Foo - Why not jam the signals?

Make a law that requires cars to broadcast a blocking signal that makes cell phone and texting signals blocked any time the engine is running? Or anytime the wheels are turning, allowing for maybe the heater or accessories to run when stopped? Or a combination of the two. or ???

Today one TV show "expert"(don't remember his credentials) mentioned that talking on a cell phone while driving is equal to about the same as being drunk (odds of an accident) and that texting is about double that. Even if he is way off on the exact numbers there is still a problem.

The only thing I can see as a big problem, is that it would be easy to shut it off without being caught. Maybe signal strength meters measuring the blocking signal transmitted from your car used by cops just like radar guns would help enforcement.
Or spot inspections, just like inspection sticker checking stations temporarily on the road.
It might be difficult to keep a blocking signal from spreading to another car that is stopped and using a phone, right next to you. Maybe some variation on a Faraday cage ??????????
Farady cage.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage

Be a little tougher to shut off if it was wired into the ignition circuit -- shut off the damping field, the car stops.

The only negative issue for that would be 911 calls, say if they were being followed by a stalker or somesuch -- I know if my daughter was driving somewhere and was being targeted like that, I'd rather she be able to call for help.

Actually, an accessory to that would be a GPS-linked 'auto-911' that would flash location to the nearest station; perhaps a series of buttons that could categorize the emergency....

OK, circuit-heads -- let's get with it!

What if the person driving is conscientious, and it is a passenger using the phone?

passengers aside, jamming only inside the car would be difficult and unless the user shut their phone off, I'm pretty sure the phone would just try harder (increase its signal power) to find a signal, which drains the battery faster. For the GPS 911, see the wireless section for enhanced 911 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_911).

It's WAY simpler than that. Every cellphone now has a GPS chip. GPS chips can sense when the cellphone is traveling over a certain speed, say 20 mph. It would be quite simple to program every cellphone to be inoperative if moving faster than a given speed. Problem solved.

I'll be surprised if mobile phones don't have this limitation within 5 years. What's the big deal? You can pull over to make a call. 15 years ago hardly anybody had these stupid phones, if you wanted to call from the road, you had to stop at a pay phone. And somehow we all got by.

What if the person driving is conscientious, and it is a passenger using the phone?

Quoted so pcad can respond to it.

The jamming signal probably couldn't be confined to the vehicle, either, meaning as you rolled down a street, you'd cause others to drop their signals.

It probably wouldn't be a big deal to disable it.

meh, I don't really need the govt getting anymore involved in my life than they already are.

I just don't want a cure worse than the disease. And in some cases, government regulation causes this. Sarbanes-Oxley anyone?

I think it was mythbusters that showed that having a phone conversation and driving is worse than being drunk and driving. Either way I think that this goes too far, as said above what about passengers using the phone, what about emergency calls? The cure is to prevent the problem in the first place - better driver education and harsher punishments.

What if you just had a jamming signal that could be mounted on the bike?

Just make it legal to shoot anyone you see driving with a phone stuck to their ear or texting while driving.

'Radar about to be.........jammed! '
http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/spaceballcity/jamradar.jpg

http://content.ytmnd.com/content/0/4/d/04da02c463f939cd046c37af0f08dae5.jpg

It's WAY simpler than that. Every cellphone now has a GPS chip. GPS chips can sense when the cellphone is traveling over a certain speed, say 20 mph. It would be quite simple to program every cellphone to be inoperative if moving faster than a given speed. Problem solved.

I'll be surprised if mobile phones don't have this limitation within 5 years. What's the big deal? You can pull over to make a call. 15 years ago hardly anybody had these stupid phones, if you wanted to call from the road, you had to stop at a pay phone. And somehow we all got by.
Great, now we can't use cell phones on buses or trains.

What about when you need 911 etc? You are getting jacked, or jsharr has locked you in the trunk in a gimp suit again, or something like that?

What about when you need 911 etc? You are getting jacked, or jsharr has locked you in the trunk in a gimp suit again, or something like that?

Why would you need to call 911? I mean, if I just shot you, I don't think you will be making any more calls.

It's WAY simpler than that. Every cellphone now has a GPS chip. GPS chips can sense when the cellphone is traveling over a certain speed, say 20 mph. It would be quite simple to program every cellphone to be inoperative if moving faster than a given speed. Problem solved.

I'll be surprised if mobile phones don't have this limitation within 5 years. What's the big deal? You can pull over to make a call. 15 years ago hardly anybody had these stupid phones, if you wanted to call from the road, you had to stop at a pay phone. And somehow we all got by.

I was thinking about that. I like that. That's good for everything except possiby wanting to call 911 when being chased. The phones could be programmed to only call 911 when moving.
Any other reason you just pull over, no one needs to talk while the car is moving. I like it. Even if one can't call from a train, so what? Unfortunatly we are entering a time when some drivers were not alive, or did not drive before cell phones. My kids. and possibly all their friends had cell phones before getting a drivers liscence, now they think they need them. :mad:
Yeah, we need them just like we need cigarettes. Or a few beers before driving.
I agree with pcad, some day something will keep the phones from working in cars.



It probably wouldn't be a big deal to disable it.
That's a problem with just about any set up, I don't see an easy answer for that one.


jsharr has locked you in the trunk in a gimp suit again, or something like that? What's a gimp suit? The new cars have jsharr proof trunk releases inside the trunk. It's amazing what an impact jsharr has had on car designs !


What if you just had a jamming signal that could be mounted on the bike

If you don't mind spending the money you can do that now. Not sure it is legal, but who cares?

Lots of good points from everyone. :)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CA8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phonejammer.com%2F&ei=XtpVS8rZHIGwsgPpyqyJCA&usg=AFQjCNGCVbjJFay13pAireOMGsGw_2s4tQ&sig2=rcZEfIi5fV_dvRIbPrNPBg

or we could just enforce the laws we have now. but that would require work.

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Jammers are illegal in the US.

edit: Up to one year in prison and up to $11,000 in fines.

A gimp suit is a suit made of latex or leather designed to fully encase the wearer, hands, feet, head, en toto. Used in BDSM or so I am led to believe. I was enlightened as to the existence of said suit by the movie Pulp Fiction.

What if the person driving is conscientious, and it is a passenger using the phone?

When I am in a car, this is how calls are handled. I know of plenty of other people who do the same.

That aside, hands free devices are still permitted by the laws we're subjected to in our neck of the woods. I can only conclude the bluetooth lobby is quite effective since I've heard that research shows that going hands free does not help the distraction factor.

What Pcad said, and I don't give a crap about your so called right to talk on your cell phone, my right to have you pay attention is greater. And if that means passengers on a train can't text their BFF, why then BFD.

What about the driver talking to passengers? shouldn't that be illegal too? I think its more likely that the interface between the car and phone will be standardized (bluetooth?) for simple hands-free talking.

What Pcad said, and I don't give a crap about your so called right to talk on your cell phone, my right to have you pay attention is greater. And if that means passengers on a train can't text their BFF, why then BFD.

I take it you don't have to deal with work related travel at all.

Many people who are not driving spend lots of time (read they regularly spend many hours in a single day) in transit. They provide services that many people depend on and need to coordinate with others who are scattered across multiple time zones. The communications grid was not created soley for frivolous uses.

Killing internet as well as voice communications for everyone in motion is a dumb idea despite any good intentions.

I take it you don't have to deal with work related travel at all.

Many people who are not driving spend lots of time (read they regularly spend many hours in a single day) in transit. They provide services that many people depend on and need to coordinate with others who are scattered across multiple time zones. The communications grid was not created soley for frivolous uses.

absolutely correct. Use of a GPS device to disable transmission would mean the phone/data device would be disabled when using mass transit......that sort of defeats the purpose of mass transit for many. A Blackberry or similar device is a great way to read emails on the bus or train.

I take it you don't have to deal with work related travel at all.

Many people who are not driving spend lots of time (read they regularly spend many hours in a single day) in transit. They provide services that many people depend on and need to coordinate with others who are scattered across multiple time zones. The communications grid was not created soley for frivolous uses.

Killing internet as well as voice communications for everyone in motion is a dumb idea despite any good intentions.

Someone can come up with a workaround, I'm sure of it.

How about we just sidestep that whole issue and go right to the heart of it? We build the infrastructure to allow fully computerized control of cars and remove the driver from the equation entirely. There might be an occasional accident but I'm sure computers could drive far more reliably than humans.

absolutely correct. Use of a GPS device to disable transmission would mean the phone/data device would be disabled when using mass transit......that sort of defeats the purpose of mass transit for many. A Blackberry or similar device is a great way to read emails on the bus or train.

Damn straight, and truckers using bluetooth to drive responsibly and get real-time directions into the bowels of NYC (e.g) would be SOL.

Just make it legal to shoot anyone you see driving with a phone stuck to their ear or texting while driving.

Open season, no limit, two per day.

I take it you don't have to deal with work related travel at all.

Many people who are not driving spend lots of time (read they regularly spend many hours in a single day) in transit. They provide services that many people depend on and need to coordinate with others who are scattered across multiple time zones. The communications grid was not created soley for frivolous uses.

Killing internet as well as voice communications for everyone in motion is a dumb idea despite any good intentions.

What did people do before all this internet/GPS/cell phone usage?

They took the time to go and look someone in the eye, shake their hand and strike a deal...without a lengthy contract [personal integrity has all but vanished].
What in the world [medical emergencies excepted] is so important that one cannot wait to be stationary to conduct electronic communications.

Slow down and pay attention to the tasks at hand and don't endanger others.

...

Slow down and pay attention to the tasks at hand and don't endanger others.

I've yet to hear one person on this thread support the notion of phone usage while driving, so this seems a non sequitor. I've yet to hear a compelling reason why we should take away the ability of someone who is a passenger in a moving vehicle, to use a mobile phone or wireless device.

Today one TV show "expert"(don't remember his credentials) mentioned that talking on a cell phone while driving is equal to about the same as being drunk (odds of an accident) and that texting is about double that. Even if he is way off on the exact numbers there is still a problem.

In the months leading up to California implementing its legislation requiring the use of hands-free devices, I recall hearing a number of similar claims from assorted experts as well. If the problem is truly as serious as DUI, why not readjust the fines/punishments to be more in line with those of DUI?

I text while i drive all the time. I don't see the big deal.

The whole GPS based deal will make it so I have to pull over while riding my bike too... that'll just be plain annoying.

I text while i drive all the time. I don't see the big deal.

The whole GPS based deal will make it so I have to pull over while riding my bike too... that'll just be plain annoying.


I seriously hope you are kidding.

I've yet to hear one person on this thread support the notion of phone usage while driving, so this seems a non sequitor. I've yet to hear a compelling reason why we should take away the ability of someone who is a passenger in a moving vehicle, to use a mobile phone or wireless device.

If the passenger's phone is immobilized presumably the driver's would be as well, we would call this collateral improvement.

What if you just had a jamming signal that could be mounted on the bike?
Besides being illegal (which is would be), I don't think it would be an improvement that every car driver on a cell phone coming up behind you starts fiddling with his phone trying to figure out why he just lost the connection. I'd guess that the distraction of figuring out what happened and trying to reconnect would be significantly worse than just continuing with the phone call.

What did people do before all this internet/GPS/cell phone usage?

They took the time to go and look someone in the eye, shake their hand and strike a deal...without a lengthy contract [personal integrity has all but vanished].
What in the world [medical emergencies excepted] is so important that one cannot wait to be stationary to conduct electronic communications.

Slow down and pay attention to the tasks at hand and don't endanger others.
This may be a shock to some people in this thread, but doctors and other emergency personnel also find these communication tools handy. Cutting off someone's communications link really does matter.

Even if that weren't the case, to think that communications for medical emergencies can be isolated from all others is insane. We now live in a networked world that relies on fast communications. Even those who don't use computers rely on an army of network admins, systems engineers and others that keep financial systems, business operations, tracking systems, and all other kinds of services running smoothly. The people that make this all happen can be called at any time of day or night -- and sometimes they are. Quick communications are often essential for resolving issues which might involve enormous sums of money. Communication is only unimportant to those who have no idea of what it is actually used for.

Not all travel consists of short hops where you're only in motion for an hour or less. For many people, there is nothing unusual about actually being in motion for 8 hrs or more in a day and spending over 20 hrs in transit (my boss spent 22 hrs in transit yesterday). Just because you waited until you stopped does not mean that the other person is available or will continue to be available. In any case, millions of people are on call. You rely on them whether you know it or not.

Nowadays, you can solve virtually any problem with a cell connection that doesn't require physical presence. I can control our servers (or even create new ones) directly from my phone as well as troubleshoot a wide variety of issues that affect services for students and faculty and a few dozen institutions. When I tether my laptop to the phone, and I can do anything.

To suggest that all legal use should be jammed because a bunch of knuckleheads don't follow the law shows a misunderstanding of how a lot of work is and must be done nowadays. Even if we were to accept that is OK and we only care about messing with drivers, to think that jamming the signal will prevent people from being distracted is beyond delusional. What do you think people will do first when they think the call has been dropped? They certainly wouldn't take their eyes from the road and look at the phone to see if the signal had been lost....

What about the driver talking to passengers? shouldn't that be illegal too? I think its more likely that the interface between the car and phone will be standardized (bluetooth?) for simple hands-free talking.
Our brains attempt to imagine the person we're talking to in a phone conversation, thus taking up space that could be otherwise used for driving. Talking to passengers is different because our brains aren't attempting to imagine the other person, since they are within sight. Passengers are also able to stop talking in an emergency situation, allowing our brains to solely concentrate on driving. Phone conversations do not allow that option.

Our brains attempt to imagine the person we're talking to in a phone conversation, thus taking up space that could be otherwise used for driving. Talking to passengers is different because our brains aren't attempting to imagine the other person, since they are within sight. Passengers are also able to stop talking in an emergency situation, allowing our brains to solely concentrate on driving. Phone conversations do not allow that option.

if its a female passenger, my brain's imagining undressing her. :innocent:

What about the driver talking to passengers? shouldn't that be illegal too? I think its more likely that the interface between the car and phone will be standardized (bluetooth?) for simple hands-free talking.
This is missing the point of the studies I've seen on the safety impact of cellular use while driving. Hands-free makes essentially no difference - the problem is that the driver's brain is concentrating on the phone conversation, not that their hand is occupied. And talking to a passenger in the car is very different. The passenger is aware of the changing nature of the driving environment and the conversation pauses when the driver needs to react to traffic. The passenger can often even assist in alerting the driver to possible hazards.

Make a law that requires cars to broadcast a blocking signal that makes cell phone and texting signals blocked any time the engine is running? Or anytime the wheels are turning, allowing for maybe the heater or accessories to run when stopped? Or a combination of the two. or ???

Today one TV show "expert"(don't remember his credentials) mentioned that talking on a cell phone while driving is equal to about the same as being drunk (odds of an accident) and that texting is about double that. Even if he is way off on the exact numbers there is still a problem.

The only thing I can see as a big problem, is that it would be easy to shut it off without being caught. Maybe signal strength meters measuring the blocking signal transmitted from your car used by cops just like radar guns would help enforcement.
Or spot inspections, just like inspection sticker checking stations temporarily on the road.
It might be difficult to keep a blocking signal from spreading to another car that is stopped and using a phone, right next to you. Maybe some variation on a Faraday cage ??????????
Farady cage.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage

I'd be more worried about them using our satellites against us.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_OzgId4skHEs/RywFU3v7YFI/AAAAAAAAEyQ/vfLh-0YN_pE/IMG_1735.jpg

Police and fire can use frequencies reserved just for them. As they have done for ages. Does not need to be the exact same frequency as a cell phone. But, the bandwidth is getting crowded, it is a problem in some areas. My old scanner book lists some of the special frequencies used just for ambulances, just for doctors, just for military, etc. I believe the digital aspect of modern phones helps with the crowding of bandwidth.
Having traveled much of the planet for bussiness before there were cell phones, I don't see any real need for talking while moving, a stopped car is a handy place to make a call too. Often one customer would let me use their phone to connect to my next stop. My Father did that ages ago. It's old stuff. At some of my stops the people would make the call for me if I was in a place where I did not speak the language. No big deal for me, either in my home town, Russia, Europe, Canada, etc. whatever.

That may be a mixed result, although the plantronics report needs a grain of salt: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_and_driving_safety#Handsfree_device
I'm surprised by the results of some of the studies. The conversation pauses with the passenger? we don't drive with the same chatterboxes then :) I'd be better off with a hands-free device, but then my car is a manual transmission. I don't notice a big difference between a passenger and a phone call, but I find both quite distracting so maybe I'm just not suited to multitasking.

I'd be more worried about them using our satellites against us.
:thumb: I think aluminum foil over the head will solve that problem. :lol:

:thumb: I think aluminum foil over the head will solve that problem. :lol:

Remember, we can give them a cold. I mean, you cross god knows how many light years in a huge interstelllar - perhaps even intergalactic armada - but its seems like building so big, they should have been using Linux instead of Microsoft...

Remember, we can give them a cold. I mean, you cross god knows how many light years in a huge interstelllar - perhaps even intergalactic armada - but its seems like building so big, they should have been using Linux instead of Microsoft...

"Scotty! Try diverting all the power from the shields to the warp drive !! "

"I'm givin' her all she can take captian, she can't take anymore."

Great, now we can't use cell phones on buses or trains.

Well then forget the whole thing of course. I apologize for the inconvenience and for my desire to not be friggin KILLED by some moron texting behind the wheel.