I was pulled over for using a PDA at red lights...

[needanothername]

Apparently, a PDA comes into the same category as a phone and therefore has the same laws applied ie you can't use it while driving.
However, my PDA is a palm, where I store my diary and my contacts. It can't be used as a phone and I think it could be used to pick up emails but has never been.
I was running late for the dentist, and while sitting at a red light, I took my palm out of my handbag and looked up the dentist's telephone number. There was a police van behind me and they pulled me over.

What's the difference between looking a number up on an electronic device and in a paper diary or a business card stashed in a wallet?

I was let off with a warning but feel peeved about the whole thing. Made me even later for the dentist!

Sorry - but I think if you knew that it was illegal to use a mobile phone/MP3 player whilst driving then it would be common sense that using a PDA would be illegal too. In which case you got what you deserved - and got off v lightly IMO.

Actually I believe that you can be done for checking in your wallet for a business card as well. You can certainly be done for applying lipstick etc. I think it's because you are not giving proper attention to the road

i think you were a bit thick.

i would automatically assume that a pda came under the same thing as mobiles.

"What Kind of Things Can I be Charged for Under Careless Driving?
As you can imagine, the list of offences can vary dramatically ? someone missing a traffic light turning green because they are singing along to their favourite tune a little too excitedly can end up under the same charge as someone who loses control of their vehicle because they are busy trying to change a CD, or light a cigarette, and hits a traffic post."

from here

They would have stopped you for looking in a paper diary too I believe...

I really hope that you are not after sympathy. You shouldn't read/use a phone/put makeup on whilst driving - common sense really.

I would say that you were driving without due care and attention. this applies to any distractions - eating, applying makeup, checking your paper diary.

quite right that you were stopped.

I must admit I am always checking emails/applying lippie at red lights if I've got my handbrake on

But I would accept full responsibility for getting into trouble!

Just out of interest, what were you planning on doing when you found the dentist's phone number? Picking up your phone and calling him?

No - I'll bet you say you were going to pull over and call him. In which case - why couldn't you look up the number then?

women drivers. fecking useless

"Conduct whilst driving, such as:

• using a hand held mobile telephone while the vehicle is moving;
• tuning a car radio;
• reading a newspaper/map;
• selecting and lighting a cigarette/cigar/pipe;
• talking to and looking at a passenger;

The above examples are merely indicative of what can amount to careless driving."

from here

Sounds fair enough to me, if you're looking down at your PDA you are not paying attention.

Why did you need to look up the number while you were driving anyway?

No no, not after sympathy, I'm interested. I was sitting at a red light, I wouldn't have done it while actually driving. I do just wonder if they would have pulled me over for reaching into my handbag for a diary while stopped at lights. I looked up the number and put it back in my bag, then waited for the lights to turn green and pulled off with everyone else.

So, eg, if you had a can of coke in a cupholder, and took a swig while sitting at lights, would that be the same?

Seriously?

Would you read a book at lights or think that was not allowed??

I'm not saying I haven't done it (like MP), but I know I am in the wrong

So - Just out of interest, what were you planning on doing when you found the dentist's phone number? Picking up your phone and calling him?

No - I'll bet you say you were going to pull over and call him. In which case - why couldn't you look up the number then?

I watched a TV programme about this and it is actually ilegal to be drving 'without due care and attention' if the police thought this was the case then fair enough.

Someone onece got pulled for eating a sausage roll whilst driving IIRC.

YOu can alos be pulled for programming SAT Nav.

I drink from cans while driving, I do it without taking my eyes off the road at all.

However I will admit that it probably does mean I'm not giving exactly the same amount of attention for about 2 secs.

But not in the same class as looking down at a piece of equipment and scrolling through looking for a phone number, no.

What about driving with squabling kids in the back?

I was going to use my handsfree kit to dial the number at the next set of traffic lights. Which is legal.

In answer to your Coke query, yes, possibly (I believe). It's to do with whether you were paying due care and attention to the road and your driving. I suspect that using a PDA would be classed as more distracting than taking a swig of Coke though.

I often use my iPod while driving - but I know I'm wrong and wouldn't try to argue the toss if I got caught!

yep, a woman was prosecuted for drinking out of a bottle of water while stopped at the lights

I muts admit to looking at a text when stopped at traffic lights.

I'll let you off then needanewname.

It's a bummer that you got caught, but maybe you'll check who's behind you if you do it again.

I expect they pulled you over because they thought they saw you using a mobile phone and just decided to book you anyway.

I don't really get why everyone's being so hard on the OP - she was STATIONARY at RED traffice lights. It's hardly the same as texting someone whilst in the fast lane of the M25. What about fiddling with a sat-nav or checking directions - I suspect most people have done something similar and would be pretty miffed if they were pulled over for looking at a map at the traffic lights!