It's opinions like Dave's that make me feel like driving past the next motorist I see in trouble or hazard I see on the road without calling *555 to report it.

After all, if the guy is so up himself about others using cellphones why should I annoy him by trying to help?

I will wager the cellphone ban will have absolutely no detectable impact on road casualties and will cost a fortune in fines, court costs and policing to the detriment of more productive investments.

The most likely outcome is that the hundreds of thousands of motorists now forced to buy a handsfree kit will decide since they had to pay for it they might as well use it. The amount of cellphone use in cars will therefore rise instead of falling and the risk factors of hands-free use are the same as that of handheld.

This was law-making for idiots by idiots.

Right on Dave.

Last week I was nearly hit by a woman in an SUV running a red light while talking on her phone. The look she gave me when I honked at her clearly said "I'm bigger than you so what are you gonna do about it."

Well I can't do much about you but here is what I plan to do to other idiots I see talking on their phones while driving...

I will not go through any intesection if the person behind me is talking on their phone. Sorry to those of you stuck behind them but I am sick of the arrogance and stupidity I see on the road every day and I have had enough.

@ Alan Wilkinson #1 - Could this level of arrogance please stop! Firstly, I had a friend die in a head on crash as a result of another driver who admitted that they were talking on their mobile and got distracted. That's all the statistical evidence I need (aside from the countless examples of ridiculous driving I see from those on mobiles in my day to day life). Secondly - if you'd even bothered to have a look at the changes made to the law, you'd see that 555 emergency calls are some of the exceptions. As an aside, there was a crash on the way to work this morning where a woman rear ended the car in front as a result of chatting on a mobile and being distracted. Oh how I laughed.

Clark - Do you not see ridiculous driving from those not on mobiles? Would that same driver who hit your friend have been more or less distracted by the conversation using a hands free kit?

Alan's point (as I took it) was that if they are going to be so silly about making calls then why even make those ones that fall within the exception?

Conversely, if the benefits to those calls outweigh the risks associated with making them, then where is the quantifiable evidence to support that? Surely the hypocrisy in conducting what is defined as dangerous driving (to the extent that you can lose your licence doing it) to complain about dangerous driving is fairly evident?

I agree with Alan. This was pointless rule making, and instead of fixing problems, is only going to create more.

Rex - Sorry, so your plan to counter arrogance and stupidity on the road is by being arrogant and stupid? Dont hold up the traffic flow because of your personal righteousness. If you really feel that you must do something about it, then use *555. Oh hang on, then you're doing the same thing they are. Ok then, if you want to police others driving habits, join the police. But don't be a p***k on the road. All that's going to do is wind other drivers up. Then they'll be more likely to do something stupid. Then you'll look at them and berate them for their bad driving, completely oblivious to your part in the action..

Set a good example on the road, not a bad one.

@ Dave #4

The way I see it holding people up at intersections is way less risky than allowing someone who is not paying attention to through-traffic the ability to go through that intersection.

And please don't post about wanting to drive while talking on the phone and then tell me to set a good example on the road. That's just whack.

clark, if you can't see the wood for the trees I can't help you.

My point is that whoever killed your friend is even more likely to be chatting on the phone in future since he has a handsfree kit so he is likely to kill more people than he would have without this law since the risk factors for handsfree and handheld are the same despite Dave's refusal to accept that science.

It's thoughtless, emotive arrogance like yours that creates wasteful and counterproductive legislation like this. Can we have an end to it please?

@ Alan W - Quite simply - there is NO need for you to be talking on the phone whilst driving.

I find the mere fact that this has to be debated rather disturbing.

I also am at a loss to understand your logic in calling someone else arrogant for their opinion - simply because you hold a different one.

All in all, a big waste of time - as i said earlier - there is NO NEED to talk on a phone while driving.

Dave - Would you be happy if airline pilots used mobiles all the time (aside from the obvious effects on the navigational equipment)? Even most retail staff aren't allowed to use mobiles whilst on the shop floor as it distracts them from serving customers as well as they could. The driver that hit my friend had a flip phone they were trying to unfold with one hand. They dropped it on their lap and looked down to pick it up and veered into the oncoming lane.So If they had a handsfree kit (especially bluetooth) they would have most likely had to push one button on their visor or used voice activation. Both options negate losing eye contact with the road. So the answer to your question is less distracted. I also do see silly things done by drivers not on mobiles - such as a severe lack of people who don't realise their indicators exist, but that isn't the issue we're discussing today. As an honest male, I don't claim to be able to multi-task as I prefer to do one thing properly.

@clark: Of course, the law doesn't stop people chatting on a mobile and being distracted; it just means they need a hands-free kit to do so..

Dave @#4, re your comments regarding Rex, totally agree. Alan #1, agree also.

Clark @#3, your friend dying as a result of someone talking on a cellphone is not statistical evidence. We all have our individual reasons why we think something should bew illegal whyile driving. If we banned something on the basis that someone had killed someone while doing it, then we would have banned driving all together.

Dave, I don't think your questions are relevant. Until this new law came in, when my phone rang, I had two options, answer it or don't answer it. When I was on a long straight, shared with no one, I would likely answer it. Deal with the matter at hand and hang up. If I was in car to car motorway traffic in the rain or negotiating a nasty corner on the Rimutukas, I would ignore it. Pretty simple really.

The one handed issue is a red herring. People have one hand on the wheel at times for all sorts of reasons, sometimes because they only have one hand. If that is really the problem then have driving one handed banned.

I have no particular desire to use my phone when I drive, I rarely did when it was legal. But I think the law is badly thought out and unlikely to give any reduction in accidents.