Traffic Cops BBC1

[mark g8awo]

A very good and graphical program showing a poor unfortunate lass who lost her life on the M3. This was the best fly on the wall documentry so far on the forces, and it goes to prove the guys do a thankless task...I know we all have our own views on the law but what those guys had to do on the program i dont want to be in their boots.

The end result was the truck driver did not get a long enough sentance to say he was a supposed profesional driver.

Cant wait for next weeks program

[paulh]

Yeh that's what you call a hard hitting program, that liason oficer was really wound up after he had been to inform the next of kin.
I wonder how long it will affect the dummies who do use their mobiles while driving.
Not long I suspect.

[koed]

A very good and graphical program showing a poor unfortunate lass who lost her life on the M3. This was the best fly on the wall documentry so far on the forces, and it goes to prove the guys do a thankless task...I know we all have our own views on the law but what those guys had to do on the program i dont want to be in their boots.

The end result was the truck driver did not get a long enough sentance to say he was a supposed profesional driver.

Cant wait for next weeks program

And "that "stupid woman was useing her phone .People like that should have their ears cut off

[Phaeton]

And "that "stupid woman was useing her phone .People like that should have their ears cut off

Tragic though this particular incident was, can somebody explain why people think it is more dangerous to use a mobile phone in a car than it is to allow smoking?

With smoking the driver has to remove their hands from the wheel, rummage around in pocket/handbag for the packet of cigarettes, then rummage for the lighter, or push in the manufacturer installed lighter. They then have to negotiate the coordination of end of cigarette with a heat source in-excess of 700 degrees. Then for the whole length of their pleasure they have to have one hand involved in the passing of said cigarette back & forwards out of hand into mouth, flicking ash etc. all whilst smoke is going into their eyes, making them blink & water.

There is also the risk of the end of the cigarette falling off & landing in their lap with the resultant jumping about in the seat whilst they try to put it out, not to mention the damage they to to the upholstery.

As you will have gathered I am not a smoker, but I am a mobile phone user, other than the actual dialling of the number I see no difference in a call on the phone as to talking to somebody in the passenger seat.

If you also want to take the argument a step further then maybe you should ban solo adults from driving whilst there are children in the car. How many times do you see drivers dealing with little Johnny & Jessica in the backseat whilst still driving down the road.

[sparkyaj]

....

WOW - WHat did I miss?

Will it be on a repeat?

[Chillitt]

phaeton, just cos you dont do one iffy thing while driving, doesn't mean you can pick another... if you must use the phone in the car, someone posted a link a while back for cheap hands free kits. i got a genuine nokia blue tooth kit for 60 quid, took half an hour to fit. if your life isnt worth that, somebody elses might be... (and i dont smoke now, either.. )

[Phaeton]

i got a genuine nokia blue tooth kit for 60 quid, took half an hour to fit. if your life isnt worth that, somebody elses might be... (and i dont smoke now, either.. )

Me too, (well 98% of the time) I use a Motorola version though, but I still maintain that smoking is far more dangerous than using a mobile phone. However letting certain people have a driving licence in the 1st place is probably far more dangerous than a smoker using a phone, but that is another completely different arguement altogether.

Alan...

[paulh]

I'm also a non smoker and a mobile user but it's strictly handsfree when driving (bluetooth) and I never dial out without stopping.
As for little Johnny and Jessica well they should be securely fastened in their child seats where they can cause no harm and should require no more attention than being spoken too.
And while smoking at the wheel may not be illegal, any driver seen taking their hands off the wheel to light up otherwise attend to the filthy habit, can and should be prosecuted for dangerous driving!

[nero279]

I am a smoker, and also a professional driver (roll on the insults). I don't smoke or use my phone while driving a bus.

In my car I simply do not use my phone whilst driving unless it's on handsfree, then it's one button to answer, if i need to make an outgoing call i do it where it's safe and legal. Smoking in the car, I will light up whilst stationary, ie) a set of lights or junction, or where i can do it safely without inconveniencing anyone else. I then open the window about 1/2 way which stops the smoke going in your eyes. I will give to you that it could be a distraction, but it is nowhere near as dangerous as driving round with your phone glued to your ear. People that use a hand-held phone whilst driving should be shot... next time you give way to someone who is using a mobile phone and doesn't even realise you're giving way make it as $$$$$$ awkward for them to manouvre as you can, i do. Put a bus (or your bull bars) 2" from their car then make them manouvre round it and see how much they struggle, faffin about with gears, clutch, steering, indicating, acknowledging you, then insulting you, releasing the handbrake then pulling away, these people should be lined up and shot with no second chances there is no excuse for driving while on the phone. How often do you see anyone smoking struggle this much??

[The Kid]

Tragic though this particular incident was, can somebody explain why people think it is more dangerous to use a mobile phone in a car than it is to allow smoking?

With smoking the driver has to remove their hands from the wheel, rummage around in pocket/handbag for the packet of cigarettes, then rummage for the lighter, or push in the manufacturer installed lighter. They then have to negotiate the coordination of end of cigarette with a heat source in-excess of 700 degrees. Then for the whole length of their pleasure they have to have one hand involved in the passing of said cigarette back & forwards out of hand into mouth, flicking ash etc. all whilst smoke is going into their eyes, making them blink & water.

There is also the risk of the end of the cigarette falling off & landing in their lap with the resultant jumping about in the seat whilst they try to put it out, not to mention the damage they to to the upholstery.

As you will have gathered I am not a smoker, but I am a mobile phone user, other than the actual dialling of the number I see no difference in a call on the phone as to talking to somebody in the passenger seat.

If you also want to take the argument a step further then maybe you should ban solo adults from driving whilst there are children in the car. How many times do you see drivers dealing with little Johnny & Jessica in the backseat whilst still driving down the road.

And we on the forum go on about the anti 4X4 brigade!!

I DO smoke and after 40 odd years of smoking and driving have never had a problem opening a packet, taking out a cigarette, lighting it up and smoking it using just one hand!
Before anyone jumps on this particular bandwagon, yes it does mean that I am only using one hand to drive but we dont all have automatics and I've yet to come across anyone who can change gear without taking their hand off the wheel.
As far as mobile phones go, I would ban their use whilst driving totally. Chatting to a passenger is one thing (you usually dont have to concentrate too hard on the answer) but holding a phone conversation is a different matter. Whether it is a call connected with business or just letting the wifey know that you've reched the end of the road and will be home in 30 seconds, your mind is on other things rather than concentrating on driving.
As you may have guessed I dont like mobiles per se, never had one and never will have.

Ken

[Koi]

I smoke and I take me hand off the wheel to take a puff of me fag, just like a take my hand of the wheel to change gear, then take me hand off the wheel to turn the stereo up, then to change the channel, then to indicate, then to turn the fan control to window setting, then to turn the fan speed up, then to turn the rear window heater on, then turn the wipers on and off then to reach me mints to take another one out the packet and so.
just sit and think wether you smoke or not, eat sweets or not how many times during the course of your journey you take one hand off the wheel and your eyes off the road thats not normally classed as being anti social.

[Diezel Weazel]

I smoke and I take me hand off the wheel to take a puff of me fag, just like a take my hand of the wheel to change gear, then take me hand off the wheel to turn the stereo up, then to change the channel, then to indicate, then to turn the fan control to window setting, then to turn the fan speed up, then to turn the rear window heater on, then turn the wipers on and off then to reach me mints to take another one out the packet and so.
just sit and think wether you smoke or not, eat sweets or not how many times during the course of your journey you take one hand off the wheel and your eyes off the road thats not normally classed as being anti social.

Quite right Koi, I you hit me, were you Concentrating on ya Driving ? the answer is probabbly not !!!!!
If I hit you on the other hand, it's probably Cos I wanted to make a point .....
You were not looking were ya going !!!!! On ya moble phone maybe, or Just not paying attention to ya drivin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's always a Payback..You just can't be a mind reader & nor shoul I be !!

[fergus]

Didn't see the specific programme in question but the 'police/carchase/action programmes really get on my wick. All you see is thousands upon thousands of pounds being wasted having up to 10 police cars/vans/ undercover high powered cars and helicopters chasing mindless idiots who we all know will get back out within hours and re-offend. Amazing when ther is a tv camera around how many officers are available and the resources but if you report a crime thats not being recorded for tv then no one is available to investigate. These TV programmes are the forces equivilent of ASBOS- good kudos to be on one but very inefficitive.

[Fish]

I am a profesional driver too, whatever that is.
I drive for a living as a service engineer, have advanced driving qualifications and am a qualified motorcycle instructor. As for following cars, smoke, ash and fag ends get in MY eyes from your half open windows when I am on the bike.
When it come to car driver habits dont even get me started about them - gobbing out the windows, flicking god knows what and throwing bits of food and never looking to see if there is anything behind that gets it in the face, usualy becouse of being on the phone too. The quality of driving and standards on british roads is a disgrace and guess what, lets let into the country thousands of eastern europeans with no MOT, raod tax or even insurance on there foreign rust buckets.
One none english speaking polak KO'd my missus of her bike four weeks ago and she is still in pain. This git has got off scot free as its too much hassle to prosecute him for dangerous driving as he dont speek a word of english and is here with a european driving licence. As if that isnt bad enough the estimate for the repairs to her showroom condition newly purchased 2020 mile bike is prabably a write off.

Ticked off Fish

[MattF]

Hope your Missus ain't in too bad a shape. They deserve a good slapping.

With regards to what people do whilst driving, it tends to be pretty irrelevant.
A good driver will always be driving well, (as a rule). A cr@p driver will always
be cr@p, whether they have something distracting them or not. Everyone
suffers minor lapses of judgement on occasion, even the best of drivers, but
a good driver will not generally put themselves in a situation where they aren't
paying as much attention as possible to the road and conditions.