Re: New Road Rules Threaten Phone GPS | iPhone Apps | TomTom | Navigon | Sat Nav

[Martin Hill]

On 21/09/2009, at 4:39 PM, Matthew Healey wrote:
So does that mean they are going to ban road-side billboard  
advertising, and talk radio in cars? Both of which are a large  
distraction to drivers...


Heh - and attractive female pedestrians wearing short skirts too no  
doubt.;-)


I do hate the Nanny State that puts in concrete paths with handrails  
in Geikie Gorge, drops the speed limit of Leach Hwy in Shelly to 70km/ 
hr and has red arrows that don't go off at every second traffic light  
intersection etc.


However, I have noticed myself much more easily drift all over the  
road if I use a handheld mobile phone in the car and one friend drove  
his Mazda 929 into the back of a truck when trying to SMS and drive on  
the freeway, so there seems to be something that much worse about hand- 
held phones.  I can talk on a hands-free mobile phone in the car and  
be a lot less distracted than when holding it in my hand - why?  I'm  
not sure, maybe the neurons required to keep my arm in the air tip the  
balance(!) but it is definitely the case for me.


As a result I am less critical of this particular bit of legislation  
for a change!  :-)


(mind you the VicRoads guy in the article who said "A phone will only  
be allowed to be used for its primary purpose, If it's a phone, it's a  
phone"  is an idiot and I hope his statement doesn't reflect what is  
in the actual legislation!)


-Mart

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Re: New Road Rules Threaten Phone GPS | iPhone Apps | TomTom | Navigon | Sat Nav

[Shay Telfer]

On 21/09/2009 4:39 PM, Matthew Healey wrote:


On 21/09/2009, at 4:08 PM, Martin Hill wrote:


"The benefit would be increased safety for all road users resulting
from lessening driver distractions."


So does that mean they are going to ban road-side billboard advertising,
and talk radio in cars? Both of which are a large distraction to drivers...

- Matt


Talking and answering questions seems to significantly impact the brain 
centres used for driving




(Talking to another adult in the car is not as bad as usually they shut 
up or scream something useful if conditions are difficult or they're 
about to die)


Not sure if anyone's done fMRI's on billboard adverts yet.
Really they should be banning all mobile phone conversations by the 
driver whilst driving.


Anyone know what happens if you're using the Tom-Tom iPhone software and 
the phone rings? I'm guessing you get lost :)


Have fun,
Shay (Who pulls over or lets it ring out).


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Re: New Road Rules Threaten Phone GPS | iPhone Apps | TomTom | Navigon | Sat Nav

[Matthew Healey]

On 21/09/2009, at 4:08 PM, Martin Hill wrote:


"The benefit would be increased safety for all road users resulting
from lessening driver distractions."


So does that mean they are going to ban road-side billboard  
advertising, and talk radio in cars? Both of which are a large  
distraction to drivers...


- Matt


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Re: New Road Rules Threaten Phone GPS | iPhone Apps | TomTom | Navigon | Sat Nav

[Martin Hill]

If you read the discussion document, it indicates that you would be ok  
as long as you have the GPS or iPhone with GPS software in a hands- 
free style cradle on the dashboard.  They want to stop people holding  
a phone in the hand or on the knees etc while using hands-free or GPS  
software etc which I think is a pretty worthy goal.  :-)	


Hopefully the actual State legislation reflects this.

-Mart

http://www.ntc.gov.au/filemedia/Reports/ARR8thAmendPackageDiscusPapMay08.pdf

"3.10 Rule 299 – Television receivers and visual display units in motor
vehicles
During discussions on rule 300 (mobile phones) the maintenance group  
identified that
some new model mobile phones have global positioning system (GPS)  
technology.  It was
also recognised that there were several GPS devices on the commercial  
market which are

portable and could be held in a driver’s hand.
The maintenance group considered the requirement for mobile phones to  
be in a fixed
mounted cradle and felt a similar requirement should be made for  
portable GPS devices.  It
is proposed to amend rule 299 to require that a GPS device must be an  
integrated part of

the vehicle or secured in a fixed mounting.

3.11 Rule 300 – Use of mobile phones
State and territory road agencies have raised concern about the  
wording of rule 300 of the
Rules in that it does not prohibit the use of a mobile phone, by a  
driver while driving, that

is:
• held by the shoulder and neck;
• seated in a cradle and used to send short message service (SMS);
• located on a driver’s knee, hand or the front passenger seat and  
used to send SMS or

loud speaker conversation (not near the ear).
Although the rule was modified by the 5th Amendment Package (2005), it  
is not considered
that those changes prohibited these additional behaviours.  The  
original intent of the Rules
was that a driver should not to use a mobile phone while driving,  
except by using a
hands-free device.  At the time it was not anticipated that some  
drivers, while driving,

would circumvent the rule by:
• holding the phone with the neck and shoulder or propped between the  
knees;
• holding the phone in the hand, not near the ear, and conducting a  
conversation on the

loud speaker facility;
• sending or reading text messages, video messages or e-mails.
The proposed changes are aimed at clarifying the original intent and  
explaining when a

mobile phone is permitted to be used by a driver while driving. "

 Television receivers and visual display units in motor vehicles: it  
is envisaged there
will be no adverse impact on drivers should the proposal be approved.   
It is considered
most GPS devices are supplied with car kits, such as mountings, and  
there would be no
additional cost.  If, however, a driver needed to purchase such a  
device they are
commercially available at a very minimal cost.  The benefit would be  
increased safety

for all road users resulting from lessening driver distractions.

• Use of mobile phones by a driver: it is envisaged there will be no  
adverse impact on
drivers should the proposal be approved.  It is considered most mobile  
phones are
supplied with car kits, such as mountings, and there would be no  
additional cost.  If,
however, a driver needed to purchase such a device they are  
commercially available at
a very minimal cost.  The benefit would be increased safety for all  
road users resulting
from lessening driver distractions.  The proposal also provides  
clarity regarding when a

driver can/cannot use a mobile phone.




On 21/09/2009, at 3:37 PM, Pedro wrote:


Ouch 

Could someone please tell me the difference between using the iPhone  
and a dedicated GPS unit in the car !



http://www.watoday.com.au/digital-life/cartech/sat-nav-apps-could-be-heading-for-a-dead-end-20090918-fv1v.html



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New Road Rules Threaten Phone GPS | iPhone Apps | TomTom | Navigon | Sat Nav

[Pedro]

Ouch 

Could someone please tell me the difference between using the iPhone  
and a dedicated GPS unit in the car !



http://www.watoday.com.au/digital-life/cartech/sat-nav-apps-could-be-heading-for-a-dead-end-20090918-fv1v.html



MacBook 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo
2 GB/667 MHz  160GB
OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard



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