Watched footage on Sunrise this morning of people texting while driving. One woman actually turned to the back seat to photograph her baby!
These people had had cameras installed in their cars for three weeks to monitor their behaviour as they all initially denied ever using phones while driving. They all obviously lied and forget the cameras were rolling . Obviously not the sharpest knives in the drawer!
Also a guest on the show admitted texting at the traffic lights with her children watching because, love this, she couldn't afford any down time. Oh to be that important!!!
While there are hefty fines & loss of points for using phones while driving, why not confiscate the phones same as cars are impounded under the anti hooning laws.
Your thoughts please and does anyone out there know of any legal reason the phones can't confiscated ?
I reckon the willing participants "hammed" it up a bit.
Police up here are known to place themselves over an underpass with camera to photograph drivers either crossing the double lines or using their mobile phones - 200 metres up the road they pull them in and always have plenty of customers.
I have no problem with the phone (with SIM card) being impounded, although with some of the cheaper phones may be giving the owner an excuse to upgrade. If the phone without SIM card is impounded then loses meaning. Public rights guys would probably yell at the SIM card being taken as well as it contains 'personal' information.
I personally don't even own a mobile, and love it that way.
I reckon it's an addiction as many people can't bear not reading the message that just came in. They have to check out immediately. A hefty fine would not work, just like you can't fine a drug addict out of their dependency. Confiscating a phone/SIM card would run into data security and privacy issues that would require draconian changes to our laws.
There are very simple electronic solutions that would render mobile phones useless. However, no car manufacturer is going to install them voluntarily as it would make their cars unattractive. It requires a new law and at the moment it is not high on the government's agenda.
I don't know if it applies to the rest of the country but in WA if a person is caught with more fish, especially crayfish than is allowed, has his boat confiscated and faces heavy fines. Why not confiscate the cars of persons caught texting or using their phone while driving.
$500,000 fine per digit dialled or letter texted and execution of first born for a second offence.
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Or, maybe, we could offer people free courses to teach them how to drive more safely and skilfully - most people are not bad but sometimes they are misguided or a little silly.
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
Some years ago I wrote to the VICPOL to try to get something done about this issue.
Among my ideas were - making the car immobile (cant be operated at all) for 2 hours and the drivers license temporarily suspended for the same period. As well as fines and crushing if the car on the second
Offence. With speeding I also suggested hidden speed cameras in cars driven by certain people like sherrifs, inquiry agents and retired police. They could get half price registration etc. I was howled down.
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Be nice... if I wanted my school teacher here I would have invited him...
I drive a motorbike around my home town and am so sick of being compromised by these thoughtless (mainly young women) phone idiots, that I have now fitted a camera to my helmet and it runs while I drive, like a dash cam.
It wont save my life in the event of an incident but it will have the info on film.
And if I see idiots doing the wrong thing it will be forwarded to the police for their inspection.
Give back sim card destroy phone in front of them $3000 fine and 10 points off licence. That might make them think, but somehow I just don't think so. It's an addiction, they are so self absorbed the world revolves around them and their need to communicate every aspect of their little lives. Some will end as a blood smear on the road.
The authorities say that being on the phone while driving is just as bad as drink driving. A sensible penalty might be crushing their vehicle or possibly them as well. How many warnings do some idiots need.
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Cheers Keith & Judy
Don't take life too seriously, it never ends well.
Trip Reports posted on feathersandphotos.com.au Go to Forums then Trip Reports.
Thanks navy nurse. Some years ago in Bendigo (total fire ban day) a car ahead had two young guys snoking cugarettes. Both simultaneously threw them out if the car at traffic lights. A blow of my horn gave me "the bird". Rego, time, location and descriptions given to the EPA online. It was in fact two srparste offences and the dtiver copped both at $200 each. In fact I'd racked up around 60 reports over 18 years.
Another fellow in front of me in a drive thru at maccas stuffed an empty cigarette packet in a bush. I approach and told him "I think this is yours" and through it into his car. After he got his burger he took off but I hadnt ordered. 150 metres down the road he tossed the packet out of the window. But I couldnt believe my eyes...he stopped at lights and tossed out the burger wrapper. Reported it...3 separate offences $600.
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Be nice... if I wanted my school teacher here I would have invited him...
The fine in Oman for using a mobile phone while driving is OMR300 (A$1000) and 10 days in gaol. I see more people using their phones here while driving (usually on the freeway doing 120+kph) than I ever saw back in Australia. Maybe capital punishment is the only thing that will stop them - by the way you also get to spend time in gaol in Oman for going through a red light, being above zero alcohol or making rude immoral gestures to other drivers and then refusing to apologise to them when the police pay you a visit.
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. Obviously not the sharpest knives in the drawer!
