Safety zealot hides jammer in his SUV to stop other drivers taking calls

30 Jun 2014 • engadget.com

A local man, Jason Humphreys, has been given 30 days to pay a $48,000 fine after being caught radio-handed with a high-powered phone jammer hidden under his SUV’s front passenger seat. When he was pulled over by a squad of FCC agents and police officers, who had spent days tracking the source of the wideband interference emanating from his vehicle, he reportedly told them that he was “fed up with watching cell phone usage while people were driving.” Unfortunately for Humphreys, the state of Florida deems it legal for motorists to engage in phone conversations while they’re on the move, whereas it severely frowns on the use of unlicensed jamming equipment that can disrupt vital communications between emergency services.

Mixed feelings on this one. I can completely understand what he was thinking and the frustration with distracted drivers. I try and not even look at my phone while driving these days (not even to check a text). I don’t always succeed, but I’ve come a long ways from how I used to be. Driving is a huge responsibility that most people don’t even think about until it’s too late.

As sure as I am that texting (or talking on the phone) while driving is a bigger distraction than people realize I’m equally sure that installing high-powered jammers in our vehicles is not the answer.

The real moral of the story: make sure it’s always licensed high-powered jamming equipment you hide under the passenger seat of your SUV.