Safe Speed Forums

Interesting story from today's news

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6287005.stm

In particular the following quote shows surprising insight.

That said, it is from the shadow transport secretary so his sentiments hold very little meaning as he's just playing the tune the public want to hear.

Not that I am cynical about our political system what so ever.

how many points will you get for texting while riding a motorcycle?

The reason I ask is just before xmas I was walking home in the wee small hours through sunny Southend when an R reg Fireblade rode toward me, the rider was texting. I though it was a one off and put it down to being very drunk.

But I saw him again yesterday and he was texting again.... now, you would have to say that a certain amount of skill is required to ride a 900cc sports bike and text with your left had (right hand throttle non bikers) while not crashing. He's clearly good at what he does.

That certainly does sound rather skilled.

I'll admit that I have sent the odd one word tx reply when phone has been in a map holder, but thats much simpler than actually holding it whilst riding.

I guess they wouldn't think to include it though.

I would just warn folk not to use one in Co Durham or N. Yorks. Tis a twee old fashioned style we have up in these "'eathen parts" or God's own country.. whichever "God or police force " goes with you

(Been rehearsing with the choir .. hymns. this time.. For benefit of the lurks.. these are traditional hymns as sung when great composers like Vivaldi and bach were lads After an evening of singing His praises .. it kinda gets under the skin )

But seriously.. our lads and lasses seem to have "inner radar" as regards the moving traffic and mobile phone offences

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I think the stupid mobile phone law would include this, as it is an "interactive communication function". But was he 'driving dangerously'?

Here is the stupid law: The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use)(Amendment)(No. 4) Regulations 2003. Good name, huh?

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Andrew.

The name is about as good as paragraphs one through six. Excessively long, drawn out and dull.

What ever happend to brevity?

I note that the new law has removed the "loophole" that theoretically allowed most mobile phones to be used hand-held because, under the old legislation, they were technically two-way radios. This one bans the use of hand-held mobile phones or a device, other than a two-way radio, which performs an interactive communication function by transmitting and receiving data. However, since it does not explicitly define "mobile phone", which probably means that the old definition still applies and a "mobile phone" is "a device, other than a two-way radio ..." and the definition of "two-way radio" seems to include Bluetooth and WiFi equipped phones.

Interestingly, either the old loophole remains or this new law seems to ban the use of Tetra equipment by the police - because there is no explicit exemption and Tetra is mobile telephony.

You couldn't make it up

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Will

There is a new law? That's the latest one I know of. I thought they were just changing the penalty?

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Andrew.

So, It's an addition rather than something that replaces existing regulations. However, when we had the conversation in this thread, AFAICT, the legislation defined a mobile phone as "a device other than a two-way radio..." and so it looks like they've changed the 2003 legislation to replace the old S110 with a new version.

So, this might mean that police use of any hand-held mobile phone (including Tetra) is now unlawful even if it is being used as a two-way radio at the time.

BTW, where's the legislation that revokes the old S110? If there is none, does that mean we have two (contradictory) versions of the same law currently in force?

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Will

What I mean is is there a new law since "The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use)(Amendment)(No. 4) Regulations 2003"? Because before that is wasn't illegal to use a mobile phone while driving, so long as you did it safely. (or that's how I understand it)
Now it's illegal to do it safely.

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Andrew.

anyone know where these stats (quoted from here) came from?

If he does while wheelying then ill be impressed.

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as he went past he started a filtering manouver, couldn't tell weather or not the phone had been put, errr, in a holder or his pocket by this time.