Friend got a spot fine of 100 Euros today for driving whilst listening to music from his IPhone and a pair of earphones. The Guardia spotted him and chased after him so they were serious!
For once the Guardia were in the right if you ask me
The authorities everywhere are chasing their tails trying to keep up with the various things we can do nowadays, that didn't exist when the laws were written. I wouldn't like to be in their shoes - if they do nothing, they're allowing accidents to happen; if they do something, they're accused of harrassment and collecting fines unjustly. :-\
Personally, I don't understand why people don't take driving more seriously: you're at the controls of a potentially lethal weapon, after all. And the first sign you often get of some impending disaster is the screech of brakes or a horn. But I can understand the annoyance when they seem to be enforcing the laws in such a hit and miss fashion.
Are deaf drivers banned from driving in Fuerte? What about the yoofs that drive round with their mahoosive amps and speakers blaring out , are they prosecuted too? Tractor drivers wearing ear defenders possibly as a result of health and safety legislation? they banned as well?
I'm with Barry on this one.........
How is driving with earphones in any different from driving with a cd or radio playing...
....because they block out other sounds coming from outside - like car horns, emergency service vehicle sirens, people shouting because you're about to reverse over them.....
tis illegal here in UK too...difference being, youre not as likely to encounter a policeman over here!
quite right too....its silly and unnecessary!
Quote from: duncolm on January 31, 2013, 15:12:49 PM
....because they block out other sounds coming from outside - like car horns, emergency service vehicle sirens, people shouting because you're about to reverse over them.....
I see where you are coming from, but any sensible person would not have the volume on full with both earphones in, didn't know it was actually illegal though, I guess it is a bit too much for most people to be sensible.
Wearing earphones shuts you into your own private little world, oblivious to everything that's going on around you. Just watch them walking down the High Street getting in everyone's way, because they just don't see them.
I believe you can get done for this in the UK as well - some catch-all offence like not having proper control or something. Locally, we get a lot driving with their hoods up as well!
We make a semi regular 150 mile each way trip, which gets a bit boring, so we started putting on a Soft Rock compilation disc. That took 20-25 minutes off each journey !!
When you're driving a little Ka down the A34 perfectly normally, singing along, and you realise that the long curve is coming at you at just over the ton instead of the 70 you think you're doing, it's quite a wake-up call.
We've gone back to making conversation now.
Quote from: ben90125 on January 31, 2013, 15:20:19 PM
Quote from: duncolm on January 31, 2013, 15:12:49 PM
....because they block out other sounds coming from outside - like car horns, emergency service vehicle sirens, people shouting because you're about to reverse over them.....
I see where you are coming from, but any sensible person would not have the volume on full with both earphones in, didn't know it was actually illegal though, I guess it is a bit too much for most people to be sensible.
Even with the volume down you've still got the plugs in your earholes blocking out external sound.
I wonder, if he only had one earphone in - would he have been fined 50 Euros?
I use my iphone in the car with an FM Transmitter.
It plugs in to the cigarette lighter and your phone into that.
You select a frequency which isn't being used by a local radio station then just tune your car radio to that frequency.
It also charges the phone at the same time.
I bought mine in MediaMarkt but I've seen cheap versions in the Chinese shops here.
This sort of thing:
http://www.techradar.com/news/audio/portable-audio/best-fm-transmitter-for-iphone-ipod-5-on-test-1035323 (http://www.techradar.com/news/audio/portable-audio/best-fm-transmitter-for-iphone-ipod-5-on-test-1035323)
I had one of these things to work with my mp3 player, you can even run in convoy with other cars and all listen to the same thing. Unfortunately the lighter socket in my car broke, so it's a bit useless now.
They used to be illegal to use in the UK, something to do with broadcasting an unauthorised FM signal. I think they gave up on enforcing it though.
Asked a trafico (when I got stopped one day) if it was okay to have bluetooth for a mobile....as far as trafico are concerned if it is one of the seperate units that sit attached to the dash etc then okay, HOWEVER if it is an in-ear bluetooth device then NO...you will be fined as it is in your ear and hence limits your normal hearing ability.
So if you see someone driving along apparently shouting at the car radio and saying ´what did you say´a lot then it is probably me. ;D