Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver breaks new laws on using mobiles
by Wendy Miller





TOUGHER penalties came into force today for people who use mobile phones while driving - but within hours this Glasgow cabbie was flouting the law.

We photographed the black Hackney driver in West George Street while he had one hand on the steering wheel and another on his phone.

From today, drivers caught using mobiles while at the wheel face three points on their licence and a £60 fine - up from £30.

Road users are also being warned that in the most serious cases they face being taken to court and given a £1000 fine.

advertisementBut the majority of drivers in Glasgow city centre seemed to be driving safely in the light of the new laws today, with many using hands-free kits.

Police are determined to crack down on the misuse of mobiles and are launching a nationwide campaign to catch the culprits.

However, those using hands-free phone kits are not guaranteed to escape. Police say a motorist could still be distracted and, as a result, the new penalties include an offence of not having proper control of a vehicle.

Chief Constable John Vine, chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, welcomed the tougher penalties and urged drivers not to answer their phone if it rings.

He said: "Divert your call, not your attention.

"If drivers take their eyes off the road or are distracted, even for a split second, because of a mobile phone then the consequences could be disastrous."

Recent Department for Transport figures show that while more than 90% of people agree with the mobiles ban, around 20% of drivers admit to breaking it.

Every day 500,000 motorists use a hand-held phone while driving and research shows those using a phone while driving are four times more likely to crash.

The maximum fine for bus, lorry or van drivers will be £2500. The worst offenders, such as those who cause an accident, could also be banned, but the sentences will be on a "case by case" basis.

The warning was made as eight "hitch-hikers" paraded in George Square today pretending to be workers who had lost their driving licence after being caught using a mobile.

They were part of a publicity stunt organised by the Scottish Executive's road safety unit to alert drivers to the new penalties for using mobiles while driving.

Three weeks ago the Evening Times shamed dozens of drivers in Glasgow by publishing pictures of drivers using mobiles.

Do you know the taxi driver pictured? If so, call our news desk on 0141 302 6520 or send an e-mail to: times@eveningtimes.co.uk

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/disp ... obiles.php

Using a mobile phone while driving is an offence, therefore we don't really have an excuse if we take a chance and get caught.

Regards

JD

If that copper got nicked for it, then I suppose we can't complain if it happens to us.

But it's so tempting.

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IDFIMH

What worries me is if as some police chiefs are calling for they extend the ban to Hands free which I rely on as do most of the local companies nobody round my way is big enough to afford to staff their offices round the clock

I can't see how it will apply to hands free, too many reps in the UK that can vote.

And what is more dangerous, a hands free or pressing the buttons on a data unit?

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IDFIMH

Now there kettle calling pan black, it was on yesterdays telly text that one chief constable John Vine was stopped while not on duty, by his own force and booked for using a mobile phone, someones not going to get promotion now

Well done to the officers who booked him and its always the same i bet there are lots of things they do that they shouldn't they just dont get caught or when they do the officers normally let them off, thankfully not in this case though

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

Are you sure it was John Vine, Chief Constable of Tayside - there was nothing in the Dundee press that I noticed, and if he was caught then it should be all over the local press, particularly since he's Scotland's top traffic cop.

Perhaps you're thinking of the Chief Supt in Glasgow who was caught a few days ago?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/gla ... 437393.stm

how far does it go? The day might come when we are not allowed to talk to the punter while driving.where would that leave us

Well in my case over the moon.

If they want someone to talk too, then they best go to the doctors.

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IDFIMH