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I was in a meeting today and one of the attendees was driving, camera on, happily driving.
Does Teams have functionality where camera can be on but attendees video is off? I know teams has a car play mode that can be operated by Siri, but can that allow for her camera to be on whilst her video is off?
Seemed crazy to me, I would never do it as driving time is nose picking time and that is my private business.
That is nuts
Yes you can turn off incoming video if that's what you meant?
I was in a meeting today and one of the attendees was driving, camera on, happily driving.
I would be surprised if that wasn't against their companies policies. Imagine having an accident during the call....
To be honest whoever was running the meeting should have took him off the call.
Teams also has a dial in function which I would have thought would be more appropriate for dealing in whilst driving, but I can't really imagine doing that.Though your hands free you're brain isn't exactly engaged on the process of driving. Our company policy is not to use your phone full stop while driving, including over in-built car hands free.
Not acceptable. If I was hosting I'd probably boot them.
Our company policy is don't even speak on the phone hands free. Pull over and stop driving then call or wait until you're at your destination.
Our company policy is no phone calls on the move.
If one of my team teamed up while driving they would be booted out the call and given a warning.
Not acceptable. If I was hosting I’d probably boot them.
Our company policy is don’t even speak on the phone hands free. Pull over and stop driving then call or wait until you’re at your destination.
Would be disciplinary for me if I did that.
Prior to specific mobile phone and hand held interactive device offences being created, the wider charge of failing to have proper control applied to in car distractions affecting driving. It's been used for anything from petting a dog on your lap to eating a fish supper. It would still be competent if the driver was seen to be engaged with a handsfree device that distracted them sufficiently to weave about, slow down excessively for the type of road or react late to hazards. If they crashed, it would be a straight careless or dangerous driving charge, device seized and provider approached to supply data logs.
It's one thing to be on a call while driving (assuming of course that it's hands free!) it's quite another level of stupidity to have the camera on and be broadcasting to all and sundry that you're driving.
It's like those employees who drink alcohol in work calls and then wonder why they're on a disciplinary, it's grossly unprofessional.
Teams car play integration is practically non existent. You’d have to initiate the call manually from the phone and then car play picks it up inside its call handling bit. There’s no way video should be running in a CarPlay call. I’d almost suspect they were on a laptop in a car.
I have colleagues who do it - very annoying when we all get to hear their indicators.
I regularly join on our 'business updates' via teams while driving (field based job). However, its call only and my boss rings me, which subsequently comes through the vehicle bluetooth, answered by a button on my steering wheel. Almost as dull as radio 2 tbh. If its a meeting i need to participate in and focus then no... Find a layby or carpark
Was it this guy? :p
Absolutely not acceptable and hopefully illegal.
Boss/host should have stopped it right away. Imagine if there had been a crash. Who would liability lie with?
Our company policy is no phone calls on the move.
Same here - if did that i'd get a written warning.
As others my company policy says absolutely not, straight to disciplinary process (no predefined outcome).
If I was on a call with someone who was driving, whether with a wider group (internal or external), I would politely ask them to drop off and rejoin when safely parked or their journey ended.
Actually had a very senior internal guy dial into an 'important' meeting, being polite helped here as turned out he was getting back home for a sick child and didn't want to miss it - either way he delegated to someone else and focussed on the drive. He didn't experience any follow on actions although his boss was on the call, situation and outcome didn't warrant it.
Our company is pretty strict on H&S stuff and are quite hard on the no calls while driving policy. IN fact you can set your phone to send out an automated text message when connected to an in-car BT system. I never bothered with that and just let it go through to voicemail. nine times out to ten it was an unimportant call so not worth breaking company policy in answering.
our company policy follows the law with this. in that hands free calls are OK, though most staff take the decision not to make calls.
I do think most companies, as above are saying definitely no to calling or receiving a call whilst driving. We've come across companies who's policy also includes if you call someone and they're driving, you should hang up and get them to call back when they've stopped.
The OP, teams is another thing. it could be similar to a call, but a video call is on par with driving with a bowl of rice crispies in you're lap and a coffee in one hand. you're not paying attention at all.
I do think most companies, as above are saying definitely no to calling or receiving a call whilst driving.
I doubt its most companies - most large companies maybe, but the majority of companies are small and I don't see much evidence of it there; and I've certainly seen plenty of it in large companies with senior people.
The OP, teams is another thing. it could be similar to a call, but a video call is on par with driving with a bowl of rice crispies in you’re lap and a coffee in one hand. you’re not paying attention at all.
You can dial into teams with a phone number and its no different to any other call. I suppose if you dashboard mount your phone you can turn video on, but then not display other people's video on the screen (e.g. switch app to your sat nav). Contraversially, could there be an argument that the other person being able to see you actually makes it safer? Like having a conversation with someone in the car - they are more aware of when you are concentrating on the traffic/junction etc and less likely to distract you.
I've used teams when parked via CarPlay and it gives you the mute etc buttons but didn't show the video on the car. I wouldn't have had my video turned on (as my phone sits in the centre console), but that might be possible.
The only time I would consider it on the move is for those calls where you dial in to get talked at by someone else - where I think it's no different to listening to the radio.
Most companies policies would not allow this, but don't be naïve about why that is, it isn't about employee welfare, it is to insulate the company from any legal consequences.
You might be surprised to know I am taking a hard position on this. He should be disciplined. If I was in that meeting I would have refused to continue so long as he was there signing myself out if needed as I would not be a party to such a dangerous act. I would seriously consider and probably would report it to the police. He needs a ban from driving for that.
Utterly outrageous behaviour and cannot be ignored
Most companies policies would not allow this, but don’t be naïve about why that is, it isn’t about employee welfare, it is to insulate the company from any legal consequences.
Ours is about both - we are fortunate in being a 'lovely' charity, who have sustainability, people and nature at the core of what we do.
I’d say she broke rule no 1 - amazed nobody called it out...
on par with driving with a bowl of rice crispies in you’re lap and a coffee in one hand
Only really a problem if you've put milk on the rice crispies (IME)...
on par with driving with a bowl of rice crispies in you’re lap and a coffee in one hand
So an average pre lockdown day on the M27 then (not by me I hasten to add!)
its actually on a par with drunk driving for danger
I’d almost suspect they were on a laptop in a car.
nah, could easily just be on the phone, though by defualt the phone app will turn the video off.
So are we penailisng TEAMS or calls in general, as a TEAMS audio is no differnt from a phone call.
I travel quite a bit and talk a fair bit on the phone whilst driving,(i'd find it hard not to as i talk to people all over the globe, so picking the right time to talk is often when sat in the car going somewhere. I personally don't see it as any different to having a car full of people, i'd argue less so. I will caveat that though, intense calls can be distracting, so if you know you're going to have a barny with someone, then dont pick up the phone.
its actually on a par with drunk driving for danger
Totally agree. Plenty of studies out there. Admittedly some mixed results, some say slightly worse, some slightly better, but broadly the same. A car is no place for a business meeting by teams or phone.
He needs a ban from driving for that.
Not like TJ to jump to sentence without actually understanding the facts! There isn't actually enough information in this thread to convict someone of a road traffic offence even if everything in the OP was proven to be true.
Ours is about both – we are fortunate in being a ‘lovely’ charity, who have sustainability, people and nature at the core of what we do.
Our company is about both too, the fact we lost two employees in an rta some 20+ years ago through driving whilst tired doesn't half focus their minds. +1 for not using the phone at all when driving.
OK, so it was a she, not a he. She was a student in a class that I joined. It wasn't my place to challenge it at the time but have since spoken to the person leading the class. Apparently this is a regular thing which has been agreed beforehand, she has audio on but no video. Camera is left on so class can see her but video is off so she cant see them.
I don't take much comfort from that at all.
POly - being a part of a teams meeting while driving is clearly "without due care an attention"
Sui - even hands free multiples the likelyhood of a crash. Well proven. I would not get in a car with you
Frank - refuse to be a part of it. Make it very clear. do you want to see her kill someone? would you get in a car with a drunk driver? Of course its your place to challenge it and if the meeting leader is allowing it kick it up the ladder. Would you not challenge a drunk driver?
I don’t take much comfort from that at all.
And you shouldn't.
Any sensible risk assessment would say pull the damn car over and focus on one thing at a time.
They do have a risk assessment for such a decision, yes?
A class? So meant to be learning/discussing?
No such thing as multitasking it's just doing more than one thing badly at the same time
No such thing as multitasking it’s just doing more than one thing badly at the same time
Definitely
OK, so it was a she, not a he. She was a student in a class that I joined. It wasn’t my place to challenge it at the time but have since spoken to the person leading the class. Apparently this is a regular thing which has been agreed beforehand, she has audio on but no video. Camera is left on so class can see her but video is off so she cant see them.
I really doubt any educational establishment would sign off on this. It's complete rubbish which makes the whole class complicit
Multitasking is for those who cannot prioritise.