Gps Phones Banned In Vic

[SubJimbo]

Saw this while at work today...

  Quote

Australian state bans driving with phone GPS

by Mike Bantick

Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Using your iPhone, or other GPS enabled smartphone to navigate whilst driving has become illegal in at least one Australian state. Police say, that using a mobile phone when driving, regardless of the active application is not on.

With the built in Google Maps application the iPhone has replaced the street directory in many vehicles. With the iPhone 3GS hitting the market, sporting a built in compass and accompanied by new navigation apps from the likes of TomTom and Navigon, the Apple (and many other brands as well) smartphone can become a surrogate portable sat-nav system.

But authorities in Australia, in particular the state of Victoria have decided a clamp-down is required.

The Victorian Government road traffic authority VicRoads will introduce a new amendment to the road rules beginning November 9th. From then it will be illegal for drives to navigate using a device that can be used as a phone and a satellite navigation system.

"A phone will only be allowed to be used for its primary purpose," a VicRoads spokeswoman said in a telephone interview with The Age newspaper. "If it's a phone, it's a phone.”

It seems that increasingly as drivers get nabbed by police for using their mobile devices, the excuse that the device was being used as a GPS is becoming commonplace. New South Wales has already stated the practice is an offence in Australia's most populace state.

Too bad if you just outlaid AU$99.99 for your new Navigon or TomTom app for this very purpose.

It is not clear that even mounting the smartphone in a hands free cradle, as traditional portable sat-nav devices can be done, will not be enough to ‘get around’ the new law. Because the primary function of the device is a phone, it is illegal to operate it when in control of a vehicle. [uPDATE] Unlike the New South Wales law, use of a cradle may well be a legal way around the new rule.

Using a mobile phone to make or receive a phone call while driving is prohibited except if the phone:

* is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle,

or

* can be operated by the driver without touching any part of the phone.

All other functions (including video calls, texting and emailing) are prohibited.

This news also arrives only a couple of weeks after Apple turned on the Show Traffic feature of the in-built Google Maps iPhone application. An app designed for drivers to use the traffic congestion detection feature as a driving aid.

Source:http://www.itwire.com/content/view/27916/532/

What are people thoughts? Personally I think this will be overturned very very quickly.. especially when people have paid $100 for maps..

Edited 22/09/09 10:24 AM by SubJimbo

[SuckSqueezeBangBlow]

smells like bullsh*t to me, perhaps the various satnav companies have realised their days are numbered. I'm considering an iphone for a few reasons, but the built in satnav & dynolicious apps (read garmin & g-tech equivalent) are the deciding factors really. the cost of a garmin and g-tech would be almost an iphone.

[BensXR6T]

That's a bit over the top I think, however, the phone should be in a cradle of some form so the driver can keep both hands on the wheel.

The law should e more like "Illegal to hold your mobile phone in your hand whilst driving"

All to often, I see people out on the road holding their phone out in front of them with it on load speaker is OK...

[smicky]

Interesting one..

Funny bensXR6T mentions holding a phone..

I took pics of a unmarked cop car the other night - funny enough in traffic for over 15 mins along side - and low and behold - he was holding a phone up to his head...

And yes there was lights on the dash, and on the rear shelf - and the typical black sticks in the air on the rear windscreen...

Can't believe the farking pics didnt turn out!

Not the only time in the past month I have seen this - either im seeing more and more cops, or its becoming more and more common with the blue suited patrol...

Saw 2 a few weeks ago, both the driver and passenger... now I really couldn't believe it when I saw that!

[GR8XR6]

Question is what if the primary purpose of the phone is navigation? I use my nokia navigator and cannot make or receive calls. I just use for navigation. I wonder where you would stand then???

[Superdan]

Using a mobile phone whilst driving is no more dangerous than using a sat nav unit.

But, having said that, when will smoking, eating drive thru food, shaving, having conversations with passengers, applying make-up, listening to music, driving whilst under the influence of sleepiness, sub-cognitive thoughts about what's for dinner and talking via handsfree kits be banned? IMO they are all equally as distracting whilst driving.

[dule]

Spot on mate, we should ban EVERYTHING. Sensors should be installed in every car that will automatically deduct $500 from your account every time you take your eyes off the road, this sensor should be accompanied by a mind reading device that deducts $600 from your account every time you think about anything but the road (shouldn't be too hard considering there are enough pot holes to keep you entertained).

I mean seriously, what the f*ck is next? I hate sh*t like this.

[tmac450]

As usual, some mooron in govt wanting attention.

How is sat nav on a phone different from a dedicated sat nav, or the car radio for that matter?

It the driver isn't touching it, what the hell difference does it make?

Fark this country is getting out of hand. This is what we get under Labour, draconian, communist style control.

[ZAP]

There will be only one reason for this new "law" and that is people are using the GPS as an excuse and getting letoff.

If a phone is in a cradle, then you would have a strong case to get off, but if you are holding it, you should be fined.

Any distractions whilst driving is bad, but you cann legislate for stupid people, although the governments keep trying.

[tmac450]

Instead of adding to the massive list of fines and punishments, why don't they address the real issues?

What about proper driver training, improving the roads, etc. Nope, sorry, that would be useful, and would negate any revune raised for roads, etc for what it's actually for.