Enjoy Changing Your Car Radio Station While You Still Can

from the pointless-legislation-committee dept

We joked last month that following a California accident in which the driver of a car was killed while, police think, using a laptop while driving, that there would be an onslaught of laws aimed at banning the practice. While that may not have happened (yet), legislators have set their sights on outlawing another electronic distraction: driving while texting. The WSJ says the push for such a law in Washington state began after a traffic accident outside Seattle, when a guy was reading email on his BlackBerry hit another car, starting a five-car crash in which nobody was seriously injured. Of course, as the article notes, negligent operation of a vehicle is already a crime in Washington, and carries a $538 fine. Police there say it can be hard to enforce the law, because after accidents, they have to rely on a driver fessing up that they were texting or were distracted by some other activity. With that in mind, it's hard to see how a new law banning "reading, writing or sending electronic messages" while driving will help the situation at all. If existing reckless or negligent driving laws aren't useful because they're so difficult to enforce, why not seek to improve them, so as to help cut down on all driver distractions? This would seem to be much more productive than singling out individual activities after they supposedly become a problem. BlackBerry- or phone-using drivers aren't the problem; distracted drivers are.
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  1. identicon
    TheDock22, 14 Mar 2007 @ 9:53am

    Better Idea...

    Why not just invent a race of robots whose only purpose in life is safe driving, or better yet, make EVERY car in the world a smart car! No driver, no problems!

    Oh and the title to this article is really horrible. The government would never ban changing your radio station while driving.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:12am

    There be some truth there in that there title ther

    Most new car radios nowadays can read the "digital simulcast or whatever rot" that the stations transmit containing the metatags for the broadcast content.

    (that means the radio can display the artist/album/song names)

    Technically, looking at your radio to find out what artist is currently playing would qualify as reading an electronic message.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:14am

    Re: Better Idea...

    They banned smoking in bars didn't they?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Anonymous of Course, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:15am

    Send all the politicians home

    We have laws against distracted driving. We have
    more than enough laws to cover any happenstance.

    If we would just enforce the laws that we have,
    difficult or not, maybe we could abolish the congress.

    It's far past the point that passing more laws is the
    answer to any problem. But still it continues.... god
    when will it ever end!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Casper, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:20am

    Stupid + Driving = I HATE YOU

    Make the driving test harder.... if you want to talk on your cell, you have to do it while taking the driving test. That way you qualify to use each utility. If you get into an accident while on the phone or screwing with your makeup, you get flagged with a special colored license plate, we could call it an idiot plate.

    I'm sick of people who can't drive when they have 100% focus on the road, trying to drive while talking or doing their hair. While some people will say it is sexist to single out a gender, I feel it is necessary to point out the fact that many of the worst ones I deal with on my commute are women. I have actually spoken with some of them, and they claim they are multitasking. The problem with that idea is that they are doing several things at once and none of them well. I have been known to talk on the phone while driving, but I dedicate almost no real focus to the conversation. Most of my answers are "yeah", "sure", "ok", and that's about it, but common sense also plays a role. When you are talking on your phone, you should be in the SLOW LANE AND STAY THERE! Just this morning on my way in to work, a lady in an SUV was chatting away in the fast lane, holding up 15-20 cars. After the guy a couple cars a head of me flashed his brights for the fifth time, she finally moved. No more then 20 seconds after she moves to the slow lane, she cuts back into the fast lane (without signaling), and still traveling 15-20 MPH slower then our lane of traffic. Needless to say this caused some interesting braking and lane changes. Now, if you asked her, I'm sure she would say that the problem was that the rest of the driving world was just driving to fast, and that it had nothing to do with her inability to operate a motor vehicle.

    Kind of wandered off with my rant, but people like that are the reason I feel Natural Selection isn't working well enough any more. The world would be a much better place with stricter driving tests and mandatory performance driving school. I also think you should have to take a special course to qualify for certain dangerous vehicles such as SUV's... maybe then people will be able to figure out that they have blind spots and stop running over children, pets, cars, building, street signs, parking dividers, mail boxes, light posts, etc... just to name a few.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    TheDock22, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:21am

    Re: Re: Better Idea...

    What does that have to do with anything? We're talking being distracted while driving; not sitting on your motionless butt, drinking, and giving other people cancer.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Casper, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:23am

    Re: Re: Better Idea...

    "They banned smoking in bars didn't they?"

    Did you just compare changing a radio station to second hand smoke? I'm not sure, but you might just be one of the people that will qualify for my new idiot license plates (If I can get them approved).

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    TheDock22, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:29am

    Re: Stupid + Driving = I HATE YOU

    While some people will say it is sexist to single out a gender, I feel it is necessary to point out the fact that many of the worst ones I deal with on my commute are women. I have actually spoken with some of them, and they claim they are multitasking.

    At least we can multi-task and better than men who can barely talk and play video games at the same time.

    But the problem with women is that they think the only time they have to fix their hair or chat on their cell phone is while driving to wherever they need to be. Take some advice from me, NEVER answer you cellphone in the car or if you have to pull over to the side of the road. Also as far as hair and makeup, it takes like a minute to do while driving, but only 20 seconds while parked. AND you can avoid the lipstick smudge across your cheek. Use some common sense people.

    And men aren't perfect either. The next time I see some guy roll down his window to spit out of his car while going 20 mph over the speed limit I will just scream. And stop tailgating for crying out loud!

    Okay, I'm done. :)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Rabid Wolverine, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:30am

    Banned smoking

    The only reason they got away with it is because we have become a nation of 'wimps'...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    Brian, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:31am

    Just a thought

    I was recently in an accident with someone who was using their cell phone without a hands free device. Cant the police check with cell phone providers to see if the phone was in use at the time of the accident. Wouldnt there be a log of that.

    I realize this is going to annoy the privacy people, however for someone who was in an accident because someone was not obeying the cell phone law. I would have no problem with this.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Charles Griswold, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:31am

    Re: Better Idea...

    The government would never ban [ . . . ]

    Personally, I wouldn't be able to say something like that with a straight face.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:34am

    Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    What this has to do with anything is:

    Thinking the government won't intervene in a widespread matter is naive-- if there is publicity to be had from passing unnecessary but emotionally volatile laws, someone will run with it.

    It's what's called "an example", often employed to relate a theoretical possibility to an already-existing paradigm to make it easier to understand.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Mythbusters fan, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:34am

    Worse than drunk driving

    I watch Mythbusters all the time ... I am a bit of an addict with that show. But that is another problem

    They had an epsiode where they tested talking on a cell phone vs. driving drunk. And talking on a cell phone was worse than driving drunk...

    Just something to think about!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    TheDock22, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:35am

    Re: Re: Better Idea...

    There are plenty of things they would never ban. Women and children for one thing...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    Charles Griswold, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:36am

    Re: Banned smoking

    The only reason they got away with it is because we have become a nation of 'wimps'...

    As I understand it, one of the major groups to push for a ban on smoking in bars was the bartenders and waitresses that work in the bars. Go figure.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:37am

    Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    No, I compared passing a law banning changing radio stations in a car to passing a law banning smoking in a bar.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    TheDock22, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:38am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    One word for you, Prohibition.

    They can try all the want, but in the end if the government makes a stupid enough law to enrage the people, they will suffer the consequences.

    And I believe outlawing changing the radio station would be one of those things.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  18. identicon
    TheDock22, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:40am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    For one thing, I wasn't answering you post when I said they wouldn't ban women and children.

    You AC, are a moron and a coward too (j/k)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  19. identicon
    Charles Griswold, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:40am

    Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    There are plenty of things they would never ban. Women and children for one thing...

    There are plenty of places that children are banned from (bars, adult shops, etc.) and there are still a few places that women are banned from. Front-line combat positions, for instance.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  20. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:43am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    I didn't say anything about women and children either Dock22, that was someone else who chose not to make up a silly username.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  21. identicon
    happymellon, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:47am

    RE: Worse than drunk driving

    Thats a well known fact, and been proven time and time again. Most people who I see try and debunk it, claim something along the lines of "It's only been done in simulations", which isn't true, they have done numerous live driving tests. Hence why so many European countries banned talking whilst on a cell phone. The rules should be put in place so that idiots who don't know their limits, should at least have some level of restraint. If only because of a fine. Personally I do agree that this is a wasted law, they should hook the phones to the car battery so you get a nice shock if you try and answer it in the car.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  22. identicon
    bobo happy, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:50am

    Ha Ha Ha

    States use the DMV as a source of state revenue, so making it harder to get a drivers license is out of the question.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  23. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:59am

    Take away the temptation ...

    Why not make automobiles that block cell phone signals while the car is in gear?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  24. identicon
    Charles Griswold, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:02am

    Re: RE: Worse than drunk driving

    Hence why so many European countries banned talking whilst on a cell phone.

    Wow. That's harsh. :-)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  25. identicon
    TheDock22, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:02am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    Okay, I should have been clearer...

    They will never ban women and children from setting foot on American soil.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  26. identicon
    SkippyTMut, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:05am

    Why is it so easy to get a license?

    The biggest problem as pointed out earlier is that 90% of the people on the road are GROSSLY UNDERQUALIFIED to be driving in the first place. Perhaps if road tests were more than 5 minutes long and didn't focus primarily on parking we would have safer roads. cell phones or no cell phones people just need to learn how to drive.

    Now I know everyone is going to get all upset (especially all those eager 16 & 17 year olds) saying that if road tests are harder to pass and take longer to perform then waiting lists at DMVs will become even longer to get a road test in the first place. And all I can say to that is "too damn bad!" perhaps you should use that time to perfect your skills and ensure that you will pass the test the first time around and be a safe and responsible driver once you are allowed out on the road by yourself.

    Furthermore, in regards to the moron mentioned in the article that was using his laptop while driving, we don't need a law banning laptops from use while driving, that is already covered by the laws of common sense. If you are too stupid to understand that then you are too stupid to have a license or own a car!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  27. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:09am

    Get your priorities straight. Your car is not your office. The e-mail reading can wait.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  28. identicon
    Casper, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:09am

    Re: Re: Stupid + Driving = I HATE YOU

    Haha! I have to agree that there are bad men drivers as well. I disagree with the 20MPH over the limit portion because I believe that it does not matter how fast traffic is going, if someone is going faster then you it is your job to move. If someone comes flying up on my bumper, I just move over. It's all about being aware of your surroundings. Usually if someone is tail gating it's because they want you to either move or go faster. In Europe they just flash their brights as they are coming up on you... in the US that's considered "road rage" so your only warning is when they are stuck on your bumper.

    My wife and I debated over whether women or men are better at multitasking for a long time, so as part of her college project she used it for a paper and we did a few experiments. We figured out that women can do multiple things at once better, but none of them are done as well. It directly relates to driving, if a person can stay focused on driving and just kind of gleam info over the phone, they can do fine. Women just tend to get more involved in their conversations and divert more attention to it.

    Just for the record, men can talk and play video games at the same time (we choose not to) :) It's like when we "are not listening", we actually are, but it's more of a selective hearing feature.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  29. identicon
    Casper, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:12am

    Re: Why is it so easy to get a license?

    *Claps Loudly* Exactly, people are allowed to live without common sense. Parents need to start teaching their children to be smarter. If you order a cup of HOT COFFEE, I bet it's going to be hot. You should not then sue the people who delivered what they promised....

    link to this | view in thread ]

  30. identicon
    StuCop, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:15am

    Re: Ha Ha Ha

    Ha Ha Ha by bobo happy on Mar 14th, 2007 @ 10:50am
    States use the DMV as a source of state revenue, so making it harder to get a drivers license is out of the question.

    -------

    exactly and that's why states will continue to pass idiot laws that don't really protect anyone or change anything...they pass meaningless laws to generate revenue. idiots will continue to be idiots no matter what laws are passed...they'll just be able to fine the idiots more money now...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  31. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:30am

    The camel's nose

    "We have laws against distracted driving. We have
    more than enough laws to cover any happenstance."

    Welcome to my world. Law abiding gun owners have been saying these things for decades. There are laws against murder, assault, etc., yet the clamor for more and more gun control laws continues unabated.

    Then there's the "Twinkie tax" and various other proposals to punish people for poor diet habits.

    All hail the Mommy State!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  32. identicon
    Dan, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:32am

    Re: Re: Re: Stupid + Driving = I HATE YOU

    Haha! I have to agree that there are bad men drivers as well. I disagree with the 20MPH over the limit portion because I believe that it does not matter how fast traffic is going, if someone is going faster then you it is your job to move. If someone comes flying up on my bumper, I just move over. It's all about being aware of your surroundings. Usually if someone is tail gating it's because they want you to either move or go faster. In Europe they just flash their brights as they are coming up on you... in the US that's considered "road rage" so your only warning is when they are stuck on your bumper.

    I agree to some extent, but I can't count the number of times some idiot has tailgated me on the freeway when there is a car directly in front of me and I simply cannot go any faster. Do these idiots expect me to move over so that they can get a single car length ahead of me? Guess what? During commute hours you sometimes have to go slower than you like because there is so much traffic, and being a rude tailgating jerk doesn't help you go any faster, it just makes people angry and makes the roads less safe.

    And Europeans do have a better way of doing it. I lived in Italy for a while, and if you are overtaking someone on the freeway, if you turn on your left blinker, they are required, by law, to yield to you-- they have to move over and let you by. People just do it and no one gets upset.

    Anyways, besides all of this, the original "laptop" story is idiotic. There is no way to prove that he was using the laptop, they just know that it was on at the time of the accident. Also, this wreck happened in an area that I'm familiar with, and it is a stretch of road notorious for its accidents. Top that off with poor weather conditions, and you have all of the ingredients for an accident, laptop or no.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  33. identicon
    Amerin, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:35am

    Drive while stupid

    No one will ever be able to make enough laws to keep stupid people off the roads, and safe.

    Our "its a free country I can do what I want" is all out the window. we can make tons of stupid laws for that.

    The same thing comes to mind when I was in high school, and the drivers ed teacher would rant about YOU SHOULD NEVER listen to the radio while driving its too distracting. They guy sent home letters with "contracts" that parents had to sign and gave them the idea about getting all of us new drivers to drive with no radio. All this is the same thing, don't talk on your mobile phone while driving, or at least get a hand free kit.
    It seems more and more people have wireless headsets for their phones, make it mandatory for them to be used while driving, then at least people aren't fiddling with these tiny phones, and trying to drive. Or better yet make hands free kits to the cars universal, like getting a jack for your ipod.

    I would love for their to be cars that drove them selves, and get all the crazy idiots out of the control seat of the 2 and 3 & 4 ton battering rams going 70mph, I would love the 45min commute time to read the paper, eat breakfast, with out having to drive myself to work, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  34. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 11:56am

    Re: Better Idea...

    "Oh and the title to this article is really horrible. The government would never ban changing your radio station while driving."

    I would say that taken literally, looking away from the road to change your station while driving is among the things that you're not supposed to do and probably would be considered illegal under current laws. Changing it while stopped at a light would be another matter. Using steering wheel controls would also be a difference as it wouldn't require you to look away from the road.

    I think the substantial difference here is that changing your station doesn't necessarily involve looking away from the road, while texting pretty much does.

    And in general, as a driver, runner, and cyclist, I'd just as soon the idiots around me piloting 3000lb vehicles at 30-50 mph are actually looking at the damned road.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  35. identicon
    Fedex Driver, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:07pm

    GREAT! Now if only they could enforce it.

    About time! Now the only problem is that no idiot will obey the law.

    I'm a Fedex driver and in a normal day I probably see more than 100 drivers that are reading, yapping on their cells, typing on a laptop, and yes, texting. It's become a much larger deal the last couple years and I can't tell you how often I see this.

    Cars are for DRIVING people, not socializing.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  36. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:08pm

    Driving on public is not a right. It is a privilege. If these kinds of problems are a result of negligent driving habits it seems to me that the source of the problem is allowing individuals with a tendency to be negligent on the road to have a license to begin with.

    We give out drivers licenses to people with the most lame-duck tests of skill and then wonder why there are so many idiots on the road? Making the ability to obtain a drivers license more difficult through stricter testing of operator ability and knowledge and periodic retesting of existing licensed drivers (perhaps every 5 years) would help to improve the number of responsible drivers on the road.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  37. identicon
    pilotmickey, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:23pm

    Re: Re: Stupid + Driving = I HATE YOU

    Re: Stupid + Driving = I HATE YOU by TheDock22 on Mar 14th, 2007 @ 10:29am

    In response to this stupid post...I've actually seen guys using electric razors in the car. That kinda goes along with the makeup thing huh. You say you use your cell phone while driving BUT you don't devote any real attention to the conversation....I don't care, the point is you're distracted no matter what. If you WERE PERFECT, you wouldn't even answer it. Pull over to the side of the road. If you don't, you're no better than the women putting on lipstick in my opinion. Also, if you want to bash women drivers, why is men's insurance higher, especially as teenagers...huh, answer that one smarty pants.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  38. identicon
    pilotmickey, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:27pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    Women may be banned from the actual job...say Infantry for example, but they sure aren't banned from serving on the front line. You're an idiot and I bet you never served a day in the military and if you did, I bet you never deployed. If you did, you would know that there are women out there assigned to every infantry unit....mostly MP's who are in the very same danger as that grunt. HHHMMMM - and what does this have to do with car radio stations by the way....

    link to this | view in thread ]

  39. identicon
    KevinG79, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:41pm

    BS...

    BlackBerry- or phone-using drivers aren't the problem; distracted drivers are.

    This is BS. Cell phone and Crackberry users ARE INDEED the BIGGEST cause of poor driving and accidents on the highways. I have seen more accidents and idiots driving like crap thanks to their CELL PHONE/Crackberry use while driving than any other "distraction." Carlos, I think you are jumping the gun a bit here. I can easily change radio stations without being distracted. Most cars have volume and preset buttons right on the steering wheel and I can press such buttons without looking or taking my eyes off the road.

    But idiots who cannot handle talking (or texting or reading txt messages) and driving SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A CELL PHONE WHILE IN THE CAR. I am all in favor of laws that ban cell phones and crackberry s in cars. Of course, enforcing them will be near impossible...unless of course...we set up little sensors along the highways that can detect if your cell phone is turned on...and can then quickly take a snapshot of the car's license plate and...a week later, you've got a ticket in the mail for being an idiot.

    I also agree with whoever suggested we have color coded "idiot" plates. This way all I need to do is notice that the person in front of me has an idiot plate...this gives me plenty of time to pass him and get far, far away.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  40. identicon
    TheDock22, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:47pm

    Re: Re: Re: Stupid + Driving = I HATE YOU

    Actually, it is illegal in most states to give higher insurance rates to one gender or another because it's considered sexual discrimination. That was outlawed almost 7 years ago.

    Oh and Casper, I could definitely see where you need to keep up with the flow of traffic on the interstate or freeway, but I live in a state where freeways are non-existent and the interstate is used for traveling between cities, not general commute. So when people tailgate me on city streets I get a little peeved.

    As far as selective hearing, does that apply to posts? It seems a lot of people use "selective reading" when responding. ;)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  41. identicon
    Keybored, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:48pm

    Don't you get it?

    "BlackBerry- or phone-using drivers aren't the problem; distracted drivers are."

    BlackBerry- or phone-using drivers ARE distracted drivers!

    Okay, when driving an automobile we need to be drivng the automobile, not being all caught up in our wonderful multi-tasking life, be it texting, shaving or whatever.

    Remember "Arrive Alive?" Somebody out there love you.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  42. identicon
    hk33e, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:51pm

    Re: Why is it so easy to get a license?

    I am 18, and I do feel that it is too easy to get a license. I had to wait for mine because my parents wanted to make sure I was a responsible driver when I got my license, and I got it half way through my senior year in high school (I was still 17). I passed the test on 2 vicodin because I got my wisdom teeth out 2 days before. And I did it in a car I never drove but going to the test, partially because I didn't want to parallel park a truck. I considered myself a much better driver than most people who had their license before I did. I mean everyone should start learning earlier, and it should take longer. You can pass the test without ever driving on a freeway. Wow you can drive to the grocery store, but can you drive on a freeway without crapping yourself. I must admit I used to drive very fast everywhere, but something clicked and now I don't. I guess I'm getting more mature.

    I don't know, they can ban anything and it's not like it will stop people from doing it. As for ideas for a more strict driving test, instead of 6 months on a permit it should be a year, so that kids learn to drive in all weather conditions. And as for multi-tasking, women may statistically do that better than men, but not from what I have seen, especially in stressful situations. But I guess that's just a gift I have.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  43. identicon
    jay, 14 Mar 2007 @ 12:54pm

    "At least we can multi-task and better than men who can barely talk and play video games at the same time."

    Thats called selective listening :)

    I personally think we can have all the laws we want but if they are not enforced then they do us no good anyway. I do not talk on my cell or even think of opening my laptop while I am driving because I understand the damage I can do with my vehicle if I were to hit another vehicle. I will never understand this new thing where we always have to be talking to someone, my ride to and from work is when I just like to relax listen to some music and concentrate on the road. Nothing is that important it can’t wait. How did we ever get along before cell phones/ Oh yea I would call my friends when I got home go figure.

    As far as the smoking in bar law, I am against it, I think they should have smoking areas or something but not ban it all together. What makes me mad is we spent so much time getting this passed then I have to watch some idiot parent drive their kids to school in car seats while they puff away inside the vehicle with a small crack in the window. Oh yea it’s ok to give the second hand smoke to your kids just not other adults.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  44. identicon
    Daniel, 14 Mar 2007 @ 1:06pm

    All I know is that an idiot 20 year old nearly killed my father when she was changing radio stations. She ran a red light at 40 mph, right into my dad who was making a left turn. ICU for 10 days... ruined his life.

    A problem with convenience culture (mobile phones being one of many examples) is that people dont realize a) it's a privilege, and b) their abuse of it infringes on the well being of others

    link to this | view in thread ]

  45. identicon
    Mr. Lucas Brice, 14 Mar 2007 @ 1:21pm

    Why Bother

    I live in Southern California, where the drivers all drive like they are high on crystal meth and two hours late AND there are pretty much no cops on the freeway. You could pass all the laws that you want and people here will just ignore them anyway and they'll never get ticketed because the CHP officers aren't to be seen anywhere.

    Hell, it's illegal here to have tinted windows and you see them everywhere. No one worries that they're going to get pulled over and fined, because the CHP has better things to do than actually patrol the freeways.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  46. identicon
    Charles Griswold, 14 Mar 2007 @ 1:44pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Better Idea...

    Women may be banned from the actual job...say Infantry for example, but they sure aren't banned from serving on the front line.

    OK, my mistake. I suppose I should have gotten my facts more straight before posting.
    You're an idiot and I bet you never served a day in the military and if you did, I bet you never deployed. If you did, you would know that there are women out there assigned to every infantry unit....mostly MP's who are in the very same danger as that grunt.

    Wow. You sure got your knickers in an awful twist over an honest mistake. Take a chill pill and relax, dude.
    HHHMMMM - and what does this have to do with car radio stations by the way....

    Nothing. At least it's better than the left-vs-right bashing that seems to take over so often.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  47. identicon
    Tashi, 14 Mar 2007 @ 2:30pm

    Re: Banned smoking

    Smoking causes a whole range of health problems including cancer, and second hand smoke is even more dangerous since the smoke is not filtered. What it boils down to is smokers do not have the right to poison other people's air, including their children while in an enclosed environment like a car. There are many children's disabilities linked to smoking as well.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  48. identicon
    haaa, 14 Mar 2007 @ 10:02pm

    YOUR TITLE SUCKS

    Made me click for nothing. You are LAME Sir.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  49. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2007 @ 2:37am

    Re: Take away the temptation ...

    Why not make automobiles that block cell phone signals while the car is in gear?
    What's wrong with a passenger using a phone? Sounds kind of like the laws that make it illegal for passengers to drink alcohol in a car.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  50. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2007 @ 2:40am

    Re: Stupid + Driving = I HATE YOU

    Make the driving test harder.... if you want to talk on your cell, you have to do it while taking the driving test.
    Maybe we should do the same with alcohol: if you want to drink and drive, you have to do it while taking the driving test.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  51. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2007 @ 2:46am

    Re:

    As far as the smoking in bar law, I am against it, I think they should have smoking areas or something but not ban it all together.
    Having a smoking area in a bar is like having a peeing area in a pool.

    Oh yea it’s ok to give the second hand smoke to your kids just not other adults.
    No, it's not OK and should be illegal.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  52. identicon
    |333173|3|_||3, 15 Mar 2007 @ 8:52am

    An old lady is crossing the road in front of you. Do you:
    a) run her down
    b) hoot your horn, curse her ancestry, and swerve around her, or
    c) stop and allow her to cross

    A police officer is standing in the middle of an intersection giving hand signals. Do you:
    a) ignore him
    b) obey his hand signals
    c) follow the car in front

    All real questions from MD in 1996. Fail that test.

    If women want to do the same roles in the army, they shoukd have to meet he same physical fitness requirements.

    About smoking in cars, jay was being sarcastic, AC51.
    I personally believe that that would be a good thing to ban, at least in cars with chilren in. Not too hard to enforce, and worthwhile. what gets me is when you see smokers drive by with thier window open, to let out the smelll of thier smoke to pollute other people's surroundings.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  53. identicon
    Sarah, 15 Mar 2007 @ 10:51am

    use a different title

    ok this thing talks about the use of cell phones or a laptop not the the radio so change the topic so it makes more sense

    link to this | view in thread ]

  54. icon
    Vincent Clement (profile), 15 Mar 2007 @ 1:42pm

    Re: Re:

    Who are you to say that it should be illegal? Who are you to decide what is best for me and my family? It is amusing to read people rant and rave about the lack of parental responsibility, yet, it seems that these same people are all for the government deciding how we should live our lives or parent our children, which has the affect of transferring responsibility from the parent and onto government and ultimately society.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  55. icon
    Vincent Clement (profile), 15 Mar 2007 @ 1:47pm

    Re: GREAT! Now if only they could enforce it.

    And you never ever break any laws on your route? Nudge nudge wink wink.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  56. identicon
    Joe, 20 Mar 2007 @ 2:12pm

    Driving Test

    I think the test to get your driver's license should be the hardest thing. I'd pass it no matter what, so I am not worried. But I am talking about a test designed so people who are hazards just simply do not get the license, and if you're caught driving without a license you're banned from the test for 10 years. Driving a car is serious stuff, and too many morons can do it at the moment. We need a test that discourages weak individuals, by absolutely overwhelming them. And shitty old cars, they shouldnt be allowed on the road after this, so only people who can afford ROAD-WORTHY cars can drive, that'll get rid of so many problem drivers. The great side effect is that poor people would stay poor, and the non-poor would own the road! Like we should, because we pay the taxes! MUAHAHAHA

    link to this | view in thread ]

  57. identicon
    joe, 20 Mar 2007 @ 2:27pm

    Re: Re:

    Should it be illegal for the parent to be an asshole? Cuz I am way more worried about kids growing up under 2nd hand asshole than 2nd hand smoke.
    Should it be illegal for the parent to get drunk all weekend and call their kid worthless? I mean, if you're looking after the children, you should be more dedicated than just to second hand smoking. Am I right?

    Laws aren't there as a list for everything you think is wrong and hurtful. A lot of hurtful things are choices we make, that really can't even be enforced properly. What are you gonna give the kid the power, tell him if he sees mommy smoking he can call 911 and send her to prison. Yeah, that'll be great for when he doesn't get the toy he wants. You're an idiot, YOU should be illegal, idiot. The minute the public starts forking over freedoms, is when the government capitalizes. For every freedom we revoke ourselves, the government will find a way to take 100. So it may seem wrong to you, but that's why you just need to worry about you and your own. Don't go running to big daddy gov't, cuz if he even DOES anything, in the end it's never in your best interest.

    Oh, but wont somebody think of the children. Screw you. Tool.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  58. identicon
    Anoymous, 23 Jun 2007 @ 10:48am

    Tailgaters are troublemakers on the road!!

    I am so annoyed the way some people drive. Didn't they learn from a drivers manual on the length and distance away from the car in front of you??? I think,they do it,because it is a joke to them. Recently,i had a to make a quick stop,and good thing,the idiot in back of me didn't rear end me. His,or her insurance would climb up. and i would be joking to. Where the hell are the police,when this occurs?? To busy eating fast food,or having coffee somewhere. This crap needs to stop! I have reported this,and no action what so ever!!!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  59. identicon
    Deborah, 23 Jun 2007 @ 10:52am

    Re: Just a thought

    I see many people talking on their cells,while driving. Yes it is an accident waiting to happen,and the ones on the phones,are going to cause them. This is really scary and annoying Brian. Just be looking everywhere. I hope it gets ban soon.

    link to this | view in thread ]


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