The recent news relating to the number of deaths and hit and runs on our roads are an unfortunate but hard-hitting reminder to take all precautions necessary when behind the wheel. Using a mobile phone in a car is one such area that comes to mind immediately.
Taking a call while driving obviously impedes your control, impairs concentration and is in the same category of recklessness as overtaking another car on a bend. All it takes is one distraction or a fright and, as the latest news headlines show, a pedestrian on the street or the passenger or driver of another car becomes a statistic.
If the phone rings, let it take a message, otherwise use something like an earpiece or car kit that allows you to keep your concentration and hand control.
Up until now mobile phone car kits were the premise of the businessman’s saloon car. Often they had to be professionally installed and integrated into the car. Not everyone was prepared to go to this expense, but now thanks to the good people at Motorola they don’t have to anymore.
The HF820 Easy Install Car Kit is a little gadget less than the size of a mobile phone. All you need to do is clip it to your visor, get a wireless Bluetooth connection going with your mobile phone and, voila!, you have a wireless car kit.
Making and taking calls is easy. A call comes in and you just hit one button and you can talk away without having to take your eyes off the road or your hands from the wheel.
I originally used the HF800 version of the family and by comparison the HF820 offers much crisper sound quality plus an impressive five hours of talk time and 100 hours of standby. The HF820 also comes with holster, car charger and portable hands-free.
Setting up the HF850 is a no-brainer and at a mere €79 should save you hundreds of euro instead of spending more money and time getting a professional to install one. Just clip it in and away you go, in safety.
Expect such devices to become increasingly common as they make their contribution to lessening the carnage on Irish roads.
By John Kennedy
