Using a laptop while driving, would it be legal?

[Hedders]

This is purely idle mind wanderings...

I know you are not allowed to use a mobile phone to text / speak while on the move. How about a laptop or even a PDA? Say for example you got stopped for something and they discovered an open laptop or PDA on the passengers seat ( or even in your lap for the sake of discussion).

Obviously you could be using your laptop as a satnav or in car duke box, but you might also be using it to send texts and talk to people on PH for example.

Would you have broken any laws?

I have no interest in doing this and do not even own a laptop, i am purely wondering if there is a law covering it.

[egomeister]

Would be easily covered by driving without due care and attention I would think.

[Hedders]

I suppose it would wouldn't it.. you 'can' get done for fiddling with the car radio, so i guess it would just come under the same type of laws.

[GPSHead]

But before the specific phone law came in, they could only do you for using a phone if your driving actually suffered noticeably as a result. Presumably ATM it's the same with laptops and PDAs.

[egomeister]

GPSHead said:

But before the specific phone law came in, they could only do you for using a phone if your driving actually suffered noticeably as a result. Presumably ATM it's the same with laptops and PDAs.

I would have thought that using a device which would require you to look away from the road such as a laptop would be easy to class as lacking due care though? I thought the phone laws were just to make it more specific and easier to apply?

[69 coupe]

[quote]
I would have thought that using a device which would require you to look away from the road such as a laptop would be easy to class as lacking due care though? I thought the phone laws were just to make it more specific and easier to apply?
[/quote]

You mean something like looking at you speedo every god damn minute to see if you've crept over some arbitrary limit.

[TheCarpetCleaner]

I fitted a PC into my car as a project some time ago.

The user interface was a touch screen monitor embeddeded in the stereo area.

The software that was used to control it was no worse than a satnav system so I guess there wouldnt be any difference than that.

Using a laptop while in your lap or something would be a bit more tricky...

[Richard C]

egomeister said:

GPSHead said:

But before the specific phone law came in, they could only do you for using a phone if your driving actually suffered noticeably as a result. Presumably ATM it's the same with laptops and PDAs.

I would have thought that using a device which would require you to look away from the road such as a laptop would be easy to class as lacking due care though? I thought the phone laws were just to make it more specific and easier to apply?

yeah, paqssengers including wives girlfriends and kids fit into that category too. Perhaps police should consider doing everyone with a pssenger for DWC. The prima facie evidence is sitting in the passenger or rear seats !

[streaky]

egomeister said:

GPSHead said:

But before the specific phone law came in, they could only do you for using a phone if your driving actually suffered noticeably as a result. Presumably ATM it's the same with laptops and PDAs.

I would have thought that using a device which would require you to look away from the road such as a laptop would be easy to class as lacking due care though? I thought the phone laws were just to make it more specific and easier to apply?

Like the speedo ... to ensure you are not creeping over the rigidly scamera enforced limits , or a 'satnav' ... to direct your lorry down a 6' wide road - Streaky