Windshield GPS mounting legalized again in California

Though one may assume Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would have, um, more pressing matters on his hands these days, the man has somehow found time to address a complaint put forth by a-many travelin' Californians. Just this week Mr. Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill that was put forth earlier this year that will legalize windshield GPS mounting once more. Granted, stipulations are present, but at least you won't be forced to point your retinas down at the cup holders in order to see your navigation system after January 1, 2009. In the new year, drivers in the Golden State will be able to suction their GPS unit in the "lower 7-inch corner farthest away from the driver or in the lower 5-inch corner closest to the driver." If you go pressing your luck and throw it smack dab in the middle, be prepared for whatever fine you're due.

[Via Gadling, image courtesy of GPS Tracklog]

[maty @ Sep 30th 2008 5:32PM]

Where is California? Sparta?

Sheesh, here in the UK you can stick it anywhere you darn-well please. I've not heard of one GPS-related accident resulting from it being on the windscreen.

[z0phi3l @ Sep 30th 2008 5:37PM]

Californians are "special" even by normal American standards

[CraigJ @ Sep 30th 2008 5:48PM]

yes. short-bus special.

[Steve Childs @ Sep 30th 2008 5:54PM]

Yeah, very odd. There are technically situations where if you're daft enough to leave it connected when your car goes in for it's MOT test, it could fail due to obstruction of vision (same as if you leave something dangling from the rear-view mirror).

However, it has to be said, I'm not sure I'd want to fix something near the corner of the windscreen, next to an explosive device.

Yup, on many new cars these days, you get airbags built into the sides of the windscreen. Perfect for launching your TomTom into your HeadHead.

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 30th 2008 5:56PM]

True, but there are morons who get involved in GPS-related accidents.

[deepBLUE @ Sep 30th 2008 6:00PM]

@maty,
Really?!?! Here in US, we always read about UK drivers having GPS related accidents. such as:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/27/faith-in-gps-sends-mercedes-downstream/

or as:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/20/uk-drivers-trust-gps-more-than-their-own-eyes/

or as:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article707216.ece

or as:

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/4879026.stm

ummm... my condolences

[tha-don @ Sep 30th 2008 6:01PM]

i realize i could prolly look this up somewhere, but i don't really feel like it...

was it illegal because they think it's a distraction or because it takes up windshield real estate? either way i think it's stupid to make that illegal.

[Shinigami @ Sep 30th 2008 6:36PM]

Do you even know why was it illegal?
Its for car makers!!! So they can add a $4,500 GPS as an option! Instead of simply selling the same thing for $200.

[hugoliva @ Sep 30th 2008 6:45PM]

@deepBLUE
English is not my first language, and even I can read that maty is talking about "GPS-related accident resulting from it being on the windscreen.", being here the most important part of the sentence "being on the windscreen". Way to go champ, you're parents must be very proud...

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Sep 30th 2008 7:00PM]

It is pretty funny. Here in CA you'd never get pulled over for your GPS. I see people driving around with them right in the dead center of the driver's vision, all the time, even though you're supposedly not allowed to stick anything (see below) to your windshield.

The law *already* allowed for 'materials' to be attached in the 5x5" lower left (driver) area, and 7x7" lower right (passenger) area of the windshield. I think it was meant for EZPass and new car registration stickers and such, but I always figured, if I get a ticket for having my GPS in the 5x5 area on the driver's side, I'm gonna argue that the suction cup constitutes "materials" under the law.

Sounds like he just clarified something that was already arguably legal.

Of course, my missing front plate and the radar detector suction-cupped up high on the windshield are both illegal too, but it's hard to get pulled over for much of anything in this great state.

[Cactus @ Oct 1st 2008 1:30AM]

Actually (and it's a little surprising that nobody here mentioned this yet), the common wisdom is that the ban was passed as a go-around way to cut down on radar detector use. It pre-dates GPS by over a decade.

[rav @ Oct 1st 2008 6:53PM]

Well done America! Not only you discovered 3g connectivity but also windshield-mounting GPS! That's a busy year!

;>

[somedude @ Sep 30th 2008 5:35PM]

Schwarzenegger...........GPS............SKYNET?

[RikF @ Oct 1st 2008 12:47AM]

Turn left in 300 yards... if you want to live.

[StalematE @ Sep 30th 2008 5:36PM]

I'm surprised that when he saw the GPS on the windshield he didn't yell "GET DOWN ALLGGHAALGGGH"

[Lowest Ranked @ Sep 30th 2008 6:31PM]

That makes one of us.

[Dave @ Sep 30th 2008 5:38PM]

Why does government have to get involved in crap like this? Seriously, laws like this are starting to make me feel like I live in a Cuba.

[Anthony @ Sep 30th 2008 5:50PM]

It wasn't a law specifically against gps that prompted the legislation but window obstructing issues.

As for why he signed it- he is going through all 400 or so bills sent to him this week because he has to veto or sign. Those unsigned/vetoed automatically become law. He's vetoed most of them as he originally didn't want to sign any since we don't have a budget yet & not acknowledging them meant all would be come law.

[Benson @ Sep 30th 2008 6:44PM]

Cuba? Well, if you live in the US, you're not too far off.

If you live in California, you're pretty doggone close, geographical measurements notwithstanding.

[CraigJ @ Sep 30th 2008 11:15PM]

It's always been illegal to obstruct the view both fore and aft, and it is in most states. This is just a specific exemption.

[bandigolo @ Sep 30th 2008 5:47PM]

I live in LA and use a TomTom Go smack in the middle of my windshield. I didn't even know this was/is a law, much less been fined for it. I think the police have better things to watch for.

[whowhatme @ Sep 30th 2008 5:52PM]

gangs and drug dealers u mean?

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 30th 2008 5:58PM]

No... aliens. Oh, wait... same thing.

[bandigolo @ Sep 30th 2008 6:14PM]

all of the above, but was thinking more like drunk/medicated drivers

[JeffM @ Sep 30th 2008 9:45PM]

Yea- my wife has one of these didn't know it was illegal- that is funny.

Sometimes I really hate this place...

[mr.anthony337 @ Sep 30th 2008 5:49PM]

So, he signed a bill so it's legal to put GPS on your windshield again... but, signing the law making it illegal to drive with a dog on your lap, wasn't a high enough safety priority for him to sign?

WTF.

[Anthony @ Sep 30th 2008 5:52PM]

Blind people often keep dogs in their lap while driving so they can provide guidance, just like GPS- so he couldn't ban them @ the same time he legalized GPS mounting...

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 30th 2008 6:01PM]

Hahaha, but true. They're also allowed to perform surgery as long as their dog has been fed.

[whowhatme @ Sep 30th 2008 6:11PM]

blind people would not be able to pass all of the technical standards required for admission to most med schools currently

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 30th 2008 6:14PM]

Is whowhatme a robot?

[IndiaTech @ Sep 30th 2008 7:51PM]

@Anthony
How does the Dog thing work exactly? One Woof means Left and Two Woof means Right?

[egloskerry @ Oct 1st 2008 12:52AM]

@Hellaphunt and whowhatme

Lol I thought you meant the dog can perform surgery on the blind person, as long as the dog has been fed.

[Chris in CA @ Oct 1st 2008 10:08AM]

The canine directions are probably based on tail-wag bias. More wag to the left =steer left, tail tucked means panic stop, one woof means 5-0... but what happens when he sees a poodle?

[Chris in CA @ Oct 1st 2008 10:08AM]

The canine directions are probably based on tail-wag bias. More wag to the left =steer left, tail tucked means panic stop, one woof means 5-0... but what happens when he sees a poodle?

[NutMac @ Sep 30th 2008 5:50PM]

This article reminds me of the premiere episode of Knight Rider 2008. In it, Michael Tracer drives Ford Mustang which projects large images and videos onto the windshield itself, leaving the driver very little room to see oncoming traffic. I think that is the gist of how this law passed in the first place. In case you haven't been to California, some of the world's worst drivers live here (1 in 4 doesn't have auto insurance either).

[Lowest Ranked @ Sep 30th 2008 6:34PM]

Thats what happens when there are 35 million people living in 10 percent of the state.

[bernardino @ Sep 30th 2008 9:51PM]

Have you been to Texas???

[Cambo @ Sep 30th 2008 6:08PM]

the fact is, with it mounted in the middle of the windshield, it does block a drivers view. I was shocked at how much the view was blocked the first time I drove with a GPS there. and of course, they are making them with larger screens all the time, further blocking things.

I dont think this is anything that they would ticket you for by itself, but might if pulled over for another reason, similar to tinted windows.

I mount mine up high, by the rear view mirror. it is legal to do so in the top 3 or 4 inches of the windshield. doesnt block my view, yet still easy to glance at.

still, I hate that we have to legislate common sense in this state....

-Cambo

[bandigolo @ Sep 30th 2008 6:17PM]

"...legislate common sense..."

you must also be referring to morons that text & drive, now also officially illegal says Ahnold.

[Cambo @ Sep 30th 2008 6:34PM]

yeah, I would be better driving drunk than texting and driving. the driver doing 50 in the fast lane while texting this morning is a great example.

still, its easy to get around. you can still handle your phone for dialing, looking up numbers, etc. whos to say if i was texting, or looking up a number to dial.

oh, and is it still legal to just plain web browse while driving? not like thats distracting, right?

-Cambo

[Ben @ Sep 30th 2008 8:17PM]

Cambo: Up high, in the center is NOT legal.

Here's the law itself:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_1551-1600/sb_1567_bill_20080805_enrolled.html


...
(11) An electronic communication device affixed to the center
uppermost portion of the interior of a windshield within an area that
is not greater than 5 inches square, if the device provides either
of the following:
(A) The capability for enforcement facilities of the Department of
the California Highway Patrol to communicate with a vehicle equipped
with the device.
(B) The capability for electronic toll and traffic management on
public or private roads or facilities.

...
it could be argued that a GPS system does 'traffic management'. If it has that feature
...

(12) A portable Global Positioning System (GPS), which may be
mounted in a 7-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield
farthest removed from the driver or in a 5-inch square in the lower
corner of the windshield nearest to the driver, if the system is used
only for door-to-door navigation while the motor vehicle is being
operated and outside of an airbag deployment zone.

[Ross @ Sep 30th 2008 7:58PM]

Sorry if i don't understand your logic, but blocking the view of the front of the car is bad? Ok so then you said you put it just below your rear view mirror, so now you're going to block half of all traffic you'll see. Unless you drive a bus then I do not understand your mentality in this.

[Jon @ Sep 30th 2008 10:16PM]

If "common sense" is common, why do people do otherwise?

[Syd @ Sep 30th 2008 6:26PM]

About time. Now my center console/cup holder area can be used once again for my portable DVD player. I had to give that up since the GPS was more of a necessity (I have my NUVI configured to display a continuously updating list of the closest Starbucks locations).

[DonaldDoo® @ Sep 30th 2008 6:35PM]

We are still stuck with the same stupid law here in MN. Now we are the only state in the country where you could be prosecuted for mounting a GPS on your windshield. We also have the current longest standing record for voting Democrat in presidential elections. I think there may be a link here. Liberals are morons.

[Anthony @ Sep 30th 2008 6:38PM]

Don't forget- conservatives got us into a 1 trillion dollar bail out. I'll take windscreen blocking bans any day over corporate greed & malfeasance. It's much less expensive.

[StPaddy @ Sep 30th 2008 6:49PM]

@ Anthony:

You're kidding me, right? Get your facts straight...

http://www.youtube.com/v/H5tZc8oH--o

[Mr Epic Hero @ Sep 30th 2008 8:28PM]

Yeah, it's pretty stupid that MN is going to be the ONLY state in the damn country where it's illegal to mount those to the windshield. That said, I've never been pulled over for having it there :)

Also, you're a dumbass for linking this to liberals. Idiot.

[ahfei @ Sep 30th 2008 9:40PM]

For the past five years, I have been moving back and forth between CA and MN.It is quite funny when thinking about I could mount the GPS on the windshield any where but my home area. Hope MN update the law, too... even though I will be leaving for good really soon....

[kastonie @ Sep 30th 2008 9:23PM]

what the hell, I've been driving around relying only on the gps screen to see whats in front of me...i dont even use the windshield anymore...i might as well black it out....