Car Tech: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars?
- 5/22/07 5:29 PM
GPS & CP's
by jimbearden - 5/30/07 6:00 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
No doubt. Distraction and dangerous. Distraction and dangerous. Distraction and dangerous. Distraction and dangerous.
Jim Bearden (CA)
Favor of GPS; doubtful about phones
by Factoid - 5/30/07 6:01 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I don't remember how I lived without my cell phone--managed somehow--but now I would not be without it--could be my advancing age!! I sometimes use my phone at the wheel, when not going fast or in heavy traffic. But I pretty often see drivers practically lose control of their cars while on the phone. So I'm doubtful about phones. GPS units may be another matter. It is hard to tell if other drivers are using them.
Cnet Forums: Car Tech
by horseperson - 5/30/07 6:02 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I'm basically against them for your average everyday Joe Lunchbox, since people tend to drive like idiots in traffic. So, maybe for Long-distance drivers, e.g. bus drivers, truckers (who I'm sure pretty much all have these already), I think they are a bad idea. People talking on the phone and driving are my worst pet hate, they can't pay attention to either thing, they are accidents driving around looking for a place to happen.
Depends on the circumstances, BUT ...
by PromisedPlanet - 5/30/07 6:02 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I believe that in certain traffic conditions (dense and/or fast traffic, especially the combination of the two), so much concentration is required that the average driver cannot devote the type of attention that the typical cell phone requires, whether it's being physically manipulated or not. The driver's own mental alertness (due to temporary conditions as well as other things like age) is a factor, as well. I don't think police officers should be expected to make the judgement as to whether one set of conditions causes cell phone usage to be permissible, versus the other, so the prudent decision is to ban all cell phone usage in moving vehicles.
GPS systems, I'm not so sure about. I don't believe that they require as much concentration, simply because the driver doesn't have to pay as much attention to them. Of course, this assumes that the driver isn't physically manipulating one, that he/she is listening to it but not watching, and that he/she isn't making radical, unexpected changes in direction/speed because of information from the system.
The technology may exist (or one day exist) to make GPS systems safe to use for nearly all circumstances. I don't see how this will ever be the case with cell phones.
Voice Command
by trey_063 - 5/30/07 6:03 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
We have a built in navigation system in our car with voice commands and also a bluetooth hands free phone. We find the voice commands very helpful in locating new destinations, warning us of turns coming up and in what direction. I believe both they add dramatically to the saftey of our travels.
GPS in cars
by mjd420nova - 5/30/07 6:05 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I think that any device in a car that takes the attention of the driver away from driving is dangerous. Radios, cell phones, eating, maps, even passengers and now GPS are distracting and can be the cause of an accident. Cell phones have just come to the forefront because of their now prolific use and have shown that distracted drivers are more dangerous than a drunk on the road. I use a small handheld GPS and can place it on the instrument panel where I can easily see it, so it poses no problem as it just becomes another indicator on the dash and not something that will distract me.
Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars?
by singhlin - 5/30/07 6:05 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I have been using GPS navigator in cars for more than 3 years for my sightseeing trips in Newfoundland and Vancouver Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick in Canada, in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, etc. I am very supportive for using GPS navigator in a car. The navigator can save your life and can also greatly enrich your life. My reasons are explained in great detail on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Navigator.html
Sing Lin
Boils down to the individual...
by texmcfaden - 5/30/07 6:09 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
Like all things in life, at least in the U.S., it doesn't matter what it is, there will always be some people who simply shouldn't be allowed to have it, see it, or do it, whatever it is.
You have those who are apparently intelligent enough and harworking enough to elevate to political positions, or positions of power, who cannot manage to have the common sense required to hunt fowl without shooting their buddy. Maybe it's the old soldier in me, but whether it was peacetime or combat zones, when I looked down the front sight, I could see whomever or whatever was in front of my weapon.
The point is, what is a distraction for some, such as conversation on the cell (VIA HEADSET!! and VOICE-ACTIVATED DIALING), is not a distraction for others. Like the lady with the children, a conversation is likely to be relaxing and easy compared to the fury of the five in the back seats. LOL
As for me, I'm ADHD, so for me, the more I have going on to occupy all of those tracks in my mind, the more focused I become. My work is more focused with background noise, I eliminate insomnia simply by leaving Sacred Earth Drum playing native american music all night, and I am more attentive to everything around me when I'm talking to someone and have their voice in my headset.
Of course, being ADHD makes it easy for me to even be running on the treadmill, while watching the news or a show, and text message on my cell... typing away without ever looking at the keypad... but that's me.
AND the truth is, most people, with or without ADHD or genius minds, can't focus on more than one thing. Most can't seem to focus on one thing alone.
The person with a headset to their head will NOT turn their body to look over their shoulder or out their side windows when turning or changing lanes. They limit their movement to a quick shift of their eyes, if that. Most simply seem to FORGET that they are still passing the vehicle they just pulled out from behind when they start getting back over in the lane... yes, and that was with my front seats actually still being FORWARD of that guy's front seats... meaning, he wasn't looking at all and totally forgot he had pulled out from behind me.
I've used my cell many times to call for 911 while on the road... particularly when I come across drunks in the early Saturday morning hours. Since I work with a large running club, and we hold races early Saturday mornings, that means I'm out on the road by 4:30am a lot of Saturdays. I never hesitate to push '9' on my cell and speed dial 911 and provide accurate details of what i see in front of me... as it zigz and zags across 3 lanes, sometimes 6 when they drive over the low-rise median.
I think headsets are a must and GPS devices should be voice interactive - or maybe all vehicles should have OnStar woh provides voice dialing and audible directions.
Soon enough, we will get to the car of tomorrow that not only can park itself, but can drive itself. Then, people can do all the makeup and handset to head they want.
Until then, I'd be happy if folks in Dallas learned that clouds in the sky do not mean you have to drop to 15 mph in a 65 mph zone, and that if it snows, that you should stay home here, or go slow, and not do 65 mph. Sometimes, it is such oddities that I don't understand and haven't seen elsewhere that bother me the most.
Rubbernecking accidents on the OTHER side of HIGH median barriers - that's one I hate because I was actually in the lefthand lane of the interstate one day when suddenly traffic slowed to a stop or crawl. I came upon two hook-n-ladder trucks from the DFD, and I asked what had happened. They told me that a woman in a small car literally slammed on her brakes as she tried to stand up in her car seat to be able to see over the median barriers to see the accident on the other side. SHe had no brake lights working and stopped so suddenly that the motorcycle behind her went down trying to stop and slid up under her car - literally jacking the back end of her car up in the air - both tires off the ground. The lady was fine. The bike rider did not make it.
One fine Saturday morning, a drunk driver drove at high speed the wrong way on Central Expressway and killed two people in a head-on collision... two people who weren't drunk, weren't on the cell phone, and had their seatbelts on died, while someone not on a cell phone, who did have their seatbelt on, drove drunk.
It boils down to each individual doing the right thing... but sometimes, in this country, I think most people don't even know what the right thing is anymore. People struggle to feed their families while an oil company desk jockey CEO gets an annual bonus of $540 Million... hardly seems any more fair than single parents having their utilities cut off because their loser ex-spouse is 12 months behind on child support, but still has a new vehicle and is on vacation in the Bahamas.
I don't know that outlawing cell phones would work. It's illegal to murder... to drive drunk... to steal... and in most states, to commit adultery, but it all keeps happening. Next thing you know, you'll have to outlaw XM, Sirius, CD players, radioes in general.
While we're at it, having a heads-up display in the glass might be helpful because some people cannot drive and look down to check their speed.
Maybe smart cars are the cure... but until then, we're still going to have to deal with morons on the road no matter what...
AND, truth be told, we all do something moronic sooner or later, so there are no innocents among us... there are those who drive so careful that they merge into 70mph interstate traffic, off of a half-mile entrance ramp, at a whopping 15-25 miles an hour. Yeah... true, and truly moronic. And here I thought those entrance ramps were made long so you could look to see if you could merge, and so you could get up to merging speed... or did they teach me wrong in Drivers Ed? Hmmm, I wonder if they even teach Drivers Ed anymore? In fact, if you come to the U.S. and you're licensed in another country, can you simply rent a car for the weekend and drive here? I don't think I'd want to drive in Europe if I showed up there on vacation because I'm sure the laws are not quite the same... and there's that getting used to the whole KPH thing. Odd, I can range distance in the army to travel or to drop artillery or guide in air support and it's all done in meters and kilometers... but when I go run a 5k race, I still pace it in miles and think in terms of miles and feet to the finish line. LOL
So, maybe a smart car would work... but you know, I'm not a fan of artificial intelligence... and all of it would be based on the people programming it, so.... it still goes back to the individual. LOL
Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars?
by Lonnie C. - 5/30/07 6:10 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I am not for the use of GPS in cars or cell phones in the case of the ability of ANYONE to track my whereabouts! Where I am or where I go is no-ones business but mine (alright the wife can know!). Anything else is illegal. Period. Not the government nor car manufacturer nor cell phone manufacturer has any dictate nor right to track it's citizen's or customer's location. Cell phones are handy when there is road trouble, and if 8 meters is close enough the GPS is okay. But remember the automobile is the number one killer in America, because of lack of attention. Think about it first.
GPS and telephone are worlds apart
by PhragMunkee - 5/30/07 6:11 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
GPS is like windshield wipers, brakes and the steering wheel-- an essential aid in getting you where you're trying to go safely. Of course, you're not supposed to put in a new destination while driving, and the auto makers won't let you do so without pushing a button that absolves them of responsibility if you're dumb enough to try. But the minor distraction of listening to an authoritative German woman say "turn right in 100 yards" is nothing like the distraction of peering out the window instead of at the road ahead looking for Carnaby Street. Even if you peek at the screen occasionally, so long as it's all set up in advance (destination, type of view, etc.,)GPS is clearly a safety device and an anxiety reducer, and the more you use it the easier it is to use. That one's a no-brainer.
I have more of a problem with the telephone. I have two cars that both bluetooth to my Razor (it responds automatically to whichever car I'm driving because the handshake is automatic) and both cars use voice commands to do virtually anything, including find a phone number and dial. I still find the telephone a distraction. I can just imagine the level of distraction if someone has to dial manually. I personally would prohibit drivers from using the phone except when stopped by the side of the road. I would imagine, however, that compliance would be close to zero, enforcement would require an enormous amount of our policing effort, and for what -- just to have another unenforceable law on the books? Sadly, most accidents kill the innocent, not the perpetrator. How often do we read of a car flipping over, the DUI speeder walking away, and the driver of the car he hit and demolished being killed? If only we could guarantee that the person killed in an auto accident would be only the distracted driver, thereby improving the gene pool...
For GPS and handsfree phone use
by Wilt - 5/30/07 6:11 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
For GPS, against cell phones when the thing is in the hand and it is both distracting and blocking vision...all too many encounters caused by dumb drivers to are busy talking and cannot see others because the phone is blocking peripheral vision.
Don't ban them - enforce exiting laws with added penalties
by bildan2 - 5/30/07 6:11 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
If a car is being driven well without breaking any laws, why penalize the driver for using a cell phone?
Now, if the driver is erratic and is breaking laws, then he should be stopped and ticketed - with a note added to the ticket that the driver was talking on a cell phone. This note should trigger triple fines.
Proper use is helpful
by Steve Herrick - 5/30/07 6:12 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I use my cell phone sparingly. Only using my Bluetooth. I have my hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. I stress sparingly.
I also use GPS. My car gives voice commands. Again, I do not need to take my eyes off the road, though occasionally I do.
In general, they way most people use their cellphones while driving is extremely hazardous. In California, I only hope they will enforce our new laws. In England, they have banned driving and talking for a year and a half. It has helped.
Two-wheeler Response
by jspedro - 5/30/07 6:15 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I ride a motorcyle quite a bit in the LA area, which I suppose is one indication of mental weakness or perhaps flat-out insanity. But I do get places pretty quickly, relatively speaking.
Whenever I'm on the bike, I monitor other drivers as closely as possible and the ones who scare me the most are cell phone users - which is just about everybody, including me when I drive my car. Especially if dialing but even if not, they're just not paying attention, and the closest I have ever come to being run off the road was by a cell-phone-talking woman driving a gigantic SUV. She just wasn't looking, cut me off completely going into a left-turn lane and couldn't care less until, at the next stoplight, I pounded on her passenger side window and told her to put down the *!##!*! cell phone.
Cell phones - totally against.
GPS systems - don't know. I have one and know you can't drive and look at one at the same time.
All that said, the worst example I ever saw was someone reading during slow-moving traffic on one of the southbound multi-lane freeways. He would begin reading as his car stopped, glance up when the line moved, continue reading/glancing as he drove. The perpetrator? A man of the cloth, complete with white collar and bib. (He stopped when I got right next to him and honked.)
jspedro
la, ca
Against Cell Phone and GPS
by tuttleblair8 - 5/30/07 6:16 PM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I feel that no matter what improvements auto makers put in their cars that GPS and Cell phone will alwsys be a distration for most people, because like all humans we have a tendancy to focus on only one thing. Some people think that they can do two or more things at on time, but they can not concentrate fully on all of them at once. It is my firm belief that cellphones especially are a big ditraction to all drivers that use them while they drive a vehicle. As for gps it might be ok if you listen to voice prompts and are not distracted from driving in a safe manner
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