Banned it like Beckham
 

He's been given 6 month driving ban for using his phone whilst driving.

I'm not really bothered, I just couldn't resist the thread title.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48213106

David Beckham has been given a six-month driving ban for using his mobile phone while behind the wheel.

The former England captain previously pleaded guilty to using the device while driving his Bentley in central London on 21 November last year.

A court heard he was photographed by a member of the public holding a phone as he drove in "slowly moving" traffic.

Beckham, 43, received six points on his licence to add to the six he already had for previous speeding matters.

He was also fined £750, ordered to pay £100 in prosecution costs and a £75 surcharge fee within seven days.

District Judge Catherine Moore said she acknowledged the slow pace of the traffic but told him there was "no excuse" under the law.

Bromley Magistrates' Court heard Beckham was seen "operating a handheld device at knee level" while driving along Great Portland Street in the West End.

Prosecutor Matthew Spratt said: "Instead of looking straight forward, paying attention to the road he appeared to be looking at his lap."

Beckham's defence barrister Gerrard Tyrrell said the former Manchester United midfielder had "no recollection of the day in question or this particular incident".

He added: "There is no excuse for what took place but his view is that he cannot remember."

Mr Tyrrell told the court that Beckham found driving a relaxing pastime.

"He takes his children to school each day when he can and he picks them up when he can, and actually to deprive them of that is something that he will acknowledge," he said.

In September, Beckham was accused of "shirking his responsibility" as a role model when he avoided prosecution on a speeding charge because of a technicality.

The father-of-four accepted he drove a loaned Bentley at 59mph in a 40mph zone in west London in January last year.

But his lawyer Nick Freeman - known as Mr Loophole - successfully fought to prevent action being taken because a speeding notice arrived one day late.

In March 2017, the punishment for driving while on the phone was doubled to six penalty points - enough to ban those with less than two years' experience.

meh he can afford a chauffeur

Let’s hope that this is an actual precedent that they’re going to follow with everyone, not just those they can make an example of

Bugger off, I've got texts to read! They need to stick to famous people.

Surely his car has hands free the ****ing idiot that he is

You'd think so, wouldn't you....

The number of people you see in high end cars holding their phones is unbelievable. Surely you £50K car has hands free. I was nearly wiped out by a woman on her phone on the motorway the other week. I thought she was pissed at first as she was weaving all over the carriageway so I overtook her to get out of her way and then saw she was on her phone texting :fist: Like are you REALLY that important that a text can't wait??

...I have to say if I was in the car with someone who was texting while driving or distracted with their phone in some way...I would ask them to stop and I would get out...


....that’s a one off thread title though...:laugh:...

i'm pretty sure the Bentley doesnt actually require user input to safely navigate the road. Laws are laws and all that, but they should take into account the technology in the car

Lets be honest going through central London he would probably have been in traffic crawling along at a few miles per hour, no serious risk of injury and probably spending more time stationary than moving

6 months seems a bit harsh

Didn't he get off with a speeding offence a few month ago though?

It's standard in the totting up procedure. He got 6 points and already had 6 points on his.licence so 12 month ban, the same as anyone who has accumulated 12 points.

Fair enough I missed that

He's been treated like anyone else who clocks up points on their licence so that's something at least.