NTSB Urges Ban of Cell Phone Use While Driving

One last thought ....

Different issue, but similar.
The Prius navigation system cannot be programmed while the vehicle is moving. That was certainly done for safety reasons. Initially, it was frustrating to need to stop to initiate a destination, but it certainly would be destracting to do so while driving.

Another thought .... I smell politics!!
Why ... why would the NTSB statement not apply to vehicles where the service is built in???? Oh, I understand the "hand-free" aspect, but attention is still directed at dialing even if some numbers are pre-installed.

 

Good research has existed for a while that talking on a hands free telephone while driving has the same functional impairment as a blood alcohol level that is illegal.

 

The argument for allowing built-in systems is probably based on steering wheel controls. I can answer a phone call without moving my hands from the steering wheel or my eyes off the road. While this doesn't affect the distraction that talking on the phone provides, it is safer than other methods that force your eyes off the road and hands off the wheel. Also, the Prius doesn't allow dialing while the car is moving, although you can select saved numbers (which yes, takes your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road).

 

There is A LOT of politics behind this. Which is why we have to be realistic with our expectations and strategies.

Don't go for the home run, you'll most likely strike out. Get on first then work your way around the bases.

 

With states strapped for cash, and having cops be less lenient to increase revenue, they might jump on it.

There is the steering wheel controls and features for safety. Plus a ban may cover systems like OnStar and Toyota's new system.

 

Here's a map and background info on current texting bans in place among different states. As you can see, each state, and even different localities within a state, has different rules regarding cell phone use while driving. A federally mandated ban across the board is a pipe dream.

http://www.iihs.org/laws/maptextingbans.aspx

 

If the feds have the willpower to see this though all they need to do is follow the model set by the tightening of drunken driving laws about 10 years ago. Essentially they announced that any state that did not have a .08 cutoff by a certain date (it was around 2002) would have their federal highway funds cut significantly. States were allowed to determine the exact rules and laws governing drunk driving as long as they were at least as tough as the fed's guideline. I believe that this was done because licensing drivers is a state right and a federal law would not have been constitutional. So as you said a federal ban would not be possible, if a state really wanted to allow texting/calling while driving they could, but it would cost them millions of dollars annually.

 

The fact that most car makers have made big investments in telematics systems is probably part of it - if they did not make that exception there would be huge opposition from the auto industry and they likely do not want to take on that fight.

But I'd float another theory - they realize that there is no putting this gene back in the bottle - people will continue to drive and call. By making this one and only exception you will have all new cars sold in the US come standard with bluetooth calling. If there is a ban texting and handheld use can be enforced - a cop can see it. But how do you enforce a handsfree ban? I know that it does not address the distraction caused by the call itself, but you make the best of it.

 

if you want to talk distractions, the amount of time i have to take my eyes off the road to change the mfd climate controls is ridiculous. give me a couple of big old knobs for heat and fan speed that i can turn with winter gloves on.

 

IMO - This WILL be handled (some time in the future) just like the Nav. systems are handled now - the vehicle manufacturers will have to design their vehicles so that once under way (as in - not parked) any on-board communication device will be disabled. The "portable" ones will be no different than the "add on" Tom-Tom's , etc. are now. You want to use your portable cellphone when it's against the law - you run the risk of getting caught/fined.

 

Slightly OT, but whatever happened to the following public service announcements?:

- "Don't cross the street in the middle, in the middle, in the middle, in the middle, in the middle of the block..." (This might just be a New York thing)

- "Keep America Beautiful" (with the teary-eyed Indi- sorry - Native American)

You hardly see any public service messages anymore. Having a designated driver is one. Some were more memorable than others, but if repeated often enough, they eventually become ingrained in memory.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled topic-
Start with a public service campaign. Pound it into people's brains. Then start administering fines and/or points for violations of hand-held phone usage. Eventually require hands-free Bluetooth in all new vehicles (as someone mentioned, On-Star and Safety Connect are already out of the barn.) While hands-free talking is still a distraction, I don't believe it's as dangerous as hand-held usage. It's a compromise, like everything else in life.

Unfortunately, now we have to worry about the slippery slope - Extremists would probably want to extend a ban to possibly anything that distracts from driving. Some examples:
Applying makeup? I concur.
Reading documents? I concur.
Futzing with your GPS? Hmm...
Changing radio stations, or any type of music manipulation? Hmm...
Drinking a non-alcoholic beverage? No freakin' way!

I think you see where I'm going with this. I firmly believe that there is no sensible solution to any problem that a politician can't f*ck up.

Bottom line is, technology moves way faster than the law does, and I don't think there is an easy answer to this. There are too many conflicting viewpoints and, of course, dollars at stake.

 

That's why I just leave it in AUTO and set the temperature from the steering wheel controls.

 

I am not looking forward to the day when I won't have the privilege of driving a car.

 

Iron Eyes Cody (April 3, 1904 – January 4, 1999) was an American actor. He frequently portrayed an American Indian in Hollywood films. In 1995, Cody was honored by the American Indian community for his work publicizing the plight of Native Americans, including his acting in films. In 1996, his Italian ancestry was made public.

In an episode of the TV series, The Sopranos , titled "Christopher" (2002), Ralph Cifaretto threatens to expose Cody's Sicilian ancestry as leverage against anti-Colunbus protests by an Indian group. Later in the episode, the Tony Soprano character is later told that "it's like knowing that James Caan isn't Italian" (referring to his role as an Italian American in The Godfather film).

Thank You Wiki!

It's sad when you can't even trust a Government sponsored Public Safety Announcement!

 

Next you're probably going to tell me there's no Santa Claus...

 

Not at all, I went to 411.com....

Santa Claus

1. 220 17th St NW
2. East Grand Forks, MN

Santa Claus
510 Lynhurst Dr
Gastonia, NC

Santa Claus
836 Lockhaven Dr NE
Keizer, OR

Santa Claus

1. 1011 NE 11th Ave
2. Amarillo, TX

Santa Claus
641 W Winchester St
Salt Lake City, UT 7

Santa Claus
611 NE Monarch Ln
Bremerton, WA

Santa Claus
9810 State Ave, Unit 10
Marysville, WA


Santa C Claus
5894 Green Meadow Rd
Baton Rouge LA

The trick is finding the REAL Santa, due to IRS rules he has to lay low over a Sales Tax for toys thing!

 

There is apparently disagreement on this, with plenty of evidence that it's the direction of attention, not the physical device.

 

Certainly the mechanics of holding and operating a phone is a distraction, so hands free makes sense in that respect, but the conversation itself can be just as bad. From my perspective, the type of conversation makes a big difference. Small talk is one thing, and fairly easy to do while driving. We do it all the time while chatting with a passenger in the car.

A business or technical conversation is an entirely different animal. That takes concentration, and when you concentrate your attention turns inward - a bad thing when driving.

Tom

 

We all know using GPS while driving can be a distraction, but GPS won't go away. And neither will cellphones. In fact, many people now even use their smartphone as a GPS device!

For automakers, this problem can be an opportunity in disguise, spurring them to come up with even better and safer technologies for in-car communication than what's currently available, e.g. Ford Sync.

 

Yeah, but the passenger is aware of road conditions, and, hopefully, knows when to shut up and let the driver drive.