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Illegal to have a screen in view of the driver?

Z

Z-licious

Guest
So I was downtown sat night and I drove my car. It was around 1AM when we were leaving so the cops were out in full force looking for drunks. I didn't quite get pulled over but a cop pulled up right next to my drivers side door and shined a huge blinding light into my window. So I roll down my window and the cop says to me "If you don't want a ticket you better turn that off" referring to the LCD screen I have in my map pocket. "It's illegal to have that on if the driver can see it."

Is this true? Some cars even come stock with screens that are in plain view of the driver. The new G35 even has a built in DVD player for playing movies on the screen!
 
mndsm

mndsm

I'M OFFENDED!
State law is a DVD movie or something to that effect cannot be in use in the line of sight of the driver. Navigation is a different story, but generally it's not directly in the line of sight of the driver. If you've got your stuff mounted as high as it looked, technically that is illegal.
 
mndsm

mndsm

I'M OFFENDED!
But not *directly* in the line of sight. Technically, even stuff like the Speed3 is not in line of sight for nav. I could ask a cop, if I get a chance.
 
Z

Z-licious

Guest
How is that not in line of sight? It's in the map pocket, just like the factory nav of the MS6, and that's exactly where my screen is.
 
Big Nate

Big Nate

Chaos Engineer
It is very much so illegal to have a screen in view of the driver. But that does not include navi or stareo. It does include DVD and TV. So he my have thought you had a DVD on but it would have beed very easy to show him it was a navi and not a dvd.
 
S

speed_addict

Guest
This is true. That is why when we install screens at work, we have to hook up the parking brake lead so that video can only be watched when the parking brake is engaged. If customers tamper with it, it voids their warranty with us. Overheads that we mount behind the drivers view (such as in mini vans) is perfectly legal. Yes, there are many vehicles now that come with in dash screens but they are strictly for navigation use and some have radio displays. But they do NOT display video or have DVD players. They even have warning notices each time you turn the navigation on that it can be distracting to have any type of screen in the drivers view. It can be quite a hefty ticket too- by law we can't even tell customer how to bypass the e-brake or we could be sued.
 
AJ

AJ

110 HP of FURY!
speed_addict said:
This is true. That is why when we install screens at work, we have to hook up the parking brake lead so that video can only be watched when the parking brake is engaged. If customers tamper with it, it voids their warranty with us. Overheads that we mount behind the drivers view (such as in mini vans) is perfectly legal. Yes, there are many vehicles now that come with in dash screens but they are strictly for navigation use and some have radio displays. But they do NOT display video or have DVD players. They even have warning notices each time you turn the navigation on that it can be distracting to have any type of screen in the drivers view. It can be quite a hefty ticket too- by law we can't even tell customer how to bypass the e-brake or we could be sued.
Click to expand...
Most NAv systems (like the MS6 has) also limits functions while the car is moving. Such as setting a new desination or something that requires someone in the fron seats to make changes, possibly the driver.

Personally it's distracting and I'm all for them being out of view of those driving. Even when I use my Nav I find myself realizing it's not the safest to have something draw attention away from the roads.
 
S

speed_addict

Guest
yes, and like TC said, some vehicles do have restricted functions.

PS. thanks Nate :D
 
Z

Z-licious

Guest
Anyone know about the new G35? Does the DVD player have limited functionality when the car is moving?
 
S

speed_addict

Guest
yea, just pick up one of those toggle switches for a few bucks at a checker or autozone and you can put it on your power wire.
 
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