I think the law is a bit of an ass tbh. I see so many people on he phone when on major roudabouts turning off roads etc anthe yare not in control at all. There really nees to be more of a deterrent to mobile use whilst driving.
I hate mobile phones with a passion, yes I have one but only because I have to ( yep lemming)
People say how did they manage without a mobile, easy arrangements were made and kept, none of these stupid text messages at the last minute letting folk down.
They are a distraction if they go off when driving but to text and drive is crazy, and someone gets killed.
Its as bad as drink / drugs driving
the only deterrant has to be a driving ban for say 1month if caught (speed cameras cannot see fork on the phone btw_)
I to think mobile phones are a necessary evil 🙁 It does my swede in how it is rammed down our necks that we need the latest shiniest phone! It's a bloody phone for contacting people ffs! Rant over 😀
I think that's a pretty reasonable punishment for the lorry driver- a fairly long prison sentence (1 year, good behaviour allowing, for someone who probably doesn't have a "evil" bone in his body and genuinely had no intention of killing anyone is quite a long time) and a 5 year driving ban, which probably effectively ends his career as a lorry driver.
I think that makes a pretty good statement to everyone else.
Hate phones in the car too (otherwise think they're a wonderful thing)- when my mum started a new job they gave her a phone and would ring her on it CONSTANTLY, having 30 minute chats while she was driving and it scared the shite out of me- I think I had to tell her boss my life was a bit more important than his business at one point. They sent her a blue tooth after that.
In a lot of American states its legal, and as a result saw some very dangerous driving while I was there.
Rolfharris,
I don't think I could agree any less.. 1 year for KILLING someone is a joke. He made a decision with that result regardless of how evil he is, therefore it should be a full manslaughter charge AT LEAST.
A year's a pretty long time, and it probably feels even longer in prison. Prison isn't a joke or an easy ride. He'll learn his lesson.
And, no, I haven't been 🙄
I agree with the above comments. I do have a Bluetooth headset which I do sometimes find useful e.g. stuck in traffic and calling the missus to say I'll be late. What scares me though is that even within the law making calls on a phone is distracting. I don't believe for one minute it is the same as talking to someone in the passenger seat. What also bothers me is the number of drivers who pull in at the side of the road in ridiculously dangerous locations just to answer the phone "legally". Idiots
Edit to my post...I do NOT agree with MattPhotos
Well don't you guys see it fits government (all of them) pretty well.
Why don't they just ban mobile phone for all but people who need them (that would be medical professional). FFS people managed centuries without.
Then why don't our EU mps make a law that forces the inside of a car to be phone-networkproof. It really can't be that hard can it. Once again guess why... Money.
Phone industrie will just have to pay mps holidays and that is sorted.
Phones, the radio, aircon,power windows, satnav, all take their toll on concentration and all legal, cars are full of things to take your mind and eyes off the road, but the worst thing I find is having passengers expecially 2 kids in the car. I have to make sure its all sorted & settled before I start off now, but I struggle getting my wife to do the same.
Its no joke driving, but most people seem so blaze about it and their own mortality.
It has been said before and I'll say it again here. If ever you want to kill someone be sure to do it with a car.
In terms of the sentence I do thing this sort of negligence should be viewed as closer to manslaughter rather than a driving without due care offence but were that to be the case the 12 men on the jury would probably throw it out as most of them would have used a mobile while driving and they would not wish to see the inside of chokey.
[i]Then why don't our EU mps make a law that forces the inside of a car to be phone-networkproof. It really can't be that hard can it. Once again guess why... Money.[/i]
My guess would be the reason for not having such a law would be ridiculously stupid on so many levels.
Why Ian?
They could always have a nice and shiny blue tooth inbuilt in the car on the external antenna. So you won't be able to recieve anything inside the car on a wild phone.
Because you'd have to make the car incapable of recieving radio signals internally. So assuming you could make glass that could do this, and do it without quadrupling the cost of the car sealing every other RF leak in it, you wouldn't be able to open a window, sun roof or have a convertible.
Yeah fair point about the windows, price shouldn't be taken into account though as both car and phone are luxuries useful luxuries but luxuries nevertheless. So a car that won't start if there is a phone turn on inside. If they can have detectors in the overhead lockers in plane surely they can put one in a car.
I’ve had various close shaves with drivers on their phones, when I’ve been cycling, including being overtaken by some nob on a blind corner who was texting, he was so busy with the phone he didn’t have the time or spare limbs to change down a gear, thus increasing the risk of an accident…
I’ve also been a passenger in a car on the M4 where the driver decided to text and drive, that’s a tricky moment, how do you diplomatically say “please don’t kill us both”, I just offered to text for him while he dictated, not ideal but at least he was watching the road after that…
I think the problem is a multi faceted one, first of all people often think they are better drivers than they actually are and assume they can split their attention.
Secondly people are far too used to instant communication now; the mobile has become a pervasive tool of modern living, it’s only real boundaries are being charged, having a signal, and the owner remembering to put it in their pocket, therefore people expect to be able to get hold of others and be contacted instantly, anywhere.
Thirdly the law is still far too weak when it comes to mobiles and driving, 3 points and a fine, assuming your seen and caught by the police (who apparently couldn’t give a shit, and prefer peeling pedestrians and cyclists off of pavements to preventing RTAs), is hardly a deterrent. People go by the law of averages, if they haven’t been caught or had an accident the first second or third time they use a phone while driving, then they’ll probably continue, till something bad happens.
I’m not trying to excuse it, I think any solution needs to address these issues, in the same way that drink driving and not using a seatbelt are both no longer the norm, using a phone while driving should also be socially un-acceptable, those who do should be named and shamed, and given a ban, if I drove past a school 1 unit over the drink drive limit, and got caught I’d loose my licence, we are told using your phone behind the wheel decreases your attention and reaction times in a similar fashion to having sunk 3-4 pints, so why does it not carry the same penalty?
I don’t use my phone while I drive, I make sure it’s out of reach in the back or in the passenger door pocket, or I give it to my passenger and ask them to deal with any calls, basically I’m driving that’s what I’m busy doing at the minute, calls and texts can wait till I get where I’m going, I’d rather arrive and be told plans have changed than loose my licence and/or kill someone.
I know of several spots along my commute where I could set up a camera and snap plenty of drivers on the phone during rush hour, my angry scowl as they sort of try to disguise the fact they have a phone clamped to their ear doesn’t seem to work, maybe doing the rozzers job for them might…
[i]luxuries useful luxuries but luxuries nevertheless.[/i]
So cars should be just for the rich not the masses then? Doesn't sound very socially inclusive 🙂
[i] So a car that won't start if there is a phone turn on inside. If they can have detectors in the overhead lockers in plane surely they can put one in a car.[/i]
Multiple problems.
Engine stops when you drive past someone using a phone. Engine stops when a passenger switches on a phone for a laugh.
Everyone is prevented from using a phone in the vehicle, not just the driver.
I could go on, but admit it, it's a daft idea 🙂
One year is really not very much
As a structural engineer I can be taken to court for manslaughter if one of my buildings falls over and someone dies. I do everything I possibly can to avoid that. This driver was not doing everything within his powers to avoid endangering the public.
What good does jailing him for longer do?
Deterrence is the jail term of a year. I really doubt longer will make any difference.
Rehabilitation - its not complex to rehabilitate someone from this . I very much doubt he will do it again.
Retribution - any eye for an eye? Why totally wreck another ife
Remember in law its not what the outcome of the incedent that matters its the causes of it.
Myself I think jail terms of 1-5 yrs for death by careless or reckless driving seems about right. Its not long ago that in this sort of situation a small fine was the norm. The government brought in the new offence of "causing death by dangerous driving" simply because manslaughter convictions were almost impossible to get.
I think the chap can consider himself lucky that a year is all he got but I see absolutely no point in locking him up and throwing away the key.
luxuries useful luxuries but luxuries nevertheless.
So cars should be just for the rich not the masses then? Doesn't sound very socially inclusive
Slightly off topic here.
I think cars are a luxury. Why people see it as ther right to own baffles me???? I mean how many people buy cars and can't afford to tax,insure,mot,service or repair them? I mean how inexpensive is it to replace a bloody bulb? But I see more and more cars with bulbs out or complete light failures. I pay a lot of dosh out to run 2 cars legally and keep them in a good state of repair.
[i] I mean how many people buy cars and can't afford to tax,insure,mot,service or repair them? [/i]
I suspect it's a remarkably small figure. Certainly a far smaller percentage than illegal bikes 🙂
"A year's a pretty long time, and it probably feels even longer in prison.."
I reckon being dead feels a hell of a lot longer (if feeling dead is possible but I'm sure you can see the point).