how many of you are breaking the law without even realising?

[Dave Hedgehog]

Riley Blue said:

Derek Smith said:

I'm 6'2". I can stick a satnav in the swept area of my windscreen in a manner where it only obstructs my view of the bonnet and windscreen washer jets.

As a poster said, this is taken from the MOT testing manual. It is not law. It might be tested but from what I know they'd have to prove that your view of the road was obstructed.

...and as such applies only to vehicles which require a MOT i.e. are older than three years. It strikes me as sensible that police are encouraging better placement of satnavs on windscreens but they're misguided in employing a sledgehammer.

function creep, the BiB favourite pastime when it comes to laws

[ashleyman]

I follow the Surrey Roads Police Twitter feed and it really annoys me when they post stuff like this... When pointed out they're wrong they just go silent or move on to something else.

I'm sure most people would get off to the photos they post though...

[croyde]

loose cannon said:

hopefully the police and motoring orgs will be pushing for the limiting or complete removal of touch screen technology in vehicles , Especially those that control vehicle functions like heater controls,

Completely agree. Bloody daft idea in a car.

Forces you to look away from where you are going and jab repeatedly at a pretty unresponsive touch screen.

[anonymous-user]

V10 SPM said:

Australian police car...

So that's what equipment properly funded police have

[Alex_225]

I can't help thinking that sticking an iPad/tablet on your window is a bit of a sh!te idea purely due to the size of the things!

Phones on the other hand are more surprising but whenever I used to use a windscreen bracket I'd put it on the far right of the windscreen in the corner. Nothing more distracting than a lit up screen in the middle of the windscreen.

Still staggers me the lack of common sense people have with placing satnavs or phones at eye level in the middle of the windscreen.

I tend to use a vent mount for my phone now, keeps it out the way, something like this : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Mobile-Phone-P...

[herewego]

La Liga said:

V10 SPM said:

Australian police car...

So that's what equipment properly funded police have

All the male cops would be out of a job though. You'd need multi-tasking women for that job.

[otolith]

Is it really safer to have a satnav attached to the dash such that you have to take your eyes off the road in order to see it?

[zarjaz1991]

otolith said:

Is it really safer to have a satnav attached to the dash such that you have to take your eyes off the road in order to see it?

What makes you think this has anything to do with safety?

It's about the police making sure we all know who's boss.

Rather like their recent suggestion that using Apple Pay in a McDonalds drive thru would be an offence of using a mobile phone while driving. It's all about flexing their muscles.

[Derek Smith]

The idea of a swept area is purely for the MoT test. With regards to having the satnav attached to the vents, these are often higher than the speedo.

[s3fella]

So lowering the sunvisor is illegal according to surrey plod fools is it?

What about the factory fit fiats and Renaults with tom toms to drop into the dock on top of the dash?

Easy way around it is to all go out and fit 8 inch long wiper blades!

[rewc]

La Liga said:

so that's what equipment properly funded police have

Not necessarily according to Victoria's Chief Commissioner of Police who has "blamed past failings on a lack of government funding, saying less than two months ago the force did not have the equipment or education to “get the job done”.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/s...

[4040vision]

djneils98 said:

https://twitter.com/SurreyRoadCops/status/84419456...

and

https://twitter.com/SurreyRoadCops/status/84420028...


see people doing this all the time. didn't realise it was an offence. do others?

I find it shocking that someone wouldn't realise it was unlawful. Yes quite shocking.

[Pip1968]

Is not the underlying thing that you should not have distractions affecting your driving. I do not think it is whether it is safer to have your distraction on your air vent, by your gear stick or blocking part of your view.

Anyone that has been on track will understand how small items can hinder your vision of other road users (or pedestrians). I refer specifically to motorbikes moving at speed and sitting in your B pillar or other blind spot.

Whilst things have moved on technologically their is rarely any need to make a phonecall or use a satnav - you can pull over and look at a map book, or put it to voice and drive like a lot of the Uber drivers in London (dope on a rope)

Pip

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

otolith said:

Is it really safer to have a satnav attached to the dash such that you have to take your eyes off the road in order to see it?

My sat nav won't attach to the dash as it has no flat surfaces. Guess then I'm attaching it to the far left top corner of the windscreen, the only area not in the swept area. 'Sorry I crashed the van in to the back of a lorry officer, I was looking up to the sky to see which exit to take off the roundabout. Utter tools; they really do leave themselves open to the retort of 'have you nothing better to do?'

[Red Devil]

Blue Oval84 said:

I would imagine (hope) any enforcement action would depend on whether, from your driving position, the item on the windscreen would actually block any view. i.e. tucked in the bottom corner would probably not cause you any grief, but positioned half way up the screen it would.

I guess the law is there to deal with people like this throbber-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4091324/Dr...

The pic in the article shows gauges in a pillar pod, not on the dash.
- The pod has clearly become detached in the crash and has been reattached with a zip tie.
- It is also not in its original position.

The latter is obvious due to:
- The huge gap between the pod shell and the A pillar trim.
- The trace marks on the A pillar trim which would not be visible if the pod had been relocated where it had been previously.
- The gauge faces are angled away from the driver towards the centre of the cabin.

If that photo was introduced into evidence it is highly suspect.

The jury's verdict was not guilty to both charges btw - http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/15008001.Cas...

[PH XKR]

herewego said:

La Liga said:

V10 SPM said:

Australian police car...

So that's what equipment properly funded police have

All the male cops would be out of a job though. You'd need multi-tasking women for that job.

but moaning is not a task

[mp3manager]

s3fella said:

So lowering the sunvisor is illegal according to surrey plod fools is it?

What about the factory fit fiats and Renaults with tom toms to drop into the dock on top of the dash?

Easy way around it is to all go out and fit 8 inch long wiper blades!

Don't be so stupid. All the things you've mentioned have been type approved.

Don't know what all the hubbub is about, it's been illegal for years to have stuff encroaching into the wiper sweep. Slow news day?

[zarjaz1991]

I suppose the 'hubbub' could be around the police focusing on trivial motoring matters such as satnavs on windscreens, while marauding criminals run riot across the country unfettered and untroubled by the police.

[Mandalore]

zarjaz1991 said:

I suppose the 'hubbub' could be around the police focusing on trivial motoring matters such as satnavs on windscreens, while marauding criminals run riot across the country unfettered and untroubled by the police.

I'm guessing from all the similar comments you make having an unfettered dig at them, that you dislike the police.


Me, I dislike pigeons, cos they st on my car.

[Riley Blue]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

A satnav fixed to the top of the dash is also likely to extend beyond Zone B; I guess they're banned too.