[viper]

Hi Guys,

As per the headlines in Times of India Mumbai edition today Mumbai RTo has started a crackdown on motorists using mobiles whilst driving. 3 people were arrested, fined and licenses suspended for 6 months yesterday.

Please avoid using the same whilst driving and drive safely.

Viper

[Vid6639]

How about a bluetooth handsfree? Is that allowed? In bangalore, they were planning on enforcing a rule, that mobiles should be switched off. You will be fined if your not talking on teh phone but your phone is switched on.

[.anshuman]

Even i read the same news in delhi TOI, i was shocked to read this ,we use phone all the time here in gurgaon and cops stop us and leave us and even in delhi cops let us go after taking fine on the spot.

[amohit]

Very dangerous practice to talk on mobile while driving.
when I used to commute on hosur road bangalore, used to witness so many accidents there...and almost always there was a mobile phone involved.
Neverthless i guess, jail is little too harsh. They should conficicate the mobiles.
I dont understand, if ppl think its too important for them to recieve all the calls, why dont they get drivers to drive there cars. Or atleast stop on the road side and then take the call. Small things...but help saving lives.

Regards,

[nirav_j]

Originally Posted by vid6639

How about a bluetooth handsfree? Is that allowed? In bangalore, they were planning on enforcing a rule, that mobiles should be switched off. You will be fined if your not talking on teh phone but your phone is switched on.

i had read somewhere that the law states that the drivers phone should be off ...

I.e. he shoud not be talking on the phone in any manner whatsoever ,,
and bluetooth handsfree devices do not comply with the law ...

dont know for sure if the police would crack down on it too ,,,

I personally am glad that the police *are* taking strictest action possible for talking on mobile phone and jumping red lights ,,,

i had a close shave with an SX4 yesterday who not only had jumped the red light but also was yapping away on the phone ...

i would have had a terrible time on my karizma had we made "contact" !!

[amit]

i had read somewhere that the law states that the drivers phone should be off

I too remember reading this somewhere. What next? Over zealous cops will stop us and throw us into jail if our phones are switched on? I wouldn't be surprised if they pass a law and throw us into jail for adjusting our stereo while driving.

I dont understand, if ppl think its too important for them to recieve all the calls, stop on the road side and then take the call.

I believe thats what the law says. BUT, I have seen such law abiding citizens that stop their car or bike in whichever lane they were driving in, even in the right most/overtaking lane to take calls. What are the chances that the cops will challan or jail them?

And when will the cops ensure the basics are followed? So many cars coolly jump traffic lights and nowadays I see a lot of vehicles that take a right or left turn at a roundabout without following the rules. One Accent zoomed in without going round the roundabout as I was finishing a right turn. If there would have been an accident, who would the cops have blamed?

[bigman]

Good job by the RTO. Even if it saves 1 life it will be worth it.There are too many idiots on the roads as it is, coupled with a mobile phone equates to a dangerous idiot.

[akg7091]

While I agree that mobile phones do tend to distract drivers, but this punishment is too harsh. Maybe the license should be suspended for a month. But putting someone in jail for such a small thing. The main problem is going to be the implementation. Cops in India are very corrupt and this will become a new reason for them to extort money from the common man. They sometime make up rules to suit them. What is to stop them from misusing this ?

[ramie2400]

I just hope they dont ban the audio setup and mod part of the car or even custom graphics ,well too much of traffic and no source of earnings so these rules are coming over,and i have a gutt feeling that this is only the start of rules in Mumbai City.

[kartikkumar]

i'm glad to see the rule being enforced and strict punishment being meted out. However, as with all rules, consistency of enforcement will be the key.

To answer a seperate question, it is illegal to use the phone in any manner (handfree or not) while driving. It is true that that phone is actually required to be switched off while driving, although I seriously doubt that will ever be enforced. The rationale behind the rule is to focus the attention of the driver on the road and driving. Whether you hold your phone in your hand or use a handsfree doesn't detract from the basic fact that one's concentration is not wholly on the road. Hence, the law.

Before you pounce on me and ask me whether the next ban will be on talking to passengers in the car, let me state that all I am doing is giving you a picture of the law as it stands. If you want to debate its merits and demerits, let us try and gather all relevant data and facts first.

Cheers!

[Ram]

Originally Posted by nirav_j

I personally am glad that the police *are* taking strictest action possible for talking on mobile phone and jumping red lights ,,,

i had a close shave with an SX4 yesterday who not only had jumped the red light but also was yapping away on the phone ...

i would have had a terrible time on my karizma had we made "contact" !!

Well nirav_j. Sorry to hear you were terrorized by a criminally negligent road user. Glad you are safe.

Were you on your karizma or Honda City 1.3 Exi?

It's a good thing that Mumbai police are enforcing non-use of mobiles by people driving cars and multitasking on the phone.

But is it really jail? A lockup for 48-hours would send a powerful message to people endangering others on the road by talking while driving.

[thefreak]

A job well done. As already stated above action needs to be taken against the guys on loud music too. However one small catch, if the law states that the phone should be turned off then it is too much I say. Gives the cops all the more handle to collect money. Also it is alright to say that the guys should stop on the side of the road and take calls. I can name any number of roads where if someone does this there will be a huge traffic jam because there is just no side of the road.

[paras211]

just another way of get people to pay bigger bribes .because now they r scared of being behind bars cough up more money nahi to aandar kar dega. there is a rule in mumbai that if your alone the phone has to be switched off. if a passenger is present the phone can be on but driver cant talk.
karan5** on the forum here once got caught coz he had his engine running and was talking on the side of the road.
imo if your chatting with a firnd or something unimpotant its ok to yap on the phone ,its not distracting .

[gbpscars]

some way to make money,...
OH,... these pandus.

if enforced for safety it is good, but am sure it will go a long way into making their pockets fatter.

1 case of jailing does not justify anything. ask them to do this to some specific "phoren SUV" with some "pro-desi" nuts inside and the "saffron" flashers on its head in and around shivaji park... theses pandus will p** in their pants to even stop it.

we have rules enforced stupidly,...
now what does one say about the helmets for 2 wheelers???
the 2 wheeler rider may have a helmet on. but no cop takes care about the kido on the front with nothing to cover his face against the pollution leave alone his head during a crash. nor do they care about the lady sitting without a helmet behind the rider!!

strange are the ways of road laws in india.

[GTO]

Jail for every offense? Overkill? Looks like the RTO thinks that this is the only solution for traffic problems. Whats next? Jail for traffic jams?