Hands Free Laws

[bud]

How is using your mic Or Handheld radio while driving pertain to Hands Free while Driving Laws?

 

Primary States that I drive in are:

 

New York

Connecticut

Massachusetts 

Vermont 

New Jersey

Penn

[PastorGary]

Just one quick search showed the following statement in Georgia Bill 673 which went into effect in July 2018 - - -

 

"The hands-free law does NOT apply to the following electronic communication devices and the following devices can be used by the driver when on the road:  radio, citizens band radio, citizens band radio hybrid, commercial two-way radio communication device or its functional equivalent, subscription-based emergency communication device, prescribed medical device, amateur or ham radio device, or in-vehicle security, navigation, or remote diagnostics system."

Other states may have differing wording of their laws and should be researched individually.

[harold95]

rhode island law.

there is no mention of two way radio, but its been rumored that the police will hit you up using this law as a basis for for the issue of a citation.

but thats how this state works. smallest state. most corrupt. 

 

 

 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Ct9tgfqNiIFWRgWDQF2KPYd7KcQjx3rg

[Elkhunter521]

Hi Bud, Every state is different. I would Google "Hands free laws for (every state you drive in)"

Example, WA state specifically exempts CB radios and ham radios. OR state allows usage of radios when used on the job (exempts ham radios).

[Extreme]

https://handsfreeinfo.com/index-cell-phone-laws-legislation-by-state/

 

Nevada:

 

The term does not include a device used for two-way radio communications if:

(1) The person using the device has a license to operate the device, if required; and

(2) All the controls for operating the device, other than the microphone and a control to speak into the microphone, are located on a unit which is used to transmit and receive communications and which is separate from the microphone and is not intended to be held.

[Ian]

https://handsfreeinfo.com/index-cell-phone-laws-legislation-by-state/

 

Nevada:

 

The term does not include a device used for two-way radio communications if:

(1) The person using the device has a license to operate the device, if required; and

(2) All the controls for operating the device, other than the microphone and a control to speak into the microphone, are located on a unit which is used to transmit and receive communications and which is separate from the microphone and is not intended to be held.

 

So much for my MXT275.

[wayoverthere]

So much for my MXT275.

 

even the MXT115 has the channel buttons on the mic.

 

on a side note, i wonder if you could get away using a handheld with a remote mic, such as this one (comes to mind because i have one, and a couple uv5r that work alright for listening) :

[WRAF213]

The UV-5R, containing controls to operate the transceiver, is intended to be held. It's not protected under Nevada's hands-free laws. Whoever initiates the traffic stop might use their discretion to not issue a ticket for a radio on the hip or in a center console as the radio isn't readily accessible, but if you get caught it's probably for taking your eyes off the road to change channel or something.

 

Most commercial and CB radios (designed for road use) meet those legal requirements, while most ham and Part 95 GMRS radios (designed for operator convenience) do not.

[Downs]

Yall are assuming the cops even know the ins and outs of these laws.

 

Texas recently passed a cellphone law. Everyone still drives around with phones up in their faces and to their heads.

 

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[quarterwave]

Ohio is trying to sneak in a law that essentially only lets the cops text and drive (and wreck and kill you). 

[Downs]

Ohio is trying to sneak in a law that essentially only lets the cops text and drive (and wreck and kill you).

Nearly every state or local cell phone ordinance exempts police/fire/ems from the law.

 

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Extreme]

Searching that page:  both Montana and Idaho have laws 'pending' in their legislatures but cities in both states have their own hands-free laws.

 

And, as Downs said, "Y'all are assuming the cops even know the ins and outs of these laws.", there's a chance you'd have to argue with an officer even if you were on a two-way radio that's exempt from the law... the officer might not know.  Arguing with a cop can turn a good day bad in a hurry. 

[quarterwave]

Nearly every state or local cell phone ordinance exempts police/fire/ems from the law.

 

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

I should have elaborated more...they are trying to pass one that allows cops to do whatever they please but the rest of us are not. Essentially we wouldn't be allowed to use a two way mic. But they can, type on a computer, text and eat hot dogs while they drive and that's ok. 

 

Nothing against the cops, most of them don't do that. It's politicians and leadership who are clueless. Although I was ran off the road by a cop who was texting, he ran off the opposite side (my side) too, managed to keep from wrecking, and then sped away. 

[Elkhunter521]

Wow, The cops are the good guys.............. unless they are busting me!

 

Depending on the state your in,

If you have a license for the radio being used, ypur probaly OK.

[Elkhunter521]

Then, at 60 mph, what mic were you using?

 

My truck has 4 mics.

 

6 meter,

11 meter (cb)

2 meter / 70cm

Gmrs

[Elkhunter521]

Gee officer, what mic was i using?

[Elkhunter521]

Gawd I hate politicians!!!!

They tell me what radios i can use.

The tell me what guns i can own (i know, not for this forum)

But damnit,

I dont hurt people

I dont tell people what to think.

Why cant Politicans just leave me alone!,

 

 

 

Ok, thxank you for letting me vent!

 

If thes dialog is innapropiate for this forum. PLEASE DELETE IT.

[RCM]

Then, at 60 mph, what mic were you using?

 

My truck has 4 mics.

 

6 meter,

11 meter (cb)

2 meter / 70cm

Gmrs

You don't have one of those voting mic boxes that connects your one mic to the last radio heard?

[Ian]

You don't have one of those voting mic boxes that connects your one mic to the last radio heard?

… Those exist?

[Ian]

The UV-5R, containing controls to operate the transceiver, is intended to be held. It's not protected under Nevada's hands-free laws. Whoever initiates the traffic stop might use their discretion to not issue a ticket for a radio on the hip or in a center console as the radio isn't readily accessible, but if you get caught it's probably for taking your eyes off the road to change channel or something.

 

Most commercial and CB radios (designed for road use) meet those legal requirements, while most ham and Part 95 GMRS radios (designed for operator convenience) do not.

I wonder if you bolted the Baofeng to the dash, while using a battery eliminator…. Or better, bolted the battery eliminator to the dash.

 

Also, it looks like every Midland except the 105 has channel buttons on the mic.  That means every current-production meant-for-GMRS radio that's repeater capable falls afoul of this law.

[RCM]

… Those exist?

Dunno, but if not it should. The technology exists.

[Ian]

Dunno, but if not it should. The technology exists.

I was sort of imagining a civilianized version of the military radios that share a common backplane a while ago -- something that'd fit in a double-DIN stereo slot, with separate radios, and a shared screen and mic.  Seems like it has potential to work really well with an auto-voting mic like you're imagining.

[RCM]

I was sort of imagining a civilianized version of the military radios that share a common backplane a while ago -- something that'd fit in a double-DIN stereo slot, with separate radios, and a shared screen and mic.  Seems like it has potential to work really well with an auto-voting mic like you're imagining.

I just looked through the MFJ catalog to see if they have something like that. They don't, although they do have some manual mic/radio selector boxes.

I don't think it would take all that much to do it. Just some latching semiconductor switches, controlled by the COR from each radio. LEDs on the box to show which radio is active, and some momentary pushbutton override switches.

[Ian]

Truth be told, in my initial imagination of something that worked for me, that was the use case I had envisioned.

 

That was when I didn't have any handheld GMRS radios, or rather, enough to go around, and was heavily dependent on some old Motorola Spirit business radios running MURS 4&5.