Driver caught using cell phone jamming device • Hacker News Board

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#41

Post by TheCapn » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 8:56 PM UTC

"Agents from the FCC used direction finding techniques to find that strong wideband emissions were coming out of a blue Toyota Highlander SUV driven by Humphreys."

This I find interesting and am curious what devices they had to obtain in order to accomplish this.

I used to work for a telco that, to this day, continues to have this very issue with _someone_ in a remote rural location. By the time the NOC can inform local law enforcement the jammer has left the area, seemingly impossible to track.

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#42

Post by mikestew » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 8:57 PM UTC

grecy wrote: post #14

Does anyone know if it would be legal to use something like this if it was sufficiently clear with big signs? I'm thinking movie theaters or coffee shops that have huge signs "Your cell phone will not work in there. If you don't agree, don't come in", etc.

Putting a sign up is not the equivalent to an FCC license. And if you're going to transmit radio waves, you'll need an FCC license (yes, there are exceptions and I'm vastly simplifying for this specific topic). Good luck with getting the FCC to grant you that license.

That's not to say that a movie theater or coffee shop couldn't passively attenuate cell phone signals with metallic paint or other equivalents to a giant Faraday cage. But ensuring that you're not being an ass with your radio transmissions is the FCC's specific task.

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#43

Post by sean-duffy » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 8:57 PM UTC

grecy wrote: post #14

Does anyone know if it would be legal to use something like this if it was sufficiently clear with big signs? I'm thinking movie theaters or coffee shops that have huge signs "Your cell phone will not work in there. If you don't agree, don't come in", etc.

As other people have said, jamming would certainly be illegal because of the potential for interference. However, they could fairly easily implement some kind of passive signal blocking. I know that a few schools, including the one I went to, install aluminium foil in the ceiling for this exact reason.

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#44

Post by sukuriant » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 8:58 PM UTC

Nogwater wrote: post #9

incision wrote: post #6

Certainly a terrible idea on every level, but I can't help but sympathize with the intent. Too much of the public simply aren't responsible about driving and there doesn't seem to be any good way to identify and prevent or penalize them for it.

Since hands-free phone usage is just as distracting[1], it would be very challenging for a police offer know if someone is using a cell phone while driving. Probably we just need a cultural shift to make people reluctant to use a phone (or even talk to their passenger) while driving. My guess is that we'll get self-driving cars first. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_and_driving_safet... Edit: https://w…

I need to read those studies closely; but, I imagine there's a difference between gabbing about nothing and doing serious mental work when it comes to the amount of focus taken away by talking. Singing with the radio probably has similar focus requirements to gabbing. I have not done any tests on this; and we're not going to stop singing on the radio.

Fiddling with a phone is probably the most dangerous of phone related activities while driving, though. Looking and reading off the screen (texts), pushing capacitive spots on the screen to interact with it (changing songs), and so on.

Police most likely want eyes on the road, as even passive attention to the road is better than eyes completely off it.

[edit: replaced "be singing" with "stop singing" since that's what I meant to say]

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#45

Post by harrystone » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 8:58 PM UTC

I appreciate this guy's intent but he doesn't need to do this. Texting while driving is the leading cause of death for teens. The problem is fixing itself.

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#46

Post by lostlogin » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 8:59 PM UTC

massysett wrote: post #35

lostlogin wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know of a dentist who has one to stop patients using their phones. As someone who works in a hospital, I can see his point. People answer their phones in the middle of procedures. Some even make calls during them.

Did he ever consider asking his patients to stop?

I don't know, but we have several signs and yet I have still needed to ask patients to stop. It probably happens once or twice a month. Not quite as frequent is those who try to video their procedure. While I get irritated, I'd get more bothered by not being able to make or receive calls myself if a jammer was installed. A good compromise is to have patients seated near an MRI Faraday cage - it works just as well and doesn't break laws.

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#47

Post by sukuriant » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 8:59 PM UTC

jablan wrote: post #37

primitivesuave wrote: post #25

My mom's SUV was totaled by a woman who was on her iPad while driving. I really don't think we'll be fixing the idiots-on-the-road epidemic anytime soon.

The solution is not only logical, but also an answer to lots of other problems: ditch the car-centric culture and move these people out from their cars to buses, trains, trams, bicycles and other forms of sustainable transport. It's not that hard, takes some time getting used to, but will do good to all of us.

First step: better buses, oh and stop removing routes from the bus system. (I'm looking at you Seattle and your recent voting results)

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#48

Post by harrystone » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 9:00 PM UTC

michh wrote: post #20

My guess would be driving around with a relatively short-range jammer actually increases the odds of being hit by a distracted driver. Rather than people driving near you being distracted by conversations on their phones, they're going to be even more distracted because their call just got dropped, prompting them to look at the display waiting for the bars to come back so they can re-dial.

I agree. Most people aren't smart enough to put down their phone even to save their own life. The guy has good intentions but some people just can't be saved.

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#49

Post by DanBC » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 9:02 PM UTC

TheCapn wrote: post #41

"Agents from the FCC used direction finding techniques to find that strong wideband emissions were coming out of a blue Toyota Highlander SUV driven by Humphreys." This I find interesting and am curious what devices they had to obtain in order to accomplish this. I used to work for a telco that, to this day, continues to have this very issue with _someone_ in a remote rural location. By the time the NOC can inform lo…

Aren't the FCC helping?

Re: Driver caught using cell phone jamming device

#50

Post by sukuriant » Wed, Apr 30, 2014, 9:02 PM UTC

maresca wrote: post #36

My opinion is probably in the minority on this issue, but I think cell phones should be disabled by default near vehicles(Except for emergency services). As a stick-driver and motorcyclist, I see way too many distracted drivers. People will miss lights, swerve, and worse because of their cell phones. The one thing that will help reverse this trend will be self-driving cars.

Do you like listening to Pandora or Spotify in your car? That would be disabled, too. Same band.

I understand the desire, and it makes a lot of sense; but ... it's just not going to happen :/