Anti-Distracted Driving Act: When People Tweet The MMDA And DOTr Their Questions And Get Straightforward Replies

So the Anti-Distracted Driving Act is now in full effect.

The new law, which prohibits motorists from using “communication equipment and other electronic entertainment and computing gadgets” while in motion or temporarily stopped at a traffic light or intersection, covers public and private vehicles of all kinds.

By all kinds, we mean any form of transportation used on public roads, operated by a human being or pulled by an animal–okay, let’s try not to confuse these two.

Stiff fines await violators of the said act. Naturally, in this age of Waze and by-the-millisecond newsfeed updates, the issue has caused quite an uproar online. Man just couldn’t be separated from his gizmo–not in this droning Manila traffic.

And what does “interfere with the driver’s line of sight” mean anyway? People don’t know where to place their bobblehead displays anymore.

So for lack of an “official” channel to address their pressing concerns, netizens turned to Twitter to ask the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Transport (DOTr) the hard questions. The more segurista ones even supplied photos of their car interiors. Everyone wanted to make sure.

The MMDA and DOTr, all praises to their social media savvy, gave straightforward answers to queries. No buts nor ifs; hardly anything in between “pwede” and “bawal.”

eCompareMo compiled the most helpful of the bunch, for every motorist’s enlightenment. All you’ve got to do is re-position your dash-cams and smartphones in accordance to what the law permits, and you get to drive with peace of mind. If an erring traffic cop still tries to go after you, you’ve got your solid proof right here.

1. The question (and prayer) on every Mazda 3 and 6 owner’s lips, answered.

2. Anything above the dashboard: Bawal.

3. …even if it’s placed on the side.

3. This ingenious smartphone placement, technically, is permissible, for as long as you can pretend it’s not there.

5. Now this totally renders your dashcam’s monitor useless.

6. Placing a device at your air vent’s level is apparently, though a bit confusingly, fine. You have your car manufacturer to thank for this.

7. To be safe, avoid suction mounts at all costs.

8. But OMG. Can’t believe this is so pwede.

9. This is where things get complicated.

10. And the plot thickens.

What concerns you most about the Anti-Distracted Driving Act? Share your thoughts in the comments.