NORTH WALES Police are to use images captured on speed cameras to help prosecute motorists who use mobile phones while driving.
A senior traffic officer revealed the All Wales Safety Camera
Partnership is preparing to upgrade their computers to search through
footage for images of people using their phones, as well as other
law-breaking activities such as texting, sending emails, eating and
smoking behind the wheel.
Last year North Wales Police employed nine hi-tech cameras, which
feature instant playback and a zoom facility - so they'll even be able
to tell whether offenders are eating a pork pie or a pasty.
The new cameras cost more that £17,000 each.
Dare say undue care & attention might be applied, but don't think, for eg, it's illegal to smoke behind the wheel.
While any distraction is bad news, anyone get the feeling Big Brother is getting too damn nosey ?
I'd be amazed if they were to use footage from a camera to prosecute someone for something like changing the channel on the radio or smoking.
At the end of the day, if it were to go to court it's not for the suspect to prove he or she were driving with due care, but for the Police to prove they were not. And I think reaching to press a button on the radio and thereby taking one hand off the steering wheel for a few seconds is pretty dodgy grounds.
On that basis you could argue that anyone scratching their head is driving without due care! Or putting their hand over their mouth when they cough. Or indeed removing one hand from the steering wheel to turn your lights on!
Using a mobile phone is different. You invariably need one hand off the wheel for a much longer period plus you have the issue of concentrating on the conversation rather than your driving.
You've just gotta love the North Wales Police. They don't miss a trick in personifying Big Brother. Brunstrom's legacy seems to live on. I think there will inevitably be a backlash by road-users with the net result being more lawlessness.
I have thought of an elegant solution to this and the lawless bikers of London in another thread. Why not exile them to North Wales? That will remove the problem from the Met who can't be arsed to address it, give the North Wales fuzz something useful to do and get them off everyone else's backs. QED
if they are going down this route (as far as I know it is NOT illegal to smoke whilst driving!) then what about taking your hand off the stearing wheel to change gear?? or taking your eye off the road to check your rear view mirror or your wing mirrors, or to glance at your speedo to check you're at the correct speed (or not!)
I mean - WTF!!!
Re smoking whilst driving - it is illegal to smoke whilst driving if you are on a journey to work and give siomebody else a lift, came into force when the smoking ban did, deems that you have turned your car into the workplace !!!!!!!!!!!
Just company cars / vehicles
Tho not sure how the law stands if you use a private car for company business.
Depends on wether you carry passengers for that business, I guess.
well I know that IBM's policy (who I work for) states that as our 'company' cars are actually private lease cars (ie leased to you as an individual person) then it's your decision whether to allow smoking in the car - even when on company business.
As far as I know the legislation stated that 'smoking was to be illegal in enclosed public places and at places of work', and it also stipulated if your place of work was a vehicle, e.g. taxi, (where members of public are) or delivery vehicle, (where work colleagues would share the same vehicle on different shifts) then smoking is illegal there too.
I've not heard of it being illegal in private vehicles and can't see that ever happening.
I am sure it isn't illegal to smoke in your own private car, giving someone a lift or otherwise. HFG is correct, it is illegal in company cars that are used by more than one person although many companies offer a stance whereby if the car is leased to you alone, then it's up to you.
Use of a private car for commuting is not part of the workplace lol. If it was I'd have guys claiming for time travelling to and from work. Jeez, could do without that.
However, if you operate a business from home and employ staff who work at your address, then it IS illegal to smoke in your own house during working hours.
Of course, being a non-smoker, I don't particularly care either way lol!!
bluesbiker In: Birmingham in th
Posts: 2510
Karma:
I used a lease car with my ex company. It was our company's policy not to allow smoking in the car at all.
If a company vehicle is used regularly by more than one person it has to be smoke free.
The legislation does not extend to vehicles, including rental or leased ones, used primarily for private purposes. However, some companies have smoking policies which stipulate that employees are not to smoke while on work business, but this is company policy and not a requirement of the legislation
In has something to do with if you give a person a lift to work on a regular basis it is classed as car sharing and you come under the smoking ban ......... will route out info and post
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