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  1. #1
    KM
    Guest
    Today, the DC City Council enacted a new law that would
    make it illegal to use a hand held cell phone while driving,
    unless you also use a "hands-free" device. The fine would
    be $100 (no points) but if you show up for court and
    bring along a "hands-free" device, they will erase
    the fine.

    My question is: If you look at the photo link below,
    would it be legal to use the hands-free phone in this
    picture?

    http://www.zyworld.com/maryland/handsfree.htm

    KM



    See More: Is this a legal phone?




  2. #2
    The Ghost of General Lee
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 18:44:04 -0500, KM <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Today, the DC City Council enacted a new law that would
    >make it illegal to use a hand held cell phone while driving,
    >unless you also use a "hands-free" device. The fine would
    >be $100 (no points) but if you show up for court and
    >bring along a "hands-free" device, they will erase
    >the fine.
    >
    >My question is: If you look at the photo link below,
    >would it be legal to use the hands-free phone in this
    >picture?
    >
    >http://www.zyworld.com/maryland/handsfree.htm
    >


    I know you probably posted it as a joke, but it does raise an
    interesting point. Does the law specify what constitutes a "hands
    free" device? Seems if you are able to have both hands on the wheel
    while talking, then by definition, you have a "hands free" device. If
    using a phone sitting in front of you in speakerphone mode is
    acceptable, I'd have to guess that one is, too.

    Just for giggles, why don't you send the question and link to the DC
    City Attorney. Let us know back what they say.




  3. #3
    Dave C.
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?


    "KM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Today, the DC City Council enacted a new law that would
    > make it illegal to use a hand held cell phone while driving,
    > unless you also use a "hands-free" device. The fine would
    > be $100 (no points) but if you show up for court and
    > bring along a "hands-free" device, they will erase
    > the fine.
    >
    > My question is: If you look at the photo link below,
    > would it be legal to use the hands-free phone in this
    > picture?
    >
    > http://www.zyworld.com/maryland/handsfree.htm
    >
    > KM


    That's not a hands-free phone, it is a hands-free device used with a cell
    phone. Looks legitimate to me. I'd say that meets the definition of the
    law. If not, then the judge is crooked. It's actually rather inventive.
    Looks ridiculous, but keeps the hands free!!! -Dave





  4. #4
    Bob the Printer
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?


    "KM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Today, the DC City Council enacted a new law that would
    > make it illegal to use a hand held cell phone while driving,
    > unless you also use a "hands-free" device. The fine would
    > be $100 (no points) but if you show up for court and
    > bring along a "hands-free" device, they will erase
    > the fine.
    >
    > My question is: If you look at the photo link below,
    > would it be legal to use the hands-free phone in this
    > picture?
    >
    > http://www.zyworld.com/maryland/handsfree.htm



    Sure is! It's hands free isn't it??? :-)





  5. #5
    dude
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?


    I did the same thing, but wrapped my head and phone with an ace bandage.

    I had to go up on garage roof to adjust satellite dish and have both
    hands free, while listenening to the tone from my receiver. It was cold
    out so it kept my ears warm too.

    I was joking with my daughter,saying I wonder what the public would
    think of my hands free device. It looked like I had a serious head
    injury, or had brain surgery!

    KM wrote:

    > Today, the DC City Council enacted a new law that would
    > make it illegal to use a hand held cell phone while driving,
    > unless you also use a "hands-free" device. The fine would
    > be $100 (no points) but if you show up for court and
    > bring along a "hands-free" device, they will erase
    > the fine.
    >
    > My question is: If you look at the photo link below,
    > would it be legal to use the hands-free phone in this
    > picture?
    >
    > http://www.zyworld.com/maryland/handsfree.htm
    >
    > KM





  6. #6
    Double U
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    Some time around Tue, 06 Jan 2004 19:11:03 -0500 (give or take a month), someone who says they are
    named The Ghost of General Lee <[email protected]> rambled on about:


    >I know you probably posted it as a joke, but it does raise an
    >interesting point. Does the law specify what constitutes a "hands
    >free" device? Seems if you are able to have both hands on the wheel
    >while talking, then by definition, you have a "hands free" device. If
    >using a phone sitting in front of you in speakerphone mode is
    >acceptable, I'd have to guess that one is, too.


    I can't tell you the number of times I have watched people with headsets on driving in their car...
    holding the phone with one hand. (Put the phone down)

    That picture has been around from the time that phone was popular.

    -W



  7. #7
    The Ghost of General Lee
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    On Wed, 07 Jan 2004 08:36:02 -0500, Double U
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Some time around Tue, 06 Jan 2004 19:11:03 -0500 (give or take a month), someone who says they are
    >named The Ghost of General Lee <[email protected]> rambled on about:
    >
    >
    >>I know you probably posted it as a joke, but it does raise an
    >>interesting point. Does the law specify what constitutes a "hands
    >>free" device? Seems if you are able to have both hands on the wheel
    >>while talking, then by definition, you have a "hands free" device. If
    >>using a phone sitting in front of you in speakerphone mode is
    >>acceptable, I'd have to guess that one is, too.

    >
    >I can't tell you the number of times I have watched people with headsets on driving in their car...
    >holding the phone with one hand. (Put the phone down)
    >


    Not as bad as the jackass I was behind about an hour ago. Sitting at
    a green light talking on his phone. By the time my horn got his
    attention, the light turned red, so I got to sit through another light
    cycle watching him yak it up.




  8. #8
    Joseph
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 18:44:04 -0500, KM <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Today, the DC City Council enacted a new law that would
    >make it illegal to use a hand held cell phone while driving,
    >unless you also use a "hands-free" device. The fine would
    >be $100 (no points) but if you show up for court and
    >bring along a "hands-free" device, they will erase
    >the fine.
    >
    >My question is: If you look at the photo link below,
    >would it be legal to use the hands-free phone in this
    >picture?
    >
    >http://www.zyworld.com/maryland/handsfree.htm


    Probably it would be legal. Silly, but legal.
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    remove NO from .NOcom to reply



  9. #9
    Al Klein
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 19:11:03 -0500, The Ghost of General Lee
    <[email protected]> posted to alt.cellular.verizon:

    >I know you probably posted it as a joke, but it does raise an
    >interesting point. Does the law specify what constitutes a "hands
    >free" device? Seems if you are able to have both hands on the wheel
    >while talking, then by definition, you have a "hands free" device.


    The New York law specifies that the violation is holding the phone up
    to your ear to hear it. It doesn't specify "with your hand". (It
    does specify that "cell phone" refers to a device connected to the
    public switched telephone network, though, eliminating any connection
    to two-way radios.)



  10. #10
    Dave C.
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?


    "Al Klein" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > The New York law specifies that the violation is holding the phone up
    > to your ear to hear it. It doesn't specify "with your hand".


    Awww, but if you use the rubber band thingie then YOU are not "holding" it,
    so it doesn't matter what you are not holding it WITH. I think it's
    egal. -Dave





  11. #11
    Bozo the Clown
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    KM <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Today, the DC City Council enacted a new law that would
    > make it illegal to use a hand held cell phone while driving,
    > unless you also use a "hands-free" device. The fine would
    > be $100 (no points) but if you show up for court and
    > bring along a "hands-free" device, they will erase
    > the fine.
    >
    > My question is: If you look at the photo link below,
    > would it be legal to use the hands-free phone in this
    > picture?
    >
    > http://www.zyworld.com/maryland/handsfree.htm
    >
    > KM


    Hahahaha! Wasn't someone selling those on eBay a couple of years ago
    as hands-free device? I seem to remember the same picture.



  12. #12
    Isaiah Beard
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    dude wrote:

    > I was joking with my daughter,saying I wonder what the public would
    > think of my hands free device. It looked like I had a serious head
    > injury, or had brain surgery!


    On the upside, if you had fallen and hit your head, you'd be all packed
    and ready to go the hospital... and you'd still be able to receive
    calls, to boot!

    --
    E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.




  13. #13
    Isaiah Beard
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    Al Klein wrote:

    > On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 19:11:03 -0500, The Ghost of General Lee
    > <[email protected]> posted to alt.cellular.verizon:


    > The New York law specifies that the violation is holding the phone up
    > to your ear to hear it. It doesn't specify "with your hand". (It
    > does specify that "cell phone" refers to a device connected to the
    > public switched telephone network, though, eliminating any connection
    > to two-way radios.)


    Not necessarily... quite a few two-way radios have "phone patch"
    capability, which was a special channel that allows a call to be placed
    (sometimes by a dispatcher, but automated systems are common) and
    connected to the two-way radio, just the same way the old, old
    pre-cellular MTS system worked. It's a clunky interface and limited of
    course by the fact that the radio user must "push to talk" while the
    person on the phone may still they can have a full-duplex conversation,
    but before cell phones really became inexpensive and popular,
    construction workers and police detectives used it quite a lot.... in
    fact it might still be used by agencies too cheap to get cell phones and
    by officers/workers who don't have a cell phone or don't want to use
    their personal minutes to make calls.

    Even if the phone patch isn't used any longer, I'm sure no one's
    bothered to remove that capability. Hence, I imagine most police radios
    still fall under the cell phone category according to this law, and they
    just don't realize it.


    --
    E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.




  14. #14
    Peter Pan
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?


    "Isaiah Beard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > dude wrote:
    >
    > > I was joking with my daughter,saying I wonder what the public would
    > > think of my hands free device. It looked like I had a serious head
    > > injury, or had brain surgery!

    >
    > On the upside, if you had fallen and hit your head, you'd be all packed
    > and ready to go the hospital... and you'd still be able to receive
    > calls, to boot!
    >
    > --
    > E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    > Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
    >


    Unless you go to a hospital that doesn't allow cell phone use. How do you
    turn it off?





  15. #15
    The Ghost of General Lee
    Guest

    Re: Is this a legal phone?

    On Thu, 08 Jan 2004 12:05:20 -0500, Isaiah Beard
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Even if the phone patch isn't used any longer, I'm sure no one's
    >bothered to remove that capability. Hence, I imagine most police radios
    >still fall under the cell phone category according to this law, and they
    >just don't realize it.


    Even still, I'd bet there's an exemption somewhere in the statute for
    law enforcement.




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