Pointless question regarding using a mobile phone while driving..

[calumhibee1]

If your car has a stop/start engine and you’re at a set of traffic lights with your handbrake on, can you legally use your phone? Someone in my work got done doing it, he’s no complaints and I would say he should have been, but we did wonder if technically he shouldn’t have been?

[Pretty Boy]

I'd imagine there will be a similar provision as 'drunk in charge of a vehicle' rather than drink driving but I don't know for definite.

[JeMeSouviens]

If your car has a stop/start engine and you’re at a set of traffic lights with your handbrake on, can you legally use your phone? Someone in my work got done doing it, he’s no complaints and I would say he should have been, but we did wonder if technically he shouldn’t have been?

No, you can't. You have to be parked up.

https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-driving-the-law

[HibbyDave]

I believe you need to be parked and engine switched off with keys removed.

[snooky]

I believe you need to be parked and engine switched off with keys removed.

Jesus, that's a bit OTT however, from previous experiences of twats that make up rules, it doesn't surprise me :crazy:

[Geo_1875]

I believe you need to be parked and engine switched off with keys removed.

That's correct. I remember reading about a guy down South who was charged for using his phone and for having his engine running while sitting in a layby. Went to court where the Magistrate slaughtered the police for their jobsworth attitude and gave the guy a minimal fine.

[HibbyDave]

Jesus, that's a bit OTT however, from previous experiences of twats that make up rules, it doesn't surprise me :crazy:

Unsure if you mean to imply that i’m the twat.... can you clarify?
i do know someone who got done for exactly what i described though so maybe just some other twats rules being applied.

[snooky]

Unsure if you mean to imply that i’m the twat.... can you clarify?
i do know someone who got done for exactly what i described though so maybe just some other twats rules being applied.

No, I definitely don't mean you, HD. Apologies if my post was ambiguous.

I'm referring to the people who make any rules/laws. They either go totally OTT or implement something that is a total disaster because they haven't thought through what they are actually doing.

[HibbyDave]

Cheers

[Scouse Hibee]

In the meantime every day I see folk driving holding a phone to their ear.

[RyeSloan]

In the meantime every day I see folk driving holding a phone to their ear.

It’s not something Insee very often I must admit. If I do it tends to be van drivers Rather than car drivers.

Do most cars not come with Bluetooth for your phone these days anyway?

[Colr]

It’s not something Insee very often I must admit. If I do it tends to be van drivers Rather than car drivers.

Do most cars not come with Bluetooth for your phone these days anyway?

I see it all the time in London.

...and yes they do!

[calumhibee1]

I believe you need to be parked and engine switched off with keys removed.

This is more what I was getting at in my post but didn’t describe - hand brake on, engine cut out due to stop/start and no ignition for the keys to be “removed” from. So the only difference being that they weren’t in a proper parking space.

As for the people saying that it’s a bit extreme - I got points for being pulled over at the side of leith links, in a parking space with my engine running and phone to my ear. To be fair I also had my foot on the foot brake rather than the handbrake on, but I still remember feeling very aggrieved at what could easily have been dealt with by having a wee word in my ear.

[speedy_gonzales]

This post, although valid here, could just as easily be in the Pet Peeves thread or another driving thread;
Mobile phone use, not so much making calls but the more dangerous use of browsing/social media/texting.
I do see this every day, driving around the city and all over the central belt. At the risk of upsetting a narrow %age of drivers it is usually young ladies that I see when stopped at lights.
The car will come to stop, the driver will grab the phone from the console or passenger seat, they'll unlock it, select an app, flick their eyes forward then back to the screen, swipe, swype or text away with their thumbs, flick their eyes forward again, see traffic has moved off then have a glance to the rearview before making off.
Unfortunately there's too many out there and the Police just don't have the resources to deal with it appropriately.

[jonty]

This is more what I was getting at in my post but didn’t describe - hand brake on, engine cut out due to stop/start and no ignition for the keys to be “removed” from. So the only difference being that they weren’t in a proper parking space.

As for the people saying that it’s a bit extreme - I got points for being pulled over at the side of leith links, in a parking space with my engine running and phone to my ear. To be fair I also had my foot on the foot brake rather than the handbrake on, but I still remember feeling very aggrieved at what could easily have been dealt with by having a wee word in my ear.

I think being at traffic lights is the biggest issue. He was on the road and should be prepared to pull away.

With regards to the keyless ignitions, you still have to press the start/stop button, so if the its not 'stopped' i suspect the manufacturers will claim the engine is still running, or the car turned on.

I think most people would feel pissed off to be collared when they had pulled over. You would think common sense would prevail.
Even if you were to stall the car while sat at the side of the road, its unlikely you'd do anyone any harm.
Distracted while in motion is obviously a different matter.