I just can't stand this anymore- I gotta vent. I am totally amazed at the number of idiot people who choose to talk into their hand-held mobile phones whilst driving. It is just as dangerous as drink driving yet it seems to be so much more acceptable. Why is this? Is it sheer arrogance or just natural stupidity that drives (no pun intended)these individuals to flout the law- and even more importantly- not hesitating to put other road users and pedestrians at mortal risk due to their inattention and selfishness. While it is difficult to legislate for stupidity our laws need to be tougher and come down just as hard on these people as they are on drunk drivers.

I see it frequently and the user usually shows no fear of police. Why would they the police arent there. Police are the great failure of the state governments. The state politicians want their bright, shiny new buildings and their self-aggrandising schemes but forget about what they have already built as systems to manage the state. If you want a vision of the future click on 2 Timothy 3. It equates to the film "Children Of Men".

One of the first instincts when a phone rings is to answer it as soon as possible in case one misses the call, and I believe this is the basis of answering mobile calls on the run, regardless of the lawful consequences. Most of these habits are avoidable, e.g., business calls where other diversions (may be) put in place, and other important calls, for which hands free devices are available. Other replies are un-necessary; what is the frantic necessity to reply to Mildred or Cedric for some social palaver? The law as exists is futile. and I believe some technical solution to disable mobile phone call connection in-vehicle without hands-free (e.g. bluetooth) or other means, needs to be explored. Perhaps CSIRO? What do you think?

Apparently people using hands free have the same amount of accidents as people holding a phone. It's the distraction, not the hand off the wheel.

Well Vanilla, can you back up your assertion with stats, would be happy to accept some data, just as a general view on this subject. Thankyou

The problem is that the people who do this think that the chance of being caught by a police officer is very tiny indeed, and that no one else can do anything about their indiscretions.

For a large portion of the populace, it’s all about the perceived risk of being caught, and has nothing to do with respect for the law or concern about the risks to one’s safety or the safety of others.

That’s the thing we need to address.

Of course, the number of police on the ground is always going to be piddlingly small. So what’s the answer?

It is simple – empowerment of the normal citizen to do something about it. If citizens were encouraged by police, in a major publicity campaign, to quietly take a few photos with their mobile phone or other camera of a person when they encounter them using a mobile phone while driving.

Photos of the person, the car in its larger setting and the number plate would be sufficient evidence to take a complaint to the police.

Only a passenger would be able to do this from a moving vehicle of course.

Complaints of this sort should be facilitated as much as possible. Currently, the police appear to be awfully negative towards this sort of community policing effort, which is an absolute crying shame and which is strongly against the general ethics of policing.

Complaints could be made by email. The police would be able to quickly assess the photos to see if there is sufficient evidence, and quickly issue a fine notice accordingly.

Empowerment of the people to do something about upholding the law is the key. If every citizen is a potential police officer in the eyes of would-be offenders, then this abuse of mobile phones…and many other misdemeanours, would drop right off.

Like you TammyJo, I get extremely frustrated at my inability to do anything about blatant law-breaking. It disgusts me to the extreme that citizens are virtually powerless to do anything, unless an accident has occurred.