Just to prove how vulnerable we are

Kieran_Burns

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/ ... ticle.html

This happened just down the road from me

suzyb

And all he gets is 2 years and 8 months...sigh

rich_e

I have to agree with what a lot of people have already said in the comments on that story, and that is that every day when I commute into work I see people on their phones not really paying attention. It's often when making a turn as well, where there attention isn't there and could easily take out a cyclist if they arent looking properly.

If this guy is as genuine and upset about it as they make out then I think it's going to have a greater impact on him for the rest of his life, than the jail sentence will. So in that sense it's fitting, as he obviously doesn't want to drive, can't drive for 5 years and will no doubt have ended his career. The trouble is that it doesn't send out the right message, killing someone by dangerous driving should hold a much higher sentence to deter people in the first place.

Rich158

Unfortunately a motorist being prosecuted for driving dangerously is the exception rather than the norm, and apparently when it gets to court it's not taken seriously. I mean just under three years for a life, it beggars belief.

It's a sign of the times, the police are reluctant to prosecute drivers for driving with undue care and attention or dangerous driving, even where serious injury is involved.

Runoutofgears

Staggering realy that anyone uses a mobile whilst driving, hands free or not. In the event of an accident involving vehicles the police are going to check your mobile service provider for details of calls, texts etc. Can't see many courts being sympathetic with the phone user who ever is at fault.

El Gordo

I'm not making any comment on the texting or the sentance but have to say that riding on the A50 is asking for trouble. I know he's got every right to be there but it's a very fast, busy, dual carriageway. There are much better roads to get to Foston Hall.

Wallace1492

The problem is though, that mobile use while driving is still socially acceptable.
Until attitudes really, really change or the courts/police prosecute/fine hard and fast, then it will still be acceptable.

It must be cracked down on hard. If i knew I would get points or a substatial fine, and there was a good chance of being caught, it would ceratainly put me off, that is if i was incline to do it in the first place, which I am not.

However, it is like speeding, or even drink driving, there will always be idiots that just don't care and will do it anyway, and ruin their and other peoples lives.

Rich158

Runoutofgears wrote:

Staggering realy that anyone uses a mobile whilst driving, hands free or not. In the event of an accident involving vehicles the police are going to check your mobile service provider for details of calls, texts etc. Can't see many courts being sympathetic with the phone user who ever is at fault.

Unfortunately they don't, there's not a presumption that the driver is at fault. Unless there's compelling evidence that the fault is with the driver the police aren't even willing to consider investigating let alone getting mobile phoe records :twisted: :twisted:

rich_e

If there is a serious accident with no obvious answer, then the investigator will check phone records. I've watched enough of the Traffic Cops style shows to see that they do!

I don't think it's socially acceptable, it's just that not many people get fined for it, so people think they can get away with it, and that they won't cause an accident.

Rich158

Rich_E wrote:

If there is a serious accident with no obvious answer, then the investigator will check phone records. I've watched enough of the Traffic Cops style shows to see that they do!

I don't think it's socially acceptable, it's just that not many people get fined for it, so people think they can get away with it, and that they won't cause an accident.

Ah but my experience is drawn from their reaction when I was hit by a car. My solicitor has confirmed she has a list of refusals to prosecute as long as your arm where there is compelling evidence to suggest the car driver is at fault.

The reality is they don't investigate anything unless the injury is life threatening or a death has occured, and the investigation only then takes place because they are given no other option. I know several police officers and traffic duty is seen as the easy option as you sit on your arse all day and don't ever have to do anything.

Mobile phone use whilst driving is yet to become socially unaceptable. The fact that's it's illegal is a minor inconvenience to most people. When I used to commute I gurantee I would see at least half a dozen people every day driving whilst using the phone, and that at least one of those would be a lorry driver :shock:

Flasheart

My wife and I drove back from London a few weeks ago along the M3 and were amazed at how many people were blatantly using their mobile phones to talk and text. There was even one guy reading a paperback book as he overook us. :shock:

OldSkoolKona

Its scary how many white van, cars and trucks you see with the drivers on their mobile, the worst I saw recently was a dumper truck, going through a narrow 20mph road (Petersham for anyone in the Richmond area) on the mobile and with a clip board on his steering wheel. Really does make me angry :evil:

The reality is that due to a lack of on the ground traffic police, there is no one to enforce the law and hence no motivation for people to stop doing it. Only where it is a commercial vehicle with the company's name on the side and you contact the owners (often with video evidence) does it ever seem to prompt an impact.

Sadly, many motorist judge that they can use their mobile phones safely while driving (analagous to the mentality of safe RLJers - lights touch paper ;-)) However, it is a real distraction and I've seen several near misses involving motor vehicles where one of the drivers was using a mobile.

Kieran_Burns

I've argued the point before when people cry for driving bans for using the mobile when driving. I argue against it as it is a pointless exercise.

The present law is not diligently enforced so there is little perceived danger (and as pointed out: it is considered socially acceptable), therefore increasing the penalty is little deterrent as there is little chance of it being enforced.



Incidentally the craziest thing I saw was a guy reading a BROADSHEET while travelling south on the M40 in the morning rush hour... I was on my way to Heathrow and this guy was on the lane inside of me - we were doing about 30-40 and he would occasionally look up to see if he needed to stop or something.

thelawnet

Terrible double standards here.

Lord Ahmed, with a fancier lawyer, no doubt, got 12 weeks for doing the same http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/feb/2 ... us-driving

And then the b@stards let him out early

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 896803.ece

gradiric

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Incidentally the craziest thing I saw was a guy reading a BROADSHEET while travelling south on the M40 in the morning rush hour... I was on my way to Heathrow and this guy was on the lane inside of me - we were doing about 30-40 and he would occasionally look up to see if he needed to stop or something.

Flasheart wrote:

There was even one guy reading a paperback book as he overook us.

Beggars belief. I assume you both pulled over and reported these incidents to the police. If not, why not?[/quote]

tebbit

Yet again a minimal sentence for killing some poor sod on a bike, will the prison staff know he is in for killing one of their own? Might be an interesting time for him otherwise.

Lord Ahmed's sentence was a disgrace twelve weeks for taking a life, less than three years for killing somebody is bad enough, but twelve weeks, beggars belief.

There was a university lecturer maybe professor status who argued that his one year sentence for killing someone due to careless driving was disporportionate due to his opinion that his sentence did not benefit society and that he could do more good by not being in prison. What about punishment you muppet! Some poor sod isn't making it home, and you think you're hard done to!

Ok we can't hang them, which is a pity, but some real proportionate punishment surely is appropriate?