What's the difference between a radio and a phone

Hi Josh,

See thread # 75507. I got pulled over and warned about talking on a UHF. I dont know where I stand on this one but still do it .

Cheers Wilko

sort of a good point ......... my guess is you dont have to answer it as soon as you hear it "ring" so that in it's self is safer, you are not "timed" for calls so you can delay a reply until it is safe to do so and it also is an integral part of doing "business" for most truck drivers, courier drivers and general transport operators incluiding taxis so to introduce "laws" to in effect control it would be not really be effective as it is not "deemed" to be a problem as far as i know, unlike mobile phones that have been proven to be the cause of many accidents and possibly lives have been lost due to there useage whilst driving .... and you NEVER see someone trying to read a text message on there radio do ya ???
I guess you could say that a "manual" gearbox could be a "distraction compaired to an automatic gearbox.....
Cheers
Joe

Josh, this is the Qld legislation

300 Use of mobile phones
(1) The driver of a vehicle (except an emergency vehicle or police
vehicle) must not use a mobile phone that the driver is holding
in the driver’s hand while the vehicle is moving, or is
stationary but not parked.
Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.
(2) In this section—
mobile phone does not include a CB radio or any other
two-way radio.
use, in relation to a mobile phone, includes any of the
following—
(a) holding the phone to, or near, the ear, whether or not
engaged in a phone call;
(b) writing, sending or reading a text message on the phone;
(c) turning the phone on or off;
(d) operating any other function of the phone

The Victorian regulation says the same as the Qld legislation in a more verbose way. The following defines what is included as a mobile phone:
"mobile phone does not include a CB radio or any other two way radio"

Radios are fine in Vic.

Hi Josh,
In my opinion mobile phones consume far more attention than do fixed UHF radios. They require concentration to engage a call and the same to disengage a call.
As for texting, well I think that right there is an accident happening in slow motion. The number of people I see, and mainly women but also men, talking or texting on their mobiles while driving beggars belief. Especially since it is clearly illegal not to mention the fact that it is detrimental to ones driving ability as they not only take your mind off driving but also your eyes off the road.

In my opinion there is a huge difference. I have had to answer my phone while driving, as many of us have, in order to get the call but have pulled off immediately. Anyone can see for themselves just how distracting they are by trying out their mobile on a more quiet stretch of road and then compare that with the UHF.

Admittedly they have 2 different functions but I have found the UHF to be less distracting. Most of the time people are just listening to the UHF to get the benifit they provide.

I have a mobile for emergencies while on the road these days (no longer in business) but otherwise I would not have one. Most of the time they are a bl@@dy nuisance.

Good subject Josh and thanks for raising it. I bet we have all thought about this from time to time. I have.

Cheers, Bruce.

I can see why it is so, having driven many years with CB Radios.

A CB Radio is much like a car radio/stereo as far as distraction and at times are responsible for people having an accident, mostly newer drivers.

Mobile phones are, for what ever reason, a bigger distraction - If you were to only answer a call I think they are much like a CB, but people start calling up others and texting, then they are a big distraction.

I have seen, as I suppose so have many others people start swerving, slowing down without any apparent reason until you see the phone near the ear. Then they hold up the traffic looking for a pull over spot :-)

With use of a CB you do not see this effect driving thus. IMHO

Cheers Tony

Each states or territory road rules are shaped around section 300 Australian Road Rules, here is the link

http://www.ntc.gov.au/filemedia/Reports/ARR_February_2009_final.pdf

300(4) - definition of mobile phone does not include a CB radio or any other two-way radio.

The Northern Territory Traffic Regulations reflect the ARR, most states should do the same - they were designed and adopted by each respective Minister for consistency for road rules across Australia.

In a nutshell talking on your CB is not an offence.

Regards

Michael

Its been a while since I have looked it up but isn't talking on a radio, CB included while driving illegal. I thought so.

If I am correct then we are all guilty of breaking the law.

Who has actually checked whether its legal to talk on ANY radio? Leave CB out of it for the moment.

If then the answer is yes, then its also illegal to talk on CB while driving.

That said as one poster put it previously in this thread, its a bit different chatting with CB and sending a text message on a phone. As well mobile phone calls usually demand more concentration. Especially if work related. Hence the loss of attention to the road.

That appears to be why the authorities concentrate on the mobile phone. I have been warned about using a ham radio in the past. I only got away with it because I use a lightweight headset and no mobile phone. (I still don't use the mobile phone) Instead I was chatting away to a mate in the US on HF (28Mhz wb2ffy - ex aussie) and he thought I was using a mobile phone on my lap. He actually was interested in radio when I said the USA so I demonstrated it to him. He let me off with a warning. Should have made a cuppa.

Phil

It seems that in the ACT it does not specifically say that it is illegal to use a two radio while driving. But it does state this from here:
ACT Road Rules (see page 25):

It is dangerous and irresponsible to drive with one hand off the steering while operating a communication radio, or CB. The correct method of using these devices is to pull off the road and stop.

They could get you with this one as not dirving safely or something like that.

Phil

Hi Josh,
We all know it is illegal to talk on a phone while driving. Believe me there are no exceptions. We own a community nursing service, My wife is a registered nurse the director and nurse manager of the business. (This event happened several years ago) At the time the vehicle was set up with the hands free kit or what ever it was called. As nurse manager my wife often received calls from staff whom arrived at a clients home to find the unexpected or to discuss a clients immediate and/or ongoing care needs, sometimes urgent sometimes not. While driving my wife received a call of an urgent nature and during responding to the call with the use of the hands free equipment, the equipment failed. Due to the nature of the call my wife called the staff member back without the attached equipment, yes highly illegal. Flashing lights, sirens and a ticket. I believe phones while driving are in the top two causes of accidents and as such users should be punished accordingly. Rules are rules but sometimes a few hundred dollars to save a life is worth it. I believe the police office could have checked the validity of my wife's explanation?. There was no available parking, the vehicle was registered to .........nursing service etc. etc.
Regards
Len

I think we are mixing a couple of things here.

To use a mobile phone is illegal. The police do not have to prove careless driving.

Using a CB radio is not in itself illegal. However, if by using it, the police deem that you were acting carelessly on the road, then the act of carelessness is still an offence.

Laurie