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In the What Were They Thinking catagory!
Jan. 7th, 2010 09:25 amThis week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, car companies are unveiled their “smart dashes” which is their answer to smart phones. It puts an LCD screen within the view of the driver and allows for all kinds of fun things. The car companies say that they are just trying to make it easier and “safer” for the driver to be able to keep up with the world around them. I know that the auto industry is in trouble but I don’t think any of them are really contemplating the lawsuit that is coming down the pike towards them once it is proved that car accidents were caused by these smart dashes.
Distracted Driving is about to surpass Driving Under the Influence as the biggest cause of car accidents. This has been found even more so among teens who insists on texting and driving at the same time. There is even a gadget that someone came up with so you can put your cell phone on your steering wheel making it easier to text as you go and change your music and surf the web WHILE DRIVING A CAR. Let’s go over that again WHILE DRIVING A CAR, which is made of metal and can be a lethal weapon at the drop of a hat or a cell phone or a really hot cup of coffee.
We talk about hands free headsets while driving to make it “safer” but it is not illegal in many states to text and drive which has proven more hazardous than talking and driving. Then they are going to have to legislate that you can’t watch movies or streaming video and drive, which would seen to be logical but when did logic even come into this?
Understand I love my iPhone and don’t remember how I got along before I had it (OK I do but those were the dark times that we do not talk about). I don’t text while driving because my common sense pointed out to me how stupid it would be to do so. No one needs to be that connected into the world. I really don’t care what your job is.
I can remember a time before cell phones and we got along just fine without them or social websites or tweets or whatever the cool kids are doing today to stay in touch. And the kids don’t see the problem with texting while driving or watching a music video while driving or having their honking big headphones over their ears while driving (which is illegal). And they can point to the adults as their teachers in this because they have seen others (like their parents) do the same.
As much as we like to brag how much we can multi-task, we just aren’t that good at it that we should be endangering others because we have to text our facebook status “I’m driving down the highway and the other drivers are driving stupid”. When one is driving then one needs to drive not drive and be entertained by their multi-media word. Radio fine. Plugging in your MP3 player as long as you aren’t shuffling while driving OK. GPS, fine as long as you aren’t fiddling with it while driving. Keeping up with the Jones on various social platforms? Not fine. The auto industry making it easier to crash your car? Not fine. This is going to come back and bite them in a very sensitive place and they will say that they didn’t see it coming. Like the car that is heading right towards you because the teen is sexting to their girlfriend and you are texting to work that you are going to be late.
I am grateful for anyone with the common sense to not engage in dangerous behavior while driving making it safe for my family and me.
Distracted Driving is about to surpass Driving Under the Influence as the biggest cause of car accidents. This has been found even more so among teens who insists on texting and driving at the same time. There is even a gadget that someone came up with so you can put your cell phone on your steering wheel making it easier to text as you go and change your music and surf the web WHILE DRIVING A CAR. Let’s go over that again WHILE DRIVING A CAR, which is made of metal and can be a lethal weapon at the drop of a hat or a cell phone or a really hot cup of coffee.
We talk about hands free headsets while driving to make it “safer” but it is not illegal in many states to text and drive which has proven more hazardous than talking and driving. Then they are going to have to legislate that you can’t watch movies or streaming video and drive, which would seen to be logical but when did logic even come into this?
Understand I love my iPhone and don’t remember how I got along before I had it (OK I do but those were the dark times that we do not talk about). I don’t text while driving because my common sense pointed out to me how stupid it would be to do so. No one needs to be that connected into the world. I really don’t care what your job is.
I can remember a time before cell phones and we got along just fine without them or social websites or tweets or whatever the cool kids are doing today to stay in touch. And the kids don’t see the problem with texting while driving or watching a music video while driving or having their honking big headphones over their ears while driving (which is illegal). And they can point to the adults as their teachers in this because they have seen others (like their parents) do the same.
As much as we like to brag how much we can multi-task, we just aren’t that good at it that we should be endangering others because we have to text our facebook status “I’m driving down the highway and the other drivers are driving stupid”. When one is driving then one needs to drive not drive and be entertained by their multi-media word. Radio fine. Plugging in your MP3 player as long as you aren’t shuffling while driving OK. GPS, fine as long as you aren’t fiddling with it while driving. Keeping up with the Jones on various social platforms? Not fine. The auto industry making it easier to crash your car? Not fine. This is going to come back and bite them in a very sensitive place and they will say that they didn’t see it coming. Like the car that is heading right towards you because the teen is sexting to their girlfriend and you are texting to work that you are going to be late.
I am grateful for anyone with the common sense to not engage in dangerous behavior while driving making it safe for my family and me.
