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distracted driving - new technology

While we've had some good news about the enactment of new laws against distracted driving, the timing of this expansion of distracting technology in cars is ironic, to say the least. This is an attempt to put corporate greed above public safety.

I've been in cars where the driver was distracted by trying to read a navigation screen, much less trying to do anything involving more complex choices like web browsing. We need to have a lot less distracted driving, not more.

If someone has a display for web browsing in their car, even if the manufacturer has configured it so that browsing it disabled when the car is in gear, who's to say that the car owner won't pay someone to hack the system so that web browsing is possible at any time, offering too much possible distraction.

I'm writing letters to my federal legislators asking them to oppose this expansion of distracting technology in cars for the U.S. market. Anyone else care to join me?

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 23, 2010 at 2:31pm
A big thank you to Clark for mentioning Oprah's show on Distracted Driving.

If you want to see Oprah's show on distracted driving, click here. You can watch a 15-minute segment or the entire show.

I have a good friend who is a scary driver because she's always on the phone. I've been trying to get her to stop calling while she's driving and will continue to do so, because I don't want her or her family to be killed in an accident due to her distracted driving. I don't want her teenage daughter, who is just learning to drive, to immediately pick up the same habit, which could be far riskier due to her lack of driving experience. I don't want either of them to kill someone else in an accident. Everyone loses if that happens.

If you talk on your cell phone while riding a bike, the greatest risk is to yourself, but you could also injure or kill another cyclist or a pedestrian.

Each of us probably knows at least one person who is always talking on the phone or texting (or doing other seriously distracting things) while driving a car (or riding a bike). If we can each make a pledge to persuade that dangerous driver in our lives to put down the phone, and follow through on that pledge, our streets could get safer. There might even be less road rage.
Permalink Reply by Jester on January 24, 2010 at 12:43am
I will certainly. People (me too) are too stupid and flaky to focus on more than one thing at one time. But our pride says that we are able - ooooh, paradoxical.

So...I will say it like this, "When in car - Drive with hands on wheel and eyes on road." Unfortunately, this even is two activities. What is the yearly death toll for car accidents? Hm?
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 9, 2010 at 8:31pm
Don't read unless your faith in humanity is reasonably unflappable.

http://cbs11tv.com/watercooler/driving.shaving.crash.2.1542152.html

Cops: Woman Crashes While Shaving Bikini Line
CUDJOE KEY (CBS) ―

A two-car crash on a Florida highway was caused by a 37-year-old woman who was shaving her bikini area while in the driver's seat, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Her ex-husband was steering from the passenger seat.

Megan Mariah Barnes and her ex-husband Charles Judy were driving southbound Tuesday morning when they slammed into the back of a pick-up driven by David Schoff after he slowed to take a turn, CBS station WFOR-TV reports.

Barnes said she was meeting her boyfriend in Key West and wanted to be "ready for the visit," trooper Gary Dunick explained.

Barnes and Judy allegedly drove another half-mile before switching seats. When they were pulled over, Judy claimed to have been driving. The trooper noticed burns on Judy's chest from the passenger-side airbag, which disproved their story. The airbag in the steering wheel apparently did not deploy.

Three passengers – a man and two women – were treated for minor injuries.

Barnes had been driving with a suspended license, just a day after being convicted in an Upper Keys court of a DUI. She was sentenced to nine months of probation, and her license was revoked for five years.

Now, Barnes is being charged with reckless driving, driving with a revoked license, leaving the scene of a crash with injuries, and driving with no insurance, WFOR-TV reports. She could face a year in jail if found guilty of violating her probation.

Judy was not charged in the crash.
Permalink Reply by heather s on March 9, 2010 at 8:53pm
I don't condone this kind of behavior, obvs... but I do have some amazed respect for the fact that not only was this lady shaving her 'bikini line' while driving, but doing so in the presence of her ex-husband, en route to see her new boyfriend. That must have been a really amicable breakup. In a way, this story has restored by faith in humanity, so, thanks Howard!

H3N3 said:
Don't read unless your faith in humanity is reasonably unflappable.

http://cbs11tv.com/watercooler/driving.shaving.crash.2.1542152.html

Cops: Woman Crashes While Shaving Bikini Line
CUDJOE KEY (CBS) ―

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on March 9, 2010 at 9:56pm
Police should be allowed to slap anyone they pull over for doing idiotic things at their discretion.

"License and registration." *slap!*

Maybe a fear of getting smacked would discourage people from being idiots behind the wheel. Probably not, but some people deserve to be slapped for what they do on the road.

H3N3 said:
Don't read unless your faith in humanity is reasonably unflappable.
http://cbs11tv.com/watercooler/driving.shaving.crash.2.1542152.html
Cops: Woman Crashes While Shaving Bikini Line
CUDJOE KEY (CBS) ―

A two-car crash on a Florida highway was caused by a 37-year-old woman who was shaving her bikini area while in the driver's seat, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Her ex-husband was steering from the passenger seat.

Megan Mariah Barnes and her ex-husband Charles Judy were driving southbound Tuesday morning when they slammed into the back of a pick-up driven by David Schoff after he slowed to take a turn, CBS station WFOR-TV reports.

Barnes said she was meeting her boyfriend in Key West and wanted to be "ready for the visit," trooper Gary Dunick explained.

Barnes and Judy allegedly drove another half-mile before switching seats. When they were pulled over, Judy claimed to have been driving. The trooper noticed burns on Judy's chest from the passenger-side airbag, which disproved their story. The airbag in the steering wheel apparently did not deploy.

Three passengers – a man and two women – were treated for minor injuries.

Barnes had been driving with a suspended license, just a day after being convicted in an Upper Keys court of a DUI. She was sentenced to nine months of probation, and her license was revoked for five years.

Now, Barnes is being charged with reckless driving, driving with a revoked license, leaving the scene of a crash with injuries, and driving with no insurance, WFOR-TV reports. She could face a year in jail if found guilty of violating her probation.

Judy was not charged in the crash.
Permalink Reply by Michael Perz on March 9, 2010 at 10:04pm
I understand that when radios were first introduced as optional equipment in automobiles scores of people forecast that US roadways would become littered with heaps of twisted metal and disemboweled human carcasses as a result.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on March 9, 2010 at 10:12pm
Haha, thankfully you don't listen with your eyes.

"Do you know why you crashed, son?"
"Sorry Officer, I was listening to the radio."

Michael Perz said:
I understand that when radios were first introduced as optional equipment in automobiles scores of people forecast that US roadways would become littered with heaps of twisted metal and disemboweled human carcasses as a result.
Permalink Reply by Michael Perz on March 9, 2010 at 10:18pm
No, but you do control the settings with your hands which incidentally are guided by your eyeballs, both of which are body parts required to successfully execute the task of driving as has been mentioned above.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Haha, thankfully you don't listen with your eyes.

"Do you know why you crashed, son?"
"Sorry Officer, I was listening to the radio."

Michael Perz said:
I understand that when radios were first introduced as optional equipment in automobiles scores of people forecast that US roadways would become littered with heaps of twisted metal and disemboweled human carcasses as a result.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on March 9, 2010 at 10:32pm
True, but, fortunately, the prediction has fallen somewhat short of "US roadways would become littered with heaps of twisted metal and disemboweled human carcasses"

Mmmmm......disemboweled.

Michael Perz said:
No, but you do control the settings with your hands which incidentally are guided by your eyeballs, both of which are body parts required to successfully execute the task of driving as has been mentioned above.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Haha, thankfully you don't listen with your eyes.

"Do you know why you crashed, son?"
"Sorry Officer, I was listening to the radio."

Michael Perz said:
I understand that when radios were first introduced as optional equipment in automobiles scores of people forecast that US roadways would become littered with heaps of twisted metal and disemboweled human carcasses as a result.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 10, 2010 at 7:46am
Wow, this woman is stupid beyond belief. And the fact that she was with her ex and he was driving for her makes it just a bit more twisted. What an amazing country we live in! ;)

heather said:
I don't condone this kind of behavior, obvs... but I do have some amazed respect for the fact that not only was this lady shaving her 'bikini line' while driving, but doing so in the presence of her ex-husband, en route to see her new boyfriend. That must have been a really amicable breakup. In a way, this story has restored by faith in humanity, so, thanks Howard!

H3N3 said:
Don't read unless your faith in humanity is reasonably unflappable.

http://cbs11tv.com/watercooler/driving.shaving.crash.2.1542152.html

Cops: Woman Crashes While Shaving Bikini Line
CUDJOE KEY (CBS) ―

Permalink Reply by dan brown on March 11, 2010 at 1:30pm
last summer I was cycing east on division (between Calif and Western); due to construction (at the curb side) I rode down the middle (slowly since traffic was moving very slow (light at rockwell).

A guy was doing this while driving : flossing his teeth (and looking into the rear view mirror) using
both hands; and he had his PDA between his knees and was trying to steer with them too. I was too shocked to even bang on his window and tell him how incredibly stupid *and* dangerous it was.

DB

p.s. he probably does it every morning I get

Anne Alt said:
Wow, this woman is stupid beyond belief. And the fact that she was with her ex and he was driving for her makes it just a bit more twisted. What an amazing country we live in! ;)

heather said:
I don't condone this kind of behavior, obvs... but I do have some amazed respect for the fact that not only was this lady shaving her 'bikini line' while driving, but doing so in the presence of her ex-husband, en route to see her new boyfriend. That must have been a really amicable breakup. In a way, this story has restored by faith in humanity, so, thanks Howard!

H3N3 said:
Don't read unless your faith in humanity is reasonably unflappable.

http://cbs11tv.com/watercooler/driving.shaving.crash.2.1542152.html

Cops: Woman Crashes While Shaving Bikini Line
CUDJOE KEY (CBS) ―

Permalink Reply by Ryan L on March 11, 2010 at 3:48pm
This is all fine and dandy, but my #1 concern right now is trying to figure out a way to get drivers to use their damn turn signals. I just do not understand why it is so hard for so many drivers to flick a switch that tells everyone around them what the hell they intend to do.

Step 1: Get drivers to use turn signals (properly)
Step 2: Get drivers to look before opening a door.
Step 3: Get drivers to stop using their damn cell phones while driving.
Step 4: Worry about navigation systems and Web devices.

Drivers for generations have multitasking imbedded into their DNA. Changing an 8-track, then a cassette, then a CD, then an ipod. Drivers will NEVER stop multitasking while driving, it just won't happen. There has to be a way to change the habits of every driver since the dawn of time. If a driver is going to multitask fine, then throw in a device that alerts a driver to the presence of a cyclist and forces the driver to acknowledge the cyclist by hitting an "OK" button or something.

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