Team-BHP > Shifting gears


Reply
  Search this Thread
34,951 views
Old 24th August 2009, 12:08   #31
BHPian
 
Rodie09's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 382
Thanked: 1,257 Times
Why "Blue & Me"?

IF talking on mobile is prohibited irrespective of the mode you use - handsfree, blue tooth etc, then why in the first place govt allows manufacturers to install something like "blue & me". Isnt that the same offence?

On another thought, I think that using Car audio could be similarly dangerous in situations where you are trying to tune your fm station or trying to find out a track amongst the hundreds on your mp3 disc.
Rodie09 is offline  
Old 24th August 2009, 15:40   #32
Distinguished - BHPian
 
mobike008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 11,657
Thanked: 14,561 Times

AFAIK, there is no law against using a bluetooth while driving, you just have to stop your lip movement when you see a cop.

Just in case, cops decide to hail you down and fine you even while on bluetooth.
mobike008 is offline  
Old 24th August 2009, 19:35   #33
Senior - BHPian
 
kb100's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bangy Boy!
Posts: 1,555
Thanked: 21 Times

I got caught once in 2005 @ Malleshwaram. I was singing along with some song on the FM when an SMS came - the Cop at the junction saw glowing mobile on the passenger seat and flagged me down. The traffic SI wanted 2000/- I told the cop to issue a ticket/summons - that I was ready to contest it in court (where he would have had to 'prove' I was doing it - very difficult , almost impossible - unless he had videotaped the whole thing which he had not) . He immediately threatened to have the car siezed. I told him that was not in the scope of the offence - he immediately gave this story of 'rash, negligent, danger to public' blah blah blah. I refused to budge - asked him to go ahead and do whatever he feels is right and gave him the 'Dirty Harry' line 'Do you feel lucky....'

Got in the car - drove away. (there are times when out of state registration helps)

Last edited by kb100 : 24th August 2009 at 19:37.
kb100 is offline  
Old 25th August 2009, 07:28   #34
BANNED
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 11,368
Thanked: 23,090 Times
Infractions: 0/3 (12)

what if one is in the habit of singing along with the music which may be playing on the stereo. is there also a law against that?
the beginning of the Police State eh?
shankar.balan is offline  
Old 31st August 2009, 13:08   #35
Senior - BHPian
 
Sn1p3r's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Germany
Posts: 1,022
Thanked: 231 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by shankar.balan View Post
what if one is in the habit of singing along with the music which may be playing on the stereo. is there also a law against that?
the beginning of the Police State eh?
Thats what I say to the policeman I was just singing and the phone is switched off
Sn1p3r is offline  
Old 31st August 2009, 13:38   #36
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: NA
Posts: 824
Thanked: 108 Times
Please switch off mobile before taking off

Quote:
Originally Posted by mobike008 View Post
AFAIK, there is no law against using a bluetooth while driving, you just have to stop your lip movement when you see a cop.

Just in case, cops decide to hail you down and fine you even while on bluetooth.
People have jumped into conclusions without doing some home work. It is sad that most of us don't seem to know the rule, but very quick to respond to the thread. This will make others who are searching for the right answer very painful.

I have read the motor vehicle rules and amendments earlier. Before the handsfree mobiles were in the market, the rule was that we cannot talk on the mobile while driving. Later when handsfree speakers came to the market, the law makers changed the law into "Mobile phone must be switched off while driving". This is true for any vehicle, car or not. However, if the vehicle has a co-passenger, mobile phone can be switched on, but driver is not allowed to make or receive any call.

So, when the mobile cannot be switched on at all, where does the question of using bluetooth come into the picture?

BTW, I always believed that we have outdates laws. But this law is not even an old law and still out of place.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kb100 View Post
I told the cop to issue a ticket/summons - that I was ready to contest it in court (where he would have had to 'prove' I was doing it - very difficult , almost impossible - unless he had videotaped the whole thing which he had not)
All he had to prove was that phone was switched on at the time of receiving the SMS. Not sure if servers will have confirmed message delivered record with the record of which tower/place. If there is such a facility, police would find it very easy to prove the action.

Quoting link from tbhp itself: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...tml#post136508

Last edited by opendro : 31st August 2009 at 13:51. Reason: Added relevant link
opendro is offline  
Old 31st August 2009, 13:51   #37
BHPian
 
dushmish's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 418
Thanked: 82 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by shankar.balan View Post
If blue tooth is also illegal, then what about talking to ones co-passengers while driving? Unless one takes the vows of a trappist monk or something, I really dont see people putting a stop to talking to their co-passengers/ family etc while driving. by the same logic, one shouldnt be allowed to either eat or drink even a sip of water while driving - considering that one normally uses one's hands to hold the food and/ or water bottle.(Not all of us have that rallyists water bag and tube mounted in our cars).
Hi Balan, you have a valid point. What your argument lacks though is the fact that co-passengers are aware of your driving environment. If there is a sudden change in the environment they know you need to concentrate (most of the times) and therefore they shut up. Where as the voice on the other end of the call is not aware of these changes and continues to engage you in a conversation. It becomes difficult for the brain to talk and concentrate to adjust to the changing environment and there by increases the reflex time. This may lead to an accident.

By change in environment I mean - a dog jumping in front of your car, a truck appearing from nowhere, or any such thing.
dushmish is offline  
Old 31st August 2009, 14:08   #38
BANNED
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Kolhapur
Posts: 1,717
Thanked: 1,901 Times
Infractions: 0/1 (7)

Quote:
Originally Posted by shankar.balan View Post
However, I believe that sense should prevail and bluetooth atleast should be made legal because one cannot completely avoid answering calls while driving.
Why can one not completely avoid answering calls while driving?
carboy is offline  
Old 31st August 2009, 14:12   #39
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: NA
Posts: 824
Thanked: 108 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by dushmish View Post
Hi Balan, you have a valid point. What your argument lacks though is the fact that co-passengers are aware of your driving environment. If there is a sudden change in the environment they know you need to concentrate (most of the times) and therefore they shut up. Where as the voice on the other end of the call is not aware of these changes and continues to engage you in a conversation. It becomes difficult for the brain to talk and concentrate to adjust to the changing environment and there by increases the reflex time. This may lead to an accident.

By change in environment I mean - a dog jumping in front of your car, a truck appearing from nowhere, or any such thing.
I agree that talking on phone distracts more than talking to the co-passenger. I also notice that changing audio tracks, searching for a particular track, or trying to adjust something so yet familiarized, such as some control in A/C or lamps, etc. cause similar kind of loss of concentration to what is happening ahead. Instinctively, we drive safely, but if there is some sudden change as dushmish mentioned, we will not be able to act on time.

If you allow me to give my opinion against this law of mobile phone, I too believe that the law is too harsh to be implemented. Moreover, our traffic jams allow one even to type back SMS/email, forget just talking.
opendro is offline  
Old 2nd September 2009, 12:18   #40
BHPian
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: @ Driver's Seat @
Posts: 708
Thanked: 106 Times
Red signal to cell phones

It could cost you Rs 5,000 if you use your mobile phone at the traffic signal
Source : Red signal to cell phones, News - City - Bangalore Mirror,Bangalore Mirror

Sending a message or taking a picture or even a Bluetooth transfer when you are at a traffic signal could cost you dear. If you are caught doing any of these things, your wallet may become lighter by Rs 5,000.

The Road Transport and Highways Ministry of the central government has sent letters to all the states regarding an amendment in the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988. The government has now included a dedicated section for penal provision for offences related to usage of mobile phones while driving. “ ... The Committee on the Petitions of Rajya Sabha has taken a very serious view of the fact that use of mobile phone in motor vehicles is on the increase and this leads to many accidents. The Committee has strongly recommended that the use of mobile phone while driving motor vehicles should be banned in any form or in any manner,” stated the letter sent by the ministry.

Starting from Rs 500

Once the law is implemented, commuters who offend will have to pay hefty fines starting from Rs 500 for the first offence. The penalty can go up to Rs 5,000 for the second or subsequent offences. “Previously, the fines collected were limited to Rs 300, but now the penalty starts from Rs 500,” said a Regional Transport Officer. The letter has listed various offences under which the commuter can be penalised. It includes use of mobile phones, whether hand-held or hands-free, data transfer through Bluetooth and use of phones installed and integrated into the wiring of motor vehicles. The letter also says making or receiving calls, sending messages, playing games, listening to music or even taking photos could be an offence.

An official of the transport department said while drivers must recognise that all distractions can be dangerous, wireless communication devices are particularly dangerous since they involve cognitive distraction. Research has consistently demonstrated that diversion of a driver’s cognitive attention can seriously impair the ability to drive safely. Moreover, the reality is that a driver’s performance gets compromised regardless of whether the device is hand-held or hands-free.

This law does not only apply when the commuter is driving but also when the motor vehicle is not moving. “A stationed vehicle in the traffic jam or a traffic signal is a part of driving and in such conditions also, the use of mobile phones cannot be allowed,” stated the letter.
The ministry has asked the state governments to gear up for the enforcement of the law as soon as possible. “We were the first state to implement the fines on mobile usage years ago. This time also, we will take a look at the letter and implement it soon,” said Bhaskar Rao, the Transport Commissioner.
lambuhere1 is offline  
Old 2nd September 2009, 12:27   #41
BHPian
 
discobiscuit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: hydravad
Posts: 89
Thanked: 134 Times

imho, smoking a cigarette while driving is more risky and dangerous than speaking on a bluetooth headset.
discobiscuit is offline  
Old 2nd September 2009, 12:44   #42
Distinguished - BHPian
 
mobike008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 11,657
Thanked: 14,561 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by discobiscuit View Post
imho, smoking a cigarette while driving is more risky and dangerous than speaking on a bluetooth headset.
From experience?

I agree to an extent talking on bluetooth is not a hazard at all unless you keep looking at the cellphone while talking.

From my personal experience, both smoking and bluetooth talking isnt harmful as when i smoke, i drive very slow and mostly on the left side of road till i finish my ciggarette.
mobike008 is offline  
Old 2nd September 2009, 12:50   #43
Senior - BHPian
 
coolclouds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Garden City
Posts: 1,798
Thanked: 519 Times

There are lot of people who can easily handle a call and steering at a time.

But there are too many people who lose concentration while answering a call on driving.
I know some who jumped signals without even seeing them while on a call. For them, responding quickly to an unexpected event will be difficult.
coolclouds is offline  
Old 2nd September 2009, 12:55   #44
BHPian
 
discobiscuit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: hydravad
Posts: 89
Thanked: 134 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by mobike008 View Post
From experience?

I agree to an extent talking on bluetooth is not a hazard at all unless you keep looking at the cellphone while talking.

From my personal experience, both smoking and bluetooth talking isnt harmful as when i smoke, i drive very slow and mostly on the left side of road till i finish my ciggarette.
Now that I think about it; yes, i had a bad experience. I was ashing my cig out of the window, and at the same time a motorbike coming from the opposite direction ran into my side view mirror. He fell on the ground, and the mirror came crashing on my hand. Blood galore. Broken pieces of mirror all over the place, and the cherry of my cig fell inside the car, and started a micro forest fire.

Taking your hands off the steering wheel = bad decision.

99% of the time you are fine, it's that 1% that comes back and bites you

Talking on the bluetooth headset shouldn't be a problem since you are still physically focused on driving. It's just that you need to be mentally alert.

Motorsport drivers, Aeroplane pilots, etc are always connected to some communication device and they are doing just fine. Just my 2 cents
discobiscuit is offline  
Old 2nd September 2009, 12:59   #45
Team-BHP Support
 
bblost's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 10,992
Thanked: 15,256 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by mobike008 View Post

From my personal experience, both smoking and bluetooth talking isnt harmful as when i smoke, i drive very slow and mostly on the left side of road till i finish my ciggarette.
Most roads are not wide enough for someone to fully occupy and completely slow down one full lane.
bblost is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks