Discussion
Argument is riff in my office, everyone is getting hands free kits for the car. I travel by bike and have a normal earpiece and mic kit plugged in to my phone, which is in my inside pocket. I have been told that this is now illegal. But I dont use my hands to answer the phone, it has an automatic service, 3 rings and I can talk, it also hangs up after. It have voice activation dialing. but i dont use it.
any traffic cop out there got an answer? is it illegal?
any traffic cop out there got an answer? is it illegal?
at legal, as you are not using your hands. Lets wait and see what Tonyrec et al make of it...
I think the wording of the legislation actually makes it illegal - for no good reason. The same wording also makes a bluetooth kit (where your phone could be locked in the boot of the car and therefore completely inaccessible) illegal.
Can't find a link to the actual legislation at the moment, but IIRC its along the lines of "legal, as long as the phone is secured in a cradle".
Yet another well thought out piece of knee-jerk law...
Can't find a link to the actual legislation at the moment, but IIRC its along the lines of "legal, as long as the phone is secured in a cradle".
Yet another well thought out piece of knee-jerk law...
pdV6 said:I'll keep saying it, the Regulation makes NO mention of cradles or anything else ... other than banning you from holding the 'phone.
I think the wording of the legislation actually makes it illegal - for no good reason. The same wording also makes a bluetooth kit (where your phone could be locked in the boot of the car and therefore completely inaccessible) illegal.
Can't find a link to the actual legislation at the moment, but IIRC its along the lines of "legal, as long as the phone is secured in a cradle".
Yet another well thought out piece of knee-jerk law...
You can put the 'phone anywhere you like ... so long as you do not hold it. You can press as many buttons as you like ... so long as you do not hold the 'phone.
Wired earpieces, Bluetooth, etc., are NOT mentioned in the Regulation Therefore they are NOT illegal in so far as the regulation is concerned.
For Doubting Thomases, the Regulation is available here : www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2003/20032695.htm - Streaky
What a load of old cobblers this entire mobile phone nonense is.
No matter what you think about the rights or wrongs of using mobiles, the fact is that after a few weeks, when Mr. Plod has lost interest and the story is no longer of media interest, everyone will just continue as before.
The only time you must not use your mobile is when the Old Bill might be looking. That's in daylight, in towns and on some main roads. There are fewer patrols on main roads and it's relatively easy to stop in towns. It really is not a long term problem for anyone who keeps a good lookout, and if you don't keep a good lookout you shouldn't be on the road anyway and deserve to be caught.
End of rant!!
No matter what you think about the rights or wrongs of using mobiles, the fact is that after a few weeks, when Mr. Plod has lost interest and the story is no longer of media interest, everyone will just continue as before.
The only time you must not use your mobile is when the Old Bill might be looking. That's in daylight, in towns and on some main roads. There are fewer patrols on main roads and it's relatively easy to stop in towns. It really is not a long term problem for anyone who keeps a good lookout, and if you don't keep a good lookout you shouldn't be on the road anyway and deserve to be caught.
End of rant!!
Useful FAQ page:
www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_025216.hcsp
Also worth a look :
www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/downloadable/dft_rdsafety_025228.doc
and
www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_508356.pdf
What gets me is bicycles are exempt!
www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_025216.hcsp
Also worth a look :
www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/downloadable/dft_rdsafety_025228.doc
and
www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_508356.pdf
What gets me is bicycles are exempt!
streaky said:
lots of good stuff
Fair cop Streaky - it must have been the DFT FAQ I was remembering - that's the one that bangs on about cradles.
The key issue is that if you need to hold the phone to make or answer a call, then its illegal. A wired earpiece is therefore legal, as long as you don't hold the phone (i.e. remote answer on the wire, phone wedged into a cubby so that you can press buttons without picking it up etc.)
>> Edited by pdV6 on Thursday 4th December 13:49
pdV6 said:
streaky said:
lots of good stuff
Fair cop Streaky - it must have been the DFT FAQ I was remembering - that's the one that bangs on about cradles.
The key issue is that if you need to hold the phone to make or answer a call, then its illegal. A wired earpiece is therefore legal, as long as you don't hold the phone (i.e. remote answer on the wire, phone wedged into a cubby so that you can press buttons without picking it up etc.)
>> Edited by pdV6 on Thursday 4th December 13:49
That would suggest you could have the phone in your lap, no? Or in a specially designed 'lap cradle' EG, a make-up bag
>> Edited by hedders on Thursday 4th December 14:29
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