in this out-of-town vicinity about five minutes at most prior to the incident, coupled with the woman's mobile phone log it would be a pretty clear cut case. Since her behaviour risks the safety of myself, my family members and my neighbours, I do not feel like just shrugging my shoulders and forgetting it (and any future infractions). What you have told me seems to imply that one would have to take a Civil action against her? Also, I did not envisage so much a prosecution as a warning. If even that cannot happen I shall have to take this up with my MP"
This was the response:
"As there are no independent witnesses to the incident I will request that all units both traffic and area officers look out for this vehicle and advise the driver accordingly"
Whether they actually did, I don't know, of course.
This is a title
My boss likes to wind down the window and shout "BOO!" at them. One woman who was texting on her phone as she navigated the roundabout was so surprised she dropped it out the window and it was flattened by the next car. She then threatened to call the police! The boss offered to call them for her, since he still had a phone.
In my experience the top offenders are van drivers, guys in flash cars and women in general - particularly when they're taking the kids to school, which I find particularly chilling.
competence
I lived in the UK for nearly 6 years. I drove every day.
While driving, I: ate all manner of foods, smoked, drank ( non alcoholic beverages ), answered calls, admired the scenery ( landscapes only of course), had rows with the missus, read maps, looked at street signs, cried, coughed, burped, farted, itched, sneezed.
I did all these things while the driving conditions were sunny, foggy, raining, sleeting, snowing, hailing.
Theres probably more, but the point is:
number of collisions: 0
number of speeding tickets: 0
number of demerit points: 0
number of fines: 0
number of times pulled over by police: 0
If you cannot deal with distractions while driving, and continue to operate your vehicle in a safe manner then YOU are the menace.
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