http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/29074 ... legal-Govt"The Transport Ministry has clarified the terms of a new law that restricts the use of cellphones in cars, saying that from November it will be illegal to use a mobile phone as a satellite navigation aid while driving."
NZ to ban use of phones for in-car navigation
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winterdragon
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NZ to ban use of phones for in-car navigation
Let's hope the Australian government don't get any wacky ideas...
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Starruby
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Re: NZ to ban use of phones for in-car navigation
At the moment, depending on the way you use your mobile phone as a navigation device, you will have no problem.
Current Australian road rules prohibit the hand held use of a mobile phone - Rule 300 in whatever jurisdiction you reside.
For the OP's info see SA Road Rules, and note 300(5)(d) on page 255 where it relates to "operating any other function of the phone", which would include a GPS function.
Victoria has some amendments to its rules commencing November 9th too - see here.
Presently, all is fine as long as the phone is mounted/fixed to the vehicle properly. Stupid to have it in your hand anyway.
However, after reading in the Victorian link above: "All other functions (including video calls, texting and emailing) are prohibited", perhaps the NZ restriction is already going to apply here, also commencing November 2009.
Current Australian road rules prohibit the hand held use of a mobile phone - Rule 300 in whatever jurisdiction you reside.
For the OP's info see SA Road Rules, and note 300(5)(d) on page 255 where it relates to "operating any other function of the phone", which would include a GPS function.
Victoria has some amendments to its rules commencing November 9th too - see here.
Presently, all is fine as long as the phone is mounted/fixed to the vehicle properly. Stupid to have it in your hand anyway.
However, after reading in the Victorian link above: "All other functions (including video calls, texting and emailing) are prohibited", perhaps the NZ restriction is already going to apply here, also commencing November 2009.
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Papa Bear_Left
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Re: NZ to ban use of phones for in-car navigation
There's an amendment going through the process now which would allow the non-phone functions to be used (nav and MP3 mainly.)
Looks like clueless lawyers tried to future-proof their legislation by making it over-restrictive, without thinking of the fact that smartphones are subsuming most of the other electronic gadgets in our lives and cars.
It's a pity that we have to legislate for the highest common factor, but the consequences of allowing people who really can't talk on a phone and drive safely are too serious for a laissez faire approach.
In a recent Ockham's Razor on Radio National, there was an interesting talk about the fact that immature brains (with incomplete myelinisation, anywhere from adolescence through to mid-to-late twenties) react slowly to novel situations and conceptual overflow, as well as being prone to inappropriate impulsiveness. He suggested that a test be given to determine brain maturity and unrestricted licences denied to those who fail that test. However, as well as the knee-jerk reaction to restricting what is now seen as a right (to drive), the enforcement of this is a problem without a major erosion of our already threatened civil liberties.
I generally feel pretty safe on the roads, myself. I'm usually driving a 12 or 20 tonne bus!
Looks like clueless lawyers tried to future-proof their legislation by making it over-restrictive, without thinking of the fact that smartphones are subsuming most of the other electronic gadgets in our lives and cars.
It's a pity that we have to legislate for the highest common factor, but the consequences of allowing people who really can't talk on a phone and drive safely are too serious for a laissez faire approach.
In a recent Ockham's Razor on Radio National, there was an interesting talk about the fact that immature brains (with incomplete myelinisation, anywhere from adolescence through to mid-to-late twenties) react slowly to novel situations and conceptual overflow, as well as being prone to inappropriate impulsiveness. He suggested that a test be given to determine brain maturity and unrestricted licences denied to those who fail that test. However, as well as the knee-jerk reaction to restricting what is now seen as a right (to drive), the enforcement of this is a problem without a major erosion of our already threatened civil liberties.
I generally feel pretty safe on the roads, myself. I'm usually driving a 12 or 20 tonne bus!
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winterdragon
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Re: NZ to ban use of phones for in-car navigation
Hopefully they'll amend it - the original NZ proposal as reported is just ill conceived. You could have two dash mounted devices of similar size and shape, with the same display, running the same navigation application. One of the devices is perfectly legal, but the other one is illegal because it happens to also contain telecommunication functionality.
How do you even enforce such a law? I imagine the police tailing a car - "Sarge, the bloke ahead has a dashmounted device. From here it looks like a Garmin Nuvi model XYZ". "Running it through the computer now... Okay, the specs say it doesn't have voice communications, but it does have HSPDA internet connectivity via the mobile 3G network". "Close enough, lets book him - hit the siren".
Or maybe you instigate RGT (Random GPS Testing)? "Okay sir, please hand over the device while we ascertain whether it contains GSM technology".
I found the Occam's Razor and associated Science Show episodes interesting as well - like highlighting that even without any distractions inside your car such as mobile phones, GPS, sound system, etc, dealing with all the visual clutter in the environment from advertising, road signs, etc, uses enough brain attention to impact your driving.
How do you even enforce such a law? I imagine the police tailing a car - "Sarge, the bloke ahead has a dashmounted device. From here it looks like a Garmin Nuvi model XYZ". "Running it through the computer now... Okay, the specs say it doesn't have voice communications, but it does have HSPDA internet connectivity via the mobile 3G network". "Close enough, lets book him - hit the siren".
Or maybe you instigate RGT (Random GPS Testing)? "Okay sir, please hand over the device while we ascertain whether it contains GSM technology".
I found the Occam's Razor and associated Science Show episodes interesting as well - like highlighting that even without any distractions inside your car such as mobile phones, GPS, sound system, etc, dealing with all the visual clutter in the environment from advertising, road signs, etc, uses enough brain attention to impact your driving.
Re: NZ to ban use of phones for in-car navigation
then again...how many here have actually tried driving in New Zealand? It's a whole new world let me tell you! Driving in Australia feels like a cruise through a parking lot restricted to handicapped patients...visually handicapped patients.