Cambridge, UK – The rabbi for Cambridge has appeared in court for using his mobile phone while driving.
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The spiritual leader who works at Addenbrooke’s and Papworth hospitals as well as Cambridge University pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared before magistrates in Cambridge.
Defending himself, the rabbi said: “I am the sole resident rabbi in East Anglia and chaplain to many services in the region.
“I am requested to visit Waylen Prison and a mentally ill patient in Peterborough.
“I will not lose my job if I lose my licence, however my role as a communal rabbi means these are my responsibilities and I will not be able to carry them out without it.”
When asked by the presiding magistrate, Marisa Johnson, if anyone else could provide these services, he replied “No”.
Mrs Johnson said: “We do find there are exceptional circumstances in this case that would cause hardship, not just to yourself but to many others if you were to lose your licence.
“We are not going to disqualify you from driving but I have to warn you, you cannot use the same argument you have given today in another hearing.
“You really need to take a good look at your driving.”
I have one word: SYNC. Someone who needs to use the phone at all times, including when in the vehicle, should get a hands-free system, preferable one that is integrated into the vehicle.
He pled guilty, and asked Rachmanos, which was given. A fine ending. Hopefully, he’ll buy a headset or speakerphone.
Well, I see officers driving around while on the cell phone. By the looks of it they appear to be on the phone with their wivev or girl freinds and not for emergency reasons.
No exemptions!
While I do think texting & driving is a big deal & could potentially put others on the road at risk, make no mistake about it… sometimes when I see these stories about people getting big fines & etc. over talking on the phone, I have to ask myself, “Was there no domestic dispute or serious robbery taking place somewhere that perhaps the cop’s time could be better spent?” (lol)
I want the roads to be safe as much as the next person… but pulling us all over everytime one of us is on the phone, or because one of us has a broken blinker light or something like that, is just getting to be too much! Too many fines, too many ways they can “stick it to us”! And between the tolls, the tickets, the parking tickets, the fees for licensing a car & everything else… I think they’re already making enough money off of people, no? Why stop a Rabbi talking on the phone? Was there nothing else better to do that day or something?
Losing your license for driving with a cell, wow!!
““We are not going to disqualify you from driving but I have to warn you, you cannot use the same argument you have given today in another hearing.”
This judgment is wrong, wrong, wrong. The presiding magistrate has now set a precedent that other people brought before the English courts for similar offenses will use to get off.
To quote The_Beadle (#7), “The number of accidents caused by people on their mobiles is horrific. Thousands of lives are needlessly lost because the driver’s hands are being employed in something other than driving.”