Jail for phone use

Not content with giving thousands of citizen’s personal data away to any Russian scammer that cares to download it, the British government now has a new way of keeping the masses down trodden.

British motorists now face the prospect of jail time if caught talking on a handheld mobile phone or sending a text while driving.

They could now be charged with dangerous driving, a charge which carries a two-year maximum sentence and an unlimited fine. This is reserved for “serious,” cases. The more frivolous the call, the stiffer the penalty I assume. I suspect calling an 0800 sex number is more serious than calling your Mum to tell her you’ll be late for dinner.

Currently, motorists face an automatic fine and three points on their license under the lesser charge of careless driving.

Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald said earlier this year that drivers who flout the law and drive dangerously should face tougher penalties.

“There is widespread public concern about the use of mobile phones and other handheld electronic equipment while driving,” he said.

Using a phone while driving was made illegal in 2003, but thousands of drivers break that law every day, unlike the speeding laws which nobody breaks

Sheila Granger, campaigns manager of the Royal Automobile Club (RAC), said, “We’d like to see police on the streets, taking action. The best deterrent is for a motorist to be either pulled over themselves or know someone else who has been stopped.” Of course, since the wide spread introduction of CCTV cameras we no longer have any police of the streets.

The ban does not cover hands-free phones, but drivers who use them can still be charged, if police think they’re not in control of their car, which leaves all sorts of open ended possibilities. How can a police man tell if you are using a hands free set? Next step, warrantless stop and search.

British government Minister Liam Byrne was fined £100 last month after admitting to speaking on his mobile while driving in Birmingham. I wonder if the same rule will apply to watching videos as well?