Morris Minor Owners Club

I bid and won a pair of traveller doors and got them at a very good price,
I contacted the seller and arranged to pick them up in birmingham, about 55 miles away and he texted me his address and postcode etc.
Picked them up and they look very good and will clean up well.

The cost

Doors............£26.00
Fuel ...............£10.00ish
The cost of a police ticket for checking the address on the text on my phone whilst driving.............£60.00 fine and 3 points

I'm not complaining, it was a fair cop and i should have known better but it didnt half spoil my bargain.

Well - I see people using their phones all the time while driving and wandering about from lane to lane - up here Cops don't seem to bother! I have to agree it should be stamped out - but bad luck he didn't just give you a 'warning' since it was a Classic car. Must have been a bad day for him - or he was behind with his 'quota'.

I know the feeling I had a fine for parking and they were right to do it. Many years ago I got called in to work an evening shift (driving) as the other guy needed to go home sick.
I went to pick up the keys at the office and parked on yellows as nothing else was avaiable.
The other driver faffed about something cronic so when I went back out 15 minutes later to drive to the garage I had a ticket - so ended up working a shift on my day off just to pay the ticket.

Lessons are there to be learnt - 4 years ago I had a bump and got whiplash caused by dangerous parking in a junction. The people parked there had a half emty company carpark, but parking near the front door in a dangerous location saved them a few minutes walk.

People are forever parking on yellows in dangerous locations, to save a few seconds getting their kebab or cigarrettes, drop kids off etc... and are oblivous to the accidents that it can cause.

bmcecosse wrote:but bad luck he didn't just give you a 'warning' since it was a Classic car. Must have been a bad day for him - or he was behind with his 'quota'.

And your logic here is ???

I agree this practice should be stamped out along with map reading, drinking, eating etc.

the fines should be trebledfor using phone ,drink drivers banned for life, many cars pass my house every day with drivers useing phones no simpathy from me,,,grandad

My thoughts on it ( and boy have i thought about it) are, i was breaking the law and its not my intention to start a debate on the virtues or otherwise of using a phone, eating,drinking,smoking or putting your make up on whilst driving.
My note was put up more of a warning for others to learn from my error.
Sympathy i dont want or deserve (although £60 from any lottery winners out there would be nice )

Why why why is it still legal to smoke when driving? I used to smoke, but on the odd occasions I tried to when behind the wheel I found myself distracted enormously by the smoke in your eyes (you've got to keep it in your mouth or you end up stubbing it on the gearlever/controls/etc.

I think you needed more practice...

LINEARAUDIO wrote:Why why why is it still legal to smoke when driving? I used to smoke, but on the odd occasions I tried to when behind the wheel I found myself distracted enormously by the smoke in your eyes (you've got to keep it in your mouth or you end up stubbing it on the gearlever/controls/etc.

the same reason for loud blaring out radio`s

J - I simply reconned that the Cop might have taken a more 'friendly' attitude because it was a nice old classic car. Might just have encouraged him to let it go with a wigging! There is no 'logic' - but hey they are only human - I think.
As for eating - can I no longer munch a Mars while driving ? What about the odd 'Extra Strong Mint' and/or chewing gum - yet (as above) it's seemingly ok to set fire to a tube of old leaves sticking out of my mouth and allow the smoke etc to get in the way of my vision ???

LINEARAUDIO wrote:Why why why is it still legal to smoke when driving? I used to smoke, but on the odd occasions I tried to when behind the wheel I found myself distracted enormously by the smoke in your eyes (you've got to keep it in your mouth or you end up stubbing it on the gearlever/controls/etc.

I suspect that the people who are in charge of this particular legislation must all smoke

think you needed more practice...

Use the right hand, and if a gearchange is needed just wedge your knee under the wheel.

Illegal to smoke while driving in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania if there are children in the car. Victoria is soon to follow. I think the fine is $250 (GBP113). Using a phone is illegal and so is operating a GPS while in motion.

Crikey - is it still safe to take a hand off the steering wheel to change gear - or must we all fit auto trans ??

bmcecosse wrote:J As for eating - can I no longer munch a Mars while driving ? What about the odd 'Extra Strong Mint' and/or chewing gum - yet (as above) it's seemingly ok to set fire to a tube of old leaves sticking out of my mouth and allow the smoke etc to get in the way of my vision ???

Exactly- How can eating a Mars bar be as dangerous as smoking? If you drop it the worst is it will get grubby, not start a fire. As for blaring radio's- isn't it a bit irresponsible to sell 1000 watt car sound systems? (In my day a 15 watt Radiomobile was the best you could get- and plenty loud enough at that!!

bmcecosse wrote:J - I simply reconned that the Cop might have taken a more 'friendly' attitude because it was a nice old classic car. ........
As for eating - can I no longer munch a Mars while driving ? What about the odd 'Extra Strong Mint' and/or chewing gum - yet (as above) it's seemingly ok to set fire to a tube of old leaves sticking out of my mouth and allow the smoke etc to get in the way of my vision ???

It just seemed a wierd thing to say,good buddy, as if it had been a BMW or 4x4 driver then you'd have thrown the book at them. Nice old classics do not mean law abiding drivers or ones of more distinction.
As for food, its folk who insist on having a 3 course meal passed to them by their passenger, then washing it down with a 2L bottle of cola.

I followed a car the other day that was weaving from lane to lane. Came to traffic lights along side her (she was turning right) and realised she was eating an ice cream cone, and on the phone with a baby in a kiddyseat on the passenger seat!!!

she was eating an ice cream cone, and on the phone with a baby in a kiddyseat on the passenger seat!!!

no wonder she was swerving - the baby was probably trying to grab the icecream whenever she did a gearchange ;-)

Whenever I see anyone on the phone I pull along side and blast my horn (as long as I'm not driving the Moggie).... My work uniform is a light blue shirt and a flourescent jacket. Amazing how many people drop their phones and look really sheepish