From www.arrl.org/arrl letter
States are now passing stringent anti-cellphone laws, or hands-free requirements for the use of electronic devices while driving. California now joins these other states with rules of its own. Unfortunately, lawmakers who have no idea or knowledge of electronics lump two way radio in with the cellphone consumers who DO have a bad track record with accidents. Those of us who use two way radio radio such as CB, ham, and commercial equipment know that these types of radios do NOT cause a noticible increase in motor vehicle accidents. This is borne out by the former popularity of CB radios in the '70s where massive numbers of motorists were "armed" with CB sets, yet there was no large influx of traffic accidents that could be blamed on the use of a two way radio. Only in recent years when cellphones became the rage did we begin to hear/see large numbers of wrecks we could attribute to electronic devices in vehicles. Cellphone DO cause problems, it has been shown because they absorb too much time in their operation and cause distractions and , thus, traffic accidents.
At least California has joined the numbers of states BANNING the use of cellphones (without hands-free devices) but has acknowledged that our CB and ham sets do not cause a rise in traffic accidents. Bully for them!!!
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* Amateur Radio Exempt from California's New "Hands Free" Law: On July
1, the State of California will have new laws on the books to deal with
the use of wireless telephones while driving. There has been some
confusion as to whether California amateurs who operate in their car
will be affected by the new law. According to the California Department
of Motor Vehicle's Web site
<http://www.dmv.ca.gov/cellularphonelaws/dl208_03cell_phone.pdf>, "the
use of dedicated two-way radios such as walkie-talkies or Citizen Band
(CB) radios is not affected by the new law" for drivers 18 or older.
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This means that truck drivers don't have to shut off their CB radio when driving thru the land of fruits and nuts!!!! :lol:
RR
