Using Iphone/mobile Gps Device Would Be Illegal From 9th Nov

[Japav]

NEWS from here

"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."

OMG.....wtf is this joke??

so we cant use GPS while driving? Then whats the point for all the GPS device now?

"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. "

guess they gotta try to put "voice control" function on it, if you cant touch it

Edited September 22, 2009 by Japav

[33gtst]

about bloody time, have you followed someone trying to follow a non voice one? They are far worse than texting...

[CrispyFries]

From what I read I can happily continue my gps because it's not a phone.

And if I want to use my iphone as a gps I just put it in an approved cradle, which doesn't seem unreasonable.

The intention seems to be to stop people from claiming they were using their GPS when they're busted using their phone.

[_Ryan_]

JB hifi sell a cradle, silcon skin, and handsfree type thing for $38 in a big black box, i bought it just for the cradle, as it holds it firmly in a landscape position. I have sygic GPS on my iPhone, which gives spoken directions, but i mainly use the Speedbox app, as the 32 speedo is hardly accurate, my mrs uses the GPS heaps on hers though, hence the cradle

[JamesK]

This will never pass....this is as stupid as trying to implement a nationwide firewall which filters absolutely everything going in and out of Australia....no one in their right mind would even think abou....oh wait

[R31Nismoid]

It will pass - and it should.

It is simply saying if you need to touch it to use it, it's banned.

A decent GPS is set @ the start, and then gives direction by sound.

It is saying quite clearly that any PHONE GPS system is not to be used. But as well all know, its a load of shit. Because if you have hands free, you are allowed to use a phone. So regardless of any ammendments, there is a technicality you can easily get off as long as you say "i was on a hands free call", just make sure you are on the phone to someone when the officer comes to the window

Another stupid ammendment that creates more loopholes, nothing to worry about in my eyes.

[BigDirtyJase]

I think is because people (escpically GPS Users) will change routes whilst driving (yes I'm guilty of that)...so they have to touch the screen to key in address details to get where your going. I can see alot of taxi drivers getting pinged for this

I guess then you can't touch the screen to make your GPS re-route your trip if your stuck in a jam (oh wait a minute...you'll be stopped anyway)

[elrodeo666]

You guys need to come over here a drive here in Japan for a bit !

Playing with a gps is nothing compared to what the numbnuts do here, its a daily crackup and some classic prangs.

[paulr33]

agree 100%

if you have some knob navigating by holding a nokia blah blah in his hand and reading that while driving, then thats gotta be illegal as above

[atomaly]

soon we wont be able to drive whilst driving...

which will come shortly after: touching stereo / air con / anything in your dash.

its not an iPhone officer its an iPod ??? mines always connected to my alpine via USB whenever im driving.. so what can they do then??

i'll just say i was changing song??

[_Ryan_]

  BigDirtyJase said:

I think is because people (escpically GPS Users) will change routes whilst driving (yes I'm guilty of that)...so they have to touch the screen to key in address details to get where your going. I can see alot of taxi drivers getting pinged for this

I guess then you can't touch the screen to make your GPS re-route your trip if your stuck in a jam (oh wait a minute...you'll be stopped anyway)

they should recalculate when you pull off the route... or pull over for the 30sec it takes to change your route. not hard. like pulling over for a phone call, get the passenger to take it, or pull over.

[RBPOWA-(TJ)]

3aw spoke about this last week, and had some police spokes person on the phone. basically if your phone or GPS is not in a holder on the windscreen while in use, navigations or bluetooth receiver for phone, well then this distracting you.

cause you have to take your eyes of the road and look down to where ever you have our GPS sitting. so windscreen holder or no go.

[nice 28]

  atomaly said:

soon we wont be able to drive whilst driving...

which will come shortly after: touching stereo / air con / anything in your dash.

its not an iPhone officer its an iPod ??? mines always connected to my alpine via USB whenever im driving.. so what can they do then??

i'll just say i was changing song??

So what about this?

I'm in the same boat and use the ipod while in my car (only an aux input, so have to use phone's controls not head units).

Ehh if worst comes to worse they can issue you with a fine, and then when it gets to court, you can just show your mobile bill and show them that at the time of the offence you were not using the phone?

But then again they'll probably ping you and say that someone else could have called you, and that's why it didn't show up on the statement.

EDIT: Just noticed it said it will be illegal for drivers to navigate using a device that can be used as a phone and a satellite navigation system

How's the officer meant to know whether you were using the ipod or the gps? Just always keep it plugged in with an aux cable

Edited September 22, 2009 by nice 28

[MUZT3K]

yeah id like to know what the law is about that, i connect my ipod via aux and i always change it, i keep it in the cup holder.

[R31Nismoid]

That could easily be argued in court, its no different to a stereo really.

The point of this more so than anything else is likely to stop people 'claiming' they were using their GPS rather than being on a phone call

[zero-R33-]

  MUZT3K said:

yeah id like to know what the law is about that, i connect my ipod via aux and i always change it, i keep it in the cup holder.

+1 although mine is connected by the actual ipod/iphone cable that came with the alpine so i can control it through the headunit.

[_Ryan_]

  zero-R33- said:

+1 although mine is connected by the actual ipod/iphone cable that came with the alpine so i can control it through the headunit.

lock it in the glove box to avoid issues then

[iseekool]

Some sat nav units lock out any inputs for routes/changes once you are above 10km/h, only thing that functions above 10km/h is the volume control and the on/off.

I have it on mine and it's a no brand ebay item from Taiwan

I'm sure apple or any phone manufacturers can write up updates to have similar functionality.

[tss]

  JamesK said:

This will never pass....this is as stupid as trying to implement a nationwide firewall which filters absolutely everything going in and out of Australia....no one in their right mind would even think abou....oh wait

It has already passed, the law is being introduced on the 09/11/09

here is a website with all the new road rules http://roadrules.vicroads.vic.gov.au/

here is another interesting new rule

Centre dividing line

A driver will not be able to overtake, or do a U-turn across a single continuous centre line, or a single continuous line to the left of a broken line. However a driver can cross over a centre dividing line (except a double continuous centre dividing line) when entering or leaving the road (see diagram).

[adznight]

If you are running a TomTom application and you're using tom tom cradle then I don't see why this should be any different to using a GPS device. All other GPS functionality is a risk though yeah.