Thread: Legal Questions

Don't do it.

It's illegal almost everywhere, most of us are fighting to have our static GPS/music lists/etc recognized as kosher. You will find very little sympathy or understanding from Johnny Law regarding video. If you feel that you MUST play video, you do so with the understanding that it is A: Easy to notice and B: stands a good chance of getting your *** pulled over and ticketed, whether or not it's technically against the law where you are.

it will be considered as a distraction to the driver. don't do it.

Chairboy correct me if I am wrong but when they made the laws concerning video in view of the driver didn't they deam a frame count? I believe they defined video as something that changes so many frames per second. That is how manufactures have gotten away with the large screens. The image does not change fast enough. I have never looked up the laws on in motion video but that is what I remember reading somewhere years ago when the monitors really became popular.

i disagree.

three words, GPS. GPS is perfectly legal in new jersey any way. cops wont waste time pulling you over on the highway witch is when u most likely will be watching. lil tint on the windows would help too. i wouldnt advice staring at your screen at a light with matrix blaring out, but if you ever got pulled over you can easily switch your screen over to gps, or even just a screensaver or something creative.

all it takes is one death because some idiot was watching a video while driving to make the whole world hate our cause. DON'T DO IT. don't try and find a loop hole. if you need to watch something, pull over.

Originally Posted by fantomas

all it takes is one death because some idiot was watching a video while driving to make the whole world hate our cause. DON'T DO IT. don't try and find a loop hole. if you need to watch something, pull over.

what about the passengers? and traffic jams?

I think its old school thinking, and pretechnological thinking that would ban this activity.

In the end, it's your decision. We can't tell you what you can and cannot do. We can ask that you please not do something that will endanger our hobby, but the decision lies with you.

BTW, the laws are different on a state by state basis, so I find it unlikely that there's a 'framerate' provision that applies to everyone. There might be in your local neck of the woods, but no such language exists in California or Oregon. The language here is simple, that the driver must not be able to see video. The problem is, some of the police interpret the law differently and some of us have been ticketed for having GPS up with the rationale that it being aftermarket was somehow relevant to whether or not the law applied.

Even if you use your computer for straight up music or GPS, you run the risk of being given an unjust ticket that you have to spend your time and money fighting. Most of us accept that risk. That aside, I'm pretty sure that watching a movie in the front seat will be legally risky just about everywhere.

You don't have to convince ME, you have to convince the guy who hasn't decided if he's going to pull you over yet.

Regarding ltrain's question, the law usually doesn't care. If the driver CAN see it, it is usually considered in violation of the law, whether or not he WAS watching in. In California, the law is even so restrictive that a passenger cannot watch a movie on a laptop.

Originally Posted by ltrain1007

what about the passengers? and traffic jams?

Have a second screen in the back, and use the handbrake switch light to enable/disable video playback.

It's stupid and dangerous, full stop to have the video playing in your line of sight while your driving. While you are driving you need to have 100% of your concentration on the road to stand any chance of being 100% safe.

next thing you know, u wont be able to drive and eat or drink while driving . . . anything you do behind the wheel is dangerous, some people are dangerous when just driving alone, im not a thrill seeker, and i dont take many risks.

Imo one can drive and have video on, and be safe. maybe everyone cant, but many can. and many do.

but i wont argue the law, or what you feel is safe, im just sstating my opinion : )