Californians - How are you coping with the new cellphone laws?

LP

LP

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So for those not in California and that don't know, we aren't allowed to talk on the cell while driving anymore. We have to use hands-free sets while driving and they constantly reminded us with signs on the freeway of the July 1st day when the law would be put into effect.

What bothers me is just that using a cellphone (be it hands-free or not) is dangerous if you're having some sort of meaningful conversation. If it's a quick "Yes I'll be there in 5 minutes to pick you up, ok bye *click*" then I think that's survivable. If you're gabbing to your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/mistress with a soap opera level of drama and emotion, then you're probably not paying attention to what's going on on the road.

I try not to use my phone while driving, and don't want to invest in a bluetooth headset. If I have to, I'll make the convo very very brief and will keep it on speaker.

What about you guys? What do you think of this law, and how are you guys coping with it?

Sorry if this is a repost. I did use the search and could only find a result dated 2006 of someone going to visit California who wanted to know what to pack.
 
New York has had it for a while after a year enforcement will drop off.
 
Expensive fuel? Only hands-free talking? - Welcome to the 21st century!! :D:D It isn't that bad;)
 
I've had a Bluetooth headset for some time. I take a certain amount of crap from people who think it's the mark of high-priced douchebags, but it does make it easier and safer to drive while giving/getting directions or coordinating meetups.

Honestly, I don't understand the animosity towards the headsets, they are easy to use and convenient. Basic cell phone etiquette still applies when using one, so as long as one is polite about it I don't see it as a problem. The dickheads that go around shouting at thin air are the same ones that use their phone as a bull horn in restaurants.
 
Lol I know it isn't that bad, but I just wanted to get other people's opinions on it.

I know there are a lot worse things than talking on your cellphone. For example:

Yesterday some bald wrinkled old asshat (typical) was driving his Porsche from 1400 B.C. on the 5 North near the 8 intersection. This is a messy messy place usually filled with people driving from one lane to another as they try to make up their minds about where the fug they're going. My dad always advises me to get to the fast lane to avoid that group of indecisive morons in the last 4 lanes and I did just that. This porsche dude is right in front of me, about 3 car lengths away from the car in front of him which is slowing down VERY slightly. The asshat hit the emergency brakes causing me to do the same and then subsequently curse at him. The people in the lane right next to him are panicky because he's bobbing in and out of the lane and finally starts switching lanes without any signal and starts tailgating everyone before finally exiting about 3 miles away.

That is somewhat more of an issue I think than some retard on a cellphone having an in-depth conversation and not paying attention to the road.

Blind_Io said:
I've had a Bluetooth headset for some time. I take a certain amount of crap from people who think it's the mark of high-priced douchebags, but it does make it easier and safer to drive while giving/getting directions or coordinating meetups.

Honestly, I don't understand the animosity towards the headsets, they are easy to use and convenient. Basic cell phone etiquette still applies when using one, so as long as one is polite about it I don't see it as a problem. The dickheads that go around shouting at thin air are the same ones that use their phone as a bull horn in restaurants.
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That's good that you're able to use it without problems. I envy you actually. I have a non-bluetooth headset and find that its really finicky and hard to use. The main reason I didn't want to get a bluetooth one is because neither my dad nor I have much use for one. If he's on the cellphone he can just put it on speaker and close the lid without losing the call and still do his work, and if he's driving, he just needs to say to my mom "Yeah I'll be there in 3 minutes".

Sucks that people are still giving you negs for having one. I would assume since a lot of people have 'em these days that it wouldn't be an abnormal sight.
 
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I have Bluetooth integrated into my Pioneer in-dash navigation. My phone book is accessible from the screen and music is paused when I receive an incoming call (then resumes after I end the call). It's a really slick system and I'm glad I purchased it.
 
Novophone_Retro_Handset_-detail.jpg


So is this kind of "handset" legal? Technically it becomes completely hands-free once you prop it on your shoulder. I have one, thanks to seeing it on Top Gear, and might move to California in the near future.
 
My 300 happened to come with Bluetooth built in, and I love it. I probably spend most of my time on the commute on the phone.

Steve
 
Labcoatguy said:
Novophone_Retro_Handset_-detail.jpg


So is this kind of "handset" legal? Technically it becomes completely hands-free once you prop it on your shoulder. I have one, thanks to seeing it on Top Gear, and might move to California in the near future.
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I bought my dad a Bluetooth version of that as a joke. It actually works quite well.
 
Novophone_Retro_Handset_-detail.jpg
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Quick! HQ, scramble some spitfires! :p

In all seriousness, I think this is a stupid law on the basis that every person has a different level of skill when it comes to multitasking. The law is painting everyone with the same brush.
 
The Southern United States, for all its major short comings (and there are a lot) is still amazing for the fact that they don't pass crazy laws like this.
 
It's illegal in some cities in Michigan, but there is no notification of any kind to anyone entering one of those cities. Based on that, I doubt it's heavily enforced. But I'm all for banning using a cell phone while driving.
 
LurkerPatrol said:
What bothers me is just that using a cellphone (be it hands-free or not) is dangerous if you're having some sort of meaningful conversation. If it's a quick "Yes I'll be there in 5 minutes to pick you up, ok bye *click*" then I think that's survivable. If you're gabbing to your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/mistress with a soap opera level of drama and emotion, then you're probably not paying attention to what's going on on the road.
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What's the difference between doing that on the phone with hands-free and doing that when they sit right next to you in the passenger seat?

They will ban talking completely?

They are already starting to ban taking your hands off the wheel to change radio channel and volume etc. unless the car is stopped...... or at least calling it Dangerous Driving or some such crap.
 
That is a stupid law. I can drive with 1 hand, and I can drive while talking, so it stands to reason that I can talk and drive with one hand.
 
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It has been a law in Australia for a while already. Originally, i thought it was a stupid law until i realised one thing. It means people (women) in 4 wheel drives concentrate more on driving.
 
Washington has this law as well. Nothing unique and honestly I think it's for the better. Harder to turn your head to the right if you're using your shoulder or you end up with only one hand on the wheel.

While I don't like people talking on the phone in general while driving, at least they aren't dealing with holding an actual phone while trying to drive now.
 
I personally think it's a waste as it's the act of talking on the phone that's the problem.

This law hasn't really affected me at all and I don't have a separate headset either.
 
stevanford1 said:
It has been a law in Australia for a while already. Originally, i thought it was a stupid law until i realised one thing. It means people (women) in 4 wheel drives concentrate more on driving.
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it's been law for a while because of some accidents involving idiots doing stupid shit on their mobiles like texting while driving (I think there was a case a few years back were somebody was run over because the person driving was texting or something retarded like that)
 
I think that this law is OK actually - hands free ftw. I all ways like to be in control of my vehicle but sometime important calls just have to be taken and it is not practical (or even legal on the motorway) to stop, so hands free is OK as it does not interfere too much with the driving - I do not recommend it for when pushing along tho'.
 
thedguy said:
I personally think it's a waste as it's the act of talking on the phone that's the problem.

This law hasn't really affected me at all and I don't have a separate headset either.
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You can't enforce a ban on hands-free usage though, since from outside the car it's nearly impossible to tell apart from normal talking, so they do the next best thing they can and ban holding the phone up to your ear. It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing.
 
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