Local news teaser: Computing while driving, they act all shocked people

[RB TexLa]

use their laptops while driving. Must not ever notice other drivers on the road.

[Mythsaje]

1. I don't pay attention to other drivers...

I watch the cars. Drivers are another distraction. A car wobbles, or shows any sign of erratic driving, I avoid it.

This doesn't surprise me, though. Some people are just too damn stupid.

[unblock]

2. i refuse to use my cell phone, not even with a headset.

when my cell phone rings, i let voice mail pick it up, find i safe place to pull over, do my phone business, then resume my driving.

why is that such a big deal for so many people? is the 2 minutes you save really worth the risk and stress?
well, i guess it is for some people. probably the same people who, when not on the phone or laptop, are busy tailgating and weaving in and out to try to get ahead of a couple of cars on their way to their own funeral.

for me, given the choice between 60 minutes of comfortable, enjoyable, low-stress driving versus 58 minutes of unpleasant, risky, high-stress driving, i'll gladly give up the two minutes.

[RB TexLa]

3. using the laptop really isn't that distracting

most of the people they showed using them were stuck in slow traffic

[Kerrytravelers]

4. Hope you don't use that laptop and run into me.

I won't be a happy little camper.

[RB TexLa]

5. I've never run into anyone

[Kerrytravelers]

6. Yet.

;-)

[RB TexLa]

7. I never follow close enough or drive fast enough to run into anyone

I drive about 10 to 15 MPH below the max speed, would take someone completely stopped on a freeway for me to run into them.

[pnwmom]

10. If you were distracted enough, you could do something stupid.

And you need to be ready and alert in case the person in front of you suddenly slows down. You can't have your eyes on your laptop and on the road at the same time.

[Kerrytravelers]

11. Do you do this while typing on your laptop, talking on the phone, watching a movie

in the car?

I've been hit by people paying more attention to their electrical toys and not enough attention to where they are going.

I hope you never go though what has happened to me in the car. And I certainly hope you never hit anyone.

As for me, I will continue driving without my toys.

[pnwmom]

8. That's crazy. Things can happen in slow traffic.

I've been hit twice, from behind, while I was simply stopped at an intersection. Both times the jerk who came up behind me was talking on a cell phone . . . .

[Kerrytravelers]

12. Been there. I don't have a lot of sympathy for those who allow themselves

to be distracted.

[unblock]

18. sure, having your eyes off the road actually helps. use the force, luke!

stop and go traffic is actually MORE likely to lead to an accident, albeit perhaps a more minor one than at higher speeds.

but more to the point, what the hell is on your laptop that you would even THINK was more important than keeping your eyes on the road?

[RB TexLa]

19. Work is on it, and important

[SoCalDem]

9. I am ashamed to say that I used to read a magazine on the drive home

the 60 creeped at:

move two feet...stop..wait 5 minutes..move two feet..stop..

rinse & repeat..

Took me HOURS to get home :grr:

[pnwmom]

13. Audio books would have been a far better choice.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

14. I once saw a guy playing a banjo in slow traffic

One of the funniest things I ever saw. Traffic had slowed to a crawl, probably even a stop, and he picked up his banjo and started playing.

[Katherine Brengle]

16. That's the best thing I've ever heard... I was behind a woman at a light a couple of

days ago who was watching a movie on one of those built in DVD players... it was up front, I thought they made a rule that they could only be viewable by backseat passengers?

I must have dreamt that...

[RevolutionStartsNow]

21. Ah, there's a hack for that...

I have a GPS with built-in DVD in the backseat for the kids. When the car is stopped (engine off), you can play the DVD in the front seat, but with a hack you can make it play on the front screen. Haven't done it myself, why would I want to watch a movie while driving? Eek.

The banjo guy was cool, though.

[Lex]

15. They use those GPS map computer thingies while driving so

a laptop wouldn't be all that much different, would it?

[Scairp]

17. I've seen it all

Laptops, texting, reading maps, all while going 75 on a busy freeway here in California. And 9 times out of 10, when some idiot in front of me is going much too slowly in the left lane and I have to pass them, they are on their mobile. Most people just cannot safely drive and talk on the phone at the same time, and why they cannot accept it and stop is beyond me. The new hands free law will help, but you still have to look at the handset to dial the phone.

[catchnrelease]

20. I'm with you

Scairp...I also drive on SoCal freeways and I was beginning to think I'd missed the signs that say "If you're using your cell phone please get into the fast lane, slow down, and leave 20 car lengths between you and the car ahead of you!!!!!!!"

Has the hands free law actually passed? I knew it was proposed but didn't know it was law. You wouldn't know it. ARGH.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

22. It passed, but is not in effect until 2008.

There's something I don't get; do people need a whole year to get used to the idea?