tonyg3nwl Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Just read about the changes to penalties for using phone while driving.. Hopefully no motorhomer is so stupid as to do this, but is set me thinking about the similar use of sat nav systems Does anyone attempt to fiddle with their satnav while driving.. alter their routeing or destination , having perhaps missed a waypoint so are getting the constant nag to tun back etc. that must be just as attention grabbing as trying to handle a phone call..and therefore just as potentially dangerous. In those circumstances, do you try to tun off the satnag, or mute the voice , or ignore it, or stop and reset it.. or what if your copilot reading the map tells you you have just taken a wrong turning.. distracting you at a critical moment.. just as dangerous how do you react to possibility of added fines or worse.. or are you all the very best, safest driver in the world ooops , just missed him tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I run the sat nav all the time even when no route is input as it is a handy rolling map and avoids any real need to have a map nearby because I know roughly where I am and where I want to be. It is set up in my drirect view and sits on top of the speedo cowl with the sound always off so that it does not distract me at any point. The only downside is that I do need to glance at it often to ensure I don't miss a turn but even if I do as the van comes with a reverse gear that is not a problem, although very often having missed one turn there is another just down the road. I consider myself to be a fair driver, not the best in the world by any means, but by taking sensible steps that work for me I've managed to avoid hitting most things over the years and I do not use a mobile phone at all when on the move. But I must admit that whilst I do set the sat nav up in advance there are times when I do change it on the move and that I accept is dangerous especially if one is on a busy fast road where things can hapen so quickly. However as I get older and my speed of reaction slows I do tend to either slow down or stop when safe more now to re-programme the sat nav. So overall, I'm not perfect, but by a combination of good luck and good planning I have got away with it over the years!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Mobile phone use is a big issue and although a higher point penalty will act as a deterrent it will not be fully effective partially because of a lack of enforcement. A hearts and minds campaign to make it socially unacceptable is needed and perhaps in time we will become less attached to our phones and this will help. Just this week a stationary tractor drove off a farm road into my path whilst on his mobile. Why on earth he didn't remain stationary whilst on the call I don't know but it shows how habituated to driving and talking some drivers are. However if phones are a distraction as they undoubtedly are what about single crewed emergency vehicles, tour buses full of people in crowded city centres giving a tourist commentary (and no they are not necessarily automated), river boats where the captain is giving a similar commentary etc etc. The law about such distractions already exists but is hard to enforce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildi Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I know the penalties are changing but not sure what the changes are, whatever it was before it is plain to see that it wasn't a deterrent as when I am driving in the UK you see it all the time, especially the ones you can see who think it's better take the call on speaker so they hold the phone in their hand but don't put it to their ear. Van drivers, lorry drivers, young , old, mums & dads with baby on board signs in their car. They are happy to use their phone while driving but would never think of driving without a seatbelt on Maybe if the penalty was an instant ban for say three months then this may stop some of them but sadly this doesn't work in the case of the drink drivers. Most of us think we are reasonably good drivers but it is a question of concentration and how easily you are distracted by things around, satnav, phone, kids, the huge array of buttons on the dashboard or the abundance of road signs. All of this while you are in charge of what can potentially become a killing machine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJB Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 £200 fine and 6 points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildi Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 EJB - 2016-09-18 11:01 AM £200 fine and 6 points. It might stop a few, but I bet you will still see many of them on the road using their phones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Both my phone and sat nav have voice recognition, but I'm not sure how less distracting that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 The radio/cd can be just as distracting if trying to find a station. It's up to the driver to concentrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 With a Sat Nav it is easy to position it out of arms length, eliminating the temptation to change settings whilst on the move. As Tracker says, miss a turning & there is always another down the road which the Sat Nav will pick up & get you pack on track. Mobile phones are now so integrated into daily lives, that too many people feel the need to respond immediately. Detecting use whilst driving is not always easy for the police to identify & I think this is why we see so many ignoring the law. I thought it would be like the introduction of the seat belt law, where initial acceptance was poor, but improved in a relatively short period. This does not appear to be happening regarding Mobile Phone usage. Hence the introduction of stiffer penalties. Personally I would have introduced even more draconian penalties, like a 3 month ban for 1st offence, doubling for 2nd offence (to 6 months) & doubling again, for each subsequent offence (1year for 3rd, 2years for 4th). Then maybe, just maybe, the practice will stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 With a Sat Nav it is easy to position it out of arms length, eliminating the temptation to change settings whilst on the move. As Tracker says, miss a turning & there is always another down the road which the Sat Nav will pick up & get you pack on track. Mobile phones are now so integrated into daily lives, that too many people feel the need to respond immediately. Detecting use whilst driving is not always easy for the police to identify & I think this is why we see so many ignoring the law. I thought it would be like the introduction of the seat belt law, where initial acceptance was poor, but improved in a relatively short period. This does not appear to be happening regarding Mobile Phone usage. Hence the introduction of stiffer penalties. Personally I would have introduced even more draconian penalties, like a 3 month ban for 1st offence, doubling for 2nd offence (to 6 months) & doubling again, for each subsequent offence (1year for 3rd, 2years for 4th). Then maybe, just maybe, the practice will stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 HymerVan - 2016-09-18 9:15 AM Mobile phone use is a big issue and although a higher point penalty will act as a deterrent it will not be fully effective partially because of a lack of enforcement. . Exactly People don't commit crime because they think its worth the penalties. People commit crime because they have a very good chance of getting away with it. Like all crime, far lower penalties would be far more effective if the detection rate was 100% Unfortunately it takes brains to achieve that. Wheras any fool can simply increase the penalties and further victimise the tiny minority who get caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 John52 - 2016-09-18 1:44 PM HymerVan - 2016-09-18 9:15 AM Mobile phone use is a big issue and although a higher point penalty will act as a deterrent it will not be fully effective partially because of a lack of enforcement. . Exactly People don't commit crime because they think its worth the penalties. People commit crime because they have a very good chance of getting away with it. Like all crime, far lower penalties would be far more effective if the detection rate was 100% Unfortunately it takes brains to achieve that. Wheras any fool can simply increase the penalties and further victimise the tiny minority who get caught. Sorry John52, 100% detection will never be possible unless there is a change in technology. You cant simple install a widget to detect if a phone is in use on the move, i.e. people using them legitimately whilst on public transport, etc.(although that's another issue) So how are they VICTIMS when caught, they are only victims of their own stupidity.& lack of thought of potential consequences of their actions. If the penalties are, high enough they may thing twice. Use of a mobile phone whilst driving is potentially as dangerous as drink driving, so make the penalties similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 John52 - 2016-09-18 1:44 PM HymerVan - 2016-09-18 9:15 AM Mobile phone use is a big issue and although a higher point penalty will act as a deterrent it will not be fully effective partially because of a lack of enforcement. . Exactly People don't commit crime because they think its worth the penalties. People commit crime because they have a very good chance of getting away with it. Like all crime, far lower penalties would be far more effective if the detection rate was 100% Unfortunately it takes brains to achieve that. Wheras any fool can simply increase the penalties and further victimise the tiny minority who get caught. I agree with you there. Of course the detection rate will never be 100 percent but it could be much higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildi Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 John52 - 2016-09-18 1:44 PM HymerVan - 2016-09-18 9:15 AM Mobile phone use is a big issue and although a higher point penalty will act as a deterrent it will not be fully effective partially because of a lack of enforcement. . Exactly People don't commit crime because they think its worth the penalties. People commit crime because they have a very good chance of getting away with it. Like all crime, far lower penalties would be far more effective if the detection rate was 100% Unfortunately it takes brains to achieve that. Wheras any fool can simply increase the penalties and further victimise the tiny minority who get caught. Sorry but I have to disagree. You have a choice weather to use your phone or not, if you do while driving you commit an offence with a penalty. Your risk is you may or may not get caught. If you get caught and the penalty is a small fine and 3 points, you may think its worth the risk, if you already have 9 points on your licence my guess it you will be very careful not to get another 3 and so a ban. Like all crimes some will never get caught but the ones that do I will certainly have no sympathy for them and would not class them as being victimised by the police. A stiffer penalty such as an instant ban would shock a lot of people but it would make them think twice as to answering their phone while driving......no licence, I could loose my job, my home, my lifestyle etc. The one thing they will never think about is what if I cause and accident and wreck someone else's life or worse kill someone. I do agree with you that some will always take the risk whatever the penalty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Stiffer penalties don't work. If you bring back hanging do you think there will be less murders? No, as the American model shows it doesn't work like that. John52 is right, you don't commit a crime thinking about the penalty, you think you're not going to get caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildi Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Charles - 2016-09-18 3:10 PM Stiffer penalties don't work. If you bring back hanging do you think there will be less murders? No, as the American model shows it doesn't work like that. John52 is right, you don't commit a crime thinking about the penalty, you think you're not going to get caught. You could be right.............if these people didn't care about loosing their licence then the chances are they would drive with no licence. So lets make the fine £5 and let everyone carry on driving and using their phones, then we can make drinking & driving a £20 fine, this could make UK roads safer. As for the hanging, this would be reserved for those bloody spammers who keep posting on this site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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