Is it illegal to ride a bike while using a mobile phone?
No.
Much like it's not illegal to walk with one. Let the sense guide you, do not be tempted by the dark side of the sense.
So it's perfectly acceptable to wind up motorists by chatting on the phone while overtaking them on the inside while they are stuck in traffic twiddling their thumbs?
Dunno, but if the berk I saw chatting on his yesterday while riding a mountain bike is a typical example of the breed, those so doing should be shot in the face. With very slow bullets.
Why? Is it not possible to ride a bike and use a phone at the same time?
If the said berk was typical of the breed, yes (if one inserts the word "Safely" into the question). The "turning right oblivious to the oncoming traffic" move was a good one, the "ride on the wrong side of the road I've just turned into" likewise and the "almost bouncing off the parked car because holding a straight line and a phone requires too much data processing ability" the icing on the cake.
It's /possible/ he may have been drunk, but at eight a.m. it's more likely that he was, er, not.
The law, AIUI, refers specifically to touching the phone. It doesn't say anything about whether the phone is handheld or not. So, for example, pressing a button on a 'hands free' phone to accept or terminate a call is illegal whilst driving a car.
Actually found it on the DfT site and a handheld phone
"is or must be held at some point during the course of making or receiving a call or performing any other interactive communication function"
Interestingly in answer to the original question they say the following:
Q. Do the new mobile phone regulations apply to cyclists? R. No. However, the police have powers to deal with careless or dangerous cycling.
Is it illegal to ride a bike while using a mobile phone?
Dunno, but if the berk I saw chatting on his yesterday while riding a mountain bike is a typical example of the breed, those so doing should be shot in the face. With very slow bullets.
Why? Is it not possible to ride a bike and use a phone at the same time?
Admittedly texting is a touch tricky as you have to ride with no hands for some time, but using a mobile is no great difficulty and if you get to a tricky bit you can always stop with minimal inconvenience.
No doubt the lorry driver who killed Bruce Bursford used the same excuse.
Is it illegal to ride a bike while using a mobile phone?
No.
Much like it's not illegal to walk with one. Let the sense guide you, do not be tempted by the dark side of the sense.
So it's perfectly acceptable to wind up motorists by chatting on the phone while overtaking them on the inside while they are stuck in traffic twiddling their thumbs?
Dunno, but if the berk I saw chatting on his yesterday while riding a mountain bike is a typical example of the breed, those so doing should be shot in the face. With very slow bullets.
Why? Is it not possible to ride a bike and use a phone at the same time?
If the said berk was typical of the breed, yes (if one inserts the word "Safely" into the question). The "turning right oblivious to the oncoming traffic" move was a good one, the "ride on the wrong side of the road I've just turned into" likewise and the "almost bouncing off the parked car because holding a straight line and a phone requires too much data processing ability" the icing on the cake.
It's /possible/ he may have been drunk, but at eight a.m. it's more likely that he was, er, not.
Is it illegal to ride a bike while using a mobile phone?
Dunno, but if the berk I saw chatting on his yesterday while riding a mountain bike is a typical example of the breed, those so doing should be shot in the face. With very slow bullets.
Why? Is it not possible to ride a bike and use a phone at the same time?
Admittedly texting is a touch tricky as you have to ride with no hands for some time, but using a mobile is no great difficulty and if you get to a tricky bit you can always stop with minimal inconvenience.
No doubt the lorry driver who killed Bruce Bursford used the same excuse.
Is it illegal to ride a bike while using a mobile phone?
Dunno, but if the berk I saw chatting on his yesterday while riding a mountain bike is a typical example of the breed, those so doing should
be
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
shot in the face. With very slow bullets.
Why? Is it not possible to ride a bike and use a phone at the same time?
Admittedly texting is a touch tricky as you have to ride with no hands for some time, but using a mobile is no great difficulty and if you get to a tricky bit you can always stop with minimal inconvenience.
The bloke I was following on the way home this afternoon managed a nifty bit of one handed swerving to avoid people on a pelican crossing. I was hoping to watch him do a one handed bunny hop of the railway lines criss crossing the side of the docks but he went a different way.
Is it illegal to ride a bike while using a mobile phone?
Dunno, but if the berk I saw chatting on his yesterday while riding a mountain bike is a typical example of the breed, those so doing should
be
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
shot in the face. With very slow bullets.
Why? Is it not possible to ride a bike and use a phone at the same time?
Admittedly texting is a touch tricky as you have to ride with no hands for some time, but using a mobile is no great difficulty and if you get to a tricky bit you can always stop with minimal inconvenience.
The bloke I was following on the way home this afternoon managed a nifty bit of one handed swerving to avoid people on a pelican crossing. I was hoping to watch him do a one handed bunny hop of the railway lines criss crossing the side of the docks but he went a different way.
Apparently (according to an RAC bloke on telly) this means that technically you are allowed to type a text message on a phone clipped to your dashboard. Though he did point out that you could still be done for not being in full control of your vehicle. Which you always could for using a handheld mobile, of course. Bit of a funny law, this new one really - it's more of a safety campaign backed up by a slightly redundant bit of legislation.
ttfn
Martin
I just did a little bit of research, phones that can be answered and have there incoming calls terminated without the use of ones fingers can only be used if they are clipped to a dashboard mounted cradle and not used if they are on the seat yet still don't require to be touched to receive or terminate the call.
Seems to me that the law is far too general to cover all the differing technologies. I'm gonna switch mine off
If the said berk was typical of the breed, yes (if one inserts the word "Safely" into the question). The "turning right oblivious to the oncoming traffic" move was a good one, the "ride on the wrong side of the road I've just turned into" likewise and the "almost bouncing off the parked car because holding a straight line and a phone requires too much data processing ability" the icing on the cake.
It's /possible/ he may have been drunk, but at eight a.m. it's more likely that he was, er, not.
Hmm.
Not typical of the breed (either that or I am not typical.)
Apparently (according to an RAC bloke on telly) this means that technically you are allowed to type a text message on a phone clipped to your dashboard. Though he did point out that you could still be done for not being in full control of your vehicle. Which you always could for using a handheld mobile, of course. Bit of a funny law, this new one really - it's more of a safety campaign backed up by a slightly redundant bit of legislation.
ttfn
Martin
I just did a little bit of research, phones that can be answered and have there incoming calls terminated without the use of ones fingers can only be used if they are clipped to a dashboard mounted cradle and not used if they are on the seat yet still don't require to be touched to receive or terminate the call.
Seems to me that the law is far too general to cover all the differing technologies. I'm gonna switch mine off
The law, AIUI, refers specifically to touching the phone. It doesn't say anything about whether the phone is handheld or not. So, for example, pressing a button on a 'hands free' phone to accept or terminate a call is illegal whilst driving a car.
Actually found it on the DfT site and a handheld phone
"is or must be held at some point during the course of making or
receiving a
Quoted message said:
call or performing any other interactive communication function"
Interestingly in answer to the original question they say the following:
Q. Do the new mobile phone regulations apply to cyclists? A. No. However, the police have powers to deal with careless or dangerous cycling.
Which means that yes, cyclists can be done for using a phone in the same way drivers were before the new law came out. Read somewhere, probably in a newspaper (so it must be true) that the police didn't particularly want the new law, as they had no problems with the old one. Best to keep a look out if you want to talk and ride...
If the said berk was typical of the breed, yes (if one inserts the word "Safely" into the question). The "turning right oblivious to the oncoming traffic" move was a good one, the "ride on the wrong side of the road I've just turned into" likewise and the "almost bouncing off the parked car because holding a straight line and a phone requires too much data processing ability" the icing on the cake.
It's /possible/ he may have been drunk, but at eight a.m. it's more likely that he was, er, not.
Hmm.
Not typical of the breed (either that or I am not typical.)
Why? Is it not possible to ride a bike and use a phone at the same time?
Admittedly texting is a touch tricky as you have to ride with no hands for some time, but using a mobile is no great difficulty and if you get to a tricky bit you can always stop with minimal inconvenience.
No doubt the lorry driver who killed Bruce Bursford used the same excuse.
Even though I am somewhat overweight I doubt I approach a fraction of the 32 tons of an articulated lorry, and would be more likely to have someone run into the back of me than run them over.
That is the thing with a bike. You stop concentrating and it slows down. With a car it could go anywhere.
I'd never advocate using a mobile phone whilst in direct manual control of heavy motorised machinery (anything I can't lift). The first driving with a mobile conviction happened just down the road here.. Good thing too. (Stopped for driving with mobile and was done for DUI as well).
The law, AIUI, refers specifically to touching the phone. It doesn't say anything about whether the phone is handheld or not. So, for example, pressing a button on a 'hands free' phone to accept or terminate a call is illegal whilst driving a car.
Actually found it on the DfT site and a handheld phone
"is or must be held at some point during the course of making or
receiving a
Quoted message said:
call or performing any other interactive communication function"
Interestingly in answer to the original question they say the following:
Q. Do the new mobile phone regulations apply to cyclists? A. No. However, the police have powers to deal with careless or dangerous cycling.
Which means that yes, cyclists can be done for using a phone in the same way drivers were before the new law came out. Read somewhere, probably in a newspaper (so it must be true) that the police didn't particularly want the new law, as they had no problems with the old one. Best to keep a look out if you want to talk and ride...
