Lancashire Police crackdown on using mobile while driving (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Lancashire Police crackdown on using mobile while driving
4:54pm Thursday 6th January 2011 in News
POLICE are launching a month-long crackdown on people who use their mobile phone while driving.
Throughout January, road policing officers will be targeting people flouting the law.
Since it was made illegal in 2006, Lancashire Police have issued between 500 and 600 fixed penalty notices a month to people using a mobile phone while driving.
But they say there is still a problem with people flouting the law.
Officers will also be warning pedestrians to take extra care on the roads, especially if they are using mobile phones, iPods and MP3 players.
Road policing Inspector Martin Bishop said: “The consequences of driving while using a mobile phone can be catastrophic.
"It diverts attention away from the road and increases the chances of being involved in a road traffic collision.
“We are determined to reduce the number of people who are killed and seriously injured on our roads.
"We take action against those who use mobile phones whilst driving throughout the year but the concentrated activity taking place this month sets out to let motorists know that this behaviour will simply not be tolerated."
People caught driving while using their mobile phone will be given a fixed penalty notice and three points on their licence.
Those who cause a crash while on the phone face a criminal investigation and being put through the courts, police said.
Comments(30)
moggy669
says...
5:36pm Thu 6 Jan 11
The selfish idiots might learn then.
jessjade
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5:37pm Thu 6 Jan 11
pinkfairyone
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5:39pm Thu 6 Jan 11
frank
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5:41pm Thu 6 Jan 11
ste.g
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5:52pm Thu 6 Jan 11
ossy
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6:12pm Thu 6 Jan 11
frank wrote:Crushing the phone is an excellent idea, I see lots of people every day using their phone whilst driving.
ban them and crush the phone. i've almost been hit or run off the road several times by these selfish idiots. it's time they were taught a lesson.
Slimplynth
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6:31pm Thu 6 Jan 11
ossy wrote:Brilliant idea, why fine and chase the payment at the expense of honest drivers and pedestrians... the police confiscate mini-moto's at xmas.. what is the difference here.. allow them to choose between an extortionate fine or to allow the police to hand them their sim card, take the phone and give it to a charity. Which is worse, confiscating a child's xmas toy or taking away an idiot's phone? do it do it do it.
frank wrote:Crushing the phone is an excellent idea, I see lots of people every day using their phone whilst driving.
ban them and crush the phone. i've almost been hit or run off the road several times by these selfish idiots. it's time they were taught a lesson.
BuckoTheMoose
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7:01pm Thu 6 Jan 11
This should be a nice little earner for them.
youknowimright
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7:05pm Thu 6 Jan 11
Excluded again
says...
7:43pm Thu 6 Jan 11
youknowimright wrote:Using a hand-held mobile whilst driving is a real crime. Ten times more people are killed on our roads than are murdered every year.
Why don’t Lancashire police put more effort in to REAL CRIME? I’m sure they could spend of there resources looking for criminals instead of Joe bloggs on the phone. Pathetic. A crackdown on drug dealing, child abuse, tax evasion etc etc Only reason a ‘crackdown’ is underway, is because of the easy-money that’s made in fines. Look at statistics, you’ll find more accidents are caused through Drink-driving and under the influence of drugs than Joe ringing home to tell the wife to get the tea on….
If you think the police raising money through this, then you can always stop them raising any money from you. Don't use a mobile when driving or get a hands free kit for if you absolutely must take a call - you can get them for about £20.
youknowimright
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8:02pm Thu 6 Jan 11
Look at speed cameras for instance, they are all over Lancashire in places where it isn’t an accident black spot, it’s just another money printing exercise.
People will continue to die on the roads, through many reasons. #1 isn’t because of Joe on his mobile. I read the LET often enough to know that the police should be pouring there resources into other areas that need addressing, because those problems are growing by the day.
If the government are so concerned with the H&S of road user’s why not something do pro-active like; all new car’s MUST be fitted with hands free device? Or if someone is caught braking the law, they must then fit there vehicle with a hands free device.
There are many ways to skin a cat, three points on their licence fixed and a fixed penalty notice is not way to resolve the problem.
BuckoTheMoose
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8:34pm Thu 6 Jan 11
Causing harm to another is a real crime.
Fining a person for using a phone where no harm is done to another is not crime fighting, it's revenue raising.
Chris P Bacon
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8:34pm Thu 6 Jan 11
Excluded again wrote:Well said, Excluded; that 'youknowimright' bampot is taking the p1ss with his name, his 'English' and his frequently deluded posts.
youknowimright wrote:Using a hand-held mobile whilst driving is a real crime. Ten times more people are killed on our roads than are murdered every year.
Why don’t Lancashire police put more effort in to REAL CRIME? I’m sure they could spend of there resources looking for criminals instead of Joe bloggs on the phone. Pathetic. A crackdown on drug dealing, child abuse, tax evasion etc etc Only reason a ‘crackdown’ is underway, is because of the easy-money that’s made in fines. Look at statistics, you’ll find more accidents are caused through Drink-driving and under the influence of drugs than Joe ringing home to tell the wife to get the tea on….
If you think the police raising money through this, then you can always stop them raising any money from you. Don't use a mobile when driving or get a hands free kit for if you absolutely must take a call - you can get them for about £20.
You're correct; carelessness is a major factor in a large number of deaths, injuries and crashes and mobile phone use while driving is a serious crime. As there is no such thing as an 'accident' (all incidents have a major contributory factor) then it has to be seen that there are far too many incidents caused as a result of such stupid, blinkered behaviour.
Chris P Bacon
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8:37pm Thu 6 Jan 11
BuckoTheMoose wrote:Of course it's a real crime. You may as well say that since most people who drink and drive aren't involved in death crashes, then drinking and driving shouldn't be regarded as a crime.
Using a mobile phone is not a real crime.
Causing harm to another is a real crime.
Fining a person for using a phone where no harm is done to another is not crime fighting, it's revenue raising.
Since SOME drink drivers cause deaths and serious injuries, then ALL drink driving needs to be clamped down on. Substitute 'drink driving' for 'mobile phone use while driving' and the result is pretty much the same.
BuckoTheMoose
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8:45pm Thu 6 Jan 11
Chris P Bacon wrote:You're using the principle of extension.
BuckoTheMoose wrote:Of course it's a real crime. You may as well say that since most people who drink and drive aren't involved in death crashes, then drinking and driving shouldn't be regarded as a crime.
Using a mobile phone is not a real crime.
Causing harm to another is a real crime.
Fining a person for using a phone where no harm is done to another is not crime fighting, it's revenue raising.
Since SOME drink drivers cause deaths and serious injuries, then ALL drink driving needs to be clamped down on. Substitute 'drink driving' for 'mobile phone use while driving' and the result is pretty much the same.
Drink driving is bad and causes deaths so we outlaw it.
Using a mobile phone is nowhere near as bad but some deaths can be attributed to it so lets ban that too.
Smoking in a car can cause distraction. You didnt object to banning mobiles so you cant now object to this.
You also wont be able to object to us banning children in cars, or car steroes, or women with big breasts walking near cars.
You cannot legislate against all bad things that may happen. People get killed on the roads with regular monotiny. Its unfortunate but its life.
youknowimright
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9:19pm Thu 6 Jan 11
Im sick of reading the PC-Brigade posts of Chris 'PC' Bacon and the frequently deluded posts of his chum Excluded from Sanity
Chris P Bacon
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10:09pm Thu 6 Jan 11
youknowimright wrote:That's because you don't like a few home truths being pointed out and can't handle knowing you've dropped a testicle.
WELL SAID BuckoTheMoose!!!!
Im sick of reading the PC-Brigade posts of Chris 'PC' Bacon and the frequently deluded posts of his chum Excluded from Sanity
burner
says...
11:16pm Thu 6 Jan 11
youknowimright wrote:You know, you ARE right. Let's have ANPR cameras on all main roads and get the no-insurance drivers - THAT'S real crime that hurts others. All you need is a manned observation room , the data-base will help track down the culprits.
Why don’t Lancashire police put more effort in to REAL CRIME? I’m sure they could spend of there resources looking for criminals instead of Joe bloggs on the phone. Pathetic. A crackdown on drug dealing, child abuse, tax evasion etc etc Only reason a ‘crackdown’ is underway, is because of the easy-money that’s made in fines. Look at statistics, you’ll find more accidents are caused through Drink-driving and under the influence of drugs than Joe ringing home to tell the wife to get the tea on….
Common_Sense1
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11:16pm Thu 6 Jan 11
teester
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11:25pm Thu 6 Jan 11
RAyzar
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11:51pm Thu 6 Jan 11
usual police wasting time, could be patrolling the street catching real criminals.
Lancs Lassie
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4:18am Fri 7 Jan 11
suttydog
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6:31am Fri 7 Jan 11
BuckoTheMoose
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8:59am Fri 7 Jan 11
We've got, "What if your kiddie got hit by a driver on a phone? Wail!"
As I've said, if you cause harm to someone, it's a crime and you should be punished accordingly. If you don't, you shouldn't.
We've even got someone screaming for ANPR cameras on every street to catch the uninsured. Do you all want to live in a society where we are all monitored and observed just in case we commit a crime?
Have a think, you people. One day the powers that be will pick something you do and call it a crime.
Punishing someone who has caused no harm to anyone is simply fund raising, nothing more.
useyourhead
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9:36am Fri 7 Jan 11
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it is a crime, and quite often leads to other discoveries when they stop the morons concerned, because they have no regard for the law they can usually be found to be flouting other laws too.
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as for it simply being a revenue raiser, here is a foolproof plan to scupper thier plans, lets all obey the law!
past it
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9:40am Fri 7 Jan 11
BuckoTheMoose
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9:59am Fri 7 Jan 11
I see how you altered my screen name there, as a little implied insult ;-)
I have never said a phonecall is more important than a life, or even implied it.
Some people can do some things safely and responsibly, but some are idiots. What I have said (repeatedly) is that only people who cause harm should be punished.
Useyourhead - ""lets all obey the law!"". The government love people like you. Bend over, no matter what they tell you is a crime. How about thinking for yourself a little bit more.
past it
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11:26am Fri 7 Jan 11
BuckoTheMoose
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12:16pm Fri 7 Jan 11
past it wrote:Moose. M.O.O.S.E.
Bukko the oh whatever, its to late when someone is dead or hurt you cant bring the dead back, prevention is better than dead.
Then we need to ban everything that could possibly kill a person, and I mean absolutely everything!.
Step ladders, kitchen knives, snow, toasters, hairdryers, scissors, cats (trip hazzard), governments, escalators, cars, french doors, candles, blenders, power tools, plastic bags, bees, NHS, bleach, fireworks, asprin, blue cheese, poetry, sex, peanuts, bugee jumping, kiwi fruit etc etc etc.
Prevention is better than dead!
abcde says...
5:28pm Thu 6 Jan 11