I stopped at a local stereo shop to try and find a spare harness to dismantle to do the z2 mod. He knew what I wanted it for and proceeded to inform me how illegal it was. Furthermore, He adds, There is someone currently on trial for 2nd degree murder for doing this to a dvd player of a different make. He was proved to be playing a dvd while moving. An accident ensued and someone was killed. I explained I didn't want it to watch movies I was interested in the gps functions. He goes on about negligent homicide blah,blah,blah. I felt like I was in front of the local magistrate. My question is has anyone encountered any legal problems from doing this or heard of any?

My guess is this guy is blowing smoke. Eating a cheeseburger could be negligent homicide.

Technically the shop is right, if you have an accident and the insurance company

(Or anybody who has interest in the case) finds out that you have bypassed your unit to do functions that are not allowed to be in use while driving you are liable.

You are guilty, even if it wasn’t your fault. If they find out.

Your guess is wrong. It has happened.

Yep, if you cause an accident as a result of the functions available from the bypass, prepare to get fucked.

Your guess is wrong. It has happened.

sounds like an accident I heard about either last year or perhaps the year before in Alaska, the driver crossed the median and hit a car with I believe two people and they were killed.

Your guess is wrong. It has happened.

sounds like an accident I heard about either last year or perhaps the year before in Alaska, the driver crossed the median and hit a car with I believe two people and they were killed.

That's the most "famous" one. Though the ruling wound up getting over turned a few months later.

There is a HUGE difference between criminal liability and civil liability. Tell your installer to kiss your ass and go give your business to someone else.

And it is NOT illegal to have the navigation functions live while in motion. If it were, Acura would be out of business. All their Nav functions work while in motion right from the factory. Ask you installer to explain that.

Watching a DVD while driving is just plain stupid. If your state doesn't have laws against that (you would be surprised), then you will probably be found liable in civil court and owe your soul for the rest of your life.

Has anybody put up anything to temporarily block the view of the screen from the drivers seat while a DVD is playing? If you put up a piece of cardboard or posterboard to block the view of the screen so that the passenger could still see the screen, it seems as though it would be legal.

Texas law states:

§ 547.611. USE OF CERTAIN VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND TELEVISION

RECEIVERS. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with video

receiving equipment, including a television, a digital video disc

player, a videocassette player, or similar equipment, only if the

equipment is located so that the video display is not visible from

the operator's seat unless the vehicle's transmission is in park or

the vehicle's parking brake is applied.

So all you need to do is make the video display not visible from the drivers seat and you would be within the limits of the law.

That law also states you are in violation if you even have it installed so the driver is in view. He doesn't have to be watching it...it just has to exist so it's possible.

Your guess is wrong. It has happened.

sounds like an accident I heard about either last year or perhaps the year before in Alaska, the driver crossed the median and hit a car with I believe two people and they were killed.

 

That's the most "famous" one. Though the ruling wound up getting over turned a few months later.

I remember reading about this but never heard the final outcome. do you remember what the over turned ruling led to. really was a shame to have a family die at the expense of someone wanting to watch movies and drive @ the same time.

usually when my passenger wants to watch a movie I just close my right eye and look straight ahead. ( just kidding)

If I remember correctly, the guy got off because they couldn't prove that it was a movie in the drive. Driver said it was a CD, passenger said it was a movie, and the cops never checked at the scene so he got off. Shame

I for one have NEVER bypassed any nav unit. Never. Honest. Not even my own. I LOVE to pull over to the side of the road, apply the parking brake and type in my search. I would NEVER ask my wife to do that for me. Because that would just plain be WRONG.

I for one have NEVER bypassed any nav unit. Never. Honest. Not even my own. I LOVE to pull over to the side of the road, apply the parking brake and type in my search. I would NEVER ask my wife to do that for me. Because that would just plain be WRONG.

well you are simply unique

I for one have NEVER bypassed any nav unit. Never. Honest. Not even my own. I LOVE to pull over to the side of the road, apply the parking brake and type in my search. I would NEVER ask my wife to do that for me. Because that would just plain be WRONG.

LOL!

half you mother fuggers cant drive anyways, not to mention society in general. last thing i want is anyone fiddling with the radio or navi let alone their dvd player while driving. Screw that, I dont even want your passangers fiddling with it. There are some pretty stupid people out there, hence why the cell phone hands free laws and so forth.

how about them people with a cigarette in one hand and a dog in the other, while driving. seriously!!

half you mother fuggers cant drive anyways, not to mention society in general. last thing i want is anyone fiddling with the radio or navi let alone their dvd player while driving. Screw that, I dont even want your passangers fiddling with it. There are some pretty stupid people out there, hence why the cell phone hands free laws and so forth.

 

how about them people with a cigarette in one hand and a dog in the other, while driving. seriously!!

WOW, slightly angry, someone cut you off today? can't wait for that new pio- nav that works off of telepathic wavelenghts. all you got to do is think about where you are going or the music you want to play. also supposed to come with a hat with built in electrodes that monitors electric signals thru your hair and ears in case you can't think straight or clear.

... can't wait for that new pio- nav that works off of telepathic wavelenghts. all you got to do is think about where you are going or the music you want to play. ...

Ya, that would be great but it wont last long. If it is beyond the general publics ability to use, it fades off. That nav system would require the user to be able to think which is WAY beyond most people’s ability.

That law also states you are in violation if you even have it installed so the driver is in view. He doesn't have to be watching it...it just has to exist so it's possible.

That law also states you are in violation if you even have it installed so the driver is in view. He doesn't have to be watching it...it just has to exist so it's possible.

Well, the law says that the video screen can't be "visible from the operator's seat" while a movie is playing and the car isn't parked with the parking brake on, so all you would need is something to make it temporarily not visible from the operators seat while everybody else watches a movie.

just go to a tack shop ( horse supplies) and get a set of side blinders, cheap and effective