Talking on mobile phone, stop on side of road, still get ticket! VICTORIA.

[Mickxr8]

Just ban mobile phones and any Istupid device from playing music in you car.
Its an awesome world out there if you actually pay attention ,
The whole " if you`ve got the the keys on you or in the car " if your not behaving well is well up for debate, did I catch the the cop on a bad hair day ? lol

[z80]

Originally Posted by chevypower

So if you are warming the car up, and you don't have your seatbelt on, do you get a fine for that?!

You only get a seatbelt fine for not wearing one when the vehicle is in forward motion.
You are allowed to remove your seatbelt to reverse.

The precept is that you will have better visibility to execute a safer reversing manouvre.

Originally Posted by chevypower

What about if you're not actually inside your vehicle while the engine is running? How dangerous!

You will get fined for leaving keys in the ignition of an unattended vehicle.

It's like leaving a loaded rifle for anyone to operate.

Kills just as easily.

[Linkachu]

What if my handbrake is on and motor running but out of gear?
I dont see how i am in controll at all considering the car wont move!

[Scott]

Originally Posted by z80

You will get fined for leaving keys in the ignition of an unattended vehicle.

It's like leaving a loaded rifle for anyone to operate.

Kills just as easily.

Kills just as easily??

Unattended is being more than 3m away, it is a ridiculous rule designed to cater for the lowest common denominator at the expense of the majority.

[Rockape]

Ahh why don't we just ban driving a car all together. Its where we are heading.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by mickxr8

Would love to see the whole bloody mobile network go down for a week, we got by without it before ? , mobiles should only be used for emergencies , If you need one taped to your ear you have an issue,, ( work related calls exempted though lol )

i tend to agree with the principle of this. we got on fine before (probably better) and yet some people these days would almost drop dead if you took their phone/ifad.

we have assistants at work who do everything one handed because they're too busy with bookface in their other hand. wheeling around bins, pallet jacks etc. this side of gen y is rather sad in my opinion. maybe i'm just a fuddy dud already

[Streets]

I wonder if it's illegal for a drunk to sleep in his car, in possession of his keys, but with the car fitted with an alcohol interlock. It would be interesting to know whether he could still be deemed to be in control of his car if the interlock device wouldn't allow him to start it despite having the keys.

[Rodp]

Bluetooth hands free kits can be had for nix these days, probably much cheaper than the fine your mother received.

My phone rings for about 20 seconds before it goes to voicemail, I'm sure if someone's phone has gone off while driving, they've likely answered it before parking or have hastily parked with no regard for other road users.

By law, you're still in control of a vehicle with it parked on a kerb with the engine running just the same way you can get done by sleeping on the back seat of your car while drunk can still score you a DUI.

[InfernoSR]

still cheaper to get a blue tooth hands free unit for your phone.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by z80

You will get fined for leaving keys in the ignition of an unattended vehicle.

It's like leaving a loaded rifle for anyone to operate.

Kills just as easily.

EXCEPT......

If the vehicle has highly flammible cargo such as fuel or gas etc. (not counting that in the vehicle's own tank), in QLD you will get fined for NOT leaving the keys in the ignition.....

The idea is that the vehicle can be moved easily if in danger.

[Tobey]

Originally Posted by EDManual

Also she got a fine while driving, she was told by the ticket office about these other people that are getting fined for sitting there with engine running, and yet parked safely.

So this thread is based on hearsay from the old chooks that work at the ticket processing office....

For those that think the engine should be fine to be running, what if whilst you pulled over, you were in a hurry to answer your phone, you put into into R rather than P, answered your phone, took your foot of the brake and ended up reversing on the freeway - even a meter would put you onto the road way.

Mobile phones are a distraction regardless...

[flappist]

Keep it civil guys. If you keep attacking each other personally you know what will happen.....

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by prydey

i tend to agree with the principle of this. we got on fine before (probably better) and yet some people these days would almost drop dead if you took their phone/ifad.

we have assistants at work who do everything one handed because they're too busy with bookface in their other hand. wheeling around bins, pallet jacks etc. this side of gen y is rather sad in my opinion. maybe i'm just a fuddy dud already

Agree....

I get in the car the phone is switched off, i get to where i am going i switch it on, of course that depends on whether i have remembered to take the pos with me in the first place....i use message bank a lot and if it was important a message will be there, if not it wasn't worth risking a fine anyway.....

I also find it funny how the "Emergency stopping lane only" has now become the "Answer your mobile and have a chat lane", morons....

[2011G6E]

Here's an idea...don't answer the phone while driving the car and instead wait until you've stopped somewhere and then ring them back? Chances are it's some call to say hi or to pick up a bottle of milk...99.999% will not be emergencies that MUST be answered IMMEDIATELY. Your life isn't ruled by that phone and every call doesn't have to be answered by the second ring...

The point about hands-free is interesting...everyone knew that talking on the phone while driving is dangerous, equivelant to be at or over the limit with alcohol oddly enough, but there have been more studies that show surprising results that even hands-free options still affect your driving, far more than having a passenger sitting there and chatting to them. They suspect it could be a subconsious thing...your brain flips over to an "I'm on the phone" mode...whether you are hands free or holding it up to your ear. It had a lot of researchers nicely puzzled there a while back, I can assure you.

[DivHunter]

Originally Posted by gtxb67

sorry, but I do not have a problem with it - i have seen many instances where someone has pulled over abruptly or parked in a potentially dangerous position because the call is more important than everyone else, they are sharing the road with

Then ticket them for a parking violation, it's not brain science.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

The point about hands-free is interesting...everyone knew that talking on the phone while driving is dangerous, equivelant to be at or over the limit with alcohol oddly enough, but there have been more studies that show surprising results that even hands-free options still affect your driving, far more than having a passenger sitting there and chatting to them. They suspect it could be a subconsious thing...your brain flips over to an "I'm on the phone" mode...whether you are hands free or holding it up to your ear. It had a lot of researchers nicely puzzled there a while back, I can assure you.

I had read several studies that indicated that one of the major reasons was that the person on the other end of the phone is unable to observe your driving environment therefore does not regulate their conversation in accordance to your driving conditions.

My personal phone is never answered in the car. Sadly, my work phone is - I really have little choice since I spend at least half of my day in the car and often required to be contacted urgently. Does it affect my ability to drive? Absolutely. If it did so in a capacity where I felt it was dangerous, I would advise I will call back and hang up the phone.

Will I care if they legislate against hands-free phone answering, no. Then I'll have a legitimate excuse not to answer my phone in the car. ;)

[burnz]

braking news: it's illegal to operate the aircon with the engine running!!

anyway i wonder if the police get fined for operating,
a computer with the engine running.
a lidar with the enging running.
a two-way with the engine running.
leaving a vehicle with the engine running..

[K10wN]

Originally Posted by burnz

braking news: it's illegal to operate the aircon with the engine running!!

anyway i wonder if the police get fined for operating,
a computer with the engine running.
a lidar with the enging running.
a two-way with the engine running.
leaving a vehicle with the engine running..

Seriously?

Odd considering that the air-con system of most modern cars is linked to the demister, and failing to turn on the demister if the windows/windscreen starts to fog over is just a little dangerous... I know mine engages the air-con soon as the demister is set, and will not run the demister without it.

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by burnz

anyway i wonder if the police get fined for operating,
a computer with the engine running.
a lidar with the enging running.
a two-way with the engine running.
leaving a vehicle with the engine running..

No, they don't.

However, what is interesting is the fact that they are "exempt" from using mobile phones whilst driving (or even using the radio) and apparently this is okay and it is safe.

Exemptions don't make something safe. There is no "mobile phone whilst driving" course at police driving schools as far as I'm aware either.

[Tobey]

Originally Posted by Bobman

No, they don't.

However, what is interesting is the fact that they are "exempt" from using mobile phones whilst driving (or even using the radio) and apparently this is okay and it is safe.

Exemptions don't make something safe. There is no "mobile phone whilst driving" course at police driving schools as far as I'm aware either.

Picture this, you have been broken into, your daughter was home alone. The Police officer has heard the broadcast over the radio, he rings the supervisor to get more information as the area is known for violent break and enters.

Would you condem him for being on the phone then?

[jimmyxr6t04]

Whilst i agree it's outrageous that you can be fined for being parked with your engine on, i think it's a bit silly to be questioning why police can use a radio or phone..

Seriously, they quite often attend life threatening situations, a police radio or phone call might be necessary for their safety on-route to an incident or update them crucial information. Or, would the public prefer the police to pull over each time they need to make a radio call when driving to an incident that requires an urgent response...

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by jimmyxr6t04

Whilst i agree it's outrageous that you can be fined for being parked with your engine on, i think it's a bit silly to be questioning why police can use a radio or phone..

Seriously, they quite often attend life threatening situations, a police radio or phone call might be necessary for their safety on-route to an incident or update them crucial information. Or, would the public prefer the police to pull over each time they need to make a radio call when driving to an incident that requires an urgent response...

Don't be stupid...

They also want them to park in a designated parking spot and turn off the engine

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by Tobey

Picture this, you have been broken into, your daughter was home alone. The Police officer has heard the broadcast over the radio, he rings the supervisor to get more information as the area is known for violent break and enters.

What if the "daughter" in this case calls her father instead and the father proceeds back home but is caught driving whilst on the mobile phone? Not everyone would call the police as they are often unavailable or delayed; much like the ambulance service these days. Would it be right for the father to be fined in that case?

Unrelated, but similar to the discussion at hand was a guy (few years ago in Box Hill, Melbourne) was charged with speeding for rushing his wife to the hospital (they had no time to wait). Police pulled them over and then escorted them to hospital, but the guy was fined. Police later retracted the fine due to public outcry. A good result in the end.

Would you condem him for being on the phone then?[/quote]
Well, in your example no. However, I would condemn the numerous one-up CIU and HWP officers I've seen weaving in and out of lanes whilst travelling under the limit and clearly not attending any priority 1 jobs - all while chatting away on the mobile phone oblivious to the traffic around them.

Originally Posted by jimmyxr6t04

Whilst i agree it's outrageous that you can be fined for being parked with your engine on, i think it's a bit silly to be questioning why police can use a radio or phone..

There is nothing silly about questioning the use of a mobile phone. Isn't that why the partner should handle phone and radio enquiries?

I've attended a few life threatening situations as well, but would still expect to be fined if I were to be caught using a mobile phone which aided me in sourcing more information to where I was going.

[No.6]

If you think thats a silly thing to be fined for, my friend got fined because she was sitting in the drivers seat of an unregistered car (no plates on the car) on her driveway. The keys werent even in the ignition, they were in her pocket! She simply sat down to look for something in the centre console and the cops pulled over and fined her for operating an unregistered car!

[jimmyxr6t04]

Not all cops have the luxury of going two up in a car, but yes, if there was another officer in the car you could expect them to handle calls and comms.

On another note, just because a police car isn't displaying lights or sirens, doesn't necessarily mean that it's not responding to an urgent situation. Sure, i guess on occasions some police abuse their powers, but too many people assume that if there are no lights or sirens, then it's not an urgent matter. In some circumstances, lights/sirens can be optional depending on the situation.

[flappist]

WHAT IF.....

This thread got back on topic.

The law either says that an idling car is operating or not. If it says the former that it would be illegal to use a phone. The Police do not make laws the idiots YOU voted for do so if you want to fix the problem that is the only place you can do it.

Remember, if you are a Victorian the every single silly or nanny state law in Victoria is YOUR fault......no one elses

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by gtxb67

if it isn't illegal, why did she get the fine

Why is using a mobile phone considered dangerous while driving?
Answer: Driver distraction.

If the same vehicles is off the side of the road in P, hand brake applied, not going anywhere you still get fined.

I don't believe that was the spirit of the law but some officious troll in a government
department saw an opportunity to make an economic wind fall for the government.

[2stroksmokr]

Didn't read all the comments from others but I was up in Nambour for a random drive, got a phone called so pulled over and cops were coming the other way. I quickly turned the car off and took my keys out. Cops did an illegal uturn (thats a first!) in front of school zone and tried to get pin on me talking while car was on crap. Didn't go anywhere when he saw I didn't have keys in ignition but boy was he ****** at me and then proceeded to look all over the ute.

Mobile phones are an issue and those that talk and drive deserve the fine but I think they should completely ban people driving with headphones!

[Falc'man]

this thread is hilarious... oops.. almost stacked it.

[T MAN]

its ironic how its illegal to use your mobile phone while driving but you can drink soft drink or eat while driving..
ive never heard of anyone getting a fine for eating while driving,