Some Hong Kong taxi drivers are bypassing new rules that limit the number of mobile devices mounted at the front of vehicles to two by installing large monitors – a move that an industry leader has warned endangers road safety.
The amended Road Traffic (Traffic Control) Regulations, which took effect on Sunday, allows a maximum of two mobile devices to be placed within the driver’s forward field of vision, including the windscreen and dashboard. It also stipulates that the diagonal length of each device must not exceed 19cm (7.5 inches).
The revised rules are expected to have a greater impact on the taxi industry, as about 40,000 cabbies have long been accustomed to competing for orders from various apps and checking traffic conditions by mounting multiple mobile phones behind the wheel.
However, some drivers have devised workarounds, including streaming several apps onto one large monitor.
In one instance, a taxi driver displayed three apps simultaneously on a monitor in front of him in addition to using a mobile phone.
“I have been using this for one day and so far so good,” the driver said in a video clip widely circulating online.
Another taxi driver was seen with a large tablet – appearing to exceed the 19cm limit – showing 10 apps at once, according to another social media post.
