Having had 911’s off and on for the last 40+ years I would agree. I sold my last one, a 1977 3.3L RSR Group B rally car last year to a Swiss gentleman. When I exchanged my 997 Turbo S (with GT2RS spec engine) for the Panamera, it was because I had to pick up grandchildren from school regularly and lifting child seats in and out of the back of the 911, was making my already fragile back, even worse. My next Porsche might well be a near new Cayman GTS or GT4.
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I’m surprised it’s up to the regions rather than national policy.
But yes about time, seems to happen much more in France than in the UK?
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Agreed. I think the various campaigns in the UK about things like drink driving, texting, seatbelts, etc… seem to perhaps hit home harder than in France.
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And there’s a far greater chance of being stopped by the police for doing any of those things in the UK than in rural France.
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Well it needs to, look at the accident stats.
I’m not sure one should compare UK with Rural France… it’s surely chalk and cheese 
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No - the UK is gradually becoming one giant 20mph zone infested with suspension-destroying speed bumps - interspersed with traffic-jammed A-roads and motorways, and small country roads where Range Rovers and other 4x4s zoom freely, predating on smaller cars. 
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Back when I lived in rural North Hertfordshire, you could guarantee that plod would have checkpoints out at the weekend and had dedicated traffic patrols in marked and unmarked vehicles.
SE 47, not so much.
I’ve now read that Mobile use while Driving might not result in immediate cancellation of DL depending on the situation and the Driver’s history of traffic offences etc.
Re Police Checks… we’ve not often found them on the tiny roads, but on major roads they do put in an appearance. (often more than one branch of the Security will be in attendance.) They publish regular reports of their successful vigils against drug-dealing/using Dangerous Drivers, Speedsters et al 
Our villagers cheer when the Gendarmes decide to do a “spot check” on Drivers here..
Traditionally Motorists ignore the main Stop sign (aaargh) and they laugh at the 30kh limit as they zoom around the blind, narrow bends with a squeal of breaks and cause us pedestrians to leap for cover…
I usually smile and say hello to the Gendarmes and offer them a hot/cold drink. They smile and refuse but I think they appreciate the friendly gesture.
I share many of you thoughts and comments on useless tech in cars/tech in cars and the dangers of using cell phones in cars.
I agree that in rural deep south folk drive like bandits even without phones. All well commented on before I’m sure.
Folk spend stupid amounts of money of phones and cars packed with gadgets but then don’t use the Bluetooth…makes no sense.
Also agree and am no personal fan of any vehicles with a dashboard resembling the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Simple on off buttons are good enough.
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Well if it had Warp Drive it might be worth putting up with.
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Shiba. We used to see people in California doing all sorts of things whilst driving. Including ladies putting their makeup on. People eating at all hours of the day. Changing clothes!
No idea of what is going on around them.
Mind you, one of my work colleagues in the UK used to put her makeup on whilst driving and then drinking her coffee and reading a broadsheet newspaper spread out on the dashboard, but only reading the paper if she was in a queue of traffic!
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Is “We change lanes now, hope no-one die!” before sweeping across 4 lanes of traffic 200 yards before a freeway exit still a thing in the SF Bay Area?
It appears that Prefets have been instructed from the end of September to suspend driving licenses from those caught using hand held mobile phones whilst driving. The measures now apply to the whole of France. Using earbuds etc counts as hand held.
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There’s a lovely Barnsley in Gloucestershire.
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Well they kept quiet about that one!
Yes, that’s still a thing but usually the number of lanes has now increased from 4 to 6. Good luck with crossing those!
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So I have old cars with no GPS. I put my phone in a mount on the dashboard, I use it for GPS and playing my podcasts. In one car it connects to a Bluetooth thing that I can press a button near the steering wheel to answer / hang up. Is this counted?
You wouldn’t think so, presumably you can still turn your radio on while driving. But , I suspect if someone saw your phone on the dashboard you might have a hard job convincing them you aren’t using it as a phone..
Same as the I65 going south before the split for Knoxville, 6 lanes either side then down to 5,gave me the willies and I wasn’t driving and recently my daughter had a scare in the Slingshot which is lower than a lot of lorry exhausts. There seems to be no road rules either for which lane you drive in, more Whacky Races to me