[TusharK]

Last week, the Bangalore Police announced a new rule banning the use of Bluetooth devices or earphones.



The new rule applies to both 2-wheelers and 4-wheelers and can attract a fine of Rs. 1,000. Listening to music or attending a call using Bluetooth while driving a car will also be illegal. However, the police have clarified that using Google Maps will be permitted if there's a phone holder installed.

The 2-wheeler helmet manufacturers association has opposed Bangalore police's move to penalise those using Bluetooth devices while riding or driving. It stated that hands-free technology is used widely all over the world and is a much safer alternative to a hand-held device.

Bluetooth devices have gained popularity in recent times and is widely used by riders to listen to music, answer a call or get directions. The technology comes integrated into most new vehicles, cars and bikes alike.

Link to Team-BHP News

[Thermodynamics]

Am I reading it right, listening to music in a car while driving is illegal ?

What next? talking to copassenger illegal, singing, sneezing, even blinking would attract fine? very fine!

[Coyote]

It appears the Govt./ police department coffers are running low. Given that the police has (to my knowledge) discontinued use of breathalysers post Covid, they need an excuse to stop vehicles and earn some money. Check the DL, RC, PUC, compliance with whatever the latest mask mandate is, etc.

Given that my car, as most new vehicles, has an inbuilt bluetooth / android auto / apple CarPlay technologies, can I simply not mute the audio upon seeing cops? Are they going to be holding shotgun microphones to check if you have your radio / Spotify on?!

[AKSarkar1]

I'm not sure if there is a mistake with the punctuation but has Banglore banned 'Bluetooth' completely or 'Bluetooth earphones'? From my interpretation of the stock photo in the post, it seems the earphones are the problem and rightly so.

In the case of 4 wheelers, I get how driving while wearing Bluetooth earphones can be a distraction especially given the fact that new earphones come with all the gizmos including noise cancellation and this might prove to be a hindrance during driving when all hearing is crucial. One may argue that it is safer for 2 wheelers to use Bluetooth headphones while riding rather than having one hand on the handle and one with the phone on the ear.

Driving without Bluetooth completely though is a horrendous move, new car/bike technologies powered via Bluetooth have made driving/riding much more safer and controlled omitting headless people who misuse the tech e.g. watching T20 live streaming on their ICE while driving on the highway.

From my experience as someone in civil services, no rule ever works in the long term unless you take the common folks in confidence (especially such kind of rules). People will yet continue using technology like Bluetooth that makes driving more predictable and safer.

[AnnaRocks]

New salvo fired from the harassment machines. If road safety is an actual concern for the govt, I request any official reading this by any chance - Please push for imparting traffic and road manners in the schools from the earliest grade possible. Even if it is included as a subject, it will be great. It will save a ton of lives.

[jithin23]

Just another new way for cops to fill up their coffers. What next? Let's not keep Android auto and car play, as seeing or hearing route directions is a crime. Bluetooth streaming, listening to music will distract the driver as he or she cannot hear the traffic sounds to be alert on our roads where our cars crawl during peak hours.

[Arun Varma]

CAN I USE HANDS FREE DEVICE FOR USING MOBILE PHONE WHEN DRIVING?
Not only using mobile phones, even using hands free devices to access mobile phones (earphones, Bluetooth headset, etc.,) while driving is an offence. You are allowed to use mobile phone when driving / riding for navigation purpose only. As per Section 184 (c) M.V Act, no person can use handheld communication devices (mobile phones) while driving or riding a motor vehicle. You will be penalized with fine of 1,500/- for Two / Three Wheeler, Rs.1,500/- for LMV and Rs.5,000 for other Vehicles. Second and subsequent offence attracts a hefty penalty of Rs.10,000/-.

This is the text from the Traffic police site. It is not very clear on ICE units. To me it doesn't seem like streaming music through ICE and via speakers / calls through this set up fall in scope. I hope this would not be subject to convenient interpretation!

[RedTerrano]

Sigh!

One more feather in the Govt cap for coming up with diktats which make very less sense. I wonder if this recent rule includes the wireless devices mounted inside police cars which are continuously on.

Nowadays I seem to notice a trend. The onus is always and only on the vehicle driver. Not a peep about the pedestrians, illegal hawkers, wrongly positioned rickshaw stands on the corner or even unscientifically built roads.

Say Jai Ho and smile. What else can you do? You are in India.

[GeeTee TSI]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

Am I reading it right, listening to music in a car while driving is illegal ?

Listening to music or attending a call, using Bluetooth (device on the ear).
Classic case of how a punctuation (,) can make a difference in emphasising the key word (although this does little to assuage the repressive feeling around such regulations)

P.S. I understand that having a phone conversation through any mode whilst driving had already been termed illegal in Bangalore, now this has been extended to music via earphones as well

[giri1.8]

Originally Posted by TusharK

However, the police have clarified that using Google Maps will be permitted if there's a phone holder installed.

Glad that our overlords have permitted this, phone holder clarification is the cherry on top imagine the chaos if I use google maps with just the audio directions.

P.S: I am guessing that news is not clear, they are just reinforcing not using bluetooth headphones, it doesn't denote car's bluetooth connection.

[WorkingGuru]

I used to dismiss my doubts earlier, but it seems to happen too many times too keep quiet any longer. I've noticed, speaking anecdotally ofcourse, that across the establishment (including the Legislature, Judiciary as well as Executive), authorities are using policy decisions that regulate a section of society that are easy targets.

Yes, country is running a high fiscal deficit & may be forced to monetise resources. But liberty of a section of citizens are seemingly being curtailed & regulated to fund govt coffers.

Last few months I noticed across Govts city planning that they're actively narrowing down major roads in the manner of making them "pedestrian friendly" by making extremely wide pathways. Pathways that see absolutely minimal pedestrian traffic.

This would stifle movement & create traffic bottleneck. Which could likely in-turn be used to create congestion based taxes. The matter of city's roads if just a single example among many others.

Also IMO these curtailments are not based on religion. But largely economic condition of people. Its a sort of feeling that makes me think people are being held hostage against possession of their own assets.

P.S.: I genuinely don't believe it'd have been any different with any other political party.

[CarJunki]

Not surprising that the people at helm park common sense somewhere remote before writing such diktat and rules. To be fair, they have also the revenue collection targets. If existing means are not sufficient, new modes of harassment will be created.

If listening to music inside the car while driving is illegal, then I am not sure who should get a tuition about common sense?

I do understand the government officers who write rules get chauffeur-driven vehicles for official duties, and thus they may not understand that common citizens do not get free chauffeur from government.

[Axe77]

I am waiting for the day when someone in government realises that bad roads can also lead to accidents. It will be even more incredible if any accountability / penalty is placed on the concerned government / department on account of such bad roads.

There is a certain merit in disallowing this since it can cause distraction but honestly, there is SO much else wrong with our roads and traffic conditions, there really are larger priorities to address in order to make our roads safer.

[Staraptor]

So guys,
If we need to "legally" listen to music in car in Bengaluru, we have the following options:-

A) In the cars which still have an aux port or a CD player, then either of the two
B)Android auto/apple carplay/Mirrolink, since the music is being played through the usb connection.
C) For most modern cars, through a USB pen drive

It'll be the same songs which will be played, with the same sound quality, but these would be legal, and not listening to music via bluetooth

Just goes on to show how thoughtlessly some regulations are made.

[rpmmachine]

Just want to share this picture which itself says everything.