berlac81

is law enforcement really issuing citations for violations of this ridiculous law ?

tchoiniere

Ridiculous? Why because it protects you from having your car broken into? Or is it ridiculous because it doesn't impede your line of sight? Every state should have this law. And I have heard stories of people being pulled over for this. And I live in a state where its not illegal.

sf7307

While I'm sure the law was not intended to protect you against break-ins, it was intended to protect your line-of-sight. However, I thought I had heard that it was amended to permit the GPS (or other item) to be mounted very low, close to the dashboard. Not sure where I heard it though.

sf7307

http://gps.about.com/b/2008/09/30/wi...es-a-catch.htm

berlac81

It's ridiculous because putting the gps on the dash, which I assume IS legal, obstructs your view as much or more than mounting on the windshield.

Ackislander

It is also illegal in Minnesota.

dbdurand

For my wife's GPS unit, we bought a mounting bracket from a third party supplier that fits on the dash right next to the instrument cluster, so you can see it just as easily as the speedometer, etc. The GPS unit easily disconnects from the bracket so that you don't have to leave it in the car within sight when you leave the car.

NewbE

My concern is that instead of mounting it on the dash, people will rest their GPS on the center console or on their lap and therefore need to look down, or over, or lift the thing in one hand to see it, all of which seems worse than mounting it fairly low on the windshield. Mine isn't that big, I feel like I can see around it just fine. Isn't placing it in your line of sight kind of the point?

jasonbear

Rented a car in MN. Mounting my Andriod and my GPS was challenging. I no matter where I mounted them in the Jeep they fell all the time. it was very distracting to have to look down in the passenger seat for directions. finally I was able to mount them on the dashboard glass but the then working with them I had to reach through the steering wheel to change songs and the cords where all around the steering. The window under the mirror is the best spot.

NeoPatrick

What about Fast Pass or whatever for toll roads. That thing which HAS to be mounted on my windshield is more view blocking than my GPS, even though I put it up as far as I could behind my rear view mirror.

dwooddon

State laws vary but in some I am familiar with, it is illegal to have anything on the windshield glass, rear view mirror, or dashboard that obscures even a portion of the driver's view. That inlcudes not only GPS but handicapped parking permits, decals, hanging dice, air freshner's, etc. At least one state I know has an exception for parking or other decals in a relatively small space of the windshield on the extreme lower left or lower right.

In Nevada, and I would guess some other states, it is now against the law for the driver to hold, talk on, or manipulate handheld cells phones, GPS, etc while they are on a public road way with the engine running. That includes while you are stopped at a stop light or sign. The only legal way to hold or operate them while in the driver's seat is if you pull off the road, preferably onto a parking lot, and turn off the engine.

I would also caution that while a way of mounting or using such devices may be legal in the state where you reside, you are bound by the laws of the state you are in. For instance, we have a large number of Utah visitors here in my area of Nevada and there is no such prohibition there. Many are shocked when they are stopped by our officers for that violation here.

tchoiniere

Neopatrick, the EZPass does not have to be mounted. I just hold mine to the windshield as I go thru as I use it so rarely that it would be pointless for me to keep it up. I have my GPS mounted to my windshield as I was finding the beanbag sliding off of my dashboard too often due to its slope (and perhaps my driving...). But I wouldnt do that where I know its illegal.

sf7307

I don't have my EZPass (FastPass here) mounted either.

J62

My EZPass is mounted behind the mirror so it doesn't obstruct any view.

UTour

Having clocked many, many miles with a GPS I couldn't imagine having it mounted any other way than on a bean-bag mount on the dashboard. Rear-view mirrors create enough of a blind spot as is; why exagerate it with yet more visual blockage? In my travels, I've seen more drivers that I care to count with their GPS' mounted just below their mirrors and I wish they'd forgo the sightline convenience for the driving safety.

Having driven with the GPS mounted at dashboard level and very occasionally looking down at the map, I can't imagine it being anywhere else.

u

nytraveler

EZ or Fast pass are supposed to be muonted high on the windshield behind the rear view mirror - so it doesn't impede your line of sight unless you are looking at the sky.

And sitting with the GPS in your lap on the center console or next seat is SO stupid I can't even begin to think about it. If you rent the GPS with the car it should be mounted in a safe manner.

NeoPatrick

"Having clocked many, many miles with a GPS I couldn't imagine having it mounted any other way than on a bean-bag mount on the dashboard."

I don't know what kind of car you drive, but mounting one on MY dashboard would obstruct a far greater view of the oncoming road, or what's coming out of a side street, than mounting it high on the windshield, where the only view it might obstruct is a plane coming down to fly into me. What am I missing here about mounting something that sticks up on the dashboard NOT blocking more view than high up on the windshield?

UTour

Hi Neo,

I drive a sedan and with the beanbag mount, the top edge of the GPS is well below the sightlines to the front edge of the hood. Even when I was in Nova Scotia with a Ford Escape as a rental vehicle, I never had any kind of issue with my view being obscured and I'm average height. What kind of vehicle do you drive that it could block your view of a sidestreet?

u

NeoPatrick

A Prius, a BMW Z-3, and a BMW x-3. All of them would obscure my view sitting on the dash than mounted on the windshield as high as the rear view mirror. I am 6 feet tall. I still don't get what view is obscured when it is mounted way up at the top of the windshield. I'm not really saying that my view would be obscured dramatically if it is on the dash, but still it would block my view as much or more than way up high -- to the RIGHT of the rear view or just under it in the bigger car.
I was never talking about sticking it in front of my face on the windshield -- was that what you were picturing?

NeoPatrick

My apologies. The Prius has the GPS built in, so strike any reference to mounting one there. But clearly in the little Z-3, the dashboard mount would block way more than up high!