Mounting your phone to windscreen in Victoria

Submitted: Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 19:28
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There was an altercation today at a Victorian Covidcheck point, a young lady was told by Police that it was illegal to mount her mobile phone to the windscreen. If that's correct, I assume that applies to GPS and other suction mount gizmos. Does anyone know what the law is around this in Victoria? Michael
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Reply By: Member - MIKE.G - Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 19:54

Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 19:54
Hi Michael.

As reported here in Brisbane, she was initially asked to remove the phone/ mount as it was obscuring her forward vision. The video played of her eventually being arrested after she would not present her licence, was taken by her phone (as she admitted) and it appears that it was in front of her face as the vision was almost front on.

From what I understand the same applies to a windscreen mounted GPS, that it can't obscure your vision.

Will be interesting to see the wash up.

Cheers,

Mike







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Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 22:03

Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 22:03
Hi Mike, yes the other circumstances I wasn't concerned about, mainly the mount on the screen. I think technically anything on the windscreen could be said to block your view.. she may have had it mounted right in front of the wheel. I saw it on sky news, not a lot of detail from them. Michael
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Reply By: noggins - Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 20:05

Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 20:05
Ever seen all the stuff in the front screen of a police vehicle ? ?
I've often wondered who passed that off as legit.


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Follow Up By: Gronk - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 06:31

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 06:31
Different rules......same as they are allowed to use a mobile phone while driving.
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Follow Up By: Stefandsal - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 18:36

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 18:36
Not quite the full truth here...Police can use a phone....provided it's in the course of official duty (which would be thoroughly scrutinised should a crash occur)...just like the rest of us, they can't use it for day to day calls.
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Follow Up By: Stefandsal - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 18:45

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 18:45
Again, fair point but not quite the entire truth. Most of the time that equipment is being operated by the passenger. And if not, by the single officer on the side of the road. Parked. There are very few Police jurisdictions in Aus that will have items mounted on the windscreen obstructing the driver's view.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 22:01

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 22:01
Stef is totally right. The communications exemption is primarily to allow use of hand held communications devices like radios etc. Back when a lot of this legislation was passed, many policed worked one up. In the country areas, they still do although the safety aspect for members working 'one-up' these days is putting paid to that. Don't see anything on windscreens now except for forward facing cameras for officer and public safety and they are usually placed to be out of drivers view much like the forward vehicle avoidance systems in Subaru and high end vehicles these days.

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Reply By: Bazooka - Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 20:07

Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 20:07
Pretty sure this has been covered before Michael. The only (?) requirement is that such devices are properly secured and that they don't obstruct a driver's view, so it depends on where she had it mounted.

Edit: https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/blood-boiling-dramatic-footage-of-natalie-bonnett-being-dragged-from-car-by-police/news-story/9ffac2fd84612a8a3fa56a48cfe3e72d

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Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 22:06

Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 22:06
Yes maybe the mounting position was the issue but she said the officer said it cant be mounted to the screen. Though that could have been taken out of context.. Michael
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Reply By: Mick O - Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 22:53

Sunday, Sep 13, 2020 at 22:53
Mike, same law as in most states. Phone/GPS/TPMS cannot be placed where it obscures your vision or distracts attention. Her arrest was for failing to provide a name and address. Yet another silly person wanting their 15 minutes of fame. Channel seven news interviewed her and put the same thing to her. She came across as a goose.

Driving a car on a highway, produce your licence or state your name and address and produce ID (funnily enough those requirements are clearly outlined to you and you acknowledge them at the time of taking your "Learners" test and again when you take your drivers licence test).

What good does jacking up the coppers serve unless you want to get your head on TV. Unfortunately it's far to typical these days.

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Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 09:01

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 09:01
Hi Mick, thought as much, five minutes of fame. I only got a news summary, just the way she said the Police said the phone cant be mounted on the windscreen, I thought maybe it was law. When i was in the USA some years back, we took our own GPS, we were told by our car hire company that there were some states where you couldn't mount anything to the windscreen at all. Michael
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Follow Up By: Member - Murray R (VIC) - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 21:25

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 21:25
Mick
Agree she is a goose and has had her 5 minutes of frame. Read today she has 5 charges, l wonder whether she would have complied with the police directions pre covid without fuss and handed over her licence for inspection.
Alot of people are stressed with lockdown in metro Melb but we don't need gooses like this and she isn't the only one.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 21:34

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 21:34
I reckon she just took the opportunity to create a bit of mischief.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 22:06

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 22:06
The super sad thing is that Vik and I are moving up that way next month. It's got me worried the gene pool might be a bit shallow around there. Thank got I'm 10km out of town and past the stage where I have to go paddling in it lol.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 22:12

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 22:12
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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Saturday, Sep 19, 2020 at 04:22

Saturday, Sep 19, 2020 at 04:22
Does this forum have standards on respect and civility in posts?

Mothers as bitches. Really?

All fathers absent. Really?

You can only bring up children or worry about environmental catastrophe but not both. Really?

Sick.
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Follow Up By: Banjo (WA) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2020 at 09:09

Saturday, Sep 19, 2020 at 09:09
It's a Joke, Sigmund. Lighten up.
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Follow Up By: OzzieCruiser - Saturday, Sep 19, 2020 at 10:11

Saturday, Sep 19, 2020 at 10:11
I agree - what a wet blanket.

And in this case - bitches is gender neutral - showing your age there.
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Reply By: Jarse - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 06:44

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 06:44
Looked and sounded like Karen from Bunnings...
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Reply By: Member - Vince M (NSW) - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 08:50

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 08:50
The rule of thumb is anything in the wiper arks are illegal this also goes for cracks, chips, etc. this normally will stand up in court as its the only clear vision area on a rainy day & approved by gov dept this was amended to cover rear vision mirrors & recently electronic sensors (wiper & head lights etc)

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Follow Up By: Keir & Marg - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 18:39

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 18:39
It always amused me that anything within the wiper arcs was illegal, and then by law you had to put your rego sticker in the bottom LH corner of the windscreen which was always within the wiper arc on every car that I have ever owned!!!
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Follow Up By: Alan H11 - Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 07:50

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 07:50
Yes - and in some places you must stick your parks sticker, insurance certificate, and/or other bits of paper/plastic on the windscreen, reducing the clear area. We mount our GPS so that it doesn't obstruct our view of the road ahead (it does obstruct our view of the bonnet though), and have so far never had a problem. I've seen vehicles with massive tablets on mounts which do reduce visibility and find it odd that people don't see (pun intended) these as hazards...
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 23:44

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 23:44
K & M, rego stickers area thing of the past. They were bottom left hand side of the passengers side when they did exist. I don't think drivers vision would have been impacted by them and I must confess I've never heard of the wiper arc principle.

I'd reckon common sense would dictate if it's the wiper arc in front of the driver, fair enough, but bottom left of the passengers side would not be in the drivers peripheral in anyone's wildest imagination.

Amazing how far we've come. Coppers used to be able to identify current rego of your vehicle by the colour of the rego sticker. These days a vehicle or static mounted camera and computer does it...and it's a damn site more deadly! Where will we be in another 20 years!?
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Follow Up By: Keir & Marg - Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 at 08:55

Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 at 08:55
Hi Mick,
Yes, rego stickers are a thing of the past which is why I used the past tense in my response. Now the problem is remembering when your rego runs out because there's no reminder on the windscreen!! We've just had a hiccup there because of postal delays due to Covid. One of our cars ran out of rego before the posted reminder arrived - oops. The ACT has always had a regulation re anything within both wiper arcs being classed as an obstruction to the driver. So, a small star on the passenger side still means you have to get the windscreen repaired or replaced.
In another twenty years, perhaps most cars will be self driving and we can sit back and enjoy being driven around the bend by a computer!!!
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Follow Up By: Member - John - Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 at 09:39

Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 at 09:39
Keir & Marg, I had a similar thing while travelling, mail was going to daughter, she didn't open the rego renewal, luckily I wasn't pulled over or had an accident while unregistered for nearly a month, renewed as soon as I got to daughters place. Not sure if the same in ACT, but in Victoria you can get an email and SMS I think, sent from VICROADS/RTA to remind you. I have also set a reminder in my calendar a few days before it is due for all vehicles and camper.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 at 17:22

Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 at 17:22
John you can set up an auto payment with VicRoads through the 'MyVicRoads' page. Takes the worry out of it. I've got everything taken care of there, two cars, two trailers and the ulti. Set and forget :-)
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Reply By: CSeaJay - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 10:00

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 10:00
Pity we don't know the lady's name. She could be added to the list that Karen from Bunnings currently occupies..
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Reply By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 12:46

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 12:46
I don't understand why people use windscreen mounts anymore now that the magnetic mounts affix to your dash with 3M backing stickers (supplied) and are so easy to use.

You can buy something cheap from $4 on eBay that will do the job. eBay magnet dash mounts for phones
Or one of these "Scosche" magnetc mounts which we use. $24 for the one I use. Full Range of Scosche MagicMount brackets from JB Hi Fi

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Follow Up By: CSeaJay - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 14:20

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 14:20
Why? It gives us choice of position;
For some cars it may obstruct the car's screen/radio/aircon control etc. if at dash level.
For us and our car, up and in the middle of windscreen is best for gps related additional screens. Does not obstruct view or dash
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Follow Up By: Member - PhilD_NT - Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 01:23

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 01:23
Flimsy dash plastics and lack of big enough flat areas plays a part. As to magnetic mounts, tried one recently but my phone is too big and heavy, especially with its protective case and a single magnet doesn't hold it without movement. That said, with the double DIN kit I've installed I can now place the phone elsewhere and screen mirror it to the Kenwood unit.
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Follow Up By: old mate - Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 05:28

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 05:28
Windscreen mounts allow me to use the one device in 3 different vehicles.
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Follow Up By: Gronk - Thursday, Sep 17, 2020 at 06:46

Thursday, Sep 17, 2020 at 06:46
I don't know why people use any mount.....just chuck the phone in the centre console or leave it in your pocket......your car should be set up with bluetooth and no need to have a phone in view ..
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Thursday, Sep 17, 2020 at 09:54

Thursday, Sep 17, 2020 at 09:54
G'day Gronk,
That assumes the novelty use of the phone as a phone. I have a 8" tablet with EO Traveller in a RAM seat mount and the Scoshe CD slot mount for the phone running Torque but you have to look down to see it. I would prefer a screen mount low on the screen as a near heads up display so I can then see the GPS speed and other parameters such as transmissiom temp. Unfortunately the phone overheats in that position.
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Follow Up By: old mate - Thursday, Sep 17, 2020 at 09:56

Thursday, Sep 17, 2020 at 09:56
Not every car is set up for bluetooth. Not every windscreen mounted device is a phone. Never had an issue of any kind with a windscreen mount.
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Follow Up By: Gronk - Thursday, Sep 17, 2020 at 18:49

Thursday, Sep 17, 2020 at 18:49
Every car is easily ( and cheaply )setup for bluetooth if it's not factory fitted.

OBD readouts are far better seen with a scangauge or Ultragauge !!
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Reply By: Member - nickb "boab" - Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 23:00

Monday, Sep 14, 2020 at 23:00
The biggest obstruction is to the modern day vehicles is the exterior mirrors.. that you can't see past ;((
& not to mention those BIG wing nut mirrors that very man & dog seems to need to tow van with .
Cheers Nick b

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Reply By: Member - rocco2010 - Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 10:24

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 10:24
Years ago I saw a woman who had an A4 sized photograph of her children hanging from the rear vision mirror.

I couldn’t help thinking of the possibility of her not seeing a child on the road because all she could see was her own.

I once read the late great Peter Brock urge us to particularly cautious about drivers with ornaments and other distractions hanging from mirrors or stuck on windows.

Fluffy dice in particular.

Take care on the road people.
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Reply By: Member - shane r1 - Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 13:35

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 13:35
It’s a great pity we have to have laws for things that should be commonsense!!
But the fault is with the way most people are taught to drive, behave in traffic , be aware of things like being able to see your surroundings etc. etc.
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Follow Up By: Genny - Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 16:25

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2020 at 16:25
Off topic, I know, but I've seen quite a few trailers and vans recently traveling with the jockey wheel hovering scant inches above the road surface, and a few safety chains nearly touching the road.
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Sep 18, 2020 at 08:43

Friday, Sep 18, 2020 at 08:43
I know it has been said before, but common sense is not that common. Also, there are a number of driving schools/instructors out there that teach you how to get your licence, not how to drive.

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Follow Up By: Member - shane r1 - Friday, Sep 18, 2020 at 09:46

Friday, Sep 18, 2020 at 09:46
Agree with that Macca,
I believe that the driving education should go a lot further, like full on emergency braking, that’s something I think a lot of drivers wouldn’t have tried. I often hard brake in my vehicles, in and appropriate place obviously, especially on my motorcycle’s. So I have that skill a little bit honed. It takes a fair bit of time to get comfortable with braking that hard. So just a couple of times in a test isn’t enough.
But I can’t see it changing any time soon.
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Reply By: Hoyks - Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 at 09:34

Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 at 09:34
Like everything transport and safety related, there is an ADR for this, probably a lot of vehicles aren't compliant, but I'm guessing that the police apply a lot of discretion to its application.
Setting up the phone holder with the intention of recording yourself baiting them into reacting is probably not going to end well.

Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 93/00 Forward Field of View) 2018
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