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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

78 replies

Olympiathequeen · 01/03/2017 11:42

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.

OP posts:
user1486924355 · 01/03/2017 19:09

Sorry, but nobody likes a 'grass'. Why not leave it to the professionals, i.e., the police.

BeBeatrix · 01/03/2017 19:14

Me:
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

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

Yes, like I said. Confused

OpalMoon · 01/03/2017 19:14

Today I drove a grand total of 6 miles. In that distance my dash cam (also NextBase) captured a van that failed to stop at a red light, a woman putting on mascara, 2 people on phones, and a very dangerous overtake on a double whites/blind bend that almost caused a head on collision.

Will I do anything with the footage? No. I won't. In due course it will get overwritten. If there had been accident captured then I would have made it known to the parties involved I had footage that may help.

I can see the point that maybe if the dangerous overtake driver is spoken to it may make them think again, but somehow I doubt it.

You can't legislate against stupid and selfish and the people who do this knowing full well they are breaking the law and endangering lives will continue to think it won't happen to them.

Until it does and lives are ruined.

PhilODox · 01/03/2017 19:15

May I ask which dash cam you got/where it's from?
Am thinking of putting one in.

Yoksha · 01/03/2017 19:28

A lady my daughter works with was in an accident caused by the guy using his mobile. He was arguing aggressively with her as to fault. When she informed him its ok! "It's all recorded on my dashcam", he went apeshit. He was trying to get into her car to destroy the dashcam. She acted quickly and made up a lie that he was too late. The dashcam downloads to her email account automatically. I was Shock at his behaviour.

Be careful out there dashcam warriors.

SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower · 01/03/2017 19:31

YANBU. I really want a dash cam, but no idea which one to get. Another one wondering which one you've got OP

OpalMoon · 01/03/2017 19:51

Yoksha that was quick thinking of your daughter, I hope she's okay and not too shaken.

OpalMoon · 01/03/2017 19:52

Oops, just realised it was your daughter's friend... on phone and typing Blush

Original poster
Olympiathequeen · 01/03/2017 20:03

www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Legend-HD-Vehicle-Recorder/dp/B005Q6CJI4/ref=sr_1_26?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1488394639&sr=1-26&keywords=dash+cam&tag=mumsnetforum-21#Ask

This is the dash cam I've got, and the pictures are really good. It sits there and just records! Have a look at the reviews and the picture image. The instructions were a bit gobbledygook but anyone savvy can work it out.

I would maybe get a more expensive one in future , but it does the job. I'm probably going to get a rear one too now that I'm a caped crusader Grin

I have no intention of confronting anyone but would be happy for people to get warning letters so maybe they will think twice.

OP posts:
OP posts:
OP posts:
KanyesVest · 01/03/2017 20:23

They look interesting. Is the little screen not really distracting though? Can it be turned off?

Laiste · 01/03/2017 20:34

Can you use these to report tailgaters?

Yoksha · 01/03/2017 20:36

I'd "grass". Just like I'd " grass " if I saw someone under the influence get behind a wheel.

OpalMoon Grin

supermoon100 · 01/03/2017 20:53

If more people 'grassed' maybe Jimmy Saville and the like wouldn't have got away with it for so long. Grass away!

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 01/03/2017 20:57

I would in theory, but there's no way I could be bothered to go to court if it came to that so in practice I probably wouldn't.

One question regarding hands free, how is talking on a hands free any more distracting than talking to a passenger, having kids in the car or singing along to the radio?

khajiit13 · 01/03/2017 21:11

I think more people should have dashcams. Can be invaluable when there's been an accident and drivers are disputing over who is at fault, as far as I'm aware , insurance companies happily accept clips and consider the footage and use then as evidence. I don't have one but have noticed a dash camera on me before, I have no issue with being filmed driving. When things go wrong in driving the stakes are high. I wouldn't take the time to report phone users etc but for road rage and really dangerous driving I might.

khajiit13 · 01/03/2017 21:15

Pinksparkly, it's no secret drivers are more distracted when there are passengers in the car. I don't think singing along to the radio compares there, there is next to no thought process there.

And the biggest phone user offenders I see are actually people texting, facebooking and use snapchat (!?) while driving, rather than actual phone calls (although I see plenty of those too)

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 01/03/2017 21:47

I would say I'm more distracted if my mother is in the car than if I'm using my hands free!

I use my hands free but the phone is in my bag so I don't touch it, let alone FB or Snapchat! I'd like to say I can't believe people do that but sadly I can.

LurkingHusband · 01/03/2017 21:57

They look interesting. Is the little screen not really distracting though? Can it be turned off?

Certainly on mine.

Can you use these to report tailgaters?

If you have a rear one, yes (IMHO the more useful of the two ...)

LegosAndSkiing · 01/03/2017 22:00

Seriously OP you need to find a hobby you sound so pathetic!

delilahbucket · 01/03/2017 22:04

I think this depends on your local constabulary. Ours has no way to report such things. I had a guy in a van decide to ignore the no right turn signs and pull out across 60mph traffic, only to get stuck as the road was too busy for them to fully pull out. As it happens I had seen them way back but their face was a picture as they saw me coming towards them. All caught on crystal clear dash cam but police weren't interested.
As a passenger, if we go past someone on the motorway and they're on their phone, I hold my phone up as though I'm photographing them. This often shits them up enough to stop.

alleypalley · 01/03/2017 22:42

Sorry, but nobody likes a 'grass'. Why not leave it to the professionals, i.e., the police.

Seriously! So if you here a neighbour having the shit beaten out of her by an abusive partner you wouldn't call the police, or were witness to someone being broken into? I recently went on a terrorism awareness course for work, they cited numerous times where serious acts of terrorism were averted due to members of the public calling in suspicious behaviour. But no, let's all just go around minding our own business.

Blossomdeary · 01/03/2017 22:44

If you have the means to do it safely then do it.

Blossomdeary · 01/03/2017 22:45

There is nothing pathetic about concerning oneself with road safety. Scraping dead and injured people up from the road is no joke.

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