Ludwig- your comments regarding increasing the community policing of cell phone drivers has merit. However, when one really thinks it through it is probably not workable. I think people just could not be bothered to report this issue. They would have to take the picture of the offender and the licence plate, process the photo's into a hard copy, go to police station (sometimes only open at certain times), make a formal complaint/statement etc. In these days of people being time poor and wrapped up in their own lives, I do not believe they could be bothered. Furthermore, society at large would likely feel quite uncomfortable with taking on a policing role. Also, there is the potential for a road rage incident to occur thereby endangering the person reporting the incident. There are just too many negative aspects that outweigh the positive ones that would ensure community policing of this issue to be doomed.

Ludwig, I'm not 'cold' to your idea of policing, but like Tammy-Jo, I find that it's just too impractical to take pictures of someone while using the phone.
Usually you see these drivers in a flash- one would firstly have to have a passenger to do the photographing, then one would have to follow them from behind to take a picture of the number plate, then pull up beside them to photograph them through the side window to snap them in action on the phone. Will this lead to car chases and dangerous driving?

The simplest way would still be the disabling device I mentioned; mobile phones will automatically be turned off as soon as they're taken into the car. Problem solved.

In New Zealand there is a "report a driver" scheme and I have enclosed the website that explains it. This scheme includes all manner of idiot driving issues (speeding, tailgating etc..) Also, there has been some talk by state pollies on setting up a 'dob a driver' scheme- article also enclosed. Perhaps implementing a scheme similar to the New Zealand model could be considered and legislated for. That would certainly act to deter culprits and utilizes community resources- the people!! I honestly think this is the way to go.

http://www.police.govt.nz/service/road/roadwatch.html

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=79964

TammyJo

Thankyou very much for those links. They made my day.

I support Dr Bob Such and the New Zealand online road safety complaint report facility all the way.

They are such simple ideas. There is no excuse for their non-implementation in Australia.

Regarding taking photos as evidence for formal complaints; I reckon there would be a lot of people out there who would be only too willing to be prepared to do it.

It is actually a lot easier than you perceive. Digital photos can be very easily downloaded and emailed. Photos from my camera, and I presume from at least some mobile phones, have the time and date attached to the filename, if not imprinted on the image.

I can’t imagine it would be that hard to get one shot of the driver with mobile phone to ear and then one of the licence plate. Sometimes you wouldn’t be able to get the second photo, but mostly you would.

Celivia, you couldn’t get embroiled in a car-chase, tailgating event or other harassment in order to get your photos without committing an offence yourself. You’d have to do it coolly, calmly and totally legally.

Only a very small portion of the public would need to do this to greatly increase effective policing. The key point is; that if any member of the public can potentially do this, then most would-be offenders would surely stop undertaking blatant offences.

Alright, so maybe gathering hard evidence is a bit much for most people. Being able to make complaints without any hard evidence and have them taken seriously would be just wonderful.

If the police would be so kind as to keep a database of complaints, inform every driver when a complaint is made, and act against any driver that incurs say three complaints in quick succession of five in three months by way of charging them with dangerous driving…then we would definitely see huge inroads made towards safer roads!! !! !!