Hams/Spotters: Beware Florida Law Regarding Devices Mounted On Windshield

WARNING FLORIDA DRIVERS:

I had someone advise me today that he got a ticket in November of $116 for having a device mounted upon his windshield. The device was a RADAR-detector, but people should note that detectors themselves are NOT illegal in the state of Florida.

Apparently Florida has had a windshield law which has been around for a while but which has not received much attention...until now. Trying to decipher if this was just an event local to that user or if this is part of a new statewide campaign. (Like the seatbelt law. Been around for a while but not acted on with much ferocity except during a certain specific times of the year. ...Or the laws regarding turning, which are never enforced. You're not supposed to turn wide at intersections if you're turning into a road with two lanes to choose from. But most people do this because there has been ZERO action on enforcement of the law even though it's IN your Florida Driver's Handbook. A lot of accidents could be avoided if cops would actually enforce THAT one - which is a BIGGIE; but they don't.)

At any rate, this would affect things like suction-mounted RADAR-detectors, GPS units, cameras, etc.

Ham radio operators, storm spotters/chasers beware. Hams especially just LOVE to mount things on their windshields, and an expensive law such as this one could destroy a Xmas present (or two, or three) for someone. :(

See the Mobile Scanner & RADAR-Detector Laws home page for more information. I have updated the site with this new information, including the text of the actual law.

Spread the word. Let's not allow anyone's Christmas spirit to be ruined over something like this.

Interesting to note is that the "Television receivers" law (316.303), which prohibits TVs in vehicles, actually exempts "the use of electronic displays used specifically for navigation purposes". But the windshield law would seem to PROHIBIT the very use of those devices anyway, since most all GPS units are suction-mounted! (sigh)