Aussie driver caught driving with both hands on cellphones, one finger on steering wheel

Driving usually involves putting at least one hand on the steering wheel. But, in the case of one Australian motorist, driving apparently means holding two cellphones (one in each hand) while driving with a a finger-aided knee. Fortunately, this particular case ended up with the driver being cited twice for his flagrant disregard for road safety.

Chelsea Traffic Management Unit acting sergeant Rob Atkinson pulled over the 30-year-old Fitzroy man after seeing the man swerving dangerously through the EastLink tunnel over the weekend. The driver explained to Atkinson that he had to transfer information from one phone to the other, rationalizing that he was still in control of the vehicle with a single finger solidly planted on the steering wheel. A single finger!

For the driver’s obvious lack of judgment, Atkinson slapped a double citation on the man, stopping short of taking his license away altogether. “I reinforced the danger of this type of driving, especially within the tunnel and issued the man with two penalty notices, one for careless driving and one for use hand held mobile phone while driving,’’ he said.

Driving a car with a single finger and a propped-up knee is about as dangerous a driving situation as we’ve ever heard. Having one cellphone pressed up against an ear is bad enough, but having both hands completely tied up with mobile phones is just downright ludicrous. All the while, cases of texting-while-driving are down in California.

What say you reader, should the Aussie driver lose his license? Maybe some jail-time is in order?

[Via: HeraldSun]