Use of *555/111 regarding the banning of handheld legislation change.

[Genestho]

I advocate the use of *555/111.
Many fatals MAY have been prevented prior, due to the witness of dangerous driving behaviour, not acted upon.

I made a call to the WBOP Traffic Manager - Ian Campion, (he was happy for me to quote his name)

Regarding the legislation change to banning the use of hand held devices, to be implemented Nov 1.

Firstly I advised that Paula Rosen needs to put out a press release advising motorists what to do, asap, so there is no uncertainty.

Ian Campion advised:

Firstly -Obviously (< my word) - If you have a passenger, have them make the call.

Secondly - Ian said - historically speaking he won't see the legislation until 2 weeks prior.

Ian continued to say that, as with most legislation there is a reasonable defence.

Ian also said they won't be discouraging drivers calling in dangerous behaviour, as they get good catches from *555/111 calls, obviously they require the public to be able to give regular updates of the drivers whereabouts!
They have intercepted many an incident if a car is available due to these calls.

When they can get clear definition regarding this issue, there will be an update, and hopefully NZ Police will release an official statement regarding *555/111.

How do I report an incident of bad driving?
*555: Dial *555 from a mobile phone to report incidents which are urgent but not life-threatening, such as non-injury crashes, erratic driving, traffic congestion, breakdowns, and obstructions on the highway. These calls go to Police communications centres, similar to 111 calls, but are given lower priority.

111 is for in use of an emergency!

Online Community Roadwatch Report
The Community Roadwatch programme has been designed for use by New Zealand Police to advise the owner of a motor vehicle about the unsafe or risky driving behaviour you have observed and reported where you do not wish the offender to be prosecuted.
The Police will regard your report as confidential; in accordance with the provisions of the law as it relates to privacy and disclosure of information.

If you wish the incident to be investigated with a view to charges being laid in Court you must lodge a formal complaint with your nearest police station.

For the Form (http://www.police.govt.nz/service/road/roadwatch-form.pdf):

[Marmoot]

Oh the irony....oh the humanity....

[Max Preload]

Can I *555 someone for driving talking on their cellphone? What if someone sees me doing it and *555s me? :confused:

I have visions of hundreds of drivers going down the motorway all dobbing each other in on their cellphones...

[Genestho]

Can I *555 someone for driving talking on their cellphone? What if someone sees me doing it and *555s me? :confused:

I have visions of hundreds of drivers going down the motorway all dobbing each other in on their cellphones...

Dunno, I didn't write the legislation :bleh: nor did I make submissions, as was not aware of the consultation paper, workin on other stuff :doh: :pinch:

Comical vision you have - isn't it?

Wonder if this particular issue was ever addressed.
Guess what this may mean is *555 call service -could become redundant?
Be interesting to see how this is resolved! Particularly in other countries.

[Danae]

Well if you have to make the *555 call just pull over. If you're on the motorway or something, remember their numberplate and call at the next opportunity. Or just let it go...

but yeah. I would lol if someone got *555'd while *555ing.

[FROSTY]

Hang on the entire premise *555 is built on means that anyone driving and using *555 is right away handing themselves a ticket for DG.
And of course taking the other safe option-pulling over and stoppping when you get a call ius also illigal on our motorways.

[mister.koz]

Get a headset or pull over to call *555... Quite simple really :blink:

[Ixion]

Hang on.

Passing (for the moment) in silence over the fact that "pulling over" on the motorway is an offence, how does this work, anyway?

I "pull over" to the side of the road. Put the handbrake on And make my call? But I'm still in charge of the vehicle. Does the new rule say that it is only an offence if the car is moving? If it does , then presumably I may quite legally call up on my cell when I am stuck motionless in motorway traffic. I mean, I'm not moving .Or waiting at traffic lights?

And if it does not say thus, then I can cop a ticket for using a cell phone while behind the wheel . Moving or not. So pulling over wouldn't help. I'd have to pull over AND get out. Wandering around on the motorway, good way to go.

[Max Preload]

Wonder if this particular issue was ever addressed.

Guess what this may mean is *555 call service -could become redundant?
Be interesting to see how this is resolved!

Page 10. (http://www.nzta.govt.nz/consultation/road-user-amendment/docs/draft-road-user-amendment.pdf) I can't see it changing much since submissions have closed.

[Max Preload]

Does the new rule say that it is only an offence if the car is moving?

Only an offence if moving or stopped in traffic.

[mister.koz]

....
Passing (for the moment) in silence over the fact that "pulling over" on the motorway is an offence, how does this work, anyway?
....


Semantics... get a headset...

[Hitcher]

Other than it not having instant fine provisions, I can't see why cops can't bust cellphone users for careless use of a motor vehicle.

[Ixion]

Semantics... get a headset...

Semantics keeps lawyers in seven figure incomes.

BTW, a head set isn't enough. You have to have a phone that "does not require the pressing of more than 1 button on the mobile telephone to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call" or "does not require the driver to hold, or to manipulate, the mobile telephone in order to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call". So voice activated only ?

[Genestho]

Page 10. (http://www.nzta.govt.nz/consultation/road-user-amendment/docs/draft-road-user-amendment.pdf) I can't see it changing much since submissions have closed.

Sweet! Thanks

Shouldv'e been on the ball with this one!!!
Glad it's addressed!

I noted South Aus who also have a traffic report call-in service banning cellphones (http://www.dtei.sa.gov.au/roadsafety/safe_road_users/younger_drivers/young_drivers_faqs)for Learner drivers (including hands free and blue tooth) 31st August, and looks like Canada is too, within the next month or so (lost the link!)

[Genestho]

Get a headset or pull over to call *555... Quite simple really :blink:
True! Blue tooth, voice activated speaker phone...

[mister.koz]

Semantics keeps lawyers in seven figure incomes.

BTW, a head set isn't enough. You have to have a phone that "does not require the pressing of more than 1 button on the mobile telephone to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call" or "does not require the driver to hold, or to manipulate, the mobile telephone in order to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call". So voice activated only ?

You make a good point, voice activated headsets then :)

[Max Preload]

Other than it not having instant fine provisions, I can't see why cops can't bust cellphone users for careless use of a motor vehicle.

They could, but the lack of instant income for the government was a driver (no pun intended).

But you can still eat a pie and drink a coke while changing CDs and reading a book because that's not specifically banned. That's just the sort of unthinking lemming this sort of legislation breeds. And yes, I have seen people reading books while driving.

[Genestho]

They could, but the lack of instant income for the government was a driver (no pun intended).

But you can still eat a pie and drink a coke while changing CDs and reading a book because that's not specifically banned. That's just the sort of unthinking lemming this sort of legislation breeds. And yes, I have seen people reading books while driving.

Don't forget physical conversation in the car. Somebody ban my kids :lol: P/T

I'm afraid I agree, there is psychological and scientific evidence that says what you say there, see the other thread.
Was about to post - the whole thing is rather circular isn't it, damned if this law do, and damned if it don't.
I wonder if banning learner/restricted drivers alone was ever considered, as it looks like states in Aus have.

[Danae]

And yes, I have seen people reading books while driving.

I was riding behind someone reading a map...in a CARPARK. They were driving looking for a park, and were using a map.

Sometimes I just don't know anymore.

@thread: Pulling over on the motorway to make the *555 call would be a bit silly...if you really have to do it pull off at the next offramp. If someone is driving dangerously on the motorway it may not be hard for the police to find them as they could still be on the motorway when you make the call.

[gegvasco]

Use of cellphones by ALL drivers is banned in Aus in ALL states at ALL times. And unlike what seems to have been implied by NZ authorities, our authorities make no exceptions, informal or otherwise, for drivers using the phone to report others using their phone. It is considered dangerous regardless of the intent. Rule is, don't use it while driving. Fullstop.

By the way, just because people drink, eat and even wank while driving (true story - bloke was booked for it in the Northern Territory), this doesn't mean the no cellphone law is unjustified. Having almost been killed by a knobhead on his phone, who then abused me for honking him to let him know he was about to run me over, I'm all for banning their use while driving! People become careless idiots when on the phone and it is a bloody sight more widespread than people eating, drinking and wanking while driving.

[Genestho]

Use of cellphones by ALL drivers is banned in Aus in ALL states at ALL times. And unlike what seems to have been implied by NZ authorities, our authorities make no exceptions, informal or otherwise, for drivers using the phone to report others using their phone. It is considered dangerous regardless of the intent. Rule is, don't use it while driving. Fullstop.

By the way, just because people drink, eat and even wank while driving (true story - bloke was booked for it in the Northern Territory), this doesn't mean the no cellphone law is unjustified. Having almost been killed by a knobhead on his phone, who then abused me for honking him to let him know he was about to run me over, I'm all for banning their use while driving! People become careless idiots when on the phone and it is a bloody sight more widespread than people eating, drinking and wanking while driving.

Don't take that the wrong way squire.
Simply put - there really is alot of evidence to show that banning handhelds alone is not enough, which is how it's being approached here.
We know here, that cellphones have caused crashes and killed, no one can disagree with that point.

What's the guts with S.A, they appear to have a traffic call in line over there, or are the calls supposed to be from landlines?

I'll apologise if I am incorrect regarding learner drivers banned alone. Did a quicky search, time is short!
I lived in Queensland when they brought the ban in there, 2000 I think?
Sparked with public support when the Model Nikki Taylor had a crash!

[Pixie]

*555 will be even better-they'll get the info to catch an offender and they'll get fine revenue from the person that called it in.:laugh:

[Genestho]

*555 will be even better-they'll get the info to catch an offender and they'll get fine revenue from the person that called it in.:laugh:

mmm, that's assuming drivers are too thick to get bluetooth or use voice activation on their phones!

[90s]

Hang on.

Passing (for the moment) in silence over the fact that "pulling over" on the motorway is an offence, how does this work, anyway?

I "pull over" to the side of the road. Put the handbrake on And make my call? But I'm still in charge of the vehicle. Does the new rule say that it is only an offence if the car is moving? If it does , then presumably I may quite legally call up on my cell when I am stuck motionless in motorway traffic. I mean, I'm not moving .Or waiting at traffic lights?

And if it does not say thus, then I can cop a ticket for using a cell phone while behind the wheel . Moving or not. So pulling over wouldn't help. I'd have to pull over AND get out. Wandering around on the motorway, good way to go.

Good call on the motorway bit. In addition to this it recalls the aspect to the law that enables them to convict someone for drunk driving if they are sitting in the a car with the keys in the ignition (parked), even if the motor is off and the person claims they have not been driving and do not intend to drive.

So are cars in traffic parked? (they better be as much of the justification for lane-splitting relies on this definition). Can you use cell-phones parked? Or is park not the definition we need in the law here?

[mister.koz]

Its just seems silly to create a new law based on a good idea like "no using a cellphone while in charge of a vehicle" and then to analyse it out to 100s of small rules and caveats based on simple semantics.

I know lawyers will argue the semantics and rather than bend to their requirements why not make the single rule that blankets out the subsequent squabble sized arguments.

Its a bit like people getting off a speeding fine because the officer spelled their last name wrong.... Come on people!

Here's an idea - Don't use a cellphone while driving, as a bonus you wont get a ticket and other's will be safer on the road :done: