Car Tech: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars?
- 5/22/07 5:29 PM
Respnsible use of technology...
by jimmyhoops - 5/31/07 9:52 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I'm all for the use of technology in automobiles. I personally use a GPS system in one of my vehicles and will never purchase another one without it. I also use a hands free blue tooth headset when conversing while driving. I find that my driving skills are less impared with a GPS system then trying to locate street signs, especially at night. I don't think anyone should try to fiddle with a map while driving or try to navigate a cell phone while operating a vehicle as well. The responsible use of technology while one's focus is on the road is paramount, IMHO.
Drivers are too easily distracted
by rugbyprez - 5/31/07 9:59 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
Personally I am not against using a phone in the car but that does not include any form of dialing - so voice activated would be ok. As for GPS same situation program your destination in advance of driving and then its fine.
The worst driving I see all the time is either by people texting or by people with the phone to their left ear with the arm on the door and as result their head is now out of position so they cant see their mirrors correctly and they have blocked out any peripheral vision on the left side with their arm. So you can always guess that these are the same idiots that are going to change lane without looking or indicating.
In Europe its considered the same as drunken driving if you get caught the fine varies but in Ireland 275 Euro and 3 points on your licence. ( you get 12 points total and any penalties take 7 years to clear) Its a pretty healthy deterrent to keep peoples eyes and hands on the job of driving.
gps in cell phones
by ddbpack - 5/31/07 10:16 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
i believe gps should be in cell phones, but the operator should have the option of having it on or not!
I'm okay with it as long as...
by shawnlin - 5/31/07 10:18 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
1) the antenna is an add-on/plug-in component
or
2) there's a hard switch to turn the GPS function/electronics on/off.
It all depends:
by SINBAD - 5/31/07 10:33 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
If there is no external speaker or headset for cellphone then it should be banned from using in a vehicle. Even with a speaker people need to limit their usage and only in an emergency. I was involved in an accident where I was behind a car waiting to pull out into traffic on a major arterial road. He was on cell phone and instead of pulling out he decided to back up without even looking behind his car. What a dummy!!! And they say women are bad drivers!!! LOL
As for GPS they are a help and not a hindrance. Your hands are always on the wheel and not fiddling with a map. All you do is set this when you leave for the address you are going to and it tells you each turn. I don't know how I ever got around before I had my GPS. Was constantly stopping on side of road and looking at maps or slowing down trying to read street signs and getting everybody behind me angry as I was going too slow.
cell phones and GPS in cars
by Aley Miranda - 5/31/07 10:42 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I am totally against cell phones and GPS in cars and all other things like eating, reading, listening to loud music, ( not music... it is noise!). Driving is a totally committed involvment and a person needs to be alert and defensive in order to drive safely.
gps and cell phones
by ladiharli - 5/31/07 10:43 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I am all for GPS and cell phones in cars, especially in case of an emergency, amber alerts, accidents, medical needs. We have onstar and I think it the greatest thing to have, especially for women driving alone and if stopped by police, they can alert to see if it is acually police or imposters. You can't be too safe these days.
Ok If Car is not moving
by leon stewart - 5/31/07 10:45 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
It's ok if the Car is not on the Highway/Road. A driver can easily pull off the Road for a few seconds or a minute or two to perform these duties, but a driver shouldn't be allowed to eat, drink, GPS, Cell Phone, etc. But DVD/Radio is ok it it only requires turning it on or turning it off.
Yes, I am definitely against cell phone and GPS usage!
by mondo1948 - 5/31/07 11:00 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
Hi Folks,
After I retired several years ago, I was teaching driver education for AAA auto club where we had cell phones in the cars. I noticed back then that every time I was talking on the phone while driving, I failed to "clear" intersections with my eyes before proceeding and failed to perform other necessary functions, like signaling, while talking on the phone. So, I began pulling off to the side of the road whenever I needed to make a call.
Recently, a famous baseball pitcher was killed when he drove into the back of a stopped truck. While the media made a big deal out of the fact that he had had a few drinks and then chose to drive, they barely mentioned that he was talking on his cell phone to a friend when he plowed into that stopped truck. Now, being a logical sort of person, I have to wonder if he had not been talking on his cell phone, would he maybe have noticed that truck? We'll never know but I'd guess that the phone was a bigger distraction than the small bit of alcohol in his blood. By the way, I never, ever drink and drive. I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt somebody because I drove drunk. One of my acquaintences drove while drunk and hit a woman who was pregnant and killed her baby. Could you live with that?
To you young folks out there under 22 years old....remember that it really takes about 5 years to develop all the skills to drive a car expertly, no matter what the state examiner tells you when he issues you a license. That's why I get so ticked off when I see a teenager talking on a cell phone....it's because I know that they are already at risk because of inexperience and the cell phone just increases that risk.
Why take a chance. I've been driving for over 40 years and I won't talk on a cell phone while driving, hand held OR hands-free. I saw a good friend of mine spend 35 years as a "vegetable" in a local hospital for the brain dead, just because she was distracted and went over the yellow line and hit a car head on back in ;1969. She never got married or had a family. She just laid in that hospital for all those years and finally died. She was 20 when she had the accident and died at 45 years old, after ruining her life and her parents'. You young folks need to think about that.
Enough of my philosophy. Please don't drink and drive and don't talk on a cell phone or do anything else that is distracting while driving.
Mondo
GPS makes driving safer.
by Dan Bennett - 5/31/07 11:32 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
With a GPS device the driver should input a route into the device before he/she commences their journey. Even more so if there are multiple stops(waypoints) in locations not visited previously. I think by doing this, it makes that person a safer driver. This is because they never have to hesitate at junctions, wondering if they are going the right way. This distracts the person and could cause an accident.
With a GPS device it takes away all the worry of directions. However, whilst the vehicle is moving it would be foolish to alter the route via the GPS device, or take any hands off the steering wheel for more than a couple of seconds, this could prove fatal.
Which is why use of a mobile phone handset is outlawed, and could give GPS users a bad name! Use a bluetooth headset!
gps and cellphone
by lonesome_cowboy4 - 5/31/07 11:34 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
Gps is a system, which no one would like to mis now, for their job or travel.
It has made him self so easy to use, and it takes people, real fast to their destination, with out searchin' on road maps and plans, of a city.
A cellphone is better used handsfree in a car, or better, if you ain't got any handfree kit, it'll be better to switch it off, so you wouldn't be distruct on the road, 'causse it causses to much lives, when it invalves, seriously dammages on vehicules or cars.
So the note to any one off us, don'tuseyour cellphone on the road, if you do it, your the one to blame, if you got invalved with a traffic incident.
The reason off what i wroteis that i' am part truck driver, and i hate it to be disturb'd and to get distract, of my job while i' am on the road.
Greets and joy the way off life.
Cell phones and GPS OH MY
by rmckinnon - 5/31/07 11:40 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
Personally the problem in not with the devices, it's with those who use them. The GPS maybe helpful and less intrusive for most when compared to the cell phone. It's designed to be used "hands off" and has a warning for missed turns and a helpful re route.
The cell phone on the other hand is just a "nice convience" Outside of physicians there are no phones calls that can't wait till you pull over or get to where you are going! Most people do not multi task well and just cannot drive and talk on the phone, they can't even drive and talk to someone sitting next to them in the car.
I'm not advocating more beurocracy to dictate their usage, but I agree it's not wise to talk and drive for all but a very few who can multi task.
For, under one condition
by rayanz2 - 5/31/07 11:41 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
I am a driver that gets lost easy. With printed out directions and trying to navigate while driving is very unsafe. I get flustered and even more turned around. I end up parking somewhere and calling my husband for directions. If I had a voice activated driving device I would be able to pay attention to road signs and driving which would make me less of a distracted driver. I am to the point now I refuse to drive somewhere new unless I have someone in the car to help me navigate.
Some have it...and some don't...and some think they have it!
by rlessmue - 5/31/07 11:49 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
My philosophy about this whole GPS/Cell Phones/etc. in cars.
1. Some have it. These people can manage 5 things or more at a time and still drive safely.
2. Some don't have it. These people can manage 1 thing (driving maybe), but put a GPS or Cell phone in the picture... and they don't have it at all.
3. Some think they have it. This is the person who "thinks" they have it, but they don't... and it shows.
If you have it - respect your limitations, because one day you might not have it at all.
If you don't have it - remind yourself that you don't have it. It's not in your "make-up" to have it.
If you think you have it - Consider taking the bus or taxi and practice your skills so one day you will have it. If you don't, you'll ruin it for the rest of us (who think they have it). 
GPS and cell phones in cars
by bandit64c - 5/31/07 11:53 AM In reply to: Are you for or against GPS and cell phones in cars? by wcunning
At one time I was a test driver for Nissan here in Arizona. Some of the cars had Gps in them and we used it every time we left the site. We had a route through Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, and Chandler that ran during evening rush hour. We programmed the GPS before we left the site and would refer to it periodoca;;y throughout the drive. Using it was never a distraction and it was very helpful for monitoring our progress through the route.
We were also issued a cellphone with built-in GPS but that was primarily for the compan to see how well we adhered to the rooute and speed limits during the drive. They were to be used as cell phones only in an emergency and with the vehicle stopped. The company had safety observers throughout the route and if anone was observed using a cell phone,Company or personal, they were subject to disciplinary action.
Seemed like a good idea then and seems like a good idea now. The best aid to safe driving is common sense. Throw in some courtesy and you will have a good driver.
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