What are your reading habits?

[Fluribus]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

I think Harry must be a journalist as he seems to have the habit of leaving points inconvenient to his story out. It seems there may be more to it than reading the headline infers as in the newspaper article he points to it actually states:

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police defended its officer's action, saying:
"Our concern is for the safety of other road users.
"If a police officer feels a driver is not in charge of their vehicle while it is moving, they will be stopped and advice or a ticket will be given. "

Emphasis is mine.

The spokesman didn't say that the vehicle was moving. He merely made a general statement. He might not have known the specifics. The law might classify a car stopped at a traffic control device as moving.

[Witty Username]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Unfortunately, as I say, I'm not able to find an account of the court case. Perhaps she just paid the fine in the end. But this makes the point that even when your vehicle is stationary, you're required to be in full control of it, not drinking water, fiddling with the radio, etc.

She had her day in court, was found guilty and it cost her a total of £90. As expected, she wasn't ticketed for drinking while stationary at a red traffic light.

telegraph newspaper report.

The presiding magistrate said:

The reason we have come to this decision is you started drinking while stationary and drove off with the bottle still in your hand. This proves you would not have been able to control your vehicle adequately.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Witty Username

She had her day in court, was found guilty and it cost her a total of £90. As expected, she wasn't ticketed for drinking while stationary at a red traffic light.

Many thanks for the additional information. You're better at searching than I am!

[cvkemp]

Well here in the states they really only harp about the texting. If you have a hands free setup you can talk in most areas. And people eat and drink what ever as long as it is not beer, wine, etc. I have even seen women putting on make up while driving. And by the way it i not uncommon to see police driving down the streets and roads with a coffee cup or sandwich in their hands.

[Witty Username]

Originally Posted by cvkemp

Well here in the states they really only harp about the texting. If you have a hands free setup you can talk in most areas. And people eat and drink what ever as long as it is not beer, wine, etc. I have even seen women putting on make up while driving. And by the way it i not uncommon to see police driving down the streets and roads with a coffee cup or sandwich in their hands.

I wonder if the difference is that the majority of US drivers have an automatic gearbox while UK drivers tend to have manual aka stick shift. Drivers with a manual transmission need to have both hands available especially when moving off from lights or junctions.

[cvkemp]

Originally Posted by Witty Username

I wonder if the difference is that the majority of US drivers have an automatic gearbox while UK drivers tend to have manual aka stick shift. Drivers with a manual transmission need to have both hands available especially when moving off from lights or junctions.

To me we should have more laws to prevent so many drivers that do not pay attention to their driving. And yes most now days do have automatics, and it is even getting where it is hard to even get a vehicle with a manual transmission now. A lot of the vehicle models do not even come with a manual transmission option. That is even becoming true with the big rigs.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Witty Username

I wonder if the difference is that the majority of US drivers have an automatic gearbox while UK drivers tend to have manual aka stick shift. Drivers with a manual transmission need to have both hands available especially when moving off from lights or junctions.

I think that's an excellent point.

Full disclosure: I can't drive a standard transmission; I never learned.

[Cinisajoy]

Cvkemp,
Our last 2 vehicles were standards. 2002 Dodge and 2011 Kia.

[JwkOKC]

Originally Posted by issybird

Full disclosure: I can't drive a standard transmission; I never learned.

When we wed, my wife had never learned to drive; I had to teach her how, and initially only gave her the absolute necessities, which in our situation didn't include using the clutch or a stick shift.

Some 20 years later she fell in love with a VW "Sun Bug" convertible and we bought it. It had a stick shift; she set herself to master that art, and became capable of its use in less than a week.

Our middle son also loved the vehicle, and when we decided that its maintenance was costing us more than its worth, we made him a present of it. He named it Victor; Victor is still in his family almost 40 years later!

It's never too late to learn new skills. All it takes is the proper motivation.

[cvkemp]

My last manual was a 1999 mustang convertible. But I am thinking about getting me a mini cooper with the manual tranny. I may be 68 but I am still a teen at heart.

[HarryT]

In the UK, if you take your driving test in a car with an automatic transmission, you can then only drive an automatic, hence virtually everyone learns to drive in manual cars.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by cvkemp

My last manual was a 1999 mustang convertible. But I am thinking about getting me a mini cooper with the manual tranny. I may be 68 but I am still a teen at heart.

My car is a bright yellow Mini Cooper. I love it .

[Apache]

I am still driving my 1993 S10 with a manual transmission. The truck only has 73,000 miles on it. I have always believed you keep a car until repairs start to cost more than car payments. my first car was a 1973 Nova that I bought brand new. When I drove it home my mother told to not think I was only going to keep it a couple of years and get something else. I sold it in 1989 because it was not stock and gas was getting expensive. I was averaging 8 miles to the gallon on the highway.
Apache

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Apache

I am still driving my 1993 S10 with a manual transmission. The truck only has 73,000 miles on it. I have always believed you keep a car until repairs start to cost more than car payments. my first car was a 1973 Nova that I bought brand new. When I drove it home my mother told to not think I was only going to keep it a couple of years and get something else. I sold it in 1989 because it was not stock and gas was getting expensive. I was averaging 8 miles to the gallon on the highway.
Apache

I see that you live in Georgia where I guess the weather is quite warm? What kills old cars in Britain is the mixture of sand and salt that's spread on the roads in winter. Causes enormous problems with rust on the underneath of the car, particularly old cars which didn't have the coatings that modern ones do to protect against it.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I see that you live in Georgia where I guess the weather is quite warm? What kills old cars in Britain is the mixture of sand and salt that's spread on the roads in winter. Causes enormous problems with rust on the underneath of the car, particularly old cars which didn't have the coatings that modern ones do to protect against it.

HarryT,
Our coastal cities have the same problem with salt and sand but in the summer.
At least in south Texas, people drive on the beach.