(Germany) Saw it on a TV programme yesterday (ZDF morning show, I think) morning, dealing with legal news.

Somebody was given an on-the-spot fine for using their mobilephone... The joke? It was in a windscreen holder and showing route navigation! He wasn't touching it...

He took it to court, and lost.

Using a navigation system is fine, but not if it is an app on a mobilephone!

I know that it's illegal to use a sat nav if it is attached to the windscreen in the "sweep of the windscreen wipers".

It seems a bit stupid that you can't use a mobile phone sat nav system.

It is no different from using a normal sat nav system.

The problem is, it is a mobilephone, that also does navigation... There are laws banning the use of mobilephones in cars - you are allowed hands-free and you are allowed to press the accept call button, but that is it, you can't look at the display and you can't dial numbers etc.

My Ford has the navigation system built into the radio head unit, so it isn't an issue for me.

Likewise, you can't attach an iPhone to a car radio and control the playback from the iPhone - you can control the playback from the radio or from the remote control built into a steering wheel, but not from the iPhone itself...

I easily expect this to happen in the UK. I think the current rule is you're not allowed to touch anything not attached to the car, so handsfree earpieces are a no-no.