people like this dont deserve to be on the road

[MixtriX]

hmm.. i need a sarcastic smilie...

Driver fined for clutching apple

Driver Sarah McCaffery was fined for holding an apple
A woman who held an apple while driving a car around a corner has been fined £60 and ordered to pay £100 costs.
Sarah McCaffery was pulled over in December 2003 by police who mistakenly thought she was on her mobile phone.

They spotted the fruit and issued her with a £30 ticket saying she was not in proper control of her Ford Ka.

The 23-year-old of Blackpool Parade, Hebburn, appealed, but was convicted by magistrates on Monday. Her solicitor said the case was "nonsensical."


Geoffrey Forrester, defending, also criticised Northumbria Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for ordering aerial photographs for the trial, which lasted just two-and-a-half hours at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court

'Perfect' manoeuvre

But on Monday the court ruled McCaffery was not in proper control of her car when she negotiated a left hand turn with the apple in her right hand.

Mr Forrester said his client carried out the manoeuvre into the road "perfectly".

He said: "Nothing illustrates the nonsense of this case more than the resources that have been thrown at it."

But chairman of the bench, Ken Buck, said: "We accept that there are times when you can drive with one hand, but, in holding an apple while negotiating a left hand turn, we consider you not to have been in full control."

Chris Kay, prosecuting, said the cost of the case, not including the aerial photographs and video, was £425.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "We were obliged to gather all appropriate evidence to present our case.

"Costs do not have a bearing on any decision to prosecute."

from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...ar/4203375.stm[/b]

[MixtriX]

crap, was meant to put this in general automotive... sorry

[ESPNSTI]

I generally think just about anything that distracts a driver should be cause for a fine, but an apple sounds pretty harmless to me.

[jasonchiu]

i think she shouldnt have been fine'd she did cause n e harm did she. i mean mobile of course but not a apple... i mean sometimes i drive while i eat lunch...

[bone]

i heard some people listen to the radio while driving

luckaly no one got caught yet

[jasonchiu]

soon we'll get fine'd for not having both hands on the steering wheel at all times while the car is in motion

[RiCh]

lol an apple

[Jostyrostelli]

Agree with ESPN, I don't have 2 hands on the wheel either, it makes me tired, but I usually don't do anything else in the car that distracts me from the road.
A while ago I read in the newspapers that a girl was text-messaging her boyfriend and didn't pay much attention to the road and killed a woman with kids. She only got a light punishment or fine, you shouldn't eat in the city anyway in your car, too much things happening, and if you can't react quick you're screwed. And they Will say you were eating...so you're an easy target.

[zeroSignal]

I rarely have both hands on the wheel. Usualy it's one hand on the wheel, one on the shifter. Makes driving in the city easier.

And punishing a girl because she was eating an apple? While I do agree that people should not eat while driving, this is getting ridiculous. There are loads of stupid laws being passed all over the world, most of which don't make any sence.

In Macedonia, where I'm from, talking on the cell phone is banned, but they also banned using any kind of hands-free set. And the explanation given was hilarious - "Maybe someone will call the driver and deliver bad news!" - give me a goddamn break. Bad news can be delivered through the radio aswell. So what's next? Banning the radio? Actualy, let's ban smoking in cars. I'm a non smoker, so I don't care. Or actualy, let's make sure everyone drives alone, so a co-driver won't be a distraction..

WTF is next?

[Jostyrostelli]

ZeroSignal: I read that it's not about your hand next to your ear that's dangerous, it's about you thinking about something else than the road, so I would agree with them that that is just as dangerous.

But I do agree...talking with a passenger would be illegal too...it's all about drawing lines...which may not suit everyone..(no one)

[Mischief007]

Talking on a cell phone is a fine here in Ontario, yet I see those morons talking on the cell while turning into my lane . Looks like the cops aren't doing that they are supposed to be doing.

[ESPNSTI]

Originally Posted by zeroSignal

I rarely have both hands on the wheel. Usualy it's one hand on the wheel, one on the shifter.

In my STI's manual it says leaving the hand on the shifter is bad for the tranny.
Usually I have two hands on the wheel.

As for the cellphone thing, yah it's the conversation that's distracting, not whether or not you're holding a device.
When I have a passenger, I don't look at him/her, and I only listen "casually" which means I usually don't say much.

[Mischief007]

Originally Posted by ESPNSTI

In my STI's manual it says leaving the hand on the shifter is bad for the tranny.
Usually I have two hands on the wheel.

As for the cellphone thing, yah it's the conversation that's distracting, not whether or not you're holding a device.
When I have a passenger, I don't look at him/her, and I only listen "casually" which means I usually don't say much.

We concentrate on the sound of the engine while going through the gears.

[zeroSignal]

Leaving the hand on the shifter would be bad only if you apply pressure on it during driving. If you don't apply any pressure/force while driving, ie, not pressing down on it or anything, but just having the hand casualy on the shifter, you should be fine.

[Jostyrostelli]

When I was little I always thought it was a stick to stir the gas every now and then...

[AutoMX]

Ah at least people here don't have to worry about anything close to that. Half of the people driving in L.A. are on their cell phones and there's nothing cops can do. There is no law that says you can't drive with 1 hand (or any?).
In fact here's the cell phone policy, taken out of the California DMV site:

"Avoid using your cellular telephone while driving, as much as possible. "

Here, old people run peds over, and even they aren't regulated from driving.

Gotta say this is the only "freedom" I've heard of here, even though people talk about it so much.

[Ultra_Kool_Dude]

I don't even use both hands when I'm on the bike - it makes it more fun to go the speed limit when you are leaned over a bit with one hand on the bike.

[SiR_dude]

I rarely have both hands on the wheel - I usually steer with my left, and the right is either on the shifter, adjusting the radio/heating controls, holding a cup of coffee, shifting....I mean, WTF?!? When I'm on the highway and I'm going in a straight line, I want to be able to at least hold onto my beverage...if they ban food in cars around here, I'll go insane

[asthenia]

I've seen a guy drive an HGV (basically an 18-wheeler) in dowtown Glasgow with one hand out the window, holding a cigarette. That's like assembling Ikea furniture with your teeth.

I've also seen someone I know back his own car straight into his other car, in his own driveway by mistake. Forgot it was there.

Some people can drive well naturally. Some can't. If she can turn perfectly with an apple in her hand, so be it. Doesn't make her Hitler.

[SL65]

I've also seen someone I know back his own car straight into his other car, in his own driveway by mistake. Forgot it was there

My mum once backed our 82' Ford Laser into our 94' Merc (well b4 i was born). The Merc ended up backing into a pillar a few meters away. The mark is still there as a reminder: Dont put nailpolish while driving!!