Given the spate of accidents on the roads of late and the number of people choosing to ignore not using a mobile phone whilst driving (bluetooth connection exempt), why have not lobbied the politicians, state side, nationally and world wide to come up with a device fitted to every vehicle that once on the move (wheels are turning checked by the speedo) phone signals are jammed.
The only people that would be disadvantaged would be the passengers.
Yes I do realise not all accidents are caused by mobile phones, but, the statistics are not readily available to the general public. For example, one type of death that rarely hits the headlines is people dying on a weekly basis on the rail network.
They've got to find a happy medium which they have not yet achieved .. We are able to use CB's and ham radios by handling the microphones while travelling
Government and Police vehicles as well as rescue and emergency units also freely use their mics and in some cases hand-held radios are also used ..
A bit like the new price increase on cigarettes .. approx. a dollar per cigarette .. while the government gets about $14.00 per packet, they are not about to change anything as long as they benefit from it .
I'm not really sure what the answer is as there will always be the ones that just "Don't care" as with "hoons" they have been and IMO always will be around no matter what the law is.
I have only ever used a phone while driving through Blue Tooth connection and will pull over ASAP if need be as concentration on driving can still be limited.
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Scenario: You're on a 4 hour drive and there is an emergency at home so someone needs to get in touch with you asap.
At least we now have the opportunity to know there is a call and can pull over to find out if it is important.
I know some people will say that we did without them for hundreds of years so we can do without them for a few hours but I say why should we?
Perhaps you did not read between the lines. Phone will only be jammed when wheels are turning. Still able to be notified there is a call perhaps in the shape of a missed call or SMS. If we all bury our heads in the sand and take the approach 'its all too hard' nothing will get done.
We are currently playing catch up in many areas as technology has moved faster than we could react. We have the technology to do this or similar which will have the end result of discouraging people from using mobile phones whilst driving.
"Why should we?" Maybe when you or someone you love has a serious or fatal accident, you might change your tune.
Another example on how proper punishment works. Back in the late 80s and perhaps early 90s, NSW banned radar detectors. Some carried on using such a device for a while but soon stopped. You don't see a radar detector in NSW but still in use in WA.
Larry
-- Edited by deverall11 on Monday 1st of September 2014 07:30:53 PM
In the CFA drivers drive and the passenger ( crew leader ) does the radio work , in situations where the crew leader is out of the vehicle driver does still communicate but at 1 to2 kph I don't think it matters and we are on closed roads anyway , however I have seen many a person on the phone whilst driving including Mr Plod ? double standards you say well maybe but don't argue with them , Well the solution is the problem , maybe fines as previously stated, how about loss of licence for 12 months , jail or maybe castration , who knows , the problem is not going to go away yet, jamming the phones is too dangerous for certain medical conditions , not sure.
How many years has it been illegal to drive a vehicle more than a proscribed blood alcohol level? How many years and how many millions of dollars have been consumed telling everyone about those laws and personal consequences of failing to obey them? How many people are caught every day breaching those laws, how many people are killed or seriously injured each year because someone failed to obey the laws?
Perhaps the answer is a combination of the above, firstly all new vehicles should have in motion phone jamming, UNLESS they are fitted with integrated blue tooth (most cars now are). Secondly, and driver caught using a mobile phone while driving should be required to have a similar jammer fitted to their vehicle at their expense, no matter what age the vehicle is.
This is similar to the breathaliser interlock currently being fitted to drink drivers cars (just repeat offenders I think).
How many years has it been illegal to drive a vehicle more than a proscribed blood alcohol level? How many years and how many millions of dollars have been consumed telling everyone about those laws and personal consequences of failing to obey them? How many people are caught every day breaching those laws, how many people are killed or seriously injured each year because someone failed to obey the laws?
We have to be honest, some people are just dumb.
That's 100% correct people are just dumb, however, we seem unable to administer to appropriate penalty. Guarantee you if drink drivers were faced with automatic jail time, one night/one day/one week whatever this would drop dramatically.
I doubt it Larry. When an idiot has been drinking, they think they are fine to drive and that they won't get caught.. So no matter what the penalty, there is always the idiot factor.
