From: John_H on 16 Jul 2010 17:56 George W Frost wrote: > >It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving and also while stopped on >the side of the road, >to use the phone legally, you have to be parked with the engine off >preferably, of coarse, that all depends on the copper who books you They should book them for using a mobile phone anywhere within 300m of other traffic! :) On country roads in particular, it's now common to have the car in front suddenly pull off the bitumen and stop without the driver looking behind or indicating. When the conversation ends it's the exact opposite... back onto the bitumen without looking or indicating. Recently happened upon a scene where a semi had just cleaned up a milk truck when the driver did exactly that. Very spectacular it was too. I've got no idea whether the cops booked the milko for using his phone or not, though they probably had far more serious offences to hit him with (like driving without due care). -- John H
From: hippo on 16 Jul 2010 18:02 John_H wrote: > > George W Frost wrote: > > > >It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving and also while stopped on > >the side of the road, > >to use the phone legally, you have to be parked with the engine off > >preferably, of coarse, that all depends on the copper who books you > > They should book them for using a mobile phone anywhere within 300m of > other traffic! :) > > On country roads in particular, it's now common to have the car in > front suddenly pull off the bitumen and stop without the driver > looking behind or indicating. When the conversation ends it's the > exact opposite... back onto the bitumen without looking or indicating. > > Recently happened upon a scene where a semi had just cleaned up a milk > truck when the driver did exactly that. Very spectacular it was too. > I've got no idea whether the cops booked the milko for using his phone > or not, though they probably had far more serious offences to hit him > with (like driving without due care). > Might give high churn costs a whole new meaning hey? -- Posted at www.usenet.com.au
From: Sylvia Else on 16 Jul 2010 21:40 On 17/07/2010 7:32 AM, George W Frost wrote: > "Sylvia Else"<sylvia(a)not.here.invalid> wrote in message > news:8ab596Fvi3U2(a)mid.individual.net... >> On 16/07/2010 1:29 PM, George W Frost wrote: >>> "^Tems^"<stevebrooks13(a)live.com> wrote in message >>> news:4c3fc9f7$0$10174$c30e37c6(a)pit-reader.telstra.net... >>>> Sylvia Else wrote: >>>>> This message in the subject line appears on RTA electronic signs from >>>>> time to time. >>>>> >>>>> I've had a recent discussion with the RTA over whether that message >>>>> would encourage drivers caught in traffic jams to call to report an >>>>> incident even though doing so is unlawful when it involves the use of a >>>>> hand-held mobile phone. >>>>> >>>>> The RTA's response has been that passengers might make the call, or >>>>> that >>>>> drivers sometimes pull-over and make a call. >>>>> >>>>> Which is true, but to my mind rather misses the point. >>>>> >>>>> Sylvia. >>>> >>>> So it is legal to use a phone while stopped on the side of the road but >>>> not while stopped in a lane? >>>> >>>> They should put up an email address as it isn't illegal to send an email >>>> from your phone while driving >>> >>> It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving and also while stopped >>> on >>> the side of the road, >>> to use the phone legally, you have to be parked with the engine off >>> preferably, of coarse, that all depends on the copper who books you >>> >>> >> >> Whether the engine has to be off seems highly debatable. You have to be >> parked, but I can't see that anything stops you being parked with the >> engine on. >> >> Sylvia. > > As I said, it all depends on the frame of mind of the copper who may or may > not book you > it is to his discretion Whether or not the engine has to be off is a question of law. The Police officer may issue a penalty notice, but if it's challenged in court, the outcome will turn on whether the courts view the engine being off as an essential element of being parked. Sylvia. >
From: Sylvia Else on 16 Jul 2010 21:46 On 17/07/2010 7:57 AM, Epsilon wrote: > I agree. The legislation applies to a mobile phone, not this device. In > cases of uncertainty about the scope of the law in a criminal offence, > the law is given a narrow construction, not a wide one. Legislative > amendment seems necessary. Yes, with the obvious amendment being to ban mobile phone use outright while driving. All the evidence is that it's the use that is dangerous, not the holding in the hand. Sylvia.
From: Albm&ctd on 17 Jul 2010 01:51
In article <8a9su0FusmU1(a)mid.individual.net>, sylvia(a)not.here.invalid says... > This message in the subject line appears on RTA electronic signs from > time to time. > > I've had a recent discussion with the RTA over whether that message > would encourage drivers caught in traffic jams to call to report an > incident even though doing so is unlawful when it involves the use of a > hand-held mobile phone. > > The RTA's response has been that passengers might make the call, or that > drivers sometimes pull-over and make a call. > > Which is true, but to my mind rather misses the point. > > Sylvia. > I take it you could report an ugly rear end of a new Mondeo for stinging ones eyes in public as an incident. Lucky I don't have a mobile phone.. and live in Qld. Al -- I don't take sides. It's more fun to insult everyone. http://kwakakid.cjb.net/insult.html |