27 February 2011 Smart phone but dumb driver

Have You Driven a Smartphone Lately?

By MAUREEN DOWD

Published: February 26, 2011

“I’m barreling along a rural Michigan highway at 75 miles per hour in a gray Ford Taurus X when I glance down to check a number on a screen.

It can’t be more than two seconds, but when I look back up, I’m inches from plowing into a huge green truck. Panicked, I slam on the brakes.

Even though I’m in Virttex, the Ford simulator that uses virtual reality to give you the eerily real sensation that you’re flying down the highway past cars and barns, I still feel shaken.

I made the mistake of taking my eyes off the road for more than 1.5 seconds, which is the danger zone, according to technology experts at Ford headquarters.

Ford, Chrysler, Chevy and other car companies are betting on the proposition that, as long as your eyes don’t stray from the road for more than a moment, your other senses can enjoy a cornucopia of diversions on your dashboard.”

Cassi Creek: This column tries to balance the equation that describes when one’s personal freedoms are outweighed by the rights of others to remain free from harm at the hands or vehicle of any individual. The GOPers/teahadists, and Libertarians will turn purple-faced and scream about the “European nanny state” that is “taking away our freedoms. Others, such as those of us who have had to deal with the carnage visited by distracted drivers will also grow apoplectic and shout about our rights to be safe from the stupidity of the mob.

Over the years, I’ve worked on many innocent MVA victims who were injured by drunks, otherwise intoxicated, and just plain stupidly unaware and distracted. I’m among the injured, but fared more fortunately than many others who became sudden targets. Over the years, I’ve piloted cars and trucks I have seen far too many fools try to combine driving with other tasks. I’ve seen the common grooming and makeup sessions, and have even seen complete clothing changes in heavy, fast traffic. I’ve seen people read, write, watch some form of video entertainment, and send texts/check scores/ browse websites. I’ve been guilty of eating behind the wheel, smoking, and fiddling with the radio / audio system. Now, I just drive. All other tasks are held in abeyance until I can find a place to pull off the road and do them safely. That includes using my cell phone – just a phone btw.

I’m aware of my sanctimonious position on this. I’m aware that I am suggesting the freedoms of others be limited by law, and stringently enforced.

We already have enough distractions to bemuse and confuse drivers. We do not need to have video feed, text messaging, or any other instant communication boon distracting our drivers. It does not require group consensus to follow traffic flow, stop when appropriate, and go when safe. Yet if we allow the dashboards of new vehicles to contain a full computer and entertainment system, they will be built accordingly. And there is no doubt that the “Use only when parked” warning will never be observed. Our automotive industry is going to do their part to solve our problems of unemployment and over-population.



“Ray LaHood, the secretary of transportation, is livid about the dashboard bells and whistles. When he saw a Ford ad with a bubbly young woman named Kelly using the new souped-up system to gab on the phone hands-free and not paying attention to the road, he called Alan Mulally, the president and C.E.O of Ford.

“I said to him, ‘That girl looks so distracted, it belies belief that this is what you want in terms of safety,’ ” LaHood told me. “Putting entertainment centers in automobiles does not contribute to safe driving. When you’re trying to update your Facebook or put out a tweet, it’s a distraction.”

He said he would compile his own statistics, meet with car executives and use the bully pulpit. “We’ll see what the auto companies can do voluntarily and what we need to do otherwise,” he said. “I don’t think drivers should be doing any of that.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/opinion/27dowd.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212



Here’s the hard crunchy bit at the center.

If built it will be misused by stupid people.

Innocent people will be injured or killed by stupid people

None of us is so important that we need to endanger the lives of others so that we can feel important or be entertained while driving.

Put the damned phones down and drive!