Gov Reminder On Cell Phone & Driving Ban
The Ministry of Tourism and Transport moved to clarify recent reports regarding the legislation on motorists’ use of mobile devices while driving. The public is reminded that the amendments to the Motor Car (Construction Equipment and Use) Regulations 1952, and the Auxiliary Bicycle Construction and Equipment in Use 1954, and the Traffic Offences Procedures Act 1974 became law recently.
The Ministry reconfirmed that the use of cellular phones and other hand held electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle is unlawful. To provide further clarity for the public, the Ministry offered a list of list of devices which are prohibited under the amended legislation. This is by no means and exhaustive list:
- All hand-held cell phones, i.e. Blackberry, iPhones, Palm and other mobile devices (LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, HTC, etc.).
- All hand-held electronic equipment, i.e. Nintendo Gameboy, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite, iPods (all models including the iPad), PDAs, PlayStation Portable game systems, and all hand-held educational gaming systems (Leapsters, etc.).
With regard to display screens, the following are prohibited:
- Computers, televisions, DVD players, blu-ray players, or any other device with a display screen where the display screen is visible to the driver of the vehicle.
Exemptions from the prohibition of display screens are as follows:
- GPS devices
- Logistical transportation tracking system devices used for commercial purposes
- Collision avoidance system devices
- Instrumental display screens used to provide info regarding the status of various systems of the motor vehicle.
- Driver exemptions: drivers of an ambulance, fire-fighting vehicle or police vehicle (emergency vehicles only).
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- Gov Reminder On Cell Phone & Driving Ban - Bermuda Road Safety! | August 30, 2010
Any one too stupid to understand that yakking on a cellphone while driving is completely dangerous is probably also too dumb to keep up with the news in terms of ‘the laws’ new or otherwise.
Today I travelled a total of 4 miles by road and there was no obvious curbing of yakking while driving .
Cut the ‘friendly warnings’ out and start booking these idiots.
My (our) safety is far more important than their irrelevant phone calls.
Shut up.
Why should she shut up Ruckus? She’s entitled to her opinion..
‘Shut up ?’
Precisely ..! Shut up and drive . Pay attention and drive !
See Uncle thats no way to talk to ppl, and a bad example for ya nephew. There you go being hostile against references to obeying the law yet again. You have a pathalogical incapacity for respecting authority or being a law abiding citizen. Your mindset is what is destroying our country. Set an example for me uncle.
I agree with pitstop but it’s the same with everything, nothing is getting enforced. I see people rolling through stop signs, not signaling, cutting each other off, not using a four-way stop correctly and the list can go on and on and on. These are all dangerous acts and if the police can’t figure out how to ticket or enforce all these laws than we are all royally screwed.
This means nothing to anyone unless you have the government enforcing their laws.
I wish they’d clarify what they mean about not being allowed to “operate” an iPod.
Does this mean we’re not allowed to have an iPod on in the car, attached to the radio, playing music?
That seems a little much, no?
Well I’m not really a Lawyer, but there’s something I’m hoping that someone can clear up for me, because I’m just a tad bit confused.
According to the AUXILIARY BICYCLES ACT 1954, an “auxiliary cycle” means a vehicle with two or three wheels intended or adapted for use on roads and the vehicle—
(a) is electrically propelled; or
(b) is mechanically propelled and has a motor with a cubic capacity not exceeding 50 cubic centimetres;
Now, I’m not a mechanic either, but doesn’t the whole ’50 cubic centimetres’ bit mean a 50cc or ‘blue plate’?
According to the MOTOR CAR ACT 1951, a “motor cycle” means a motor car designed to travel on two wheels, which is equipped with two or more gear ratios or the motor of which has a cubic capacity exceeding 50 cubic centimetres, but, subject to subsection (1), not exceeding 150 cubic centimetres.
Sooo….according to “the amendments to the Motor Car (Construction Equipment and Use) Regulations 1952, and the Auxiliary Bicycle Construction and Equipment in Use 1954, and the Traffic Offences Procedures Act 1974″, there is no real mention of ‘Motor-Cycles’; only Auxiliary Cycles and Motor Cars. Does that mean I can do all those things on my ‘motor-cycle’? Hmmmm…
Now reviewing in the Motor-Cycle description that “a “motor cycle” means a motor car” bit, maybe I guess we ‘treat’ motor-cycles like motor cars – but that then means ‘motor-cycles’ doesn’t apply to half of the laws in the ENTIRE motor-car act.
I’m soooooo confused…
Maybe Government (from long ago, no doubt) was too lazy to create a separate MOTOR-CYCLES ACT 19(insert your year). It’s no wonder that most of Bermuda’s laws are sooo flakey.
Maybe someone cool can clear this up for me…
On a side note, I think the whole iPod thing is a bit too far – personally… When I have my ipod in ear and turned down on low (so I can hear the police pulling me over) I have full concentration on the road. When I don’t have some form music going, my mind tends to wonder a bit. Wondering minds creates what the police like to call ‘red-mist’ (or rather, ummm….’distractions’). I have a small feeling that these laws weren’t thought all the way through to a T. Just my opinion…