Mobile Warning Sign that illuminates if a phone is in use

[Rooster1]

Love this...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-44771962

Just passed a lady in a convertible who just could not resist checking her phone in traffic, made me rather annoyed as she was oblivious to everything going on around her. I must check my phone, its more important than the cyclist or the old folk crossing.

 

[annedonnelly]

If somone is checking their phone are they likely to see a sign on a lamp-post?

 

[mjr]

If somone is checking their phone are they likely to see a sign on a lamp-post?

Indeed. It should trigger video cameras as well as record the phone transmission and Bluetooth id, so they can post out fines and points.

At least it warns drivers behind that they're following a phoney nobber.

 

[mjr]

[QUOTE 5308297, member: 9609"]how does it distinguish between passenger and driver ?[/QUOTE]
It can't, AFAIK, which I think is part of the reason they're not recording footage yet because it'd take lots of staff time to review it and play "spot the phone" before sending out tickets.

 

[Rooster1]

[QUOTE 5308297, member: 9609"]how does it distinguish between passenger and driver ?[/QUOTE]


It can't, but if there's only one person in the car...

 

[Milkfloat]

They would also have a problem working out that the bluetooth signal they are detecting is tied to the phone in use. It seems like this could be blocked just by having an active bluetooth connection nearby.

 

[Venod]

It can't, but if there's only one person in the car...

They might be on hands free.

 

[mjr]

They would also have a problem working out that the bluetooth signal they are detecting is tied to the phone in use. It seems like this could be blocked just by having an active bluetooth connection nearby.

Are the Bluetooth ID and whatever they can see through GSM/CDMA/UMTS/whatever connected? I don't know. In any case, it seems better than the current nothing.

 

[Drago]

Perhaps phones that wont work if they sense they're in a car, except for 999 calls etc?

They would also have a problem working out that the bluetooth signal they are detecting is tied to the phone in use. It seems like this could be blocked just by having an active bluetooth connection nearby.

Technically there's no great challenge. Unfortunately, it's an offence to willfully cause interference to an authorised user of the radio spectrum, so it would be an offence that traditionally earns a nice fine. Even mobile phone blockers in prisons require a special licence from OFCOM, or OFCUM as it's known to radio hams.

 

[mjr]

Perhaps phones that wont work if they sense they're in a car, except for 999 calls etc?

There are at least two major problems with that: firstly, we'd need wifi in all trains and long-distance coaches/buses, else that's a lot of people completely unable to work while travelling more sensibly; and secondly, some of the nobbers will reflash their phones with operating systems with the restriction disabled or its speed limit lifted and there's effectively no way to stop that.

Also, some nobbers would just play games like candy car crush on tablet devices with no phone capability which is probably as dangerous and wouldn't be covered by such laws. I know you'll hate this, but I think we need more traffic police... gotta catch 'em all! No, wait...

 

[Milkfloat]

Are the Bluetooth ID and whatever they can see through GSM/CDMA/UMTS/whatever connected? I don't know. In any case, it seems better than the current nothing.

It is my understanding that they are not.

 

[Milkfloat]

Technically there's no great challenge. Unfortunately, it's an offence to willfully cause interference to an authorised user of the radio spectrum, so it would be an offence that traditionally earns a nice fine. Even mobile phone blockers in prisons require a special licence from OFCOM, or OFCUM as it's known to radio hams.

Would you count someone using a bluetooth speaker in a nearby house as blocking - I would not. It seems like the system just checks for a signal and overrides the sign. The smart thing would be to look for a moving signal. But as mentioned before, having a flashing sign is fairly pointless as the driver on the phone will be too busy trying to crash into a vulnerable road user to bother looking and registering a sign.

 

[stoatsngroats]

This is good...

View: https://youtu.be/HbjSWDwJILs


Worth a watch, and maybe a change to the driving test...

 

[mjr]

Bravo les Belges!

 

[jefmcg]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa8r92scRdc