Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday February 07 2018, @01:10AM   Printer-friendly
from the does-it-matter-which-side? dept.

France bans smartphone use in cars even when you pull over

Road deaths have been on the rise lately in France and with nothing much else to pin it on, authorities are going after scofflaw drivers who text or call. It's now illegal to hold your phone on public roads even when you're pulled over to the side of the road, whether you're blocking traffic or not, Le Figaro reports. The high court ruling means that taking what some consider to be a safe step -- pulling over to talk on the phone -- could still result in points and a fine of 135 euros.

Rather create a new law, the ruling has clarified exactly what it means to be "circulating in traffic." Now, it's not enough to pull over and cut the motor in order to use your phone; you have to be parked in a designated spot. When you've had an accident or breakdown, however, you are allowed to call or text.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by jelizondo on Wednesday February 07 2018, @01:39AM (6 children)

    by jelizondo (653) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday February 07 2018, @01:39AM (#634240) Journal

    Not in France, but the situation is similar. I was standing with the engine running on a 'No Parking' zone and some officer gave a hard time, I said I'm standing not parked but he would not buy it.

    So now I could park in France anywhere and point to the law: I'm circulating in traffic officer! The Appeals Judge said so! (1)

    (1)'Cour de cassation' says Le Figaro which I translated as an appeals judge, might be wrong.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +2  
       Interesting=2, Total=2
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   4  
  • (Score: 5, Touché) by RedIsNotGreen on Wednesday February 07 2018, @01:49AM

    by RedIsNotGreen (2191) on Wednesday February 07 2018, @01:49AM (#634247) Homepage Journal

    Sorry, it only counts as circulating in traffic if you're also on the phone at the time.

  • (Score: 5, Informative) by bob_super on Wednesday February 07 2018, @01:50AM (4 children)

    by bob_super (1357) on Wednesday February 07 2018, @01:50AM (#634248)

    "cour de cassation" is one of three supreme courts. The short version is they render judgement based on the origin of the case. (bonus: badly written laws can be appealed by the opposition directly to one of those courts, without having to find someone with standing and waste years)

    What Americans may be missing is the fact that Southern Europeans WILL stop their car and block traffic when they feel the need. Because there are tolerances to "stopping" vs "parking", it can quickly get obnoxious when someone "just stopped to call someone, they're about to come down"...

    It's not really about safety, it's probably about antisocial behaviors...

    • (Score: 1) by jelizondo on Wednesday February 07 2018, @04:47AM (3 children)

      by jelizondo (653) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday February 07 2018, @04:47AM (#634295) Journal

      Thank you for the clarification. I happen to be lawyer but not a French one! So I'm not familiar with the judiciary there and tried to translate it to the U.S. system knowing that my knowledge of both the language and the system is poor.

      • (Score: 2) by dry on Wednesday February 07 2018, @07:50AM

        by dry (223) on Wednesday February 07 2018, @07:50AM (#634327) Journal

        Seems to me the biggest thing is civil law vs common law.

      • (Score: 2) by Wootery on Thursday February 08 2018, @10:53AM (1 child)

        by Wootery (2341) on Thursday February 08 2018, @10:53AM (#634814)

        I happen to be lawyer but not a French one

        Small blessings - you'll be second against the wall when the revolution comes.

        • (Score: 1) by jelizondo on Thursday February 08 2018, @09:37PM

          by jelizondo (653) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 08 2018, @09:37PM (#635219) Journal

          I really need to pee, could I go against the wall first?

          I happen to be an engineer first, so the revolutionaries will find, as Mao did, that alive we're worth quite more than dead.