EarPods.. sort of Lotus content.

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Sat Jan 16, 2016 4:08 am

My old sat nav packed in a few years ago, I started to use my mobile phone as a satnav but couldn't hear the voice directions.

So lets first consider the use of headphones in the car, I believe that a normal basic set of stereo headphones would be considered illegal for use on the road? I don't now if this is true but I was told this a few years back but I cannot remember who told me. Hands free car kits are now legal. The ear piece type with a mic are legal? This again I have also been told a few years ago but cannot remember who. So a handsfree kit with two earpieces could be legal when used as such...

Bugger it, will just wear a wooly hat so nobody can see what I have in my ears.

Post by **pete** » Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:19 am

I've been using Shure ear phones for years I've tried others but although the sound quality is as good or better the Shure build quality is very good and I'm careless. Plus when I damage the cable I can get replacement cables from ebay for a few pennies. (The actual ear buds are c70 quid). As they are essentially ear plugs with speakers through the middle the noise suppression is ace.

I've been pulled a couple of times wearing them and I've either managed to yank them out of my ears pretty sharpish or just brazened it out. either way it's never come to anything.

robin · Post by **robin** » Sat Jan 16, 2016 1:58 pm

"At the moment, UK law stipulates that using headphones behind the wheel is legal but rule 148 of the Highway Code does make things a little less black and white, stating that drivers should "avoid distractions when driving or riding," distractions being loud music, smoking, arguing with passengers, inserting a cassette or CD, tuning a radio or eating and drinking."

I found this text in an article on the subject from 2013. I would expect that sums it up; it is legal because there is no law that says it is illegal, but you could be challenged on your ability to pay attention to the road - of course you could argue that you were paying attention and provided there hadn't been any obvious indications to the contrary then they would probably have to let it drop. If you have an accident, or fail to pull over for the cops when they're trying to get your attention with the blue lights and sirens, then I think you will be done if wearing headphones and playing music. If you're only wearing noise cancellers to protect your hearing I think you might still get away with it ... but surely no guarantees.

The real question you should be asking, though, is whether or not it is safe to do so .. nobody will care whether or not it is legal once you or somebody else is dead.

Only you can decide that one as it depends on your driving style. I know most teenagers with earbuds in are unable to cross the road safely ... but they are probably thinking about sex

BigD · Post by **BigD** » Sat Jan 16, 2016 2:56 pm

I would argue that noise cancelling earphones in an Elise are a benefit. You can have music on at a much lower volume and the suppression of ambient noise means you are less tired so quickly on a long journey.
It's been proven that noise tires you out so reducing this has to help. I know I can drive feeling much less tired with the earphones in than without.
Without, I end up having the radio so loud that I can't really hear anything and the ambient noise is so much that I get tired quicker.
So more alert has to be better imo.

mxvx · Post by **mxvx** » Sat Jan 16, 2016 3:18 pm

I cannot be without headphone on any long motorway journey. I have a decent set of in ears and no music on, just hear the notifications from the waze app. It really makes it much more bearable. A thick hat in the winter as well helps as it drowns out some sound. I certainly don't think it's any more dangerous. I can still hear sirens etc.

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Sat Jan 16, 2016 4:20 pm

So part two.

The plan is to have the phone mounting cradle fitted on the light switch side of the dash. It will cover the buttons slightly but they all should be fully accessible. The power lead for the phone will be wired in to an ignition switched supply. The headphone extension cable will need to be routed along the sill on the drivers side bringing the connector closer to the driver. It isn't safe or practical to just plug straight into the phone, loose cable in the cabin is never a good idea.

The cradle is part of the Griffin Survivor Case for the iPhone6 plus. Should be a relatively easy task to bond the case to the existing Brodit mount.

Has anyone else done something similar? Pictures would be helpful..

Post by **Shug** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 10:31 am

BigD wrote:I would argue that noise cancelling earphones in an Elise are a benefit. You can have music on at a much lower volume and the suppression of ambient noise means you are less tired so quickly on a long journey.
It's been proven that noise tires you out so reducing this has to help. I know I can drive feeling much less tired with the earphones in than without.
Without, I end up having the radio so loud that I can't really hear anything and the ambient noise is so much that I get tired quicker.
So more alert has to be better imo.

What D says 100%. I used to sell Shures, but don't any more, but in any noisy car (we're talking Elise with sports exhaust of any reasonable description, or roof down) I'd much rather have a good set of noise isolating earbuds, plus sensible music volumes, than having the stereo loud enough to be heard.

I hear a lot of horsesh*t from bikers who refuse to wear ear protection (which is what a good set of in-ears essentially is) talking about missing essential sounds. Utter balls. What earplugs do is block harmful noise - wind roar, etc - which actually obscures useful sound. A set of decent isolating earbuds lets you listen to music at sensible levels, whilst also allowing room for other important noise (horns, sirens, etc) to get through. Much moreso than if you were driving along with the stereo pounding - a more legally black and white 'acceptable' situation.

alicrozier · Post by **alicrozier** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 12:16 pm

Posted before, these are optimum (but pricey):
http://acscustom.com/uk/product/acs-pro-communicator/

Flush for under helmet in the 2-11 and much better against wind buffeting when 'al-fresco'.
-27db but can still hear sirens.

I used to have the Tomtom hard wired but the vibration was too much for it's jack pluck socket.
Also tried bluetooth and had a Jabra Street which was really good when it worked (took simultaneous TomTom and phone bluetooth sources intelligently), self contained so out of the way of harnesses and you could jump out of the car without forgetting to disconnect... Battery life and occasional flaky bluetooth were a pain though so gave up on it.

Nowadays I have ACS plugged into phone in my pocket and 'disposable' old Tomtom on mute out in the elements...I do sometimes miss a turning!

When the Tomtom eventually gives up I may need a rethink.

Sanjøy · Post by **Sanjøy** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:52 pm

Iphone with elastic bands on the harness straps and shure. Bosh.

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 2:24 pm

Sanjoy wrote:Iphone with elastic bands on the harness straps and shure. Bosh.

I already have a set of Shure headphones, agree best option for the money. I forked out for the "iPhone specific" microphone lead. It is not long enough to be safely routed with the phone in the cradle. So I bought an eBay headphone extension lead which works ok. It does look very messy with wires taped along the sill but it works.

I have spotted a bluetooth headphone adaptor with a microphone built in. Much cheapness and it looks cheap.. Only concern with that would be battery life. Wonder if there is anyone who dabbles in the electrical accessories business who may be able to point me in the direction of a decent one?

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:51 pm

Victor Meldrew wrote:So part two.

The plan is to have the phone mounting cradle fitted on the light switch side of the dash. It will cover the buttons slightly but they all should be fully accessible. The power lead for the phone will be wired in to an ignition switched supply. The headphone extension cable will need to be routed along the sill on the drivers side bringing the connector closer to the driver. It isn't safe or practical to just plug straight into the phone, loose cable in the cabin is never a good idea.

The cradle is part of the Griffin Survivor Case for the iPhone6 plus. Should be a relatively easy task to bond the case to the existing Brodit mount.

Has anyone else done something similar? Pictures would be helpful..

That positioning of the cradle (for me anyway - not saying that you are short or anything!) ,... would mean I would probably kick it every time I got in or out of the car. I have a sucker mounted holder in the bottom right of the windscreen, tucked in neatly into the corner so it really doesn't obscure my vision, but is out of the way of my clumsy feet!

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:05 pm

Good point. Will have a play with the final position when I get home. Brodit mount doesn't stick out as much as a sucker type would.

Also managed to pick up a black cable with a 90degree Lightning connector from Asda of all places to help keep the wires tidy.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sanjøy · Post by **Sanjøy** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:43 pm

Each to their own but I think you are over complicating things. Much as I hate the apple headphones they control the ipod very well. Hold down the button and siri pops up, "navigate home", bosh, "play To Gear playlist", bosh, directions are overlayed over the sound.

Less chance of leaving it in there and it getting lifted too.

2p

BigD · Post by **BigD** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:49 pm

Sanjoy wrote:Each to their own but I think you are over complicating things.

Similar to what Ali said, I have satnav but always have the sound off and just keep an eye on it. Listen to the quiet music in the noise cancelling earphones and bob's you uncle.

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:28 am

So now that I am home I managed to sort out my Brodit - Griffin Survivor hybrid mount.

The belt clip is basically bonded on to the brodit with a small spacer behind it. A bit of a pain to reach the heater controls but not impossible. I took Dominic's advice and mounted it centrally. I did try it on the right hand side and while it would be fine for access when the roof is off it did obscure the the light switches. You would never know if the fog light was on.

Scottish Elises