WRX Wannabe

As far as i know EVERYTHING will be banned

Except TAXI drivers using one hand about 200 time a shift to use their mics

[Edited by WRX Wannabe - 9/2/2003 10:28:59 PM]

gregh

Does anyone know for definite the state of the current and proposed law around this? will "fixed" handsfree systems be ok, or are all phones in cars to be banned?

regards,

greg

wiltshire_boy

Not yet although that will probably happen.

Fixed kits and other options like Bluetooth will be allowed at the moment....

.....and truckers texting at 70+ obviously.

gregh

>> Fixed kits and other options like Bluetooth will be allowed at the moment

How long will "at the moment" be?? Is there any official site which details this?

regards,

greg

mrklaw

I was asked by my boss to find out, and it is quite ambiguous from what you hear on the news etc. So I contacted the department for transport, and they very kindly sent me their proposal document.

Basic thing is, they are banning the use of anything which requires using your hands to make a call while driving. So a normal personal handsfree should be legally OK, as long as you don't have to hold the phone. They don't specifically require the phone to be fixed to the car.

Dazza01

Hard wired kits, & poss blue tooth will i believe be the only way of using ur mobile in the car when driving, as i can't really see the point in banning these, as u operate them in the same way u do ur radio/cd player, ie..u take ur eye of the road for a moment in order to tap the numbers in / eject/insert a new cd (unless u have a stack system) but u still have to sus which disc ur on or change the radio settings, so ban these phones kits u would have to ban radio's which ain't gonna happen.
So go out and buy one,cos u can bet ur life that if they do make em the only way to use ur mobile the prices will go up, and as there pretty cheap now and can be fitted within the hr, get it sorted.
I have a kit in both my scoob and the wife's car, all it is to get connected is a live and a earth, job done !

http://l8shop.net/Products/Car-Kits-...l-Car-Kits.asp
got mine here...

gregh

I've found this document which seems to suggest fixed car kits are ok.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...ety_508356.pdf

highlight of relevant sections:

Hand-held phones

9. During the consultation, concern was expressed about the proposed definition of hand-held

phones. The consultation document suggested that only those phones that had fixed speakers should

be regarded as hands-free phones. However, there are numerous types of hands-free phones and kits

to convert hand-held phones to provide some level of hands-free use.

10. We now consider that a more practical approach would be to prohibit the type of activity rather

than to try and define different devices. The offence will therefore apply to drivers speaking or

listening to a phone call, using a device interactively for accessing any sort of data, which would

include the Internet, sending or receiving text messages or other images if it is held in the driver's

hand during at least part of the period of its operation. We do not wish to prohibit the carrying of

hand-held phones in vehicles or require them to be switched off. A phone may therefore continue to

be used to receive data when it is in a vehicle providing the driver is not holding it.

11. Within the context of holding a phone, pushing buttons on a phone while it is in a cradle or if it is

being operated via buttons on the steering wheel or handlebars of a motorbike would not, in our view,

breach the new regulation.

Hands-free phones

12. The consultation explained that while the Department considers that drivers should not use handsfree

phones, it was not proposed to include these within the scope of the new regulation due to

enforcement difficulties. Although some respondents considered that further action was needed

against hands-free use, the Department does not consider that hands-free phones should be prohibited

unless they are being held during use.

wiltshire_boy

I think it will be tricky for the government to ban handsfree kits in the short term as the implication would then be that using your radio/CD player or smoking whilst driving is as dangerous and should also be banned.