Use of phone vs use of satnav
Discussion
Now that free apps on smartphones provide excellent turn by turn navigation, it's not surprising that many people are mounting them on the screen or dash and using them for this purpose.
I guess that the catch-all "use of a mobile device" could be used by BiB to apply points/fine to drivers using the devices these ways. Does this happen? At what point do they use their discretion? Let's say that I use Google maps on my phone to plot a route from A to B, mount said phone in a holder, and then set off. Half way through the journey, the app wants to tell me that due to traffic better routes are available. A single press on the screen is enough to accept the new route, but if BiB saw me do this, he could easily assert "I saw you touch your phone, that's all I need".
Satnav systems offer similar functionality and modern touchscreen ones are OK but older ones that are controlled via buttons etc require considerably more intervention by the driver. But I don't really hear about drivers being picked up for this.
What's the legal position on using a phone for satnav purposes? They're usually mounted high up so easy for a passing police car to spot. Could/would they apply "use of a mobile device" even if you weren't touching it? What if you pressed it once to accept a warning message? Twice? Three times? At what point are you "using" it, and how does it compare with "using" other controls in your care such as the satnav/radio/heater etc? I suspect that all the latter cases would be covered under "careless driving" or "driving without due care" if BiB wanted to prosecute, but I get the feeling that you'd have to be obviously distracted to get picked up for this, whereas I feel that touching a mounted phone is far more likely to get you picked up.
Any thoughts? I haven't been "done", but am considering using my phone for this purpose but don't want to attract a penalty.
I guess that the catch-all "use of a mobile device" could be used by BiB to apply points/fine to drivers using the devices these ways. Does this happen? At what point do they use their discretion? Let's say that I use Google maps on my phone to plot a route from A to B, mount said phone in a holder, and then set off. Half way through the journey, the app wants to tell me that due to traffic better routes are available. A single press on the screen is enough to accept the new route, but if BiB saw me do this, he could easily assert "I saw you touch your phone, that's all I need".
Satnav systems offer similar functionality and modern touchscreen ones are OK but older ones that are controlled via buttons etc require considerably more intervention by the driver. But I don't really hear about drivers being picked up for this.
What's the legal position on using a phone for satnav purposes? They're usually mounted high up so easy for a passing police car to spot. Could/would they apply "use of a mobile device" even if you weren't touching it? What if you pressed it once to accept a warning message? Twice? Three times? At what point are you "using" it, and how does it compare with "using" other controls in your care such as the satnav/radio/heater etc? I suspect that all the latter cases would be covered under "careless driving" or "driving without due care" if BiB wanted to prosecute, but I get the feeling that you'd have to be obviously distracted to get picked up for this, whereas I feel that touching a mounted phone is far more likely to get you picked up.
Any thoughts? I haven't been "done", but am considering using my phone for this purpose but don't want to attract a penalty.
Corbeliere said:
If you could be prosecuted in the way you thought then the same offence would probably include altering your radio/heating or air-con/cruise control, etc.
Just as well that's not the case.
Well, that was kind of my original question but I was wondering if the issue of it being a phone trumped it. As you say, thankfully it's not.Just as well that's not the case.
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