Why isn't the Citizen Band (CB) Radio banned and Mobile phones are when driving?

CB radio should be banned.....fullstop!!

I wonder how much crashes were attributed to the driver being on the CB at the time?

There was a bit in the highway code at one time, but it wasn't illegal.

I used to have a mobile in my car years ago and nobody thought twice about driving while holding the mic and chatting.

I was going to say that it would equally use as much concentration as talking on a mobile phone, but recalling the drivel I used to talk I don't think I used much concentration on my conversations!

Perhaps it's the fact that people can text with a phone, which is far more dangerous than talking on them?

think it's probably just safer holding the handset but not dialling

Originally posted by pete_fcs
think it's probably just safer holding the handset but not dialling

Except when someone said, "go to channel xx" and then you had to lean over (usually to the passenger floor) to where your CB was and twist the knob to the correct channel!

There's quite a debate in amateur radio circles at the moment as to the legalities of using amateur radio gear when driving.

Despite being a licensed amateur, I don't think it should be legal to use anything that requires you taking your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road.

Of course, this would also mean that your normal car-radio shouldn't be tuned or CDs / tapes changed when in motion, either. I would have no problems with this.

Joe, G0RNC

Quite a lot of Sheff Taxi drivers seem to be using either taxi radios or Cb radios (on the old mid-band frequencies). The Sheff city Council sent out letters to all taxi drivers that anyone seen using a hand held microphone or a mobile phone will be prosecuted. I am almost certain that it already is illegal to use a hand held mic or phone whilst driving, if it isn't then it ought to be.

I think it was a loop-hole cleverly engineered to allow police,fire,taxis etc. to still be able to use their equipment, without falling fowl of the law..

In ambulances and fire engines the driver doesn't use the radio the passenger does (most of the time, and don't police officers use a hands free system when relaying information while driving? Otherwise they would be constantly pressing the transmit button while relaying the details of a chase.

I may be wrong but that's my idea on the subject

Perhaps it should be the other way round!

How many mobile phone drivers:

Use the name 'Rubber Ducky',

Have 'Smokeys' on their tail,

Organise large, futile convoys?

Ban the CB!!!!

(Isn't this thread 20 years too late?)

I have a feeling that "driving without due care and attention" can be attributed to using the CB radio whilst driving....I seem to remember that from my CB-ing days back in the 80s. I was in a car once that was pulled over for a spot-check (I wasn't the driver), and one of the things that was said was that it wasn't illegal to have the CB in the car, so long as the driver wasn't using it while moving, or in a traffic jam.

Not only is it an offence to use a mobile phone whilst driving, but eating whilst driving too....this is because you are supposed to drive with both hands on the steering wheel, except when changing gear, apparently.

I remember a report in one of the national newpapers a while ago about a woman being caught using her rear-view mirror to put her make-up on whilst she was waiting in a traffic jam...she was fined for driving without due care and attention, because her car engine was running and she was in traffic, even though she had the handbrake on.

We came up against this when the new laws governing use of mobiles/mobile radio's came in to effect and yes, it's a mine field - we had customers literally sh*tting themselves that they'd have to swap out their entire radio shemes.

I think I'm right in saying that the general jist of the legislation is that while it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving, the use of mobile radios (ie a CB) is not as it uses a fist mic, however, the use of a lone handportable is unless you're using a fist mic attachment.

Legislation? Simple? Never.

do people still use CB?

thought it went out with the ark?

From my experience, although I have never used one in a vehicle, I would say that using a CB with a fist mike would be much less dangerous than using a mobile phone, either hands free or not.
Because CBs are not duplex, they go from listen to talk, and so you can keep both hands on the wheel most of the time, while you are listening, and chip in from time to time when you are going in a straight line.

People on a mobile phone, have to quickly respond in a 2 way conversation, and that's the problem, the call time is more valuable, and people are impatient for a responce, hence the driver who has to talk, cannot wait until after a driving manuever, also his/her spacial perception gets ruined and lane discipline gets much worse.

In a report of an experiment in New scientist about 4 or 5 years ago they found that driving was worse by people using hands free moblile phones than hand held. So it is not as straight forward as it could be..

Quite a lot of Sheff Taxi drivers seem to be using either taxi radios or Cb radios (on the old mid-band frequencies). The Sheff city Council sent out letters to all taxi drivers that anyone seen using a hand held microphone or a mobile phone will be prosecuted. I am almost certain that it already is illegal to use a hand held mic or phone whilst driving, if it isn't then it ought to be.
quite true it is illegal to use any hand held equipment i.e. mobile or cb micro phone, i think its even illegal tp talk whilst behind the wheel, if not then it should be.

When I worked we werent allowed to use the radios when we were driving.

When I had a cb radio we didn't have to worry about people holding their mikes whilst driving as the majority of them just taped the mikes up so it was permantly keyed up whilst playing their music! I just wish they'd remembered keying up and refrained from singing along :thumbsup:

Anything which diverts your attention away from driving is banned, unless it's absolutely necessary. The ban on mobile phones is a specific extension of that law, not a replacement.

If you crash while reaching over to change the CD on your player, chances are you'll be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention. While changing the CB channel, ditto. In *theory* you should be dealt with the same way if you crash while arguing with the passenger, because you weren't paying due attention to the road. Hard to prove that one, though.

In *theory* you should be dealt with the same way if you crash while arguing with the passenger, because you weren't paying due attention to the road. Hard to prove that one, though.



That'll be next in this nanny state. You're not allowed to talk to a passenger in case it distracts you.
I despair

That'll be next in this nanny state. You're not allowed to talk to a passenger in case it distracts you.
I despair
There was a case on the radio yesterday, reported by the father of a young lad who had not been driving long had turned around to tell a couple of his mates in the back seat to calm down a bit, as he was trying to drive.
Meanwhile because he was not looking forward and paying attention, he inadvertantly steered to one side and hit a telegraph pole head on.
He killed two of his mates because he was inexperienced and was not paying attention, and is spending a sentence at the convenience of her maj.

His life and that of at least two other families is now ruined.

It doesn't matter wether it is mobile phones, CB radios, CDs, Drink, Smoking, Drugs or distracting passengers, driving is a serious business and potentially lethal. It makes me extremely angry when people carry on as if to drive is a god-given-rite. It is a privilage and should be removed from those who don't take it seriously enough. :rant:

I don't think it should be legal to use anything that requires you taking your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road.

What about changing gear?

Another thing that annoys me is people who use those satellite navigation gadgets. My mates who like them say that the screen goes off when they are in motion, but every single day I am behind several people in cars with the screen clearly displaying.
This is just pure selfish behaviour, these people should be concentrating on driving not staring at a 2.5" screen..
Grrr..

What about changing gear?
Might be a bit cramped swapping your Jeans and T-Shirt in the car though Cube. :hihi:

What about changing gear?

OK....That's part of driving; you'll still be in control of the car, and oddly enough I can change gear without looking at the gear stick and reading the lettering on it. :)

If a driver can't manage that, perhaps they need a little more practice or an automatic car.

Might be a bit cramped swapping your Jeans and T-Shirt in the car though Cube. :hihi:
:hihi: :hihi:

But seriously, what I find far more distracting is having the girlfriend sat next to me in the car! :cool:

Another thing that annoys me is people who use those satellite navigation gadgets. My mates who like them say that the screen goes off when they are in motion, but every single day I am behind several people in cars with the screen clearly displaying.
This is just pure selfish behaviour, these people should be concentrating on driving not staring at a 2.5" screen..
Grrr..

what would be the point of a visual navigation system where the screen went off when you were moving?

They don't go off, they stay on, you don't need to stare at it anymore than you need to stare at your speedo or out the side window.

If CB users could be prosecuted using existing laws, why was it necessary to introduce a specific extension for phones?

Most people have never heard of a cb radio and other than taxi drivers and their radios most people don't own one whereas most people do own a mobile phone. Why they can't have just but a ban on using any equiment that may prevent you from paying full attention to the road instead of listing particular items like the mobile phone I don't know.

Hi

As far as I know the use of a CB or Amateur Radio hand held microphone isn't an offence within the scope of the mobile phone regulations. This seems to be backed up by this quote from an FAQ on the Department for Transport website:

QUOTE: "Q14. Are 2-way radios included in the new offence?
The use of 2-way radio equipment when driving is not included in the new offence but remember there is still a risk of distraction and prosecution under other powers" UNQUOTE

The full list of FAQ;s can be found on the Department for Transport website, but as I havent made 15 posts on here yet I cant include the link to it, sorry!

As has been mentioned there are variations on a theme of "driving without due care and attention", and police forces no doubt each have their own policy on how to enforce that.

As far as I can see you can use a hand held microphone as long as it doesnt interfere with your driving. In any case, speaking from personal experience, a hand held mic can easily be dropped or let go of and full attention given to driving again. Thats not to say I would condone doing anything that would cause distraction while driving. I've been licenced as G0HMZ for nearly 20 years and was on CB for a good few years before that. In all that time I have only heard of one case where CB use may have contributed to a road accident, and I wasn't involved in it.

Most of the cb'ers i knew parked up before joining a conversation anyway or it was the passenger doing the talking :thumbsup: I think there are probably, just my opinion, more accidents caused by drivers with both hands on the wheel and stereo turned up full whack than there are those holding mikes.