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Only In Minnesota: Illegal Way To Mount GPS

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Nov 26, 2008 10:53 pm US/Central

Only In Minnesota: Illegal Way To Mount GPS

Reporting
Caroline Lowe
(WCCO) GPS systems have become a wildly popular "passenger" in vehicles as a helpful voice that keeps people from getting lost. They are expected to be big gifts again this holiday season.

Minneapolis Lt. Greg Reinhardt is a big fan of using a GPS.

"I think it makes you personally more safer because you're not on the phone, you're not as distracted looking for an address," said Reinhardt.

However, safety concerns are actually what prompted Minnesota lawmakers to make it illegal to mount GPS devices on windshields. It's believed Minnesota will be the only state in the country to forbid the mounting after California changes their laws in January.

"We don't want to have an obstructed view. Now in Minnesota, many times, our windows are frosted over and it's difficult to see out of them, said Reinhardt.

His advice on how to safely mount your GPS: "If you have a spot that's available that you can Velcro or attach it to your dash, that's what I would do."

Reinhardt admits he has never ticketed a driver for breaking the GPS law.

"It is not a ticket that we have to write. It is a ticket that can be written especially if it is a causal factor in an accident," he said.

But his biggest concern isn't that drivers can't see out. It's what thieves see when they look in.

"Once or twice a day I get a report that somebody broke into a car and the first thing they took was a GPS unit," said Reinhardt. "With a GPS mounted on your windshield, it's almost like throwing a $50 or $100 bill up on your dash."

 

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