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Just spotted this bit of news, France has now made it an offence to use a mobile or smartphone in a car even if you’ve pulled over and switched off the engine; you have to be in a designated parking area before you can legally use the phone.
The only exception is in the event of an accident.
https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/06/france-bans-smartphone-use-in-cars-even-when-you-pull-over/
assuming the article is accurate, sounds like hands-free is still ok though, and using sat navs, etc in a mount, so no big deal really.
It's now illegal to hold your phone
Using satnavs, as long as it doesnt warn of cameras.
"Using satnavs as long as it doesn't warn of cameras"
Yeah, my Tomtom is quite clever as it automatically stops the Satnav warning me of speed cameras in France. Apparently the Gendarme's will destroy your satnav if you have the speed camera warnings enabled
Yep.
That'll be a costly mistake with your iPhone X.
Lots more people in France driving with phone than UK.
Are these rules that only apply to foreign plates?
Lots more people in France driving with phone than UK.
I'd agree with this, amazed how acceptable it seemed to be.
Re. camera warnings, I understood Waze was OK to use but now I'm doubting it. Sure I read it somewhere. I see plenty of other 'wazers' on the road at least and I'm in SW France a couple of times a month.
The French Police can be a very random organisation, regional variation and values do exist.
Nice to see an EU based law being applied across the EU.
👮♂️👨✈️🕴
well i wouldnt wamt to be sat at side of the road arguing the toss about me using my phone as a satnav at the side of the road.....
that only ends one way - with you getting escorted to a cashpoint.
ill stick to my garmin.
bout time they did something - my dad having been hit head on by a french driver on his french mobile behind the wheel of his french van driving down the wrong side of a french road.......
cchris2louMember
Lots more people in France driving with phone than UK.
That'll be because there are a lot more people in France than the UK.
That article is full of inaccuracies, sorry.
The change in the speed limit from 90 to 80 isn't yet law, it's meant to start from July 1st.
The high court ruling was in response to some self entitled idiot appealing against a fine for using their phone whilst pulled over on a roundabout with their hazard lights on! Because said driver was actually on the carriageway and hadn't pulled off the road, the judges ruled that he was still in circulation.
You're allowed to use a phone at the wheel if you have a hands free system built into the car or as a navigation aid.
@BigYinn:
Errr... populations are about the same?
Lots more people in France driving with phone than UK.
It appears from the article that this action is designed to answer that problem; it does seem to be going about it from the wrong direction.
Errr… populations are about the same?
France: 551,500 sq km,
Population 67,106,161
UK 243,610 sq km,
Population 64,769,452
There’s a lot more space in France for drivers to drive like knobs!
Why going at it from the wrong direction, CountZero? Banning people and fear of the Gendarmes has got speed down so it seems a good way to get people to put there phones out of reach.
France: 551,500 sq km,
Population 67,106,161
UK 243,610 sq km,
Population 64,769,452
Well 5% more people than the UK, or 3 million, which is a few more.
Lots more people in France driving with phone than UK.
Any evidence? We drive to Spain and back a couple of times a year and spend time with the sister in law in southern France. If anything I'd say i see fewer people using phones, at least on the autoroutes that we spend most of our time on. The French traffic police don't mess about - covert speed traps are common. My S-I-L has been fined for using her phone at the wheel.
In the UK I've had someone on the M4 pass me in the outside lane while flipping through photos and overtook someone on the A3 coming into London who had their phone in a holder streaming live cricket. <span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Ridiculously common to see people obviously texting (eyes looking below dash level), trying to text while holding the phone in front of their face or just plain using a handheld phone. </span></span>
the wrong direction ?
nah very much the right direction. remove the phone as a whole from the drivers temptation then they wont be tempted to **** about trying to change music or answer that important call because they can.
hands free , voice activated ... cool .
touch it - fine able.
that is the right direction .
I had a gent in a smart car 'furiously texting' this morning as he drifted in and out of his lane.
I get in my car, plug the phone into the central box and close the lid. Easy. Texts/ emails can wait. Phone calls can wait until it's appropriate controlled via the voice recognition in the car.
If you quote the French population including the DOMs and TOMs then you should also quote the corresponding surface area Bigyinn: 675 000 km2.
If you just take France Métropolitaine then the population is about the same as the UK as Mugsys states.
My personal impression is that there are more people on the phone in France, particularly in town.
Good example of Fake(ish) news, the ruling was verdict in a court case not the irrational act in absence of any good ideas to reduce traffic fatalities.
The article is just trolling car people.
Down in our bit of France - I saw a lady driving the school bus merrily texting through the middle of the town. Big bus, narrow streets and a load of school kids on board.