Driver on the phone

AndyRubio

I hate it when I see drivers on the phone, it's dangerous and winds me up. Not much I can do about it though, not being a copper and all.

So I was in my car yesterday in a line of traffic at the lights. The driver behind me had her mobile cheekily wedged against her ear, chatting away. I got my camera out and pointed it at her, making sure the flash was activated. As soon as the flash went off, she put the phone down and looked positively ill. When the lights turned green she sped off at an alarming rate. As she went past me she looked - I was in a white shirt, shades and a serious expression, so I could have been a poh-leece.

So: if you see a driver on the phone, take their picture. You can't do anything with it but it might make them think twice.

(Against me - apart from the obvious - was that you shouldn't use your camera when driving either!)

And now for some music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjKlFZxTDPw

softlad

wish I'd had my camera the other day. Police car coming the opposite way, driver in uniform holding his mobile phone to his ear. Such staggering hypocrisy deserves to be recorded and made public, but sadly I have no proof....

nicensleazy

The Police now use Airwave radio's which look like mobile phones.

redvee

nicensleazy wrote:

The Police now use Airwave radio's which look like mobile phones.

......and allegedly good for blocked noses.

softlad

so it's ok to hold a conversation on an airwave radio while driving - but not a mobile..??

downfader

softlad wrote:

so it's ok to hold a conversation on an airwave radio while driving - but not a mobile..??

Sadly they have to sometimes. I think if they're on their own and a shout comes in. Still not good and really the Police should have a partner in the vehicle to deal with radios imo.

redvee

I was in the passenger seat of a police car on the way back home, as the victim of a crime, and the officer took a call on his PR and he was all over the road. I just looked at him and hoped he didn't do any damage to anything.

dilemna

AndyRubio wrote:

So: if you see a driver on the phone, take their picture. You can't do anything with it but it might make them think twice.

It works for most drivers but white van drivers will just stick their middle finger up or shout or mouth kufc ffo! You're right you can't do much else with the footage..........or can you?

Last thursday late afternoon a private taxi a red Ford Mondeo - Steve's Taxis license P454 nearly had me off in Sainsburys car park in Huntingdon as he came straight out of a turning without looking. So I shouted "Oi!" as I braked hard to avoid being hit. He leant out his open window as it was hot that afternoon,

Taxi driver : "What's you fkcuing problem I didn't even hit you, you fkcuing jerk!"
Me : "Yes you did and you shouldn't be using that phone while your driving. Have you been driving long?"
TD : " Yeah before you were born jerk!" (He was about 55 yrs and a slob with rotten nicotine stained teeth. He still had his phone glued to his right ear.)
Me : "Well you should take your test again if you think using a mobile phone and driving without a seat belt on is not a road traffic offence."
TD : "WTF has got to do with you!" (Putting down his phone and putting on his seat belt)
Me : "It has everything to do with me as you narrowly missed knocking me off and you are a danger to other road users. When using your phone you are less aware of other road users and less able to control your car as you have just clearly shown as you nearly knocked me off. I don't care if you go through the windscreen but I do if you injure me". ( I took his picture and started filming).
TD : "Jerk!"
Me : "You will be reported for driving whilst using a mobile phone and not wearing a seat belt."
Taxi driver then drove off.

I then went to the cop shop about half a mile away to tell them. At first the desk officer refused to do anything unless I gave them my name and took of my cycling shades so he could see who I was. I refused to give him my name but took off my cycling shades. I then told him what had just happened and wanted to report the incident. He then treated me like a criminal. He said he saw lots of drivers using mobile phones all the time and if he stopped every car then he wouldn't get anything done. He told me to just accept it as one of life's hazards!!!! :evil: He then told me to go to the local council who control local taxis. I then got a bit annoyed. I told him he was fobbing me off and that the police had a duty to investigate or at least speak to the driver or if they couldn't even do that then perhaps I should go somewhere that would take notice such as my MP or the local newspaper? The slob then said "Ok!" got a scrap of paper and wrote down some of what I had told him. He didn't want to see my pics. I then asked him what he was going to do with the info? He said he would enter it onto his system".
"Then what?" I asked.
"Well like what?" he asked.
"Like having a word with the Taxi firm and driver!" I continued.
"We can only do that if we actually see them in the act".
"So more likely you mean you won't do anything rather than can't! He's a taxi driver ferrying people around. He's almost knocked me off! What if he has a serious accident or had knocked me off! He only just missed me! There is CCTV in the car park which will show him driving whilst using his phone. I have done my bit by giving you the info, now you do yours!" I walked out.

The police officer was an arsehole. No indication of thanks whatsoever. If you live in Cambridgeshire never ever report anything to the police as they are indifferent, indolent, arrogant, rude fcukers and a total waste of space. So if you have ideas of furnishing the police with your pics or film footage of wrong doing, forget it, they are not interested. Presumably they have better things to do such as assault and batter people going about their lawful business.

Grrrrr.....

redvee

Should have asked the copper for his shoulder number or made it look like you were making a note of it. He might have got off his ar$e and done someting with the information you attempted to give him.

softlad

dilemna wrote:

I refused to give him my name but took off my cycling shades.

why would you not want to give them your name..? IMO that just makes the whole thing look suspicious - might explain why the copper was not taking you seriously...

Anonymous

dilemna wrote:

AndyRubio wrote:

So: if you see a driver on the phone, take their picture. You can't do anything with it but it might make them think twice.

It works for most drivers but white van drivers will just stick their middle finger up or shout or mouth kufc ffo! You're right you can't do much else with the footage..........or can you?

Last thursday late afternoon a private taxi a red Ford Mondeo - Steve's Taxis license P454 nearly had me off in Sainsburys car park in Huntingdon as he came straight out of a turning without looking. So I shouted "Oi!" as I braked hard to avoid being hit. He leant out his open window as it was hot that afternoon,

Taxi driver : "What's you fkcuing problem I didn't even hit you, you fkcuing jerk!"
Me : "Yes you did and you shouldn't be using that phone while your driving. Have you been driving long?"
TD : " Yeah before you were born jerk!" (He was about 55 yrs and a slob with rotten nicotine stained teeth. He still had his phone glued to his right ear.)
Me : "Well you should take your test again if you think using a mobile phone and driving without a seat belt on is not a road traffic offence."
TD : "WTF has got to do with you!" (Putting down his phone and putting on his seat belt)
Me : "It has everything to do with me as you narrowly missed knocking me off and you are a danger to other road users. When using your phone you are less aware of other road users and less able to control your car as you have just clearly shown as you nearly knocked me off. I don't care if you go through the windscreen but I do if you injure me". ( I took his picture and started filming).
TD : "Jerk!"
Me : "You will be reported for driving whilst using a mobile phone and not wearing a seat belt."
Taxi driver then drove off.

I then went to the cop shop about half a mile away to tell them. At first the desk officer refused to do anything unless I gave them my name and took of my cycling shades so he could see who I was. I refused to give him my name but took off my cycling shades. I then told him what had just happened and wanted to report the incident. He then treated me like a criminal. He said he saw lots of drivers using mobile phones all the time and if he stopped every car then he wouldn't get anything done. He told me to just accept it as one of life's hazards!!!! :evil: He then told me to go to the local council who control local taxis. I then got a bit annoyed. I told him he was fobbing me off and that the police had a duty to investigate or at least speak to the driver or if they couldn't even do that then perhaps I should go somewhere that would take notice such as my MP or the local newspaper? The slob then said "Ok!" got a scrap of paper and wrote down some of what I had told him. He didn't want to see my pics. I then asked him what he was going to do with the info? He said he would enter it onto his system".
"Then what?" I asked.
"Well like what?" he asked.
"Like having a word with the Taxi firm and driver!" I continued.
"We can only do that if we actually see them in the act".
"So more likely you mean you won't do anything rather than can't! He's a taxi driver ferrying people around. He's almost knocked me off! What if he has a serious accident or had knocked me off! He only just missed me! There is CCTV in the car park which will show him driving whilst using his phone. I have done my bit by giving you the info, now you do yours!" I walked out.

The police officer was an arsehole. No indication of thanks whatsoever. If you live in Cambridgeshire never ever report anything to the police as they are indifferent, indolent, arrogant, rude fcukers and a total waste of space. So if you have ideas of furnishing the police with your pics or film footage of wrong doing, forget it, they are not interested. Presumably they have better things to do such as assault and batter people going about their lawful business.

Grrrrr.....

Not defending the officer at all,, in fact I encourage you to make a complaint. However, the way you generalise is ridiculous. That's like me meeting one person from Cambridgeshire who I didn't like and saying all people from Cambridgeshire are *rseholes...
It looks like you really got off on the wrong foot by not giving him your details at the beginning. Nothing could be done whatsoever without your details...

downfader

What really worries me is that people may read these threads online and think nothing will be done and in turn generalise.

I have read forum threads elsewhere about bad drivers. These were not cycling or road use specific forums either. Stories would pop up of someones girlfriend getting some nasty abuse and then someone would (wrongfully) suggest that the police wouldnt be interested and that perhaps said driver should be reported for something else. Armed robbery, carrying a weapon or hanging around kiddies. :roll:

Its not something anyone should consider. And I often think about my own behaviour on the road and how someone might see fit to resort to some revenge. I try never to get into arguments with drivers thesedays, and perhaps have lost some of my fire, although sometimes thats hard to avoid.

dilemna

NapoleonD wrote:

Not defending the officer at all,, in fact I encourage you to make a complaint. However, the way you generalise is ridiculous. That's like me meeting one person from Cambridgeshire who I didn't like and saying all people from Cambridgeshire are *rseholes...
It looks like you really got off on the wrong foot by not giving him your details at the beginning. Nothing could be done whatsoever without your details...

Sorry but how can me not wanting to provide my details have any bearing on what I am wanting to report? There is nothing suspicious about that unless you are a suspicious person and certainly didn't warrant the way he dealt with me. The officer was indifferent to the point of being obstructive. It is their usual response I find. I have reported vehicles before leaving my full details and they have done absolutely bugger all. I have been barged off my bike by a teenager 16-17 years old whilst cycling past a group of them. I was injured but the police did absolutely fkuc all. I and another woman witnessed someone (a woman) being pushed out of a moving car. I and she called the police. I again left my name and details but never heard anything from them again despite the officer promising he would call. They are useless. In this current incident I mistakenly thought that approaching them again would be beneficial. How wrong I was. One would have thought a member of the public taking time to report an incident in a car park with a taxi overlooked by CCTV, a licensed taxi at that and use of a mobile phone while driving whose records can be obtained to see when it was being used would prompt some action and not met with obstruction and indifference. No wonder the police are held in such poor regard by the public who try on occasion to help them by providing information on criminal activity. I would now never call them if I saw anything. I will just think oh well that is Britain look the other way and don’t get involved. What’s the point in reporting anything if the police won’t even show the remotest interest? Police treat the criminals better than I was treated. You wouldn't be a cop would you?

Anonymous

If you don't give details then, as you were the only witness, a report would not be able to be made if the officer could be *rsed to take it. I'm sorry to hear you have had bad experiences with the police. Did you make a complaint on any occasion? Only way that the bad officers get dealt with other wise they'll just carry on dealing with people in the same manner.

Slow1972

Sorry Dilemma, I have to agree, you may have been there to report an incident but I don't quite see how or why the police would fill in a report or make enquiries on behalf of an unidentified individual on a bike who walked into the station and refused to identify themselves.

He may not have painted himself in glory with the way he treated your complaint, but sounds to me like you made it very easy for him to do f**k all about it.

robmanic1

If this took place in Sainsbury's car park,I'm not sure the mobile phone laws would apply as it's not on the public highway.

Might explain why plod wasn't interested.

dilemna

Slow1972 wrote:

Sorry Dilemma, I have to agree, you may have been there to report an incident but I don't quite see how or why the police would fill in a report or make enquiries on behalf of an unidentified individual on a bike who walked into the station and refused to identify themselves.

He may not have painted himself in glory with the way he treated your complaint, but sounds to me like you made it very easy for him to do f**k all about it.

Nope don't agree with you either. So how come we have Crimestoppers where people can leave information on criminal activity totally anomynously? The police weren't making a complaint on behalf of me but being given information by me regarding a road traffic offence(s). The cop had basically made up his mind he was going to be unhelpful by fobbing me off to get rid of me and do kcfu all about it. If you consider a much more serious offence, in the past it was very difficult for women to go into a police station to report rape to be taken seriously by the cops. Great strides in the right direction have now been made. Perhaps cops should be made to treat cycling issues seriously although my issue was not specifically cycling related I just happened to be on a bike and saw a driver committing several offences as he nearly knocked me off. I complained to the cops because I thought they would be interested from the use of a mobile phone while driving aspect, no seat belt and that he was a licensed taxi driver supposedly sufficiently safe to carry members of the public about and to be a safer driver one would have thought.

Next time I'll say the driver waived a gun at me and had a few white packages laying on the rear seat. That might get some action................ :roll: No.......only joking as there won't be a next time as I won't bother reporting anything again.

dilemna

Robmanic1 wrote:

If this took place in Sainsbury's car park,I'm not sure the mobile phone laws would apply as it's not on the public highway.

Might explain why plod wasn't interested.

I think may be the car park is on land owned by the local council so could still be seen as public land. But maybe I am wrong. TBH I no longer give a sh1t as no one seems to be concerned police included that this driver was blissfully chatting away on his phone tearing around a car park nearly knocking me off my bike and then giving me a mouthful of abuse and a dead cert to drive straight over a little kid who runs out from behind a car chased by yummy mummy or even Jamie and Jules themselves. I'm sorry I posted this incident. Not from your contribution Robmanic1 but those of previous posters.

Anonymous

Crimestoppers is used to form a basis of an intelligence package against offenders so the police can look into their behaviour. It is, as the name suggests, for crime and criminals not minor road traffic offences. It is not used to provide evidence of an offence that has occured as it is anonymous.
In order to deal with your matter a full statement would have to be taken from yourself (which would mean you giving your details), the CCTV footage taken and then the driver reported for sumons. If the CPS descide to run it then it may be in court within 6 months where you may need to give evidence. All this requires your details to proceed.
Then there is the issue as to whether that particular car park constituted a place suitable for the mobile phone/seatbelt legislation.

As I have already said, if you have a grievance about the way you have been dealt with, make a formal complaint against the officer. Otherwise the officer will continue to deal with similar matters in the way you found.

robmanic1

Thing is, plod couldn't do anything about it anyway (even if they could be arsed), I'm no legal eagle but I suspect your footage would be inadmissible as evidence and it would boil down to your word against his, a lot of aggro for the bill for little reward (I imagine this was his thinking).

You are right to be annoyed at their apparent lack of interest, but you shouldn't be surprised.

Sometimes better to shake your head and move on, keep you blood pressure down. Principles can be a trauma at times eh!

dilemna

NapoleonD wrote:

It is, as the name suggests, for crime and criminals not minor road traffic offences. It is not used to provide evidence of an offence that has occured as it is anonymous.

Minor road traffic offences as I'm sure you realise often lead to serious accidents.

Anonymous

It is a minor road traffic offence, end of. Either make a complaint to the police or stop whining about it.

spen666

dilemna wrote:

Slow1972 wrote:

Sorry Dilemma, I have to agree, you may have been there to report an incident but I don't quite see how or why the police would fill in a report or make enquiries on behalf of an unidentified individual on a bike who walked into the station and refused to identify themselves.

He may not have painted himself in glory with the way he treated your complaint, but sounds to me like you made it very easy for him to do f**k all about it.

Nope don't agree with you either. So how come we have Crimestoppers where people can leave information on criminal activity totally anomynously? The police weren't making a complaint on behalf of me but being given information by me regarding a road traffic offence(s). The cop had basically made up his mind he was going to be unhelpful by fobbing me off to get rid of me and do kcfu all about it. If you consider a much more serious offence, in the past it was very difficult for women to go into a police station to report rape to be taken seriously by the cops. Great strides in the right direction have now been made. Perhaps cops should be made to treat cycling issues seriously although my issue was not specifically cycling related I just happened to be on a bike and saw a driver committing several offences as he nearly knocked me off. I complained to the cops because I thought they would be interested from the use of a mobile phone while driving aspect, no seat belt and that he was a licensed taxi driver supposedly sufficiently safe to carry members of the public about and to be a safer driver one would have thought.

Next time I'll say the driver waived a gun at me and had a few white packages laying on the rear seat. That might get some action................ :roll: No.......only joking as there won't be a next time as I won't bother reporting anything again.

Without any evidence- the case will look good in court.

Imagine

Court clerk ( to prosecutor) "Would you like to outline the evidence against the driver and call your witnesses"

Prosecutor: "that is the end of the prosecution case"

Erm

now lets see how many think the magistrates could be satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt on the evidence?

See a little problem here?

JPJ

If the law isn't upheld, what is the point in having it?

Besides how many minor traffic offences have to be committed before one turns into a major incident?
If minor offences were clamped down on, maybe there would be significantly less major ones?

How often you think that Taxi driver commits minor offences? It only a matter of time before he totals someone, law of averages... :roll:

Surely if everyone chooses not to report stuff as it's too difficult then the problems will always be there?

Just a few thoughts..

simple_salmon

Personally dilemna I'm with you. The driver was breaking the law and could have killed someone; if the police can't be bothered to do anything about it then they're a waste of taxes and just as bad.

Have you thought about reporting the driver to your council? You may get a more favourable response.

will3

I think it is a pity more resources aren't channelled into this particular problem. You only have to cycle round a bit to appreciate what a difference it makes to drivers' ability to make sensible decisions (like the woman who nearly drove into me head on after pulling out round parked cars............)
IIRC, there was a large press interest in getting the law changed to make it an explicit offence in the wake of some tragedy or other, and then there seems to have been relatively little followup in terms of enforcement. Hopefully it will eventually get the same cultural stigma as drink driving.

Having said that, there have been a number of spot checks done round here catching people on the phone/without seat belt/insurance etc etc. Sadly, a followup spot check in the same area a week later in the same area caught roughly the same numbers, so noone seems to learn.
(in cambridgeshire btw :roll: )

spen666

simple_salmon wrote:

Personally dilemna I'm with you. The driver was breaking the law and could have killed someone; if the police can't be bothered to do anything about it then they're a waste of taxes and just as bad.

Have you thought about reporting the driver to your council? You may get a more favourable response.

How can the police do anything without evidence?

By Dilema refusing to provide his own details he is denying the police access to evidence- ie the details of the sole witness to an alleged crime.

What do you expect the police to do if you are witholding the evidence to a crime?

simple_salmon

spen666 wrote:

simple_salmon wrote:

Personally dilemna I'm with you. The driver was breaking the law and could have killed someone; if the police can't be bothered to do anything about it then they're a waste of taxes and just as bad.

Have you thought about reporting the driver to your council? You may get a more favourable response.

How can the police do anything without evidence?

By Dilema refusing to provide his own details he is denying the police access to evidence- ie the details of the sole witness to an alleged crime.

What do you expect the police to do if you are witholding the evidence to a crime?

He offered pictures and there was CCTV in the area why is that not evidence? If a murder is committed to the police need a witness or do they go out and search for evidence?

Is there a sliding scale of seriousness that the police use to decide whether or not to follow an incident up? If so then what crimes can I get away with assuming no-one is watching?

cee

I agree with spen and simple salmon on two different points.

1. I am not sure why you did not want to give your details to the police...as spen says...what do we expect them to do without giving your details so they can get back to you for further information if required, or in fact...denying access to the sole witness and to add to this..the victim. No Victim, No Witness.....No Case.

2. As simple salmon says...contact your local council....they control the taxi licences and taxi drivers do not like the council asking them questions about complaints. He may have had loads more and this could very well be the straw and something about the back of a camel.

simple_salmon

I understand how a 'victim' would perhaps need to leave details but surely the crime itself is the driving offence and as such can be followed up without a victim?

Why set up laws if the police can't be bothered/don't have the resources to deal with them?

will3

simple_salmon wrote:

Why set up laws if the police can't be bothered/don't have the resources to deal with them?

Too appease the baying press and to be seen to be doing something.
That's politics.