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What's next?? Now, they're imposing a £60 fine and 3 points on your licence if you're caught using a mobile phone. Using a mobile is just as distracting as having people in the car, whether using it on speaker or hands free. If that's the case, instead of promoting 2 or more people in one car, they'll end up banning that as well. Or maybe ban people from talking to each other? I'm not a smoker, but will they eventually ban smoking in cars as they're a confined space and other people in the car may not be smokers? Will this move to homes? Will we get ASBOs slapped on us for turning up the stereos in our cars above a certain level (which you probably cannot hear) just to listen to our favourite songs??

I'm sorry - I'm getting a little carried away with myself here! But the thing is, these things could be possible! Anyone else think we live in a ridiculous society - a nanny state turning into Big Brother. Anyone else getting very annoyed and worried??? Apologies again for the rant.

2007-02-26 19:47:21 · 14 answers · asked by Cat burgler 5 in Politics & Government Law & Ethics

14 answers

I'm with you every step of the way with this.... furthermore I here that the government is planing to introduce random breath testing by the Police - therefore negating the need for a driver to commit a traffic violation.
In other words the Police will be able to stop any driver for no reason, conduct the breath test then "snoop" around to see what else they can get you for.
Yet another loss of liberty (if they get their way) in this increasingly Draconian police state

2007-02-26 19:56:46 · answer #1 · answered by ljdaly_uk 2 · 0 3

The fine only applies to being using hand-held mobile phones. You are allowed to use hands-free.

There's a very good reason why the government have increased the penalty, and it's not out of spite. The previous penalty was not having a significant effect of people, and so many were still using their mobile phones. By increasing the penalty and including points on your licence the government hope to reduce the number of people breaking the law.

Mobile phones can be directly attributed a number of deaths and injuries on the roads every year. The government wish to reduce this.

A hand held mobile is significantly more distracting than having a person in the car e.g. you will have to pick up and hold the phone, look at the numbers you are dialing etc

The smoking ban that you mention above only applies to work places, if someone works in their car they the ban also applies there unless they allow it.

The smoking ban has also been quite a big success everywhere it has been launched, New york, Scotland etc

As you mentioned above I think you are getting a bit carried away. I can however see the basic point you are getting at - that is that you see the governent as trying to rule our lives.

This is why people should vote in local and general elections and pay more attention to politics in general. The public do have a lot of power but very rarely do they join together and use it.

2007-02-26 20:09:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2 1

I understand your reasoning and agree that this government is creating a nanny state. Unfortunately, by doing that, it removes the obligation of the individual to use common-sense. It is dangerous to use a handheld phone; I've seen such situations so many times, I've lost count. In our company, smoking has been banned in the company cars for over 10 years. The stale smell and the ash are something to be avoided I would have thought. Ditto having to listen to over-loud music. It's not the decibel level, as such, it's just the fact that whereas the driver might be having a good time, the rest of us only hear an incessant bass pounding away - and that's not music. As I said, if people used their commonsense rather than being selfish much of our new laws would be unnecessary.

2007-02-26 21:05:56 · answer #3 · answered by michael w 3 · 0 0

Don't talk so silly, driving whilst using a phone is dangerous, you have to hold the thing for a start that alone causes some reduction of control of the car, talking to passenger may be a distraction, but if you are driving maybe you should be concentrating more on the job in hand. If I have to drive and people are talking when it comes to a situation I am not familiar with I tell them to be quiet. Smoking should be banned whilst driving as well, again how do you get a cig and light up whilst driving without becoming a risk?

Some road safety campaigners are pushing for £1000 and the phone to be confiscated. Personally I would go for that.

How can you hear or be aware of other things going on both inside and outside of the car with you music up so loud? you can't. I am no fan of this Government but road safety is a must, 1% of accidents equates to a lot of people.

We had these same old arguments when they first started the drink driving laws, now it accepted.

2007-02-26 20:04:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

The pealties for using a moblie phone while driving is now probibly enough - how ever you got to catch the ba******.

In some countries there is already a ban on smoking in the car while driving - Germany for one.

These are nither nanny state or big brother - they are to do with stopping the 3000 a year being killed on the road. 50 of them are children (thats 10 times the number murdered) - imagne what the out cry would be if they were all murdered - all hell would rain on the government of the time.

2007-02-26 20:20:16 · answer #5 · answered by Freethinking Liberal 7 · 0 0

A study from The University of Utah found that even talking hands-free was no less distracting than holding the phone, reports the BBC.
1. Forty volunteers had their reactions tested in four separate circumstances when they drove without distractions, while using a handheld phone and a hands-free phone and while intoxicated.
Motorists who talked on mobiles, both handheld and hands-free, were as impaired as drunk drivers and more likely to be involved in traffic accidents.
Professor David Strayer and his team of researchers believe having a phone conversation alters how drivers perceive and react to information.
Even when the drivers using the phones were looking at objects they often failed to see them.
Professor Strayer said: "We suggest that talking on a cell phone creates a form of inattention blindness, muting driver's awareness of important information in the driving scene."

2007-02-26 20:06:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

Instead of ranting to us, you need to rant to you lawmakers. Start by trying to find whatever statistics they used in determining that talking on a cell phone while driving was a cause of accidents or problems. If cell phones were responsible for say 10% of all fatal car accidents, I can understand the law. If it is responsible for 1%, then it is stupid. This is where you need to get the word out to the people of you local area and start a petition. Then take it to you local media and your local government.

If you don't take action, then you have nothing to complain about. By taking action, you can make an unfair law go away.

2007-02-26 20:03:43 · answer #7 · answered by my_alias_id 6 · 0 1

do younot think that it is an entrapment system that they use. allowing it to go on for years so you get used to it then suddenly make it illegal and collect 60 quid fine, like blair with his 24 hour drinking then wanders why the streets are full of drunks, or how about using yer phone wilst driving and having a bald tyre, you dont have any accidents your tyre dosent bust you get fined for doing nothing wrong you can loos your licence for doing nothing wrong. if you have an accident while talking on yer phone and yer tyre burst. thats the time to get fined, when it all goes wrong, not when it might go wrong.

2007-02-26 22:02:18 · answer #8 · answered by trucker 5 · 0 0

If its a company vehicle, you can be done for smoking already as its seen as a work place

with hand held mobiles its fair enough, but they should also look at, other activities such as shaving, putting on makeup, using a laptop and reading a paper for example. I have seen them all.

2007-02-26 20:18:52 · answer #9 · answered by maka 4 · 1 0

Using mobiles during driving contribute to substantial percentage of accident.It distracts drivers.The imposing fine is in interest of road safety and public interest.On the whole if you think,you also admit that it is for the safety of you also.

High volume music in car is also risky.People should use auch devices in low volume or use earphone .You can enjoy high volume music in your house ,instead of in the road.

2007-02-26 20:02:15 · answer #10 · answered by leowin1948 7 · 3 1

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