Driving with Mobiles...The Yanks may get it right before us!

[Dan B]

Shut down the mobile networks, the world was much nicer place without the mobile phone.

Shut down the internet while you're at it, same reasoning applies

 

[mark barker]

Shut down the internet while you're at it, same reasoning applies

Mobile internet certainly. What folks choose to do at home is upto them, but being unable to walk down a road without every other person shouting down their phone or texting away and not looking where they're going has an effect on everyone around them (and I won't start on the annoying ring tones!).

I doubt that not being able to make or receive a call 24hours a day would actually make any difference to most people.

Maybe making the calls & texts far more expensive would be a good compromise. If it cost a fortune to make & receive calls then people might stick to using them when needed?

 

[Alien8]

Sort-of-but-not-really-related article on GPS jamming.

Quite interesting - if you like that sort of thing....

 

[Dan B]

Yes, it's quite infuriating. And half of them seem to be riding bicycles while doing it too - perhaps we should ban them also. And, oh my dear, the clothes they wear to do it in. My appetite has been quite spoiled on occasion

 

[snailracer]

I wonder if these mobile jammers are portable enough to be carried on bicycles...

 

[Tinuts]

Great idea. it would need a suitble penalty for operating a vehicle without a working jammer though. Like crushing the vehicle on the spot and leaving the occupants to walk home.

I think crushing the vehicles of all those caught using a mobile whilst driving might have a severe impact on people's choice whether to indulge in such a dangerous activity in the first place, so why not do that?

 

[Tinuts]

Mobile internet certainly. What folks choose to do at home is upto them, but being unable to walk down a road without every other person shouting down their phone or texting away and not looking where they're going has an effect on everyone around them (and I won't start on the annoying ring tones!).

I doubt that not being able to make or receive a call 24hours a day would actually make any difference to most people.

Maybe making the calls & texts far more expensive would be a good compromise. If it cost a fortune to make & receive calls then people might stick to using them when needed?

Quite agree but, unfortunately if the cost of mobile use were to rise dramatically you would just get the wealthy driving around with their mobiles clamped to their ears.

 

[Tinuts]

I wonder if these mobile jammers are portable enough to be carried on bicycles...

Yes they are. Don't ask me how I know

. Unfortunately the portable ones don't have a great range so, although they can be quite effective when used, say, on public transport, you may find them less effective on a bike.

 

[Sore Thumb]

This idea would cause a big problem for me along with all other essential/emergency workers.

To be honest I don't normally answer any phone calls in my car or even make them. However there are times in an emergency when I do have to receive calls or make them. (using hands free of course)

This is because I work for the NHS and I am on-call for emergency's that require surgery. I get called in to get to theatre ASAP.

If this sort of device was common in all cars then I would be unavailable when in my car. This could then put patients at risk because I am unable to be contacted until I get out of the car.

This could also be a problem for other workers in my situation such as GP, Doctors on call, Paramedics on call, Police officers, mountain rescue workers the list could go on.

The only way this system could work is if we are able to claim an exception to have these devices turned off.

 

[Ste T.]

Yes Sore Thumb I could see that could be a problem, but I don't think we can let the very small legitimate minority such as yourself stop progress with this problem. If it was made possible to turn off for exceptions such as yourself, it wouldn't be long before there was a queue of people outside every auto electricians, waiting to pay a small fortune to have it done. For every one like you there must be one hundred a$$holes just wanting to blether on about what they did last night. Do pagers work on the same frequency as mobile phones. Perhaps you could be paged, pull over, turn off your engine( and the blocking device) and call in.

 

[classic33]

I wonder if these mobile jammers are portable enough to be carried on bicycles...

A bike is fairly big compared to some jammers
http://www.thejammerstore.com/the-worlds-smallest-phone-jammer-cigar-j-p-179.html

http://www.thejammerstore.com/mobil...r-c-1_4.html?zenid=r2bnukijd9pf9kbj6e3vv4agu0

Small range but as you pull alongside the person using the phone however....

Or we could insist that the mobiles be carried in something similar to this:
http://www.thejammerstore.com/signal-blocking-bag-c-26.html
Those who were exempt from using them could then have the use of their phone when required

 

[HLaB]

Its a good idea (phone jamming) but I doubt if they'll be able to implement it. The cinema in Dublin on O'Connell had such a system, bliss unfortunately folk used the loophole that they couldn't legally block signals as it could be an emergency and the system was switched off

 

[Tinuts]

A bike is fairly big compared to some jammers
http://www.thejammer...ar-j-p-179.html

http://www.thejammer...f9kbj6e3vv4agu0

Small range but as you pull alongside the person using the phone however....

Or we could insist that the mobiles be carried in something similar to this:
http://www.thejammer...g-bag-c-26.html
Those who were exempt from using them could then have the use of their phone when required

The problem is that the range quoted for these (mostly Chinese) units is often very optimistic and the effect varies depending on the network the phone user is using. Also they don't always effect the mobile signal immediately for some reason so, although the idea of pulling alongside some morononamobile and immediately wiping out their call is very appealing, in the real world it is very unlikely to happen with a portable unit. Finally, the batteries supplied in most of these small units do not power them for that long.

 

[classic33]

Finally, the batteries supplied in most of these small units do not power them for that long.

I know that bit, I used them to illustrate just how small they are.

 

[slowmotion]

Finally, the batteries supplied in most of these small units do not power them for that long.

My panniers are quite big....