Ray LaHood Is A Dumbass
Mike Masnick blogs at Techdirt about Transportation Secretary LaHood's campaign to wipe out distracted driving. I know the perfect way -- drop one of those bombs that disappears all life on the planet but leaves the buildings. Naturally, LaHood thinks government meddling in what will and won't work on a car while it's moving is the answer. The guy apparently doesn't have the brainstuff to think that through any further. Masnick writes:
A couple of years ago, we wrote about his desire to figure out ways to disable mobile phones from working while the car is in motion. After there was a lot of controversy around that, LaHood tried to claim he never really said what he said. However, he's continued to repeat those kinds of claims again and again -- and with the new "guidelines" for automakers being published, we see, once again, his plan to push for technology to force other technologies not to work while a car is moving....No one denies that distracted driving can be incredibly dangerous and a serious problem. It's just that many of us question this as a solution. In fact, it seems likely to make the problem worse, not better. First of all, rules that require automakers to disable features while a car is moving completely ignore the fact that not everyone drives alone. Many people have passengers, and it can be quite useful to have a passenger make use of the technology to set the GPS, answer a phone call or whatever else needs to be done. Locking that up for passengers serves no purpose.
Lovely. And what about non-electronic distractions such as books, maps, mascara wands, lipstick, tweezers, eyelash curlers, fingers (for pickin'), hands (for masturbatin'), backseat drivers, billboards, burgers, and the occasional street-side naked protester or hottie jogging enthusiast?
Meloni at February 23, 2012 1:23 PM
Meanwhile,
No reason that it shouldn't be, right? You don't mind when fanatics "select the gender" of the parents…
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at February 23, 2012 3:39 PM
Meloni,
You forgot crying babies and bickering children.
Cat at February 23, 2012 4:47 PM
Oh! I'll sign up for something that can disable crying babies and bickering children!!
Nki at February 23, 2012 5:27 PM
NHTSA hasn't been worth a damn since Ralph Nader got hold of it in the late '60s. Clearly, no one at the agency all the way up to the director has anything productive to do. Time to zero it out.
Cousin Dave at February 23, 2012 5:40 PM
Tweet of the day
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at February 23, 2012 6:01 PM
I think you're thinking of the Neutron bomb. None are currently deployed. ;-( Besides I'm voting for Captain Trips.
Following this logic, there would be no radios, passengers, GPS, and your hands would be welded to the steering wheel.
Kids in the back seats cause accidents. Accidents in the back seat cause kids.
Jim P. at February 23, 2012 7:22 PM
Should we be surprised that a Nanny State Bureaucrat in a useless big-government position is proposing legislation that will be obtrusive and have unintentional consequences?
@Jim P - Props for the Stephen King reference!
Savant-Idiot at February 23, 2012 7:55 PM
People don't like others to use cellphones because they recognize the risk (cost) imposed on them. But, they use their own cellphones because they receive the benefit, and correctly (on average) see the benefit to themselves as much greater than the added risk.
Should You Be Allowed To Use Your Cellular Phone While Driving?
( www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv23n3/hahn.pdf )
Regulation (2000) PDF By Hahn, Tetlock, and Burnett
An economic analysis of cellphone benefits vs ban. $5 billion cost of use vs $20 billion benefit. They estimated that cellphone use in vehicles causes 300 fatalities per year (range 10 to 1,000). Assuming the same percentage of accidents as fatalities yields a best estimate of 38,000 accidents causing injuries (range 1,300 to 130,000). Cellular phone use contributes to an estimated 0.74% of total accidents.
Ban Cell Phones In Cars?
12/2000 - Cato Institute by Jason Burnett, Robert Hahn and Paul Tetlock
=== ===
[edited] A prudent regard for safety doesn't imply cell phones should be banned. Americans are willing to tolerate some 41,000 deaths yearly from car accidents. If we wish to decisively curtail automobile deaths, the national speed limit should be set at 10 miles per hour and vigorously enforced. We are not willing to do that, because that inconvenience outweighs the pleasure and efficiency of being able to get to places quickly.
=== ===
I suggest allowing auto insurers to charge a cellphone premium or impose a cellphone accident cost, if it makes sense. Say, if you have an accident while using a cellphone, your deductible is higher unless you have paid an increased premium. That might make sense for all forms of distracted driving, such as putting on makeup, watching a video, or polishing your finger or toenails.
Andrew_M_Garland at February 23, 2012 8:37 PM
(If you liked that you'll love this)
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at February 23, 2012 9:54 PM
What happened to you Crid. You used to be more on topic, very astute and verbose. Now you are starting to go off topic and reposting tweet and links. I mean some are good but ummm - what do they have to do with banning cell phones and driving.
Maybe Amy should create the Crid section where he can then post to his hearts desire of all matters of tweets.
Well to not be a complete hypocrite. I am amazed at this. Well first off is this really a major concern. True more people will die in accidents, maybe insurance rates will go up. Still it does not seem like an epidemic. Wish the government would concentrate on important things like the economy, protecting the borders, trimming the budget.
As an absurdest I like to mock these things with going absurd. The technology is simple and easy. Each steering wheel will come with hand clamps. Car is running on, then hands will be permanently locked at 10 and 2.
Distractions must be reduced. Technology does need to be developed to block distractions it just needs to be taken out. So no more audio systems on board. As with any machine too many buttons so air conditioning and heating also most be removed. How many accidents have happened because some body was adjusting the temp.
Children are a major distraction too. Two birds can be killed with one stone. Child Safety! All children till the age of 18 must be seated in proper seats, with 100 point belt and harness system. Arms and legs secure, head strapped securely. The less able to move the better. Include the mouth. All children should be muzzled as to prevent distracting the driver.
Of course the government will be exempt from this too. I mean all radios should be taken out of police cars. The squawking and beeps can be distracting, plus not good police officer should be talking and driving at the same time. On board computer system must be removed too.
Going to stop for now.
John Paulson at February 23, 2012 11:24 PM
> What happened to you
Turtledove, the world is crawling with topics. The really important ones will find us no matter where we hide...
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at February 23, 2012 11:31 PM
Hey I do not mind other topics but I generally try to keep it related. Hey I get self important and make it about me or my experiences at times but I try to at least make it related.
But it is becoming a little strange and tiresome. I mean topic is about government and control maybe regulations. Throw in some good old political truth bending. Yet you crid went on to abortion and feminists. On the second post. It was not like the thread had a chance to build and change. I mean some can change from drugs to crime to race.
Plus it is a little rude.
John Paulson at February 24, 2012 12:20 AM
Cell phones are a dangerous distraction.
Over the past 15 years, cell phones have become pervasive.
How, then, to explain that accident rates and fatalities have been on a downward trend over the entire period?
Hey Skipper at February 24, 2012 10:48 AM
Hey I try to keep it related too, but sometimes events overwhelm. Hey I'm not "self-important", I'm actually important. Hey if you find the things I say "tiresome", don't read them. Hey I won't know the difference. Hey if you already know what you want to read here, why don't you just write it yourself instead of telling other people to "Throw in some good old political truth bending" like some kind of girlishly-manipulative control freak. Hey the threads take care of themselves, building and changing as they see fit, without supervisory consultation from some readily-distracted simpleton of a hall monitor: No one can derail a topic whose time has come. Hey you shouldn't let your own taste for unchallenging, easy-reader flows of text ruin things for those of us who enjoy polythreaded serendipity.
> Plus it is a little rude.
Hey: Sometimes, I like that best.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at February 24, 2012 10:58 AM
Ah yes, bickering kids and screaming babies. I don't have children of my own, but sometimes I babysit for others' kids. When driving, I'm not sure which I dislike more, a screaming baby, or a quiet one. When they're quietly sitting in their rear-facing seats, I can't tell if they're simply being quiet or if they're dead! Even worse when they sleep over, as I'm in their room every 15 minutes looking for their chests to rise and fall. I don't know how any parent ever manages to sleep.
Meloni at February 24, 2012 10:59 AM
"Besides I'm voting for Captain Trips."
Happily, word on the street is they're remaking The Stand again, this time as a feature film.
Directed by Ben Affleck!
http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/ben-affleck-warner-bros-choice-to-make-the-stand/
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at February 25, 2012 9:42 PM
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