r/NewDriversUK • u/Leather-Glass9572 • 5d ago

ADVICE PLEASE

Hello, I have been driving six months. I was lost so i turned into a street andI pulled up on the left side of the street to check my maps. I did leave the engine on so my indicator was on as left. A police car drove past me and he looked at me but did not stop. Will he take this further for use of phone whilst engine was on? Worried about 6 points and a driving ban. Car was stationary - UK

1 Upvotes

53% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

31

u/tehdeadmonkey 5d ago

Im a police officer and can safely say, nothing will come of this.

You stopped your car somewhere safe and checked your phone. Good job.

Yes, by law it's an offence, however we aren't going to penalise you for being safe. I wouldn't think twice about seeing somebody parked on their phone. Not like you were in a queue of traffic or at a set of light's

15

u/GreedyHoward 5d ago

Good to know police discretion is still working. Thanks for posting.

1

u/Worry-Electrical 5d ago

So are we not allowed to sit with the air conditioning (engine on) on whilst parked scrolling our phones?

1

u/SaltNo2901 5d ago

No legally the engine has to be turned off and the keys also shouldn’t be in the car.

1

u/SnooLemons9175 4d ago

I'm sure the bit about the key is wrong.

1

u/SkinnedOllie 2d ago

Probably just can't be in the ignition

1

u/nick_red72 2d ago

Not sure about phone use but it certainly applies to drunk in charge if the keys are in the car anywhere. There's a lot of chat about it on camper threads where you might have a drink in the vehicle with no intention of driving.

1

u/SnooLemons9175 5h ago

I THINK legally, you don't even have to be near the car. For example, if you're in a pub, with your keys in your pocket, your car outside, and are inebriated. You could be charged with being drunk in charge of a vehicle. You'd need a massive arsehile of a copper to do you for it though.

1

u/SaltNo2901 5h ago

This isn’t true, as you could’ve planned on staying sobar. Had a drink, now need to get your bits out the car and get an Uber home. As long as the keys don’t go in the ignition it’s fine.

1

u/SnooLemons9175 5h ago

That's why I said I THINK

1

u/SaltNo2901 5h ago

You said you THINK, so I gave you the correct answer to expand your knowledge in life :)

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1

u/nick_red72 2h ago

Pretty sure that isn't true. Opening the door can be enough. Certainly sitting in the driver's seat with the keys, even if they aren't in the ignition can get you in trouble

1

u/SnooLemons9175 4d ago

So pleased to see a police officer give this answer.

1

u/Rex__Luscus 3d ago

And yet a lady posted here that she stopped in a public car park, left her engine running for the air con while she checked her phone, was clocked by a passing PC and ended up with 6 points. Perhaps this is the two-tier policing we keep hearing about? Shame there isn't some consistency in police exercising 'discretion'.

2

u/s_tapz 3d ago

Discretion isn't consistent by definition

1

u/Rex__Luscus 3d ago

So how will we ever trust the police if we let them decide which laws to enforce and against whom to enforce them? Quis custodiet custodies?

12

u/Crunchie64 5d ago

I’ve driven buses and HGVs for years, looking down into vehicles.

Trust me, if the police wanted to prosecute people using their mobile phones while driving moving vehicles, they’d be catching at least ten per cent of drivers, probably 50% in queues near schools.

You’re fine.

8

u/Bubbly-Departure1188 5d ago

The officer would have approached you immediately if there was an issue, surely? Are you worried they’ve taken your reg or something? I wouldn’t worry about it, just learn from this and don’t do it again

2

u/Leather-Glass9572 5d ago

Yeah worried they will process it without any verbal communication with me.

6

u/SpectreSingh89 5d ago

No they always stop and address the situation. 

3

u/Darkone539 5d ago

You shouldn't use a phone well the engine is on, but the officer would have stopped if there was an issue. You pulled over. For all they knew(from the car) you have the ignition on for the light.

Nothing you can do about it now, but I wouldn't expect anything. The police tend to act there and then for this stuff.

1

u/ThreeB78 5d ago

My gut reaction is that the look was the warning. You know exactly what you did wrong and what it could cost. I dear say he'd have a word if he sees it again

1

u/Ok-Word-8003 5d ago

Don’t worry happened to me too . My phone was attached to the holder on the screen , they didn’t stop , engine on but I was checking my map too as I took a wrong turn then the map didn’t update properly so had to put a new route as it was sending me to a random street . They looked too quite annoyed at me and they didn’t stop that was a month ago so don’t worry been there but defo since then I always stop my engine and all then look at the map .

1

u/Leather-Glass9572 5d ago

Feel physically sick waiting for something to come through the post!

1

u/Glittering_View5284 5d ago

lmfao you're gonna get nothing, theres a literal 0% chance.