WIBU to send any videos of drivers using mobile phones to the police?

[Olympiathequeen]

Using my car cam? I drive 45 minutes most days mostly motorways and I see drivers using mobiles, talking, texting every day.

I couldn't watch the footage of the lorry driver who killed a family because he was using his phone, but I gather it was horrifying. It's totally wrong and infuriates me that they get away with it.

I used to take the odd call if I thought it was important, but now I will leave it or pull over or put it on Bluetooth. I wouldn't do it now as I realise how dangerous it is.

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

YANBU.

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

But you'd have to make sure you got the car reg and make if possible.

[PovertyPain]

I'm a bit of a Luddite, but surely you'd have to handle the phone to put it on blue tooth?

[BeBeatrix]

Not unreasonable in the context you describe.

I wouldn't do it if they were using their phone when the car isn't moving though - e.g. in a traffic jam, or a long wait at traffic lights. Yes, I know it's still illegal, but it's just not in the same league of danger as using it at 70mph, yet the penalty is just as heavy.

[LurkingHusband]

I'm a bit of a Luddite, but surely you'd have to handle the phone to put it on blue tooth?

my phone pairs automatically when I'm in the car.

HOWEVER my pairing then switches the phone to auto-respond to texts and calls that I'm driving, and sends calls to voicemail.

One of the few times TV has changed my behaviour is the "Mythbusters" demonstration that even hands-free, you are as impaired as a drunk driver.

It's very worrying that a search for "driving apps" in the Android store brings back loads of apps that are specifically aimed at allowing drivers to text/talk hands free. They should be aimed at preventing phone use when driving.

[Okite]

I wish I had a dash cam, I was waiting in a queue at temporary traffic lights the other day and a car a few places back just decided to overtake everyone and go through the red lights, I'd have got a great view of him. 😡

[wifeyhun]

YANBU a few weeks back when it was snowing our rear dash cam caught the woman behind constantly on her phone she was even taking pictures. We sent it to the police and they were going to contact her.

[WorraLiberty]

I wouldn't do it if they were using their phone when the car isn't moving though - e.g. in a traffic jam, or a long wait at traffic lights.

Those drivers don't keep everyone waiting, while they say "Bye, I have to go now as the traffic is moving/lights have changed".

They still pull off, whilst finishing the call.

[LurkingHusband]

But you'd have to make sure you got the car reg and make if possible.

The quality of my dashcam is amazing. Reg numbers are crystal clear, as are faces. If it were to be used in court you would have no problem identifying the driver.

Little tip for anyone whose dashcam records sound: if you do see something, read out the reg no. of the vehicle involved if you can. That way if the camera didn't catch it, it will be on the audio. (There are at least two drivers who thought they'd got away with a hit'n'run who had a nasty surprised thanks to some quick thinking drivers) ...

[WorraLiberty]

Speaking as a lollipop lady, I wish everyone had dash cams/helmet cams.

They're bloody brilliant things.

[user1471596238]

It's hard to imagine anyone thinking it would BU to pass footage of someone using their phone whilst driving onto the police. It must be very difficult for them to catch people in the act and I have no sympathy for drivers who have such a total disregard for the safety of pedestrians and other drivers.

[WorraLiberty]

Mind you, I live in an area covered by the Met Police and I can't imagine they have enough money or resources to look into lots of images sent in by the public.

Which is a real shame.

[Joey7t8]

All seems a bit snitchy, but I suppose if people are aware that there are citizens prepared to do this, then it'll stop people doing it and save lives.

I won't deny that, in the past, I've been guilty of scanning my mirrors for panda cars before making a call.

[Olympiathequeen]

Wow. I thought I'd get slaughtered. The dash cam is brilliant quality for something costing £15. I was amazed.

I think if an army of dash cam snitches was out there and other drivers knew it the police wouldn't need additional resources (which they apparently will be doing) to catch these people. The deterrent factor would be enough.

[sirfredfredgeorge]

I live in an area covered by the Met Police and I can't imagine they have enough money or resources to look into lots of images sent in by the public.

But they do have a form for reporting, and let you upload video, exactly as the OP wants:

beta.met.police.uk/report/report-a-road-traffic-incident/

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

If you have loads of spare time to go to court as a witness and hand your camera over to have the footage downloaded (which isn't just a ten minute job) then crack on.

Also just pointing out you are still committing an offence if you're looking at your mobile whilst traffic is stationary.

[CharlieDimmocksbosoms]

My Dh is a biker and has a camera on his bike. He was behind a stationary queue of traffic on the motorway with another bike in front. A BMW swerved out from somewhere behind and then cut in front of him knocking the other biker off his bike. Then swung out again and zoomed off down the hard shoulder and pulled off at the junction. It was very quick and as other drivers had got out to check on the injured biker he chased the BMW to record his number plate and passed him to record the young male driver's face. He then rang the non emergency police number to let them know he had the info. They came and copied the footage to use in court. The other biker was just bruised but the car driver got sentenced.
I think if your car cam is on anyway go for it but if you have to fiddle with it turning it on then that's as bad as being on your phone to be honest.

[Quimby]

I don't think yabu but I don't see what the police would be able to do with the images unless you were to show up to court every time someone contested the issue.
Surely the footage/images would be inadmissible under hearsay rules without the person who created them being available to give evidence.

[RB68]

No they are not inadmissable and most forces encourage you to send in clips like this with a short statement and they do use them to prosecute

[Quimby]

If that's the case then send away.

That's really interesting, I'm in a different jurisdiction but our rules of evidence tend to follow the English position and it wouldn't be allowed here.
How do they get around the hearsay element? Have they enacted specific legislation to allow for this sort of prosecution?

[user1471537877]

Do it, as a nurse I've seen the death and destruction this causes

A while ago we were driving in bad traffic with a lorry driver on his phone for 20 mins next to us

DH was a senior person within the company we took his details and reported him

It was his 2nd offence, clearly he hadn't learned his lesson so the company sacked him

I have no time for such selfish individuals, driving is a privilege not a right

[EmeraldScorn]

Mumsnet = A busybody's wet dream!

[angelcakerocks]

YABU - members of the public policing other members of the public = slippery slope

[StrawberryShortcake32]

I work for a mobile phone company. If any of the employees are caught using their phone while driving it's instant dismissal.

Rightly so. I've had taxi drivers use their mobile before. One of them got really pissed off and aggressive when I asked him to switch to hands free.

What's wrong with some people! YANBU

[Crunchyside]

YANBU, not sure where you live but Sussex Police has an initiative for this purpose, Operation Crackdown, you can easily report stuff on their website and upload photos (even if you don't have a photo, you can still report it - could be they've had 2 other reports for the same driver already!).

I reported a bloke who we spotted in the same traffic, same time of day 3 days in a row, scrolling through Facebook on his phone while in slow moving traffic on dual carriageway. Yes, it's slow moving, but he could still go into the back of someone, and there needs to be a zero tolerance policy - if he's doing it then, he's more likely to get distracted by a notification or something when he's in riskier traffic situations too. I got a response to my report a few days later saying the person will be sent a warning letter.

If they haven't been caught before, worst they'll probably get is a warning letter, if they have been caught before then there should be real consequences.

I can't believe people think it's "snitching" or being a "busybody". People forget how extremely dangerous driving is - I mean, it might seem like a nice comfortable safe haven, but you're literally hurtling around in a 2 tonne hunk of metal... Just imagine being hit by a metal hubcap coming towards you at even just 20 miles an hour - painful, potentially even fatal. Now imagine the rest of a whole frigging car, how heavy that is and how much momentum it has! Drivers need to be 100% alert and responsible, we cannot allow people to get away with dangerous driving. It needs to be completely socially unacceptable, same as drink driving.