Bluetooth headsets legal?
Discussion
Bing o said:
would you be allowed to operate 2 tonnes of factory machinery whilst simultaneously discussing something with a colleague/friend/family member on a phone, handsfree or otherwise?
Depends who your boss is!?
And also whether whils operating the heavy machinery you could hear them anyway!
Seriously though, workplace issues are covered by regulations, and negligence etc is more of a grey area whilst holding a phone whilst driving is legally a lot more black an white.
streaky said:
seesure said:
I believe the headsets are legal, but the phone must be in a cradle/secured and not lying on the passenger seat etc. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.
It doesn't matter where the 'phone is. The law merely says you cannot hold the 'phone to use it - Streaky Which rules out using a headset, if you have to pick up the phone to dial / answer?
tvrgit said:
streaky said:
seesure said:
I believe the headsets are legal, but the phone must be in a cradle/secured and not lying on the passenger seat etc. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.
It doesn't matter where the 'phone is. The law merely says you cannot hold the 'phone to use it - Streaky Which rules out using a headset, if you have to pick up the phone to dial / answer?
Most bluetooth headsets you can answer without touching the phone can't you ?
vonhosen said:
tvrgit said:
streaky said:
seesure said:
I believe the headsets are legal, but the phone must be in a cradle/secured and not lying on the passenger seat etc. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.
It doesn't matter where the 'phone is. The law merely says you cannot hold the 'phone to use it - Streaky Which rules out using a headset, if you have to pick up the phone to dial / answer?
Most bluetooth headsets you can answer without touching the phone can't you ?
Depends on the phone. With my combo I can answer by pressing a button on the headset, or make a call by pressing the button and saying the voice tag attached to a number. Perhaps others are not so well endowed (oooer).
Sorry, I don't know, I was asking a question not making a statement. I was asking IF you have to pick up the phone to call / answer then would that be legal.
I had bluetooth hands-free in the last car - answering the phone was ok but the voice tags never worked, I had to pick up the phone and dial - I'm getting a better bluetooth with built-in phone book this time, mainly so that I don't get nicked while dialling.
I had bluetooth hands-free in the last car - answering the phone was ok but the voice tags never worked, I had to pick up the phone and dial - I'm getting a better bluetooth with built-in phone book this time, mainly so that I don't get nicked while dialling.
vonhosen said:
tvrgit said:
streaky said:
seesure said:
I believe the headsets are legal, but the phone must be in a cradle/secured and not lying on the passenger seat etc. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.
It doesn't matter where the 'phone is. The law merely says you cannot hold the 'phone to use it - Streaky Which rules out using a headset, if you have to pick up the phone to dial / answer?
Most bluetooth headsets you can answer without touching the phone can't you ?
Is the crux whether you touch it, or whether you hold it?
Also, suppose you use the hand-held device that contains your phone to take a photo or to check the time? Would those acts be barred?
TPS said:
If you have to pick up the phone to answer or end a call then you are comitting an offence.
I agree with the general principle, however I hope this bit would be overlooked by the BiB subject to it being done safely.
There are far greater distractions than just pressing one button!
As far as i understand it if you pick your phone up while driving you are comitting an offence,be it to answer a call take a photo or check the time.At the end of the day whatever you do you are not concentrating fully on your driving.The only exemption is if you are making a emergancy call ie 999.
flemke said:
vonhosen said:
tvrgit said:
streaky said:
seesure said:
I believe the headsets are legal, but the phone must be in a cradle/secured and not lying on the passenger seat etc. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.
It doesn't matter where the 'phone is. The law merely says you cannot hold the 'phone to use it - Streaky Which rules out using a headset, if you have to pick up the phone to dial / answer?
Most bluetooth headsets you can answer without touching the phone can't you ?
Is the crux whether you touch it, or whether you hold it?
Also, suppose you use the hand-held device that contains your phone to take a photo or to check the time? Would those acts be barred?
A mobile telephone or other device is to be treated as hand-held if it is, or must be, held at some point during the course of making or receiving a call or performing any other interactive communication function.
TPS said:
If you have to pick up the phone to answer or end a call then you are comitting an offence.
Aye but are you committing the offence only when answering or ending a call, or does the use of a device that requires that, constitute the offence (in other words, can you be nicked for wearing a bluetooth headset that requires you to pick up the phone, even although nobody saw you pick up the phone and you're not on a call at the time? Or can you only be nicked if you are SEEN holding the phone?)
Oh and what if you pick up the phone to plug it into a charger, but you're not on a call at the time and have full bluetooth hands-free?
is it the picking up the phone that's the offence, or picking it up to make/end a call, or just having a phone in the car that's not fully hands-free?
I don't know, that's why I'm asking!
tvrgit said:
vonhosen said:
A mobile telephone or other device is to be treated as hand-held if it is, or must be, held at some point during the course of making or receiving a call or performing any other interactive communication function.
Yes but that doesn't answer the question.
Man's just quoting the law, interpretation is down to lawyers.
tvrgit said:
vonhosen said:
A mobile telephone or other device is to be treated as hand-held if it is, or must be, held at some point during the course of making or receiving a call or performing any other interactive communication function.
Yes but that doesn't answer the question.
Also, looking at the time is not "performing an interactive communication function", nor is taking a picture.
For that matter, neither is making notes on a PDA whilst one is driving.
try the sensible option, turn the phone off and use voicemail when in the car, if u must phone your boss, gran, wife, customer, stop and park the car. then u can wave your hands all u want, almost got run over by some t
t of a truck driver shouting in the phone and shaking his hand around the cab with the expressions
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