This week, a driver reported that law enforcement officers pulled him over while driving and charged him with using his mobile phone while moving.He protested his innocence that he had neither made or received a call, and that the phone's log could prove it. The officers were adamant and he suffered a fine of 100 euros with the loss of three points from his license.
Police officers are only human, and as such they might indeed think they saw something such as illegal use of a mobile. What can we do as drivers to counter this possibility?
My suggestion is that we place our mobile phones in the luggage compartment of the car. If you are a woman, or a man with a man bag, and if you place the bag in the luggage compartment there can be no doubt that you could have used the mobile phone while driving. There would also be the added security that no thief could reach into the car to snatch the bag.
However, when placing the bag into the boot take careful note if there are people close to the car, because you will close the boot and walk forward leaving the contents vulnerable. If it is momentarily safe, then once in the car, lock all the doors.
The same advice is offered regarding alcohol that has been opened. It should be carried in the boot so that there can be no doubt that anybody in the car had been drinking while the car was in motion.
I agree that this is an extreme measure and a nuisance, but if it saves you a fine and the loss of points from your license I think you might agree that it will be worth the effort.
Copyright (c) 2014 Eugene Carmichael
