[bblost]

The law is very clear

Mumbai Traffic Police

FAQ REGARDING USE OF MOBILE PHONE WHILE DRIVING

Q) Can I use mobile phone while driving?
As per rule 250 (A)(1) of Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, use of mobile phone is prohibited by driver while driving or riding a motor vehicle (including two wheelers).

Q) Can I keep my mobile phone switch on while driving?
If you are alone in the car, you shall switch off your mobile phone while driving any motor vehicle.(Section 250 (A)(2) of M.M.V.R.1989)

Q) Can I use hands-free or any other accessories of mobile phone while driving?
No. (As per rule mentioned above.)

If you are alone in a car the Mobile Must be switched OFF.

But with the traffic lines getting longer and longer, the average person's patience wears thin.
Within 5 minutes of being stuck in traffic, the mobile phone comes out.
And people are on a call.

Most times the jams are really long with the average speed being less than 5 kmph.

My personal mobile is usually switched on. I am not much of a phone guy and receive maybe 1 call a day. In the past one year, I might have received 2 calls when I was driving. Both of which I ignored and call back much later, when I had pulled over.

But some people live stuck to their phones.
From such a perspective. Does a law like this become open to our interpretation.

What is you take on this?

[ampere]

Phone is on, but never taken while on the drive. Always call later.
Have been under flak for doing this "as one who does not answer phones!"

But I am stuck on to this method all the time. No mail checks on a stop over as well. In fact I rejoice that I can listen to my favourite audible book playing in the car!

[aargee]

My take is always NO to phone especially when riding/driving; well let me put it this way; talking over phone is an activity like eating, walking, driving, riding, smoking, swimming or whatever. No two unrelated activities should be mixed up & when related activities are mixed up there's only one activity that takes priority by brain. Now its the individual's decision as what needs to be given priority. To illustrate...
Smoking + phone - phone is priority & smoking can take priority #2
Swimming + phone - not sure anyone want to do this!!! Typical example of unrelated activities

Same thing happens when riding/driving. Brain automatically puts driving/riding to priority #2 causing potential danger to the individial + others on the road.

To me a phone that rings when I ride/drive CAN WAIT. If its that urgent let people call me twice or thrice at which I can always pull over to attend. Incase of traffic jams AND when in car, its better to switch on speaker phone in the absence of hands free.

But my take always has been no attending phone when riding/driving. I even tell my managers at office that I WILL NOT pick up the phone when riding/driving. If its emergency I can be called up more than twice.

Also I've different ring tones set with different profiles, so I can almost decide which calls to pick up & which ones to ignore even if they keep ringing several times.

[ghodlur]

My normal practice is to keep the phone in my pant pockets so that I am unable to reach it when it rings during driving. Even if I am stuck in a traffic jam, I tend to keep the mobile in its place and dont try to remove and check the missed calls.

Many a times it has happened that I'm stuck in traffic, I pull out the mobile and in between my checking the traffic starts to move and I'm forced to keep the mobile at an awkard position near the ear and tend to start driving.

In order to totally avoid this I have made a general practice
1) Keep mobile in pant pockets
2) Inform the usual callers (family, friends etc) not to call during my driving time.
3) Keep the music slightly loud so that I dont listen to the ringing cell phone.

Has worked always with me. I'm sure it can be done by others too.

[vasoo]

Even though I don't attend phone while driving, I dont think it is that bad to use a hands free kit in car. It is not very different from talking to your co-passengers, right? i think the biggest danger is trying to use the handset, as it will completely take away attention of the driver.

[Shan2nu]

If i get calls while driving. I just tell them i'm driving and shall call back once i reach my destination.

If its an urgent call, i wait till i can find a safe place to park the car and then speak to them.

Q) Can I use hands-free or any other accessories of mobile phone while driving?
No. (As per rule mentioned above.)

Wasn't aware of this. Shall inform my friends who use it a lot.

Shan2nu

[mobike008]

Firstly, i dont get to hear calls coming while driving as MUSIC is always ON.

Unfortunately, if i get to hear the phone ring, i ignore it and if someone is persistent. I simply tell them will call back.

Apart from above exercise, my BB messenger, YMessenger and Gtalk always has a message while driving either "Driving OR Driving-DO NOT DISTURB"

[Judemayne]

I agree with all the post above-If I do not answer a call or call back after I reach my destination the World will not come to a halt. I feel telephones in a car are a NO NO! I rarely do answer unless my wife, son or daughter call (they have different ring tones) and that to I tell them that I would call them later.
What gets my goat is the guys on MCs they have this mobile stuck between chin and shoulder riding at 1000 kmph as if the Earth will stop spinning if they stop and talk. Its high time our cops levy hefty fines.

[MX6]

I believe there's another thread I remember seeing (as well as posting on) regarding Mobile usage while driving and draconian laws of MH police on suspending licenses.
Anyway, I'm against usage of mobiles while holding the wheel. I've been almost side slammed by reckless drivers who just waft around and move from one lane to another mindless of traffic, only to find them in their one dreamy land speaking on a mobile.
I've once glowered at a cab driver who almost banged me doing the stunt and stopped. He callously signals me not to bother and push off with extreme contempt.
I don't know when I'm going to snatch someone's mobile and
More irritating are the women folk who just do jaywalking talking on the mobile. I feel like kicking abhishek bachchan for his famous line walk and talk, walk and talk, walk and talk. These bovine creatures manage to find the most inopportune time to cross the road while speaking, which is surprisingly the same time, when I drive across that spot!
I don't pick up calls while driving. If it's my wife, she'll sms me in case of anything urgent, during when I pull over, get off the car and speak.

[buntydey]

What about the blue-tooth devices that integrates the car HU with the phone? Now-a-days, even car ads on televisions are promoting this. I guess how safe or acceptable is that!

[phamilyman]

The law is the law is the law.

BUT

IMNSHO, there is not one man who can put his hand on heart and say that conversing on phone+bluetooth is more distracting than having passengers in the car (esp wife/ mom / or any other person given to talk or to backseat drive).

[Thad E Ginathom]

Not sure. If I blank my wife and she says, "you are not listen to me," she can accept, "complicated bit of driving, couldn't listen, tell me now". That is harder when someone is not even able to see that you are driving. Added to which, calls about work or business tend to take up more brain cell than family chat.

Hands-free illegal in India? That is stricter than UK/USA, isn't it?

In stationary traffic, I sometimes call home. Then, of course, there is a second or three of "got to go, moving now." that breaks my own strict no-phone-when-driving rule. That means I can't claim to be perfect even according to my own rules!

If I'm not alone in the car, and the phone rings, I just hand it to my wife anyway. I even do that at home!

[Technocrat]

Hmm why should the phone be switched off? I understand that the law would not want one not make pr answer a call while driving but why cant they keep it on?

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Hands-free illegal in India? That is stricter than UK/USA, isn't it?

Not entirely, in NYC, you cant use hand free either.

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

IMNSHO, there is not one man who can put his hand on heart and say that conversing on phone+bluetooth is more distracting than having passengers in the car (esp wife/ mom / or any other person given to talk or to backseat drive).

+1 to that. Sometimes while in heavy traffic I have to tell my wife to shut-up so that I can concentrate on driving.

And yes phone's are a no -no while driving!

[aargee]

Originally Posted by MX6

I feel like kicking abhishek bachchan for his famous line walk and talk, walk and talk, walk and talk.

Yeah moronic ad. Though I like Idea cellular, I hate that specific ad. But all other series are good ones.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

IMNSHO, there is not one man who can put his hand on heart and say that conversing on phone+bluetooth is more distracting than having passengers in the car (esp wife/ mom / or any other person given to talk or to backseat drive).

Yes it is!!! My Wifey, Mother & children understand that when one rides/drives they shouldn't disturb & even if they've to, they wait patiently for my response. It sometimes takes lot of time for me to just give an answer to my Wifey/Mother when I drive, be it anytime of the day or night. But people on the other end of phone (except TBhp/xBhp) cannot understand what is meant by riding/driving & speaking, they simply keep saying "hello hello" as if the line's disconnected. So I find mobiles are more annoying than the person sitting next to me. Also, when somebody's new sitting in my car, I tell them upfront that they cannot expect a quick answer from me.

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Not entirely, in NYC, you cant use hand free either.

Yes, must be only in the cities. I've quite often seen people conversing & driving in the highways.