Phone detectors to be used in two police force area's

Over by there

Prominent Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
2,765
Reaction score
1,336
Points
554
Location
Wales
New detectors to spot drivers on phones
Thames Valley and Hampshire rolling it out. They cannot pin it on the driver it seems, as it detects the frequency used and not pin point accurate, warning issued via display at the moment. Pity it does not go for bluetooth as well but that is not illegal.
 
So put the phone on bluetooth and it will not flash the detectors :facepalm:

Or stop all vehicles where the driver is viewing the road ahead by looking at their knees.
 
Trying to see if there is any more info, two units at the moment to be moved around. Problem is with no real come back this will be ignored but it is a start. Maybe later in its development life it will get to the point that its evidence will be used in court.

Bluetooth wise, I suspect a lot of lobbying got that passed but it still distracts the driver about as much as holding it.
 
What about using CARPLAY I prefer WAZE to my incar sat nav, that means my phone is on, and most likely detectable
 
Waze on CarPlay is excelllent
 
It's staggering the % of drivers I see who use their phones while driving. The problem was bad enough when it was 'just' people talking on their phones - at least they were generally looking at the road. Now the problem being people using their phones for social media means drivers aren't even looking at the road. And this attitude of "I don't use my phone when I'm driving, I only ever look at it when I'm sitting at traffic lights." is appalling.
 
Seems pointless to me, according to the article it will flash when it detects any 2/3/4G signal, so it will be constantly flashing? Any car passenger could be on their phone and it will flash, so what exactly will it do?
 
Seems pointless to me, according to the article it will flash when it detects any 2/3/4G signal, so it will be constantly flashing? Any car passenger could be on their phone and it will flash, so what exactly will it do?
I really would like to see if this is a real thing, that is the detection method. Detecting is not an issue, what it is fitted into and how, distances and triangulation etc. is what I would like to see in this device and associated aerials.

If it is real, and not a scare, I can see it getting refined and expect that is the direction people should be worried. Not me, but abusers.
 
I really would like to see if this is a real thing, that is the detection method. Detecting is not an issue, what it is fitted into and how, distances and triangulation etc. is what I would like to see in this device and associated aerials.

If it is real, and not a scare, I can see it getting refined and expect that is the direction people should be worried. Not me, but abusers.
I agree, it has potential.
Just it's current state is not really a warning, the abusers won't take notice of it, and the people to notice it won't be looking at their phones anyway.
 
Never noticed them in my neck of the woods last summer - I'm not sure many people will even recognise what they mean?
Road sign warns of in-car mobile use

FWIW it looks like the actual vehicle speed indicator signs that our parish councils have been encouraged to buy and operate as a supplement to volunteer community speed traps.
Our rural traffic enforcement is now operated by volunteers with no ability to apply a penalty funded directly from the villages affected by rat running if they can afford it.

Those signs log every vehicle and it's speed so they are able to report x% of vehicles travelling above the speed limit and use it to lobby for actual Police speed traps and reduced speed limits...apparently :rolleyes:
 
It's staggering the % of drivers I see who use their phones while driving. The problem was bad enough when it was 'just' people talking on their phones - at least they were generally looking at the road. Now the problem being people using their phones for social media means drivers aren't even looking at the road. And this attitude of "I don't use my phone when I'm driving, I only ever look at it when I'm sitting at traffic lights." is appalling.

I see people looking at their knees while driving all the time and even young women with children in the car.
Also lost count of the amount of times I've swerved and beeped at drivers coming across my side of the road while distracted by looking down at their knees.

Software needs to be fitted to vehicles to ensure phones cannot be operated unless paired and going through a head unit and it the case of passengers, safe zones can be added away from the driving position.
It really needs to be thought about and done now!
 
The law was fudged. Using a phone in any way for making calls, fined and points.

Perhaps any use should be the default to avoid any ambiguity.
 
sounds like the TV detector van publicity stunt all over again but something needs to be done too many flouting the law and putting people at risk
 
According to the News it can detect 2G/3G and 4G signals, if it also detects bluetooth it assumes you are using it Handsfree and doesn't light up. Not sure I'm too convinced given how short range bluetooth usually is.
 
The closest we've come to having bumps in the last few years have all been caused by selfish idiots on their phones, they just don't realise how they drift all over the road. Hate them, absolutely hate them.
 
"A sign will flash at the driver telling them to stop using their mobile - but the detectors cannot tell if it is a driver or passenger using the phone."

How is that useful?
 
It's completely daft. I could have my phone in my pocket on data feeding an app update.
 
So what happens when streaming music over 4g to the car via bluetooth?
Lol
 
I not only use CarPlay connected to my phone, I also have wifi device in the car this would be using 4G sim card
 
This is very similar to new signs that have been put in a road near me. The newly installed signs flash about the 2 second gap between cars, totally ignored by all drivers. So this is yet another waste of money.

Reminds me of how useful having signs at train stations in Gaelic and police Scotland updating all the vehicles because obviously police isn't police in Gaelic!
 
Police actually stopping people would be good but a bit political at the moment. There is no fear of consequence meaning many people will see it as not an issue. That is until they kill someone then they will try to deny they were ever on the phone. It needs the same stigma as drink driving.
 
The lorry driver whose incab video was shown on the news, of just before he collided with a car killing the occupants, was using his phone connected by a cable (not sure if that was power or audio) as a music player.
Distracted as he was, because of the cable he had to reach further to operate it, but it wouldn't have been transmitting Bluetooth.
But for his use the device could have been an iPod or other music player with no phone capability, so wouldn't cause these signs to operate.

Bottom line for me, just because the device being used happened to be a mobile phone that its purpose could have been entirely satisfied by an mp3 player doesn't make his action equivalent to making a voice call on even a handheld phone.
 
It’s a start, albeit a very feeble one.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom