In 2003, a new law was introduced in the UK which prohibits the use of handheld devices whilst driving. Initially, you could be fined a fixed penalty (£30) for doing it, then in 2007 the law changed and the fixed penalty fine was increased (£60) – plus you’d get 3 penalty points on your licence. In all cases, if the case were taken to court a fine of up to £1,000 was possible. The RoSPA site has more details.
As I drive around on lessons each day, the number of drivers blatantly ignoring this law – and getting away with it completely – is staggering. I see people flying up behind me at junctions, only to slam their brakes on because they’ve got a mobile phone stuck against their heads. I have people tailgating me, also with mobiles glued to their ears, and who would not be able to respond anywhere near quickly enough if my pupil braked suddenly. I see van drivers turning corners with one hand – intently yammering away on their mobiles. Last week, I said to a pupil “look at this guy in front. He’s got his mobile against his right ear – now look at his left arm when he moves away and changes gear “… and yes, he changed gear with his left hand whilst holding the mobile to his head with his right!
But by far the biggest danger on the roads is people texting.
Texting is the favoured activity of the moron. Or I should say, young moron. Their entire lives seem to revolve around their mobile phones and texting. You see them walking down the street in bright sunshine, oblivious to nature going on around them, shoulders hunched, thumbs curled over their mobiles.
Have you ever read one of these texts? Meaningless drivel! You can get a rough idea by going to a typical web forum (or Twitter) and looking at a typical post by a typical user with a lot of posts to their names. It’s likely to be just a bunch of ridiculous smilies and symbols – and on the rare occasions actual communication takes place, it’ll be using embarrassingly poor spelling and grammar (as I’ve already mentioned, they are morons).
But back to the main point… next time you stop at traffic lights, just have a glance around you at the drivers in other cars – and especially the young drivers. Watch their eyes.
The number of people texting whilst driving their cars is frightening. Only today I was walking past a light-controlled junction and traffic was stopping. A girl in a blue car (didn’t get the model: reg. no. YT55 AVM ) was still moving, but slowing down behind another car, and as I looked down she had both hands off the wheel and was using them to text using the mobile phone in her lap .
The Police really ought to crack down on this. They could make an absolute fortune from it.
Edit 12/07/2009: Had another one today (silver Clio Sport (typical pratmobile) reg: YK55 OZB). He was in the wrong lane anyway (left turn only but he wanted to turn right). You should have seen his eyes flicking up and down as he frantically texted at the side of me as the lights were on red. As we moved off he did the typical trying-toedge-ahead routine, then managed to shoot forward and cut into a one-car-length gap in front of the car ahead of me. Disappeared at speed, only for me to catch up with him a few minutes later at traffic lights. He tailgated a car for about a mile, trying to overtake between pedestrian refuges. I saw a large gap coming and thought “this time he’ll go”. He did, and nearly hit another car head on. He vanished doing at least 50mph in a 30 zone.