Fighting the tide

Three words: Integrated Hands Free.

Problem solved. Texts can wait.

My phones plugged into AUX so no way I’m going to stop a rockin good song to answer a call whoever it is can wait.

Calamity said :

My partner, who spends a great deal of his work day in his car, got caught whilst stopped at a red light for switching his bluetooth on, whilst the phone was in it’s dock. It’s a quick swipe of a finger to ‘turn on’ the bluetooth system he paid about $500 for so that he wouldn’t ever have to talk/text and drive. He copped a really hefty fine for it, too. He tried to tell the cop what he was doing but cop wasn’t having any of it – just said you are not to touch your phone whilst in the car. If that’s the case – makes the bluetooth system a bit … illegal, really?

I’m all for catching people talking or texting while driving but frankly thought that was beyond ridiculous.

I agree – pressing a button for phone Bluetooth is the same as changing the radio channel, CD, A/C or vent. Ban phone useage in cars, not the Bluetooth/Parrot applications.

people wearing ipod headphones while driving seem to be fine .

Golden-Alpine said :

Does that mean you never adjust the radio, heating, airconditiong in your car when driving? This is no different to what they were suggesting in turning on the bluetooth. My phone is the same, it is a swipe to turn on bluetooth whilst in a craddle. Doing this is no different to changing radio station or track on a cd.

Out of interest, what sort of phone do you have that doesn’t require to navigate menu’s to turn BT on/off and is a single swipe without having to do anything else?

If that is 100% the case, then I would tend to agree with you, however the issue is if that was allowed everyone that was caught “manipulating” a phone could could simply claim “I was just turning the BT on/off” Sorta makes enforcement a little hard wouldn’t you agree? At the end of the day, using, touching, holding a mobile phone while driving is illegal, other car functions you have mentioned, are not.

I still stand by my comment that all your phones functions should already be handsfree by the time you start using the vehicle.

Golden-Alpine said :

Spideydog said :

Calamity said :

My partner, who spends a great deal of his work day in his car, got caught whilst stopped at a red light for switching his bluetooth on, whilst the phone was in it’s dock. It’s a quick swipe of a finger to ‘turn on’ the bluetooth system he paid about $500 for so that he wouldn’t ever have to talk/text and drive. He copped a really hefty fine for it, too. He tried to tell the cop what he was doing but cop wasn’t having any of it – just said you are not to touch your phone whilst in the car. If that’s the case – makes the bluetooth system a bit … illegal, really?

I’m all for catching people talking or texting while driving but frankly thought that was beyond ridiculous.

No, its called turn the bluetooth on BEFORE using or being in charge of a motor vehicle. I find it hard to believe that it was a “simple swipe of the finger” …… a single swipe of the finger to turn a function of the phone on …… so your partner/husband didn’t have to navigate menu’s to get to the bluetooth section ???? What is the difference between navigating menu’s on a phone and then activating a bluetooth function and texting? Absolutely nothing, your eyes are off the road and your total attention is on the phone.

Have your phone FULLY handsfree before using the vehicle, or accept the consequences when caught.

Does that mean you never adjust the radio, heating, airconditiong in your car when driving? This is no different to what they were suggesting in turning on the bluetooth. My phone is the same, it is a swipe to turn on bluetooth whilst in a craddle. Doing this is no different to changing radio station or track on a cd.

Problem is it’s illegal. The other stuff is ok…go figure…

Absolute idiots. God help anyone who has an accident with me while they are using their phone.

Set up the stocks in Garema Place. Put mobile texters in them with their bare bottoms exposed. Invite the public to dispose of their old phones in whatever they consider most appropriate.

BimboGeek said :

Anyway 80 metres in 5 seconds is just under 60 km/h.

Well thats obviously the problem with the mobiles in cars. A lot of Canberra is 80km/h so if they are hitting the brakes to go under 60km/h while on the phone it’s bound to cause crashes. They’re probably in the right hand lane as well.

Spideydog said :

Calamity said :

My partner, who spends a great deal of his work day in his car, got caught whilst stopped at a red light for switching his bluetooth on, whilst the phone was in it’s dock. It’s a quick swipe of a finger to ‘turn on’ the bluetooth system he paid about $500 for so that he wouldn’t ever have to talk/text and drive. He copped a really hefty fine for it, too. He tried to tell the cop what he was doing but cop wasn’t having any of it – just said you are not to touch your phone whilst in the car. If that’s the case – makes the bluetooth system a bit … illegal, really?

I’m all for catching people talking or texting while driving but frankly thought that was beyond ridiculous.

No, its called turn the bluetooth on BEFORE using or being in charge of a motor vehicle. I find it hard to believe that it was a “simple swipe of the finger” …… a single swipe of the finger to turn a function of the phone on …… so your partner/husband didn’t have to navigate menu’s to get to the bluetooth section ???? What is the difference between navigating menu’s on a phone and then activating a bluetooth function and texting? Absolutely nothing, your eyes are off the road and your total attention is on the phone.

Have your phone FULLY handsfree before using the vehicle, or accept the consequences when caught.

Does that mean you never adjust the radio, heating, airconditiong in your car when driving? This is no different to what they were suggesting in turning on the bluetooth. My phone is the same, it is a swipe to turn on bluetooth whilst in a craddle. Doing this is no different to changing radio station or track on a cd.

There’s no doubt we should all be in awe of those people who have never spoken to the passenger, turned on the radio or changed its settings, looked down to find the headlight switch or even been distracted by a huge spider running across the windscreen (is it inside or out!!).

The credibility of these (good) laws could be raised by booking the fools pulling out in front of the oncoming traffic (especially if they are talking/texting) and allowing people to turn on their bluetooth …or radio…or headlights.

qbngeek said :

Spideydog said :

…they are also distracted by being or manipulating a phone….

Being a phone? Can a phone be fined for driving? I wonder how the police would write that one up?

And I assume you meant using a phone.

Touché lol Yo’all know what I mean …….

I think the point of stating texting drivers can ‘travel up to 80 metres in five seconds’ highlights the amount of distance someone can travel while their attention is on the phone and not on the road. I thought this was obvious but it appears some don’t understand. In fact, 60 kilometres per hour = 16 metres per second, 80 km/h = 22 mps, 100 km/h = 27 mps, 110 km/h = 30 mps and so on. Think of how long in seconds your attention can be distracted from the road while texting and then how much distance can be covered during this time.

I love how driving while talking on the phone draws cranky remarks, yet getting a bj while cruising calls for high fives!

Doing anything other than driving while driving is a distraction.

So don’t.

Calamity said :

My partner, who spends a great deal of his work day in his car, got caught whilst stopped at a red light for switching his bluetooth on, whilst the phone was in it’s dock. It’s a quick swipe of a finger to ‘turn on’ the bluetooth system he paid about $500 for so that he wouldn’t ever have to talk/text and drive. He copped a really hefty fine for it, too. He tried to tell the cop what he was doing but cop wasn’t having any of it – just said you are not to touch your phone whilst in the car. If that’s the case – makes the bluetooth system a bit … illegal, really?

I’m all for catching people talking or texting while driving but frankly thought that was beyond ridiculous.

I’m calling bullshit on the circumstances and this is his ‘version’ of the story to stop you getting the shits over the fine.

If this really, REALLY happened it is a no brainer to plead not guilty

Spideydog said :

…they are also distracted by being or manipulating a phone….

Being a phone? Can a phone be fined for driving? I wonder how the police would write that one up?

And I assume you meant using a phone.

Calamity said :

just said you are not to touch your phone whilst in the car. If that’s the case – makes the bluetooth system a bit … illegal, really?

Its a pretty stupid bluetooth system if you need to touch the phone. Mine connects to the phone when I start the car and I have buttons on the steering wheel to operate it.

My mum has one that clips to the sun visor and she just opens the microphone to turn it on and it connects automatically to her phone. Then when she gets a call she presses the big green button on the bluetooth to answer it. It cost her the whole of $60.

A system that requires you to touch the phone is stupid and redundant.

Calamity said :

My partner, who spends a great deal of his work day in his car, got caught whilst stopped at a red light for switching his bluetooth on, whilst the phone was in it’s dock. It’s a quick swipe of a finger to ‘turn on’ the bluetooth system he paid about $500 for so that he wouldn’t ever have to talk/text and drive. He copped a really hefty fine for it, too. He tried to tell the cop what he was doing but cop wasn’t having any of it – just said you are not to touch your phone whilst in the car. If that’s the case – makes the bluetooth system a bit … illegal, really?

I’m all for catching people talking or texting while driving but frankly thought that was beyond ridiculous.

No, its called turn the bluetooth on BEFORE using or being in charge of a motor vehicle. I find it hard to believe that it was a “simple swipe of the finger” …… a single swipe of the finger to turn a function of the phone on …… so your partner/husband didn’t have to navigate menu’s to get to the bluetooth section ???? What is the difference between navigating menu’s on a phone and then activating a bluetooth function and texting? Absolutely nothing, your eyes are off the road and your total attention is on the phone.

Have your phone FULLY handsfree before using the vehicle, or accept the consequences when caught.

Sleaz274 said :

Yet you can eat, smoke, operate a cb, shave, do your make up, operate the cd player/radio, fiddle with the heating, scream at your kids, get a bj…

But you aren’t adult enough to use a phone and accept the obvious consequences when you f*** up.

My mate in blue has said he simply gets his quota a month and leaves it at that because it is a stupid law. They are allowed to use their phones & radios so he feels rather hypocritical booking someone for it.

Calamity I’d be taking that one to court and having a judge throw it out and telling the police to stop wasting everyones time and money. Not allowed to touch your phone in your car, what a wank.

If there are “tens of thousands” of “wankers” doing it then maybe it’s just a stupid law.

And before you all start but, buuuttttt, BUT, what about the children?!?!?!!? Waaaahhhh waaaahhh

I call BS on this one.

Additionally, how many times have you seen a car wandering in a lane and then see the driver talking on a phone, how bout at traffic lights when they go green and the car in front is still stationary, only to find they are also distracted by being or manipulating a phone……… there is plenty of cases of collisions caused by people using phones while driving.