Apparently you can be fined for checking the time on your smartwatch

Quartz

Quartz

Quartz

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The Sun has the story here.

Apparently it's because a smartwatch is classified as a device that can send and receive data. Unlike a normal watch.
 
The Sun.

I'd love to see a test case for this. I can't imagine the CPS would be crazy enough to try and prosecute someone for looking at their wrist, whether it's a smartwatch or not.
 
Feek said:
The Sun.

I'd love to see a test case for this. I can't imagine the CPS would be crazy enough to try and prosecute someone for looking at their wrist, whether it's a smartwatch or not.
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The police would prosecute rather than CPS, but realistically glancing at your watch - smart or not - isn't going to get you prosecuted. Interacting with it for a prolonged period of time which constitutes it being a distraction would, but that's the same for anything really.
 
Technically an offence but unlikely to result in a prosecution, much like the one about making contactless payments at the drive through.

This is what happens when you rush through poorly drafted legislation specifically to target mobile phone use behind the wheel instead of just relying on a combination of the existing “due care and attention” offence along with some common sense.
 
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Feek said:
The Sun.

I'd love to see a test case for this. I can't imagine the CPS would be crazy enough to try and prosecute someone for looking at their wrist, whether it's a smartwatch or not.
Click to expand...

Or just looking at his wrist/arm etc
 
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I've always found this an interesting one comparing fiddling with a phone in a car vs fiddling with the factory radio/stereo/air con controls/windscreen wipers/cruise control....... etc. Can you fiddle with any of that as long as you want since it is fixed/mounted/built into the dash? What about a mounted phone on a holder? What about touch screen head units now?
 
An observing Officer from an unmarked vehicle will be able to tell the difference between checking the time compared to scrolling up and down on your smartwatch.
 
jaybee said:
I've always found this an interesting one comparing fiddling with a phone in a car vs fiddling with the factory radio/stereo/air con controls/windscreen wipers/cruise control....... etc. Can you fiddle with any of that as long as you want since it is fixed/mounted/built into the dash? What about a mounted phone on a holder? What about touch screen head units now?
Click to expand...
It is bonkers. I can legally operate my ham radio while driving as it doesn't come under the restrictions for mobile phones. However, if I were to be involved in some incident while doing so, I'm sure that driving without care and attention or dangerous driving would come into play.
 
TheVoice said:
The police would prosecute rather than CPS, but realistically glancing at your watch - smart or not - isn't going to get you prosecuted. Interacting with it for a prolonged period of time which constitutes it being a distraction would, but that's the same for anything really.
Click to expand...
I’m going to guess someone was busted for using a smartwatch while driving and then tried to fob the police officer off by saying they were only checking the time.
Also don’t most cars have a built in clock anyway?

jaybee said:
I've always found this an interesting one comparing fiddling with a phone in a car vs fiddling with the factory radio/stereo/air con controls/windscreen wipers/cruise control....... etc. Can you fiddle with any of that as long as you want since it is fixed/mounted/built into the dash? What about a mounted phone on a holder? What about touch screen head units now?
Click to expand...
The law was updated to wording akin to internet connected device. So fiddling with in car entertainment system and phones in holders is technically illegal.
 
Chuk_Chuk said:
I’m going to guess someone was busted for using a smartwatch while driving and then tried to fob the police officer off by saying they were only checking the time.
Also don’t most cars have a built in clock anyway?


The law was updated to wording akin to internet connected device. So fiddling with in car entertainment system and phones in holders is technically illegal.
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Was just going to say about clock in a car. Don't think I've ever been in a modern <20 year old car without one.
 
Because your probably not checked the time but your latest text message....


won't your car dashboard have a clock somewhere or your cars GPS
Nobody gives a crap, see people sat on their phones at traffic lights/anytime when stopped, all the time.
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and people say cyclists are the selfish killers
 
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