America News: Quebec’s bizarre ban on sat nav systems
A couple of recent articles in the Montreal Gazette discuss the absurdity of a Quebec law that bans sat nav systems with screens for drivers of anything except emergency vehicles.
Sat nav systems may be illegal, but they’re still offered as standard in a growing number of luxury vehicles, offered by car rental agencies and sold by retailers throughout the province.
Article 439 of Quebec's highway safety code prohibits the use of a TV or other screen that displays information that a motorist can see – either directly or indirectly – while driving.
Technically, then, even OnStar is illegal, which might come as a surprise to OnStar’s 37,000+ subscribers in Quebec.
“Yeah, it's MUCH better to have people meandering around lost and trying to read street signs or maps,” scorns 'Jim' on the (unofficial) TomTom Forums website. “Another fine example of bureaucratic blunder.”
The highway code is expected to be modified by end-2007 or early-2008.
To read the full articles, click here and here
