HANDS FREE CELL USE

Hands free only cell phone use while driving starts Aug 1st in Minnesota.
Something else for me to figure out. So if you see a guy with duck tape holding his phone to his head it maybe me.

Where are they getting their data that says this is any safer? From the tests that I have seen hands free is just as dangerous.

They ignore data but if you put a cryer in a politician’s face all reason goes out the door.

There has been talk about treating distracted driving the same as a DWI in the house. I would be all for that instead of all these laws that have no teeth.

I think the monitors in these new vehicles are just as bad as cell phones. I know mine gets pretty distracting

Its nonproductive and contradictory to pass a law that says you legally can drive while distracted if you use a hands free devise.

I hope it applies to police! I always see the fuzz around here on their handheld cell phones. I haven’t used one without an earpiece in several years.

The new cars have it built-in with Bluetooth. For those of you with the old jalopies, like my rig, get an earpiece for a few bucks. It really does help.

The problem still lies with people that have marginal driving skills. Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to prevent them from driving. I believe whole heartily in hands free. For myself, I find it much less distracting and very convenient to remain fully aware of everything around me.

It takes me one hand to talk on the phone and two hand to eat a Big Mac. Maybe we need a law for hands free eating as well. Seeing that both activities can be cover under existing distracted driving laws.

Deleted wrote:

The new cars have it built-in with Bluetooth. For those of you with the old jalopies, like my rig, get an earpiece for a few bucks. It really does help.

I drive a 2004 and I’ve found I can talk through the tape deck using a tape with an aux cable plugged into my phone. It works surprisingly well.

Hands free means people can’t text and drive, or browse social media. That’s a win in my book.

Turn on the speaker on the phone. I do that and then you don’t have to hold it up too your ear. Looks like your lip syncing to a song.

There’s always an angle to be played.

Like the previous posts on this topic. Just kill the cell phone signal on any phone moving faster than 5mph. Problem solved.

-J.

Jon Jordan wrote:

Like the previous posts on this topic. Just kill the cell phone signal on any phone moving faster than 5mph. Problem solved.

-J.

I think this has been proposed on this site before and people commented that it would interfere with people in law enforcement and ambulances etc. Also brought up would be passengers and bus riders although I would be willing to sacrifice them in favor of such a law

Muting the signal I agree with along with stricter penalties of distracted driving in increments of severity of offense and repeated offenses just like a DWI. 3 times in ten years the same offense you lose your car and jail time.

This law does no good other than to appease those that want this law. Good intentioned of those that spoke for this law should have pushed for more if they really wanted change for the better and safety on our roads. This law does nothing for safety but it does impose a hefty fine of $50, that keep repeater at bay until they start jonesen

First off I’m all for cell phone free driving but the screens in the new cars with every app that your phone has is just another distraction.
Also DUI interlock that can be shut down while a person is driving is another accident waiting to happen.

Jon Jordan wrote:

Like the previous posts on this topic. Just kill the cell phone signal on any phone moving faster than 5mph. Problem solved.

-J.

Would google maps work?

Jon Jordan wrote:

Like the previous posts on this topic. Just kill the cell phone signal on any phone moving faster than 5mph. Problem solved.

Bingo
I think all vehicles should disable phone once put into drive.
Need to talk or text that bad, pull over.
Jusy my $.02

riverruns wrote:

Turn on the speaker on the phone. I do that and then you don’t have to hold it up too your ear. Looks like your lip syncing to a song.

I’ve tried it. My car is too much of a rattle trap POS to hear anything…and I even have an iphone XS Max…

Earpiece it is!

I know that most have a bluetooth earpiece in mind, but with my experience from the ’70’s CB radio days, I thought it would be worth mentioning that having ear pieces in both ears is unlawful as well.

Common sense…I know.

How do so many people think an automatic disable mode at 5mph would be legal or feasible in any way? Bikers, runners, boaters, etc all use their phones for various functions while traveling over 5mph.

Any phone worth it’s salt has the option to turn that function on, but making it automatic would not work.

tangler wrote:

How do so many people think an automatic disable mode at 5mph would be legal or feasible in any way? Bikers, runners, boaters, etc all use their phones for various functions while traveling over 5mph.

Any phone worth it’s salt has the option to turn that function on, but making it automatic would not work.

Pretty sure you could still do all that without a phone.

Glad to see this and wish ND would follow. The number of people I see playing on their phones while driving is frightening. People can’t seem to drive mile without phone us of some type. Driving is already on of the more dangerous things we do in life.

Randy Wieland wrote:

The problem still lies with people that have marginal driving skills.

This ^^^^.

And then you have all those people out there who can BARELY control their vehicle enough to keep it on the road and now they’re texting and Facetiming while driving. Nothing bad will happen there.

Great Laker wrote:

Hands free means people can’t text and drive, or browse social media. That’s a win in my book.

And this ^^^.

The problem under the old law is it was legal to have the phone in your hand to talk while driving. Problem was it was tough for enforcement to know what people were actually doing with the phone. Talking, texting, Facebooking, posting on Instagram, Facetime, etc, etc, etc.

Grouse

onestout wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tangler wrote:</div>
How do so many people think an automatic disable mode at 5mph would be legal or feasible in any way? Bikers, runners, boaters, etc all use their phones for various functions while traveling over 5mph.

Any phone worth it’s salt has the option to turn that function on, but making it automatic would not work.

Pretty sure you could still do all that without a phone.

You miss the point entirely. Mobile phones are a huge part of technology that is embedded into everyday life for human beings on this planet. People have a reasonable expectation that they will be free to use their phone when, where, and how they wish, within the law. Laws that unreasonably restrict that freedom are dead in the water, period. Laws like the new hands-free one do what they can to make things safer without placing unreasonable restrictions on those not driving.

I didn’t even mention passengers — in personal vehicles or on trains, buses, taxis, ubers, etc. To tell people they’re no longer allowed to use their phones/tablets/computers while riding along at greater than 5mph would never fly.

For the record I am all for a way to restrict only the driver’s phone at 5mph+ — I haven’t read any proposals for this that didn’t involve limiting the rights of those not driving.

How would outlawing passengers from using phones in a moving vehicle be any different than the laws that prohibit a guy from drinking alcohol as a passenger? Seriously, how is it any different?

Timmy wrote:

How would outlawing passengers from using phones in a moving vehicle be any different than the laws that prohibit a guy from drinking alcohol as a passenger? Seriously, how is it any different?

Ok. On one hand you have a beverage that isn’t considered “essential” for any dietary reason or other human function. On the other, you have a device that serves as an emergency contact tool for people (including doctors, LEOs, etc.), allows people to be productive and conduct business during otherwise wasted time, and also serves to entertain.

But yeah, they’re basically the same.

tangler wrote:

Mobile phones are a huge part of technology that is embedded into everyday life for human beings on this planet.

Sorry, no me. Not even close. If they completely disappeared today it would not affect me one bit!

-J.

Jon Jordan wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tangler wrote:</div>
Mobile phones are a huge part of technology that is embedded into everyday life for human beings on this planet.

Sorry, no me. Not even close. If they completely disappeared today it would not affect me one bit!

-J.

To be honest I’m not different. But it’s completely irrelevant whether we accept or assimilate into this. It’s done. If for no other reason, in the name of productivity, efficiency, and economy, mobile phones will not be limited in such a way where the burden rests on the user to first prove they’re not driving a vehicle before use.

It’s not happening. If that sort of thing was acceptable, we’d already have mandatory Interlock devices on every vehicle so that we could prove we’re not drunk before driving, whether we ever broke the law or not.

Convenient, entertaining, fun, productive – I will give you those.

Essential – no way.

We somehow got to the point of having over 7 billion people on this planet, with cell phones being basically absent up until what?….maybe 20-25 yrs ago? Essential? Not by a long shot.

One of the greatest success stories in the world is the cell phone companies developing a technology, then absolutely convincing the general populace that it is 100% essential at all costs.

tangler wrote:

You miss the point entirely. Mobile phones are a huge part of technology that is embedded into everyday life for human beings on this planet.

I believe you are the one missing the point.

Cell phone usage is not a “right”. There is already precedent for restricting cell phones usage when it endangers the life and well being of others. Airplanes and certain areas within hospitals are two examples which immediately come to mind.