MRAA President Dale Maggs sent the following email out last week:More needs to be done to reduce the use of Mobile phones while driving.
I have attached two pictures of people using mobiles while in transit, which were taken while I was was parked on the side of the road.
In the two images I have used as examples here:
a. The Black VW driver was texting nearly the whole length of Victoria parade on Saturday th 12 of May.
b. The Silver Car driver was using a blackberry while travelling along Punt road . At the same time he was sharing the unit with his son . Of concern is that I recognized that this driver was a Senior Vic Roads employee.
In my current job, I travel roads throughout the state daily covering approximately 3500 km per week . I have viewed hundreds of drivers performing these risky tasks over the past month and am dumbfounded as to why we let them get away with it.These drivers pose an unacceptable risk to motorcycle riders.
I note that a campaign was launched this week to inform the public of the risks associated with mobile phone use etc. However, if it isn't accompanied by rigorourous police enforcement these ads will have little impact. Perhaps another approach should be taken. If I can photograph people using their mobile phones, then surely many other members of the public would be able to do the same.
The MRAA therefore proposes that perhaps the following be underatken:
a. Encourage concerned members of the public to start photographing people using their mobile phones, as I have done.
b. Provide a central location where they can submit those photos, in order that the images can be posted somewhere to "shame" the offenders.
The concept that the MRAA proposes is one which is targeted at making this behaviour "anti-social". Fines, demerit points etc don't seem to work. Therefore, we recommend a more "lateral approach".
Dale's email received several interesting responses. The Herald Sun said that they would be interested if the MRAA decided to persue this idea.
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