Colleague is blaming me for speeding fine

[LivingLifeInPink]

A few weeks ago I called a friend a colleague with a work related query and he answered while he was driving (handsfree). I didn't know he was driving - we work remotely at the moment.

A week later he received a speeding fine and he's looked at the call logs - it shows he was caught speeding 1 minute into our two minute phone call.

He is saying it's my fault as the call distracted him. It was a static speed camera, not a policeman - ie. the camera is always there and it's a route he takes every day.

I really don't think I'm responsible for his own mistakes.

Depends what you said. If you called saying where the hell are you? We need you back at the office NOW. Then I’d think you might have contributed to the speeding.

Was he just informing you of this or does he expect you to pay the fine?

I don’t answer the phone whilst driving, the few times I tried I realised that I had not retained any of the important work info because my mind was elsewhere(on the road). Now If I am on call I find an exit and somewhere to park up and phone them back.

If he cannot safely drive and be on hands free he needs to not answer the home. Make sure you say that to him and ask him if he is committed to never answering the phone again!

@PlanDeRaccordement

Depends what you said. If you called saying where the hell are you? We need you back at the office NOW. Then I’d think you might have contributed to the speeding.

Don't be ridiculous. No employer is going to reasonably ask their employees to break the law and no-one should think it's reasonable for their employer to do so.

This whole issue is down to some people's relationship with their phone. Just like all those people who complain if they get notifications at night because they don't leave their phone in another room or use the do not disturb functions, it doesn't seem to have occurred to the OPs colleague that just because a phone rings or makes another noise, that does not mean that it must be acknowledged immediately.

He could have ignored the call, or stopped to take it or call back when safe.

Tell him to tell that to the judge and see how far he gets.

What? Don’t understand this.

Someone offered to pay a speeding fine because I was on the way to see them and were relieved that it was me who got done as opposed to them.

How ridiculous! I hope you put him right.So by his reckoning every time you drive with a passenger in the car ,no talking or you will be so distracted you will commit a traffic offence? What total bullshit ! What about all us Mums then ? with our DC/DM/DH/Dogs we will all speed ?!

He was just having a bit of a joke though, right?

That's hilarious!

His fault for being a crappy driver 🤤

Agree with PPs. Also, was he even meant to be driving or was he skiving off work?

If he is not adult enough to take responsibility for his own mistakes, surely he isn't old enough to be driving? He sounds like a man-child who always has to find a women someone else to blame for all his mistakes and constantly whines "It wasn't me, it was her" like a 5yr old. I have zero respect for people like this.

I like the suggestion up thread about him appealing the fine and telling them why😂😂. What a bellend.

I'd assume if anyone decided to answering a phone while driving, they would slow down, not go faster.

He’s joking

Did you press the accelerator? Could he have said- I'd call you back I'm in the car?

Of course you are not to blame.

YANBU he however is unreasonable and ridiculous. He needs to take ownership for his behaviour. Let me get does he want you to pay the fine etc? No one made him answer the phone, he chose to

Omfg you are absolutely not responsible for his driving. He could have said he would phone you back or he could have simply pulled over and stopped driving.

Absolutely not your fault OP. If this guy is unable to concentrate on the road whilst taking a phone call then he really should leave all calls until he either parks up or gets home.

And you’ve just proved why even hands free phone calls are not safe whilst you’re driving. He should think himself lucky that he’s only got a speeding fine rather than cause a collision and cause injury or death to some poor person.

I doubt he would be blaming his boss or CEO if they had called and not you. What a dick!

If he cannot concentrate when hands free he should not be using it.

I had a colleague who lived a two hour drive away. They’d WFH three days a week, in the office 2 days a week. On their office days they’d constantly be phoning in while driving in or home with queries or wanting to be put through to someone. Accident waiting to happen.

You would not even be responsible if you were sitting beside him and told him to go faster. HE is the driver; it is not an aeroplane- there is no co-pilot.

Unless you're Dennis Hopper and he's Keanu Reeves...

Are you a woman?

In which case that would make total sense as women are blamed for everything.

It was his choice to answer the phone.
Demonstrates that hands free phone use should probably be outlawed too - it distracts attention for driving.

And as for texting/phone using cyclists,,,,, but that's for another thread

Someone I know lost their job for using the phone whilst driving a work vehicle (no speeding etc though he knows he shouldn’t have done it).

He’s lucky he’s only got a speeding ticket!