[naveen.raju]

Although most cars allow complete hands free experience, there are other cars which need some kind of manual input to make a call. For instance, my car doesn't allow me to make a call while it's moving. I need to dial the number on my phone to make a call. This can be distracting. Maybe cops think that this is what happens when you use bluetooth.

Of course, their intention is clear and good but like others have mentioned there are many other priorities gone unchecked. For example,

1. I don't see cops checking for drunk driving. Earlier, I used to see them check in the morning as well.
2. What's with the rash driving of private buses? Everything happens under their nose.
3. I happened to see 3 kids on a scooter yesterday with no safety gear driving dangerously and the pillion enacting like a bird (flapping his arms). They knew that that stretch is safe. Why are cams only used to penalize speeding cars? Can't they use it for such acts? I think I may have this captured on the dash cam.
4. A cop stopping traffic on the highway to let people cross the road when there's a foot overbridge above them. Why don't the higher authorities take corrective measure here?
5. A cop allowing buses to stop in multiple lanes in the busiest junction in Kerala and when there's a flyover construction happening. I was at that junction for an hour waiting for my wife to finish her shopping and I was amazed by the cops antics. Because of this, the entire stretch was moving slow (This entire stretch has got 2 flyovers under construction, 1 flyover waiting to be demolished and another junction in front of a busy mall).

These are just some of the examples I see everyday. Please have other priorities placed in order and then introduce new laws.

[crodjer]

The popular opinion on the thread seems that talking on Bluetooth is equivalent to listing to the music player or talking to co-passengers. But that is far from the case. Hand's free communication is far more dangerous than what I feel is the popular opinion here.

• Listening to music doesn't require cognition to the level required on a phone call.
  1. You aren't actively trying to interpret what is being said on the song.
  2. Phone calls are bi-directional and require your active participation. A song doesn't require you to be able to clearly interpret it and respond.
• Now, compared to talking to a co-passenger, there are indeed some similarities with phone calls over bluetooth (say hand's free, without any manual button presses). But there is a huge difference: context.
  1. On a phone call, the other person doesn't have the context that you are driving and what is going on on the road. So, there is an expectation from them that you'll respond like any other call.
  2. While talking to a co-passenger, a sudden silence because of a more demanding cognition at times while driving is totally acceptable and the co-passenger will completely understand and even expect. This is untrue of infants though, which is why I never let a child on my co-passenger's lap to the extent of being rude.

So, my take is, calling over Bluetooth shouldn't be allowed while driving/riding. With the convenience of hand's free functionality in cars, what you get is the ability to pick up the call, say that you are driving and then slowly pull over to continue the conversation. You shouldn't be moving for more than 5 seconds while also taking a call.


Most decent in-car touch screens are disabled for interaction on the move. The reason is the same, operating a touch screen requires bi-directional communication via sight. Physical buttons on the other hand can provider tactile feedback, which is orders of magnitude safer than visual feedback from touch screens. Because of this, I personally prefer vehicles without the touch-screen gimmick.

[noopster]

This isn't restricted to Kerala: have been pulled over in Mumbai/Pune as well by cops who suspected I am speaking on hands-free. Managed to get away by showing my phone that had its last-received call 30 minutes before.

Actually, I don't have a problem being incommunicado while driving since it is admittedly a distraction. The problem is that with our roads and traffic being the way they are, you are often stuck on the road for more than an hour, sometimes two, and that is a long time to be off the grid. Typically city commutes don't even allow you to pull over to the side of the road to take a call.

A little consideration is called for, especially when serious offences like wrong-side driving are seemingly condoned by these mighty defenders of the law!

[abirnale]

Having read all the arguments - can we conclude that in KL no one will buy any MG Hector - Internet inside editions or RTO will not giver permission to sell that car itself?

And does this also extend to PNDs (Personal Navigation Devices) being banned too? If so, i think they are perfect on the roadmap to get you lost in God's Own Country

[thirumalkumaran]

Originally Posted by abirnale

And does this also extend to PNDs (Personal Navigation Devices) being banned too? If so, i think they are perfect on the roadmap to get you lost in God's Own Country

Its a good way to promote tourism, as you will go through places which never been stepped. /S

Though I would support this to an extent, it cannot be fully appreciated.
I believe the provision of picking calls are given as an aid to inform the caller that he is either driving, and/or he will call back later. Not as a means of a full blown communication. The user has to use a bit of common sense and take the call (Pun), to either of the options.
Making a two way conversation on the move is never ever recommended.

Then comes the part of implementation. This is where our law enforcement botches to level 11.
Enough said.

[deemash]

Distractions are many on Indian Roads.

Speaking on car speakers is not that distracting when compared
- to big cinema poster / advertisements along side NH47 / NH544. Sometimes, I take off my eyes from road to see those . You can find them many between Thrissur - EKM highway.
- Buses honking from behind
- Kids shouting inside car
- Talking to co-driver
- Listening to music

As per me, talking on handsfree devices is OK. Mostly I use AA on my car and say "OK Google" to dial the number. My car HU does not support voice calling. I need to get it from the Fav list or last dialled number which can surely be disturbing and can lose focus.

[atlantis0965]

Hello

The intention is indeed noble and probably inconvinient for many ; Surprised though to see so much angst.

Agreed that many other serious/ not so serious offences are commited on our roads everyday and the police do turn a blind eye to it..

The idea behind targetting private cars though probably stems from the fact that majority of the cars are driven by the "educated" section of the society which in turn means that such people are aware of the implications of their wrong doings and yet end up doing it which in my opinion is a much more serious problem.

An average car travel for a normal office going person could range from 30-180minutes and with the advent of "DND" technology in the mobile phones i am sure we can choose to just send automated messages to incoming callers that we are driving and cannot risk talking and thereby risking the life of self / co passengers and also other road users.

[thirdmainroad]

Considering that big companies like Apple and Android are making systems such as car play to aid and ease Hands free calling and voice commands, is this not a silly and draconian law?

[venkyhere]

Conflicting laws shouldn't be made. Is that such a big thing to ask ? Why are cars with handsfree calling allowed to be homologated in india then ? cancel their legality to be sold with this feature first. Then impose the law to ban handsfree calling.

This is exactly like the matter with tobacco/pan-masala. Why not cancel the license to make them in the first place, and then ban the usage by people ?

Without understanding the big picture, state RTOs and ministry for road transport making their own favourite rules/laws that are conflicting with each other, is plain stupid. Worse, its with a cunning eye to squeeze money from the public. Is there any argument against this ?

Ours is a country where the beaureucracy and govt act like a judge and the judiciary acts like the administrator. People are the sad victims.

[sparky@home]

There are so many rules made to book traffic violators, but there is no serious intent in implementation. Every day when I go to town, I see so many blatant violation, bus drivers, truck drivers, car drivers and motor cyclist all talking on their mobiles, and many a time the cops pass by turning a blind eye, so what is the point. And then you have pedestrian’s walking like zombies with their mobiles, who again are traffic hazards.

[sureshkishore]

Like the video playback function which works only when car is stationary in most OEM stereo systems in future probably telephony functions would also be restricted.
Yes I do agree that telephone is one of the biggest distractions for a driver.

[Dhawal20]

Instead of introducing new rules, if the existing ones are duly enforced, our roads will be a much safer place for all, from drivers to cyclists to pedestrians.

[mithun]

This is not a rule in Kerala alone, its a pan India rule.

Using a mobile while driving is a violation of CMVR 21 (25) and license can be suspended(MV Act 19).

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by mithun

This is not a rule in Kerala alone, its a pan India rule.

Using a mobile while driving is a violation of CMVR 21 (25) and license can be suspended(MV Act 19).

The Rule says Use of Mobile phone. So Mobile phone for Navigation, or Spotify also is license suspension

[gkveda]

I recommend the following ideas to kerala police since all the below are distractions to driver
1. Ban carrying mobile phones in the car
2. Ban copassengers
3. How can music player be enabled in the car when music is the most distracted source?
4. Does windows not distract? Drivers start seeing the beauty of God's own country through windows.
5. AC cool breeze increases the sleeping ability
6. Too many levers inside the car for drivers hands and legs. For hands - steering, gear, handbrake etc. For legs, - they have accelerator, brakes, clutch. How can one man with two hands and two legs manage more than 6 controls? That too, while concentrating on road? Need these to be banned and removed with immediate effect.

Last but not least, Team bhpians are most driving addicted people. So, since driving itself is considered addiction, it definitely distracts driver's focus. So, driving should be banned in kerala for team bhpians