California AB-1785 signed - Bans Ham Radio Usage in Vehicle

Well you bleeding hearts...you're always wanting more government in your life so...HERE'S YOUR SIGN!

Besides...YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING A HOBBY WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING!!!

REMEMBER WHEN EVEN THE GOVERNMENT DID SEE "US" AS HOBBYISTS...BUT AS THE AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE?

MAY WE NEED ANOTHER "PARITY ACT!"

LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!

 

BEAUTIFUL BROTHER!!! ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

 

I think it's time for a class action lawsuit against the California Legislature. Anyone with more oopmh than I care to get the ball rolling?

 

That is a very good question.....

 

I read the entire bill and I saw nothing about ham radio.

 

Banning the handheld. This bill bans all handheld use of wireless electronic
communication devices by the driver of a vehicle during its operation, without
reference to the purpose of that use. An exception is provided for windshield-,
dashboard-, and center console-mounted devices when the driver can activate or
deactivate the feature or function he or she is using with a single swipe or tap
and the placement of the mounted device does not hinder the driver’s view of
the road.

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1785#

Steve
KV6O

 

But muh ham radio saves lives! People are gonna die if I can't tell the local repeater about my knee pain while I'm driving!

 

It's not well drafted. IMHO you should be able to use an HT while driving as long as you use a speaker mic, which is my solution, but it doesn't comply with the law. OTOH, if you stuck it to the windshield it would then be legal, but ham HTs are too heavy to do that with, and would doubtless cause an accident when they fell off.

I have for many years used a mobile that wasn't permanently installed in the vehicle, several different ones at different times, but that doesn't seem to be legal under this law either. Or is it? If I place it out of my field of vision, is that where I have 'installed' it. I think I would argue just that before a judge. Not sure installed has the same legal meaning as its common meaning.

Whether a hand mic on a cord is allowed is about as clear as mud. I would just assume it was allowed and ask the officer to point to a section of the law prohibiting it.

It also appears to allow control buttons but not rotary knobs, which is ridiculous.

I am from the UK but live in MD. UK law requires VOX, but didn't when I left. MD, VA and DC, OTOH, appear to have excluded ham radio out of their distracted driving laws in various different ways. MD does restrict you to one earphone if you wear a headset while driving, though.

73 de Alun, N3KIP/G8VUK

 

you've never driven across Texas.

 

Actually, I've been from Houston to Big Bend--- but I see your point

 

Rest assured people...the mental affliction demonstrated by Californians spreads across the country eventually. I refer to it as the dumbing down of America. It's coming folks...it's coming folks...the inmates are running this country. The only positive in my case is that I won't be living too long with the limitations this country is placing on each of us.

 

If the law does cover using CW while driving yes that is the attitude to have. If you can be sneaky and get away with breaking a law by hiding what you are doing to break the law that is the attitude a lot of people have!!

 

It's more of a diaspora necessary to their survival, like locusts destroying one field of crops and moving on to the next. They destroy everything and then can't figure out why it sucks to live in the field, even though the farmer and everyone outside can tell what happened. So they just move to the next field and continue their destructive behavior, totally unaware that it's the cause of their plight. But for Californians it's not a matter of physical survival; it's a matter of the survival of their desire for a nanny state and busybody legislature, constantly creating oppressive solutions for non-issues.

 

OK folks, that's more than enough California bashing. I am so glad you don't want to visit or live here.

None of you read the actual law. We're good to operate hand mics while driving.

 

So....a hand held microphone is different from a hand held cell phone in what way?
Colorado has wrestled with this dilemma and outlawed use by teenagers only. I'm wondering how long it will take to relegate us all to the teen age level.