Your car may sport that cool new device to let you make or take mobile phone calls without moving a finger, but you still can't use it while driving. That's the law of the land, and it's set to get stricter
Your car may sport that cool new device to let you make or take mobile phone calls without moving a finger, but you still can't use it while driving. That's the law of the land, and it's set to get stricter
A premium feature offered in new cars could land you in jail for six months.
The government announced last week that it would amend the law to fine phone-using drivers Rs 2,000 or send them to jail for six months, or both.
Fiat Punto, Fiat Linea, and Tata Manza are among the cars offering devices that enable drivers to use the car stereo to talk and read text messages while driving.
These new devices, such as the Blue&Me that uses Bluetooth in the Fiat cars, let you use the phone without taking your hands off the steering wheel.
While the Centre is also thinking of suspending the licence of a driver who breaks the no-using-the-phone rule, car users are questioning why using devices like Blue&Me should attract even the existing penalties.
Nanak Ghosh (38), an interior designer, felt that as technologies such as Blue&Me let you make or take calls without using the hands at any stage, using the mobile with the new devices should not constitute an offence.
"Using the mobile while driving should be allowed," said Ghosh. "When we are travelling with friends or family members we keep talking to them, it (using Blue&Me) is just like that."
He said holding the phone and driving was not a good idea, but using Bluetooth car devices was safe.
But auto expert Indresh felt using the mobile phone in any manner would divert the concentration of the driver from the road.
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AGAINST THE LAW? You can not use the totally hands-free mobile phone device available with many new cars because talking on the phone and driving is illegal. |
"Everyone wants to have the latest technologies fitted to their cars. Carmakers are providing such technologies in some of the premium cars," said Indresh. "Once the law comes into force, the government will have to take action against the car manufacturers." Transport Commissioner Bhaskar Rao did not see a problem with cars having the device as long as owners did not use the technology in breach of the law. "Vehicles having this facility is not a problem, but people should not use it while driving," said Rao. "If caught, they will have to face the music."
Traffic expert M N Sreehari was all for making the law more stringent. "Many casually pay a fine when caught as they have enough money... They should be arrested and only then they will realise the gravity of their offence," he told MiD DAY.
Once they are jailed, they can't get a passport easily, and many other things get blocked, he said.u00a0 Like
Indresh, he said the use of Bluetooth and technologies like Blue&Me should not be encouraged in cars.
Transport Commissioner Rao said such a move had to come from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).
"Actually, the ARAI has to place a ban on it first, when vehicles go to it for certification," sad Rao.
He added that they were already penalising, under the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Act, people who used mobile phones while driving. More stringent action would be possible only once the new sub-section (183A), which the government is planning to add to the existing Section (183) in the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA), comes into force.
Praveen Sood, Additional Commissioner, Traffic & Security, said, "This proposal (for more stringent action) is pending in the Lok Sabha for three years and it may take three more years to get passed."
Though the Bangalore police have been penalising people who use mobile phones while driving, it hasn't been a big enough deterrent and people continue to use the phone at the wheel.
Vijay Vikram, Joint Commissioner (Transport), said, "This law is long pending. The fine for using a mobile phone while driving is just Rs 300 and now they want to raise it to Rs 2,000... It's the right move."
He argued that fear of imprisonment would discourage people from talking on the phone while driving.
Once the new rule comes into force, car companies will have to go easy on their Bluetooth devices, Vikram said.
A car user, S Srinivas Rao, was all for the rules being made stricter. He said, "I will be very happy if this rule is implemented and followed strictly. The jail term is serious one." But not all drivers are happy with the proposal. Vikramaditya Singh, a student, said, "Who has the time to stop the vehicle and talk? Some times we are forced to use the mobile phone."
Ghosh, the interior designer, said, "I am a businessman and I travel at least four hours a day... if I am not allowed to use the mobile, I think I will have to shut down my business."
Auto expert Indresh said there was a middle path. "It's better while driving to put on a voice message saying, 'I am driving, please call me later.' Nowadays it's even difficult to stop and park the vehicle on the side of the road in order to talk on the phone because of the heavy traffic and small roads," said Indresh.
What's Blue & Me?Described as an infotainment system, Blue & Meu00a0 for Fiat Group cars. It was developed by Fiat's tech company Magneti Marelli and Microsoft. It offers Bluetooth and USB connectivity to mobile phones and media players, and enables hands-free, voice-controlled use of the phone while driving. It is said to be compatible with most mobile phones.
24,108u00a0
Number of people booked by the Bangalore police for using the phone while driving till June 2009
