Regacy

A pub landlord was booked for not being in control of his car when police spotted him eating an ice cream at the wheel.
Ray Maltby, of The Granby, in Whitby, received a £30 fixed penalty fine after he was stopped on the mile-long journey from the shop to his pub.

The 58-year-old now wants the law clarified for other motorists.

But Insp Tim Hutchinson of Whitby Police said driving while eating posed a risk to pedestrians.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/n...re/3753401.stm

the phrase 'proper criminals' springs to mind

MattW

Well I have some sympathy for the law(the statute not the Police). If you are eating an ice cream, you can't be in total control of the car, assuming the car is a manual. I would have thought a ticking off would have been more appropriate, but you don't know the other side of the story, maybe the guy was all over the place.

However, the recent mobile phone legislation has confused matters, as that is very specific about not using a phone in the car. Previously I assume it would have been classed similar to this example.

To further confuse matters, if you were one armed and driving an auto, you would have a similar level of control that this guy did.

juan

Seems fair enough to me.

not in proper control of his car, not wearing a seatbelt. do the git.

The law is fairly clear

Would you not have minded if he had lumbered into your car coming the opposite direction whilst he tried to get the scoop of ice-cream that had fallen off the cone out of his lap?

Brendan Hughes

They didn't get him for doing a 99 in a 30 zone?


...Taxi!

Ringpeas

But was it a 99?

Dangerous things those flakes
Just imagine if the airbag had gone off, very messy

Freak

lol
i eat on the motorway all the time
Quite often pick up a drive thru on the way to work- lasts me 20 miles on the motorway. Its an aquired skill.

Catch some proper criminals retards

pmsl@99 in a 30

Apparition

And I just watched a bloke drive a van round the corner outside my house with a *** in one hand and t'other on the steering wheel..... and what about all those norty people who are STILL using their mobiles whilst driving ?

juan

Get em booked

How do you change gear whilst eating an ice cream then. Can't see why everyone is moaning. Its worse than a mobile phone etc. At least you could always just bung that down on the seat if you needed to. Not so an ice cream.

angrynorth

What about...
Taxi drivers doing that gps thingy that tells them when/where there next job is.
Police/fire/ambulance using radio.

S.B.

No problem

juan

any of the other items mentioned can be put down on the floor or the seat next to you, or in the case of a *** you can still have pretty much full use of your hand.

You can't just put an ice-cream down so you are effectively one armed which does not allow you full control of your car in an emergency etc.

Whats so hard to see about this?
Should have bunged him some points too

Regacy

What they really need is to pass a more generic law.
Otherwise they'll continue to chase people for spurious offences and have to pursue each case in court. (Setting legal precedent is very expensive for us tax payers)
The legislation I would propose would be to make...
'Driving without common sense' a legal offence
That way plod can clear up the streets in a far more cost effective manor.
That's on the assumption they are in a position of authority when it comes to common sense.
Oh I see a flaw here........

S.B.

Well said that man

juan

Ban him and crush his car. He won't do it again then

Its only a mile the lazy beggar. Could probably use the exercise

S.B.

Are you ps lewis ?

CataIunya

Doesn't say what kind of Ice cream does it? could be a choc ice that you could put down in the wrapper. Or a screwball.....most ice creams you can hold the wheel and the ice cream at the same time. If not you have your legs.......we have all done it.....

JimmyRB5PRO

so driving along in the car holding something that is in on fire is OK ......smoking is just as bad , how many smokers have dropped ****/ ash in the car whilst driving - imagine if they did everyone who smoked whilst driving ??????????????????????????????????????????????


god they make some £££ then and make the amount they make out of camera seem like pocket money !!!!

Spoon

Agree with Mr Kerr, driving is for driving. Yes you can eat on the move but you also can't have your full attention on driving.

I would assume the fact he wasn't wearing his seatbelt too actually tipped the balance. The guy obviously can't see the potential hazard in both his mistakes which made the cops all the more happy to make it clear.

juan

A couple of years inside would make him think twice next time

juan

I'm offended

You are far too easily influenced and there is too much paranoia about
(damn that first bit does sound a bit nacroish)

Jerome

A former neighbour of mine in Dorset was caught reading the newspaper, which was laying on the passenger seat, whilst sationary at some traffic lights. An off-duty copper spotted him and he was summonsed. As he pleaded not guilty, rather than just cough up, he got (well and truly) done (for driving without due care). He received 5 (yes 5) points and a fine. They really have lost the plot in Dorset.

This ice cream eater got off lightly AFAIC compared to drivers in Dor****. People should boycott this c[o]unty. As that would have the desired effect of reducing casualty figures, the authorities would be ecstatic. Shame about the collapse of the tourist industry though. At least the former B&B owners will be safe in the knowledge they can walk the streets begging in complete safety.

I do agree they should clarify the law on this though. How many people drive one handed without anything in their hand? Often they have one arm resting on the door and are lightly holding the wheel with 2 fingers. Or those who drive with one hand constantly on the gear stick?

Also, judging by the amount of people who think they are invisible in a car and choose to pick their nose, they should include this in any changes to the "one handed driving law".

Abdabz

Great news that they fined him.

Out runs the little kiddy in front of him - Hmm would love to see him try and avoid it while nibbling on his cone!!

No seatbelt = no brain

P

Muffleman

Exactly.

And does this include drivers of automatic vehicles ? If it wasn't for sticking my fingers up at other drivers and eating Big Macs, I doubt I'd ever use my left hand whilst driving my automatic to-and-from-work car !

So can we also please.....

1) Close all drive thru's
2) Stop selling sweets\drinks\magazines at petrol stations
3) Ban hairbrushes and makeup thingies from ladies
4) Remove all audio equipment
5) Have car 'blinkers' so we ONLY look at the road

etc etc etc



You've got to laugh

Matt

supertouring

When I was a kid I remember my dad doing a great trick where he was able to light his cigarette whilst driving. It was like some kind of a one handed David Blane trick using a packet of Players No6 and some Swan Vestas. No idea how he did it, but did it he did. Never looked at the road at any point during the procedure - scared the damn **** out of me.

Ah! Childhood memories.

S.B.

If your not wearing a seatbelt its your own life you are risking so why a fine for not wearing one?