Legal to 'touch' smartphone in cradle while driving?

[DaveCWK]

I've seen a load of stuff on social media recently that seems to suggest you're not allowed to touch or interact directly with a smartphone whilst driving, e.g to use Maps, even if it's mounted in a cradle on the dashboard.

Does anyone know if this is true? with the more general potential of 'driving without due care' aside.

[shambolic]

Is it any different from fiddling with a stupid touch screen dash. Probably safer.

[agtlaw]

DaveCWK said:

I've seen a load of stuff on social media recently that seems to suggest you're not allowed to touch or interact directly with a smartphone whilst driving, e.g to use Maps, even if it's mounted in a cradle on the dashboard.

Does anyone know if this is true? with the more general potential of 'driving without due care' aside.

The specific offence is only made out if the phone is held in your hand whilst driving. Other offences may apply, of course.

[Bendo]

A handheld phone ceases to be a handheld phone when it's mounted.

[geeks]

DaveCWK said:

I've seen a load of stuff on social media recently that seems to suggest you're not allowed to touch or interact directly with a smartphone whilst driving, e.g to use Maps, even if it's mounted in a cradle on the dashboard.

Does anyone know if this is true? with the more general potential of 'driving without due care' aside.

Farcebook aside, if it were true then things like Carplay would also be "illegal"

[IJWS15]

DaveCWK said:

I've seen a load of stuff on social media recently that seems to suggest you're not allowed to touch or interact directly with a smartphone whilst driving, e.g to use Maps, even if it's mounted in a cradle on the dashboard.

Does anyone know if this is true? with the more general potential of 'driving without due care' aside.

Do you get all your guidance on life from social media?

You do know that at least 99.9% of the content on social media is unreliable don't you?

[Griffith4ever]

geeks said:

DaveCWK said:

I've seen a load of stuff on social media recently that seems to suggest you're not allowed to touch or interact directly with a smartphone whilst driving, e.g to use Maps, even if it's mounted in a cradle on the dashboard.

Does anyone know if this is true? with the more general potential of 'driving without due care' aside.

Farcebook aside, if it were true then things like Carplay would also be "illegal"

I have Android Auto and once plugged in, you don't touch your phone at all. Not once.

But yes, to the OP, step away form social media - its full of st, with extra st on top - news created by the moronic masses :-)

[Hammersia]

I wasn't too sure, but the government says OP is mistaken:

https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-drivin...

So yes, in a cradle you can fiddle with it to your hearts content.

I don't find it any more distracting than a car touchscreen, and depending on the phone it can be more responsive (less distracting).

[Terminator X]

IJWS15 said:

DaveCWK said:

I've seen a load of stuff on social media recently that seems to suggest you're not allowed to touch or interact directly with a smartphone whilst driving, e.g to use Maps, even if it's mounted in a cradle on the dashboard.

Does anyone know if this is true? with the more general potential of 'driving without due care' aside.

Do you get all your guidance on life from social media?

You do know that at least 99.9% of the content on social media is unreliable don't you?

Is this some kind of joke?!

TX.

[DaveCWK]

IJWS15 said:

Do you get all your guidance on life from social media?

You do know that at least 99.9% of the content on social media is unreliable don't you?

I accept it can be, but there's also lots of good info on social media...

Anyway following links etc, I found the below, skip to 2:48:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrBBdB5UUsU

Although not that clear, the traffic officer clearly supports the idea that there IS a differentiation between using a mounted phone & using Apple Carplay. I'm confused.

[wazztie16]

There is a police officer on Tiktok spouting that touching your phone at all whilst in control of a motor vehicle etc is illegal, annoys me that he's giving false information.

Good message behind it, but I'd respect him more if he didn't try to muddy the law.

[DaveCWK]

wazztie16 said:

There is a police officer on Tiktok spouting that touching your phone at all whilst in control of a motor vehicle etc is illegal, annoys me that he's giving false information.

Good message behind it, but I'd respect him more if he didn't try to muddy the law.

Ah ok, maybe he is the source of this then. Just found this video too (Same officer as I linked on Youtube):

https://www.tiktok.com/@georgescarmedia/video/7262...

Where he clearly states in the context of the new mobile phone laws, and I quote "Well basically, you can't touch the mobile phone in any way whilst you're driving"
So if that's not correct, why is he allowed to state as an authority figure that it is?
The Youtube video I linked was posted 10 months ago - plenty of time to edit/remove if misleading...

[Olivergt]

DaveCWK said:

IJWS15 said:

Do you get all your guidance on life from social media?

You do know that at least 99.9% of the content on social media is unreliable don't you?

I accept it can be, but there's also lots of good info on social media...

Anyway following links etc, I found the below, skip to 2:48:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrBBdB5UUsU

Although not that clear, the traffic officer clearly supports the idea that there IS a differentiation between using a mounted phone & using Apple Carplay. I'm confused.

Someone already posted an official government site with details:

https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-drivin...

Where is specifically states that you can use a device if it is in a mount.

Reading between the lines, and in my opinion, the intention is that using one hand to control a fixed device is fine, but having to hold and control the device is a no no.

[BigMacDaddy]

IJWS15 said:

You do know that at least 99.9% of the content on social media is unreliable don't you?

"The problem with quotes found on the internet, is that they are often untrue" - Abraham Lincoln

[wazztie16]

DaveCWK said:

wazztie16 said:

There is a police officer on Tiktok spouting that touching your phone at all whilst in control of a motor vehicle etc is illegal, annoys me that he's giving false information.

Good message behind it, but I'd respect him more if he didn't try to muddy the law.

Ah ok, maybe he is the source of this then. Just found this video too (Same officer as I linked on Youtube):

https://www.tiktok.com/@georgescarmedia/video/7262...

Where he clearly states in the context of the new mobile phone laws, and I quote "Well basically, you can't touch the mobile phone in any way whilst you're driving"
So if that's not correct, why is he allowed to state as an authority figure that it is?
The Youtube video I linked was posted 10 months ago - plenty of time to edit/remove if misleading...

I'm sure that's the one.

[helix402]

BigMacDaddy said:

"The problem with quotes found on the internet, is that they are often untrue" - Abraham Lincoln

Thanks Abe!

[agtlaw]

DaveCWK said:

So if that's not correct, why is he allowed to state as an authority figure that it is?

He can give his opinion. His opinion is incorrect.

Incredible to see that he isn't aware that the specific mobile phone whist driving law pertains to phones held in your hand whilst driving.

[Fast and Spurious]

Terminator X said:

IJWS15 said:

DaveCWK said:

I've seen a load of stuff on social media recently that seems to suggest you're not allowed to touch or interact directly with a smartphone whilst driving, e.g to use Maps, even if it's mounted in a cradle on the dashboard.

Does anyone know if this is true? with the more general potential of 'driving without due care' aside.

Do you get all your guidance on life from social media?

You do know that at least 99.9% of the content on social media is unreliable don't you?

Is this some kind of joke?!

TX.

Yes. It's actually 98.4%

[AW10]

DaveCWK said:

So if that's not correct, why is he allowed to state as an authority figure that it is?
The Youtube video I linked was posted 10 months ago - plenty of time to edit/remove if misleading...

Who knows; perhaps he's not even a policeman. He certainly doesn't represent his constabluary in an offical capacity. The police and human and fallible.

If every youtube video was fact checked for every nuance youtube would implode.

The problem with the internet is that it gives every Tom, Dick, Harry and AW10 a soapbox. You have to make your own mind up what to believe.

As far as that Abe Lincoln quote - 98% of statistics are false.

[martinbiz]

DaveCWK said:

Ah ok, maybe he is the source of this then. Just found this video too (Same officer as I linked on Youtube):

https://www.tiktok.com/@georgescarmedia/video/7262...

Where he clearly states in the context of the new mobile phone laws, and I quote "Well basically, you can't touch the mobile phone in any way whilst you're driving"
So if that's not correct, why is he allowed to state as an authority figure that it is?
The Youtube video I linked was posted 10 months ago - plenty of time to edit/remove if misleading...

Try reading some of the rubbish legal bo**ocks spouted on that great British authority on all things motoring the RAC