To think that if it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving a vehicle, it must be made illegal to push a pram?

Why can't you understand that I was quoting the exact words of someone who witnessed it. Their account was on another site, completely unconnected with this one.

I wanted opinions on it. It seemed to me to be absolutely wrong to endanger a child that way. It also occurred to me that it was equally wrong to endanger other pavement users, whether pushing a pram or riding a scooter or wheelchair, or pavement scooter.

Incidentally, this year the number of drivers handed instant fines for holding a phone and driving has gone up considerably in the past few years. That was on the news a couple of days ago.

It seems, even with a law against it, fools cannot help themselves.

If someone who was distracted on their phone ran into you and injured you, maybe having to be off work, wouldn't you want to do something about it?

If someone who was distracted on their phone ran into you and injured you, maybe having to be off work, wouldn't you want to do something about it?

From 2012 Western Australia -

A WEST Australian mother was issued with a $250 fine for talking on her mobile phone while pushing a pram along a footpath.
Police have confirmed the incident occurred in Mandurah on April 21 last year.
Inspector Bill Munnee said in a statement today the infringement was issued by a Senior Constable from the Peel Traffic office to the woman for using her mobile phone while she was in control of a pram as she walked her child on a footpath.

The fine, understood to be $250, was withdrawn within 24 hours when the Senior Constable’s boss realised the massive error.
“It was recognised as incorrect within 24 hours by police,” Insp Munnee said.
“As a result the officer’s OIC (officer in charge) immediately contacted the woman involved, attended her address and apologised (and) cancelled the infringement notice.
“The officer concerned had misinterpreted the law involved regarding the definition of a vehicle.”
Insp Munnee said the officer at the centre of incident “should have known better."
“He was provided guidance and the matter was adversely recorded on his performance file,” he said.
Insp Munnee said the woman concerned accepted the apology from police.

Is it just the degree of damage and injury which determines the law? Not everyone is injured in a road accident.

The witness saw a woman absorbed in her mobile phone, saw the bollard, quickly took evasive action which made the pram swerve and the child bang it's head on the bollard.

Only the person pushing the pram knows what happened next, because there is no law to make it illegal, so cannot be reported.

What if it isn't a bollard, but a person, and someone on the phone rams them with a pram? The child might be OK, but the person could lose their balance and fall, and hit their head. What then?

It was an eyeopener for me, because I never thought such things could happen.

Who pays compensation for injuries? It is hardly an accident if someone is on the phone with one hand - is it?

Not at all. I have nothing against mobile phones. I have nothing against mothers of young children.

Nor is the thread about that. It is about a witness who saw a woman pushing a pram who lost control because she was speaking on a mobile phone. It never occurred to me that such a thing would happen, not being able to go out without being driven.

I would be horrified if I saw a powered wheelchair user on the phone, not paying due care and attention, or someone pushing a wheelchair.doing the same.

It is irresponsible, and if it happens. It seems people will do what they like until it is declared illegal.

I thought it might be clearer like this:

Saw an incident two days ago: Young mother pushing child in a pushchair was glued to her smart phone, not looking to where she was going.

She was heading straight towards a fixed bollard at the side of the footpath. Last few seconds, she saw it, swerved suddenly, child rocked over to the side and hit bollard full face.

Stupidity of the highest order.

Pram driving licence. Mandatory annual pram inspections. Prison sentence if you let your child unbuckle themselves in a pushchair.

Also make it illegal to use a phone in all dangerous situations: going upstairs, in the vicinity of an active toaster, on the sofa in the absence of a safety rail.

Yes, I do and am not ashamed of that. It is the use of the phone, not the phone itself.

Don't any of the posters stop when the phone rings? Doesn't anyone see the danger?

Sore leg? If someone walks into you with a pram, or even a shopping bag, and hits your shin. It might not be just a sore leg. There is no fat layer between the shin bone and the skin. Once the skin is broken, it springs apart and causes an ulcer that could take months to heal. Don't you know that? The same for elbows and ankles.

Big oaks from little acorns grow.

First of all, I don't mention fathers because the witness - whoever it was, not me, which is why I copied it on this site,- doesn't mention men. I have not elaborated on my post, just put it how it was put to me. In my way of life, it never occurred to me that anyone could be so stupid as to push a pram with one hand and hold a phone with the other.

Before the mobile phone, a driver could be pulled over for not putting both hands of the wheel. Eating and drinking were also illegal, anything, in fact, which distracted the driver, including looking behind to see what the kids were up to on the back seat.

''How many deaths does it take to be told, that too many people have died''?

How many injuries is enough proof for you to think it is unwise to hold a phone with one hand, push a pram, or a shopping trolley, or something similar?