The point is that 'driving without due care and attention' requires a court to confirm a policeman's interpretation of the circumstances, and many and varied are the reports of such cases that get into the papers. Holding a mobile phone while driving is an 'absolute' either/or situation - hence the decision to allow the police to issue an on-the-spot administrative fine rather than the extended palaver of a court hearing (unless the driver in question wants to appeal). It could in time be extended to cans, plates, back-seat driver's throat or whatever...

Patrick, don't you remember the highly publicised fine that the police gave a woman who was stopped at traffic lights and took a sip out of her can? They're already doing it!
Some posters have said it would be unenforcable, but the UK police can spot a traffic offence by smell alone. Burglary, drugs or muggings they can't see but driving - they don't miss.
When you consider that the police are now prosecuting ambulance paramedics as well as drivers taking blood and organs to hospital for speeding then you know that the whole police force in the UK has gone completely mad.

My brother was stopped and fined at least 10 years ago for driving whilst eating a hamburger, under the UK's "driving without due care and attention" law, so it is enforceable.

Whilst many people hate the over-zealous speed cameras in the UK (me included - was caught just last week), I think public opinion is pretty universally behind this new mobile phone law.

Since most people in Charlotte have enough trouble driving anyway (I personally think everyone should have to drive on the AutoBahn to get a license) I am all for the cell phone ban. I'll throw in the females doing their make-up as well since I was held up by two of them this morning.

I have family that lived in Texas, and I know that they have a no cell phone while driving law in effect there. As for me, I live in Michigan- I imagine we will be the last state in the country to adopt this law. Personally, I'm for it- I really don't think its all that necessary to talk on the phone while driving.

I thought they had passed a law in Michigan a few years back while I still lived there. I guess there was just lots of talk. (Isn't there always in politics. :) )

Anyway, as to comments about other distractions, I remember an NPR (US National Public Radio) report a few years back that showed that it was the actual conversation on the cell phone/mobile/handy that caused the problems. In fact, they showed that the problems arose roughly equally _with_ or without a handsfree set. The authors claimed that when talking on a mobile, the person at the other end cannot respond to changes in traffic as a passanger would. Unfortunately I don't have a real source as it was at least 2-3 years back.

Paul

First let me say that I am sure I am a Sexist Pig for saying this ... but...

I have noticed that while women may talk on a mobile, yell at the children in the backseat, check their lipstick in the mirror, they still manage to drive a car.
But there are some men out there and You know who you are, who find it quite difficult to think/talk and drive at the same time.
I think this is because men were programmed to do the job and get it done, one at a time.
Women had to be able to feed the baby, clean the house and kill the bear and cook it for dinner all at the same time, therefore, Women are much better at Multi-tasking :D

Using children as airbags in the front seat? Well, that's a novel use of children! But wouldn't it run into anti-child labor laws some place? LOL!

Yesterday Central Command called and told me to go and open my front door because the repair man was already out front. I opened the door and no one was there. Central Command called back and said that she was mistaken, the repair man had called and said he was on his way. Whew! Otherwise, I would have had to call in Perry Mason in the Case of the Missing Repair Man! Mobile phones can be extremely useful in coordination cases like this.

Scarlett;
But can ye parralel park?

Ahh Marcus, darlin, I was raised in the South and learned to drive at a very early age.
I can parallel park very well :) Which causes much admiration here in NYC where you usually get just one chance to get it right ~

Any chance you'd pop over here and show 'em the knack.

"Over here" being Scotland?

When this move is over, I am setting my sights on Japan then England/Scotland/Cornwall/Paris/Tuscany... well, you see the way my mind works~

Sorry, that was a bit presumptious.
Over here being Ireland.

Hi

It is illegal in Norway as well and it has been illegal for a couple of years now.

Regards
Gard
www.gardkarlsen.com - trip reports/pictures

Illegal in Greece as well. However the rule is bit stricter since even the use of a hands free set is prohibited. The only permissible way to talk on the phone while driving is to use a permanently installed car kit. The reasoning behind this is that only a car kit keeps both the driver's hands on the steering wheel. Nevertheless the same goes with a cordless (bluetooth) hands free which technically is illegal. Needless to say that this law is hardly enforced!

I beg your pardon, marcus, for not thinking Ireland, instead of Scotland, but the "ye" in your original question threw me off :)
I would be thrilled to come to Ireland and show those handsome Irishmen how to parralel park! My friend Mina has already had some success in doing just that~
((F))

In Michigan, any such ban seems instantly doomed in a political sense. Apparently in the sense that it's bad enough to ban motorcycle riding without helmet, car riding without seatbelt, but woe to anyone who would dare ban a call that might be important. Thought: if there's such a need to communicate at all times, why not make cell phones mandatory, and also abolish answering machines?

I'm a little confused by the allowing of the hands free speakers, since most people still have to pick up something and dial, don't they? That's when I see the eratic drivers in front of me, when they're dialing their phones, not when they're just talking on them. But frankly I'd wish they'd all be banned -- they really are a menace to other drivers!!!

Could we ban them in the grocery stores also? and how about video stores?
Or standing in line for a movie..

Scarlett;
No, because then you'd be living in a fascist country. Yes, it can be annoying at times but that's just another part of the technological age we have to put up with. Etiquette and manners are old hat for a lot of these people. You can't impose a law on manners. Can you?
But I do look forward to the ban here on safety grounds.Long overdue, even if it will be difficult to enforce.
By the way I'm really, really bad at that parking malarky. Will ya pencil me in for a few lessons?