Looking at "Google maps" in a car is still illegal, say police.

[rooster59]

Looking at "Google maps" in a car is still illegal, say police.

 

Image: Voice TV

 

The Thai police have responded to an online post from a driver who complained about being fined for looking at Google in his car.

The motorist was fined 200 baht and the citation said that he was "Using a phone while driving a car (watching Google)".

Police spokesman Jirasan Kaewsaeng-ek pointed out that it doesn't matter that the driver was using his phone as a GPS looking at Google maps.

He still needed to have his full attention on the road and should have used such things as earphones or an attachment to hold his phone in place on the dash.

He did not so was fined.

Voice TV posted the story saying that the driver was fined according to article 43 (9).

 

Source: Voice TV

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-07-22

[Somtamnication]

So ban gps then?

[MrPatrickThai]

I'd have crashed my brand new Mazda CX3 if it weren't for the Smart City Braking System, radar and other new technology. My infotainment system is just so tempting to use. More dangerous than holding a smartphone, yet I'll never be fined for playing with my infotainment system, looking for songs etc. 

Anyone can drive a car with one hand, if it's an automatic.

The thing I worry about is people texting while driving.

[Lazy Sod]

It seems he was holding the phone in his hands, rather than it fixed to a dash attachment, if so I agree with the police.

[Rancid]

Hmm, my car came with a Garmin driven unit, trying to find anything in either English or Thai is usually unsuccessful, plus it also makes mistakes like wrong turns. As such usually use the Google maps that actually can find everything.

[Ace of Pop]

Dont have to look at any GPS they talk you to the destination.?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[impulse]

A little more detail would be helpful.  I've seen people drift entirely out of their lane fidgeting with their smartphones.  Perhaps that's what triggered the traffic stop in the first place.  Whether they were tweeting or checking the GPS doesn't really matter.  Their attention was diverted from the important task of not killing innocent people around them. 

 

It's one thing to glance at the GPS for directions.  Another thing completely to be programming a new route while negotiating bumper to bumper traffic at 120km/hr.

 

I have to admit that I've been guilty of driving while distracted by Google maps.  Not something I'm proud of, and it's shown me how dangerous the distraction can be.  Today, if the route programmed into the GPS goes caddywampus, I pull over to make any revisions and checks.  Usually...

 

Edited July 22, 2017 by impulse

[tominbkk]

a little cradle for your phone costs around 200 baht, and can be easily removed should you not want it.  Cars should come with it as a default.

[impulse]

10 minutes ago, tominbkk said:

a little cradle for your phone costs around 200 baht, and can be easily removed should you not want it.  Cars should come with it as a default.

 

A cradle is great, but it doesn't negate the distraction of interacting with the phone while driving.  Which is one of the big differences between Google Maps and a one-trick GPS.  My Garmin is set and forget.  Program in the destination and listen to the nice lady.  

 

Google Maps almost begs for attention as the traffic changes and the recommended route flips because of delays.  It's great info, but very distracting, especially on a tiny screen that needs to be zoomed in and out to get maximum benefit.  

 

Can't wait for that pretty AI navigation robot that replaces the wife who used to tell me what I was doing wrong...  Maybe that'll be an optional feature of the next generation Japanese sex robots?

Edited July 22, 2017 by impulse

[Oziex1]

I find google maps very helpful and just listen to the directions without having to look at the screen.

[Ace of Pop]

My Mrs thanks the Lady, every time she says "Your Destination is 200 meters on the Left ".Always makes me chuckle.?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[seajae]

when will they start pulling over car and bike riders using them to talk or text then, they seem to get away with it constantly or is it only illegal if you are trying to find out where you are, while they did the right thing they need to do it a hell of a lot more so every second idiot isnt using their phones while moving

 

[dcnx]

Poor Googen. 

[Reigntax]

But not having a licence will still be overlooked by on the spot negotiated payment.

[robblok]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

A cradle is great, but it doesn't negate the distraction of interacting with the phone while driving.  Which is one of the big differences between Google Maps and a one-trick GPS.  My Garmin is set and forget.  Program in the destination and listen to the nice lady.  

 

Google Maps almost begs for attention as the traffic changes and the recommended route flips because of delays.  It's great info, but very distracting, especially on a tiny screen that needs to be zoomed in and out to get maximum benefit.  

 

Can't wait for that pretty AI navigation robot that replaces the wife who used to tell me what I was doing wrong...  Maybe that'll be an optional feature of the next generation Japanese sex robots?

Guess you havent used it much i use it on a large phone bigger then those small garmin screens and much better with delays and such. No need to zoom in. This works just so much better and on a cradle on the screen it does not require much at all once its set. 

[Lupatria]

5 hours ago, MrPatrickThai said:

I'd have crashed my brand new Mazda CX3 if it weren't for the Smart City Braking System, radar and other new technology. My infotainment system is just so tempting to use. More dangerous than holding a smartphone, yet I'll never be fined for playing with my infotainment system, looking for songs etc. 

Anyone can drive a car with one hand, if it's an automatic.

The thing I worry about is people texting while driving.

The thing I'm worried about is Thais behind the wheel...

[impulse]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Guess you havent used it much i use it on a large phone bigger then those small garmin screens and much better with delays and such. No need to zoom in. This works just so much better and on a cradle on the screen it does not require much at all once its set. 

 

That's true.  I haven't used it much- mostly because I hate driving in Thailand-  and only on my 5.5" cell phone.  I'd probably learn a lot more if it wasn't so easy to revert to the Garmin one trick pony.  And I'm sure a big screen would make it more appealing, too.  But then I'd have to get 2 SIMs, one for the phone that fits in my pocket and the other for the GPS...  Or burn through the cell phone battery in an hour with tethering.

 

My distraction issue comes when the recommended (shortest time) route changes because of traffic.  That's good info, but then I find myself zooming out to see where the revised route is going to take me.  And that diverts attention from the road.  The Garmin doesn't get live traffic, which is not as handy.  But then I'm not sucked in to fiddle with the zoom to see how that's going to affect the route.  

 

All issues that are solvable, but just not high on my list of things I want to spend my time and energy on.   Just too many knobs to tweak and I haven't taken the time to tweak them before I'm on the road.  So the Garmin gets the nod.  It's not a problem with Google Maps.  It's me.  And I suspect I'm not alone.  In fact, I know I'm not, after discussions with others in my boat.

 

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

That's true.  I haven't used it much- mostly because I hate driving in Thailand-  and only on my 5.5" cell phone.  I'd probably learn a lot more if it wasn't so easy to revert to the Garmin one trick pony.  And I'm sure a big screen would make it more appealing, too.  But then I'd have to get 2 SIMs, one for the phone that fits in my pocket and the other for the GPS...  Or burn through the cell phone battery in an hour with tethering.

 

My distraction issue comes when the recommended (shortest time) route changes because of traffic.  That's good info, but then I find myself zooming out to see where the revised route is going to take me.  And that diverts attention from the road.  The Garmin doesn't get live traffic, which is not as handy.  But then I'm not sucked in to fiddle with the zoom to see how that's going to affect the route.  

 

All issues that are solvable, but just not high on my list of things I want to spend my time and energy on.   Just too many knobs to tweak and I haven't taken the time to tweak them before I'm on the road.  So the Garmin gets the nod.  It's not a problem with Google Maps.  It's me.  And I suspect I'm not alone.  In fact, I know I'm not, after discussions with others in my boat.

 

I had a Garmin and and Google maps next to each other for a a while. The huge advantage of google maps is that all coordinates that you get though line.. facebook ect are for google maps not garming. If you want to convert them to garmin coords you always lose some accuracy. I once had to go to a fishing lake and ended up in a field, no such problems with google maps and the phone. 

 

I understand your concern about going through battery, I just put the phone in an ram mount on the dashboard and connect it with a power cable to an usb port or powerbank. I actually never zoom or play with the phone while driving as it zooms itself. If it recommends something I either go for it or not. I am not going to look where it will take me. I use a GPS because I can't find my way otherwise.. so me looking how it would change my route is useless. It does sometimes recommend a change.. but that is just one tap on the screen while it is in a cradle.. that is like pushing a button on the radio (we did not always have those settings in the steering wheel). 

 

I also find my phone screen (got a samsung s7 edge) far superior to that of my garmin, plus you never have to update maps and so on. I did have a stand alone garmin never a build in. I used several models of garmin. I even have a garmin for my bike.. but now prefer my phone with google maps and a powerbank over the garmin. 

 

In the end its all about personal preference, who I am I to say what YOU should use.. YOU should use whatever you like best. I just made the switch, best part is the coordinates thing. Plus the huge advantage of mapping things on google that is superior to the garmin (as it should as the phone is a far superior computer to the garmin)

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, robblok said:

I use a GPS because I can't find my way otherwise.. so me looking how it would change my route is useless.

 

On the first part. we agree.  I won't leave my neighborhood without the GPS.  I bought my well used pickup about 3 miles from home, and it took me around 3 hours to get back home without one.  I kept missing flyovers and getting into the wrong lane to make the turns I needed.  GPS was the first thing I added, even before the pine air freshener.

 

I sometimes need to look at the route because I'm not allowed on the expressways with a kayak on top.  And there have been a few times I've been sent into some inner city neighborhoods that nobody bigger than a scooter should be sent down.  On an aside, I can't seem to get Google maps to avoid tollways when I plot a route in advance- in spite of selecting that option.  That alone would change my mind.  But that's for another thread...

 

Edited July 22, 2017 by impulse

[robblok]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

On the first part. we agree.  I won't leave my neighborhood without the GPS.  I bought my well used pickup about 3 miles from home, and it took me around 3 hours to get back home without one.  I kept missing flyovers and getting into the wrong lane to make the turns I needed.  GPS was the first thing I added, even before the pine air freshener.

 

I sometimes need to look at the route because I'm not allowed on the expressways with a kayak on top.  And there have been a few times I've been sent into some inner city neighborhoods that nobody bigger than a scooter should be sent down.  On an aside, I can't seem to get Google maps to avoid tollways when I plot a route in advance.  That alone would change my mind.  But that's for another thread...

 

You can avoid toll roads in route options. So that is not really a problem. 

 

I am not that bad that i can't find my way 3 miles out from home (though when i first moved here that might well be the case now i know better).

 

But really the great thing is someone you know sends you on line (app) where they live you save it in google maps and done. You go to a website (fishing park in hua hin) click on locations save it in google maps. Those things made me change.. also the ease of a Thai person changing the language to thai to find your destination that you then save in google maps for later navigation. I had a dual language garmin but it was horrible still. you can't beat google his / her maps especially for the free updates. 

[Juan B Tong]

Definitely getting to the end of the month when police vigilance increase.  It will subside after payday.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

I am not that bad that i can't find my way 3 miles out from home (though when i first moved here that might well be the case now i know better)

 

That day was a hat trick for me.  New to Thailand and to Bangkok roads, first time I'd ever driven myself on the wrong side of the road, and first time ever shifting with the wrong hand, and hadn't driven at all in well over a year having moved here from China where I refuse to drive.

 

Thank goodness the gas, brake and clutch pedals were in the right place or I'd have never made it home.  Even the turn signals took a few tries to get them right.  I almost stopped and hired a taxi guy to drive it home, but false pride got the better of me.

 

On Google maps with toll roads, there is an option to avoid them.  But I've never been successful at plotting a route that did.  Maybe I'm doing it wrong...

 

[sawadee1947]

That's pretty much ok. Using a phone while driving should be fined too.

[Joebuzz]

ROTFLMFAO!  I can't count how many times I've seen a cop on a scooter on the phone driving through Pattaya.  What a joke.

[The Deerhunter]

10 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

So ban gps then?

No.  mount your phone in a bracket.  Dedicated GPS systems already have them.

[impulse]

41 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Driving on the left is the correct side since Roman times. Romans marched and drove their horses and carts on the left side to keep the sword hand free for dealing with passing strangers.

 

You guys changed over because of the French, probably sometime in the late 18th century, early 19th century. 

 

Right handed people, which are the majority, all have their controlling hand on the steering wheel in a right-hand car when driving on the left. as the gear changing and other activities are secondary, this is of course the correct way. 

 

I dare you to tell a NASCAR driver that he sits where he does because of some French thing...

 

[robblok]

49 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Driving on the left is the correct side since Roman times. Romans marched and drove their horses and carts on the left side to keep the sword hand free for dealing with passing strangers.

 

You guys changed over because of the French, probably sometime in the late 18th century, early 19th century. 

 

Right handed people, which are the majority, all have their controlling hand on the steering wheel in a right-hand car when driving on the left. as the gear changing and other activities are secondary, this is of course the correct way. 

Most civilized (not saying that UK and other countries that drive on the wrong side are not civilized. They should just conform to the rest of the world) countries drive on the right side.. even saying it sounds RIGHT. Both in number of people and amount of countries the right choice has been made. Just some suborn  Brits and their descendants that need to do things different. The Americans quickly saw the light and came over to the RIGHT side.

 

 

 

Post made in jest (for those that don't have their humor sensor switched on)

[Andrew Dwyer]

Most civilized (not saying that UK and other countries that drive on the wrong side are not civilized. They should just conform to the rest of the world) countries drive on the right side.. even saying it sounds RIGHT. Both in number of people and amount of countries the right choice has been made. Just some suborn  Brits and their descendants that need to do things different. The Americans quickly saw the light and came over to the RIGHT side.
 
 
 
Post made in jest (for those that don't have their humor sensor switched on)

I'm from the uk so learned to drive on the left, then I traveled extensively in Europe and the US ( lived in South America for 20 years) so learned to drive on the right.

But now I'm in Thailand I've learned to drive on whichever side it takes my fancy !! [emoji51]

[chickenslegs]

18 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I dare you to tell a NASCAR driver that he sits where he does because of some French thing...

 

It is quite probable that the US would still be a British colony, if not for the French.

And the NASCAR driver would be sitting in the right seat (if NASCAR even existed).

Edited July 22, 2017 by chickenslegs
Forgot the smiley

[TheLobster]

11 hours ago, MrPatrickThai said:

Anyone can drive a car with one hand, if it's an automatic.

The thing I worry about is people texting while driving.

But you may not be able to swerve sufficiently if there was an incident that required you to manoeuvre quickly.