Monday, September 03, 2007

Applied ethics - Would you report a van driver who is driving while talking on a mobile handset?

No mobile sign, via office365.co.uk

Scenario:

You’re driving along the M2 motorway heading into Belfast as the rush hour traffic starts to build up. Heading towards Junction 4 (Sandyknowes Roundabout), stopping and starting as you make progress in five metre jumps.

A liveried van for a well-known building firm is sitting alongside you in the inside lane. It’s driver is holding his mobile up to his ear. For five minutes you jostle past each other, and he’s still on the phone.

At one point the van gets ahead of you, and you notice a “Am I being driven considerately? Phone 07801 xxxxxx” sign on the back.

What so you do?

Other than hypocritically picking up your own mobile and call the number while you’re going through the same slow moving traffic!

Hope the police catch him. Remember not to do it yourself? Make a note and call the snitch line? And wouldn’t getting a pen out to scribble down the mobile number and the registration plate be nearly as dangerous as using a mobile while driving?

Your opinions on today's applied ethics scenario welcomed!

9 comments:

Stephen Barnes said...

No question about it. Grass him up. (when you've safely pulled in)

Stephen Barnes said...

I've just nearly been run over by a guy driving an ambulance while on the mobile phone. I guess I should be lucky that if I was hit, help would be on hand....

ruthEbabes said...

I'd be tempted to snitch..... grab a pen and write it on the back of my hand then the first thing whn i get out of the car, call and report........... however i have seen the police driving with mobiles to their ears sometimes and have been very temted to call the local station to complain, then remember they get away with speeding so do they get away with using their mobile too?

David Todd said...

I reckon it'd be a waste of time reporting him as the police probably don't have the time or resources to take action.

Anonymous said...

I have phoned one of those numbers when a berk in a van was blocking Upper Arthur Street making a delivery. They weren't interested.

Anonymous said...

To echo CyberScribe's point, when have you ever seen a van/lorry driver NOT using a mobile phone? It's rarer to see them with both hands on the steering wheel.

I'd love to say report them, but that would require either driving dangerously myself or finding a photographic memory to remember both the telephone number and registration of the van.

Anonymous said...

This is good example of why you shouldnt have principles. Somethings are right or wrong depending on the time of day or the weather. No I would happliy let him phone away because he is a van driver. But if he was a taxi driver I'd make a mental note of his reg and report him! (so not being likely to be caught in reverse!)

Unknown said...

According to the Ford survey:
91% of White van man drivers think people who drive while speaking on the phone are dangerous.
90% van man feel safe when driving a van.
39% see the brand of their van as important, mainly as an indicator of reliability and quality as well as a reflection of their business.

Alan in Belfast (Alan Meban) said...

johnny - thanks for the spam!