[eye30]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/texting-drivers-face-90-fine

Sending a text message or making a phone call while at the wheel will land drivers with harsher penalties, the transport minister warned

In a move to crack down on dangerous driving, Patrick McLoughlin indicated that fines for a variety of offences would rise by 50%, from £60 to £90.

The number of penalty points offenders receive on their licence will remain at three.

A new penalty of three penalty points and a £90 fine will also be introduced for a number of careless driving offences, including cutting up other drivers, eating a sandwich or lighting a cigarette at the wheel, driving at an inappropriate speed and needlessly hogging the middle lane on a motorway.

New drug-driving laws will also be introduced, and the current drink-drive limit will not be lowered.

[Shambles]

Still no deterrent, in my eyes 

[Mike SX]

Here in Spain, talking on your mobile inside the vehicle, even whilst parked is an offence. To take a call, you should leave the vehicle completely.
It is also illegal to use an earpiece.
Roadblocks are everywhere, with a hefty Police presence .

[eye30]

Here in Spain, talking on your mobile inside the vehicle, even whilst parked is an offence. To take a call, you should leave the vehicle completely.
It is also illegal to use an earpiece.

As the i30 has the bluetooth to connect to the phone can this be used whilst driving?

[asathorny]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/texting-drivers-face-90-fine

Sending a text message or making a phone call while at the wheel will land drivers with harsher penalties, the transport minister warned

In a move to crack down on dangerous driving, Patrick McLoughlin indicated that fines for a variety of offences would rise by 50%, from £60 to £90.

The number of penalty points offenders receive on their licence will remain at three.

A new penalty of three penalty points and a £90 fine will also be introduced for a number of careless driving offences, including cutting up other drivers, eating a sandwich or lighting a cigarette at the wheel, driving at an inappropriate speed and needlessly hogging the middle lane on a motorway.

New drug-driving laws will also be introduced, and the current drink-drive limit will not be lowered.

Oh yeah.....   and just who is going to enforce these penalties with the massive reductions in police numbers.  Just carry on peeps it's all talk 

[Mike SX]

As the i30 has the bluetooth to connect to the phone can this be used whilst driving?

Although certain UK based advice is that you may be able to use hands free here in Spain, you would be very fortunate to get away with it, the best advice is to park the car, get out & stand outside the vehicle, the Police generally live in Barracks, and stand no nonsense whatsoever
Every small Spanish "county",  interprets Trafico rules differently, (and charge different VED rates etc), they take little notice of the Madrid Government, and hence confusing information is rife.
You pay on the spot fines

[AlanHo]

I'm all for tougher penalties for texting and hogging the middle lane. They should also add tailgating.

It would be so easy for the police to clamp down on middle lane hogging and tailgating - they could cruise down any motorway in an unmarked car fitted with dedicated cameras and collect hundreds of registration numbers in a couple of hours.  This is a rich revenue stream ripe for the picking.  We could solve the UK financial deficit at a stroke.

[Phil №❶]

As the i30 has the bluetooth to connect to the phone can this be used whilst driving?

Although certain UK based advice is that you may be able to use hands free here in Spain, you would be very fortunate to get away with it, the best advice is to park the car, get out & stand outside the vehicle, the Police generally live in Barracks, and stand no nonsense whatsoever
Every small Spanish "county",  interprets Trafico rules differently, (and charge different VED rates etc), they take little notice of the Madrid Government, and hence confusing information is rife.
You pay on the spot fines

And some people actually go there for a holiday, no thanks. 

[Doggie 1]

I'm all for tougher penalties for texting and hogging the middle lane. They should also add tailgating.

It would be so easy for the police to clamp down on middle lane hogging and tailgating - they could cruise down any motorway in an unmarked car fitted with dedicated cameras and collect hundreds of registration numbers in a couple of hours.  This is a rich revenue stream ripe for the picking.  We could solve the UK financial deficit at a stroke.

I imagine that the police in the U.K. probably face the same difficulty as police here do as far as prosecuting for tailgating (following too close) goes.
Over here, the police can't get convictions as the magistrates repeatedly toss the matters out and find for the defendant (and award costs).
The only way to get a conviction here is if there has been a crash as a result of the offence.
Otherwise, the courts say there is no proof, regardless of the evidence led by the prosecution.

As for mobile phones, in W.A. you are not allowed to touch the phone and if you do, the offence is committed.
So the phone needs to be cradled and the calls made or answered via the Bluetooth - that is acceptable.

[Mike SX]

And some people actually go there for a holiday, no thanks. 

Like anything, understanding the system makes life much easier, it is not a good idea to drive around on UK plates, scams, robbers, holdups, you are a target, (UK Government advice)
Whilst working here I drive my Spanish reg. VW Polo, very carefully.

[Just Rick]

One of my biggest PET Hates,tosspots on or texting on mobile phones,I still say here the penalty is far to small,should be $1000 and six points,get caught on a double demerit weekend,you've done your license,the amount of PPL I see every day on their mobiles either talking or texting.

Worse still is when I see heavy vehicle operators on them.my opinion they should loose their heavy vehicle tickets immediately,if they are not using automated Handsfree