Mobile phones vs hands-free kit.

[mattian]

A hands free kit is still a mobile phone. Is it not? Then surely the use of such a device while driving is still illegal. If the law says that using a mobile phone while driving is illegal.

I was just thinking about this just now.

[ready4whatever]

I wont get one 'cause i cant txt with a handsfree kit. But yeah if they made the handsfree kit illegal then no one would import them anymore. and we will have like 50 thousand kits to burn that are already here. Anyone been pinged yet?

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

I've got to be honest, it puzzles me too.

The powers that be say talking on a mobile phone is a driving distraction but have said you can still talk on a mobile phone?????????? provided its hands free!

So are they saying using your hands for anything else other than driving is dangerous?
no more eating pies, having a (soft) drink, smoking (for those that do), changing channels on the radio etc

Texting while driving I agree with but talking!!!!!!

[duckonin]

I've got to be honest, it puzzles me too.

The powers that be say talking on a mobile phone is a driving distraction but have said you can still talk on a mobile phone?????????? provided its hands free!

So are they saying using your hands for anything else other than driving is dangerous?
no more eating pies, having a (soft) drink, smoking (for those that do), changing channels on the radio etc

Texting while driving I agree with but talking!!!!!!

GPS combing your hair doing your nails reading the next lot of papers for conference, scratching your arse, yeah the list goes on, at the end of the day those that do it say Until !!!!!!!!

[mattian]

So heres another curly one. If your passenger, holds your mobile phone up to your ear so you can talk without actually touching your phone. Are you still using it while driving? that would be similar to using a hands free kit.

[Qkchk:Me]

Its well known amongst the driving industry that mobiles phones, held up to your head or hands-free is more distracting than having a conversation with a passenger in the car. I happened to be at a Fleet Safety Conference today and heard it from the horses mouth - Dr Sam Chartlon who conducted the simulator-based tests at the University of Waikato. Here is a summary of what he spoke of today..

[mattian]

I understand that using a hands free kit is just as distracting as using the phone with your hands. I am interested in the interpretation of the law. If using a mobile phone while driving is illegal, then theoretically, the police can also fine you for using a hands free kit too. Using a hands free kit is still using the phone.

[Filterer]

I am interested in the interpretation of the law.

In a similar vein - is it legal to update my facebook status on my iPod Touch while sitting in traffic?

Serious pisstake

[CookMySock]

It's not dangerous to eat a pie while driving, but its dangerous to drop a hot bit of it on your bare leg while driving. It's not dangerous to smoke while you're driving, but it's dangerous if you knock the hot burny bit off the end while turning the indicators off..

Steve

[p.dath]

I understand that using a hands free kit is just as distracting as using the phone with your hands. I am interested in the interpretation of the law. If using a mobile phone while driving is illegal, then theoretically, the police can also fine you for using a hands free kit too. Using a hands free kit is still using the phone.

The hands-free kit needs to be like a cradle, and not require you to touch it while in use.

[MisterD]

Hat tip: Macdoctor

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

The hands-free kit needs to be like a cradle, and not require you to touch it while in use.

The blue tooth stuff means you can keep the phone in you pocket and recieve calls I thought, but you still have to touch a button to answer the call.

My phone has a 'hands free' function, its also a speaker phone. Touch one button to answer a call and I can chat away with the phone on the dash, in my lap, in my top pocket, passenger seat etc. Is that allowed?

[Reckless]

So heres another curly one. If your passenger, holds your mobile phone up to your ear so you can talk without actually touching your phone. Are you still using it while driving? that would be similar to using a hands free kit.

Technically the phone is hand held, even if not by you. So your not using a hands free kit and you are using your phone without one??

Use my phone as an Ipod, got about 3 gig of music on the MMC card. Use the ear phones with the button on it that takes calls as well. I would imagine this is a hands free device and is legal. You can take a call with out touching the phone. They come with most phones so you don't have to go out and buy a bluetooth visor or speaker kit! So as long as you can find your earphone your legal, just keep the phone in your pocket or belt pouch.

Now this is a Grey area!
I have a Navman with bluetooth for the phone on it, with this I can answer calls like the above. But I can also input a number and dial out on it which is just as dangerous as using the phone! I'm doing nothing illegal as I'm using a hands free device and not touching the phone but am more distracted by entering the phone number or scrolling through my phone book on the Navman (it sync's to my phone) than if I was using the phone itself. I am also more tempted to do this while driving than if I used the phone as I would usually do that while stationary at the lights because the phone screen is to small to see while driving. The above also applies to imputing addresses. I think this is a huge hole in the law!!! It all comes back to common sense I suppose!!

[Insanity_rules]

Its well known amongst the driving industry that mobiles phones, held up to your head or hands-free is more distracting than having a conversation with a passenger in the car.

I find my hands free kit more distracting than just using the phone.