I found this on engadget.com - who knows if this guy was actually watching a DVD in his car - but if he didn't have the _ability_ to watch and roll in the first place, there would be no trial. I'm not passing judgement on people with front DVD players, I kinda wish I had one myself, but I'm just not ready for this kind of exposure!

Engadget says:
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A man in Alaska went on trial last week on charges of second-degree murder after police found a dashboard DVD player in his car after a fatal accident where he struck and killed two people in another car. It

 

the LAST thing a person should be doing is watching a DVD while driving. I would support stiffer penalties for people engaging in such conduct.

Ryan

 

Yeah I saw this news. I have exactly this type of setup in my Trooper. I admit to sometimes watching when sitting in traffic. Ultimately I feel it's a judgement call. I have DVD movies playing on trips so my wife can watch. I glance at it from time to time and can still enjoy it by following the dialog.

In my case I would not say it's especially distracting because I don't let it be. If I am tired and easily distracted, then we listen to music with the window open, and take a break as soon as possible.

I can cite numerous occasions when I have observed dangerous driving by people applying lipstick, shaving, reaching into the glove box (I assume cause he popped up again once he had crossed into my lane already) and of course cell phones... Heck my daughter rear ended me once because the traffic lights turned green but we only moved 2ft and she was looking at something by the side of the road.

Now if the guy was watching and not paying attention, then yeah, he should pay, it was clear misuse. But this should not be allowed to damn everyone else.

I just believe its a drivers responsibility to use the road without endangering others.

Ultimately I believe 99% of accidents can be avoided. My motorcycle instructor years ago stated surveys that shows eight out of 10 motorbike riders saw the situation, such as... I bet that car hasn't seen me and is going to pull out. Damn I was right. Wham... Instead of, I bet that car hasn't seen me, ok slow down... yep I was right, another mishap avoided.

Ok am going to get off my soap box now. Just makes me so mad that people are always so quick to blame something. In this case even if the guy was reaching for a soda, how did he end up on the other side of the road.... he was obviously not paying attention so yeah, throw the book at him, but not because of a DVD. If it was a woman putting lipstick on, I would say the same thing, but I bet we never see a law against having lipstick in the car. Grrrrr

 

I support stiffer penalties for engaging in any conduct that causes distracted/dangerous driving and not that simply having a DVD player in the car causes you to be a bad driver. I think that will clarify what I meant.

Ryan

 

My main original point was that _if_ you have this kind of setup that bypasses the safeties, you open yourself to a liability exposure, whether or not you were watching at the time. Best case, HUGE legal fees and guilt for life. Worst case, add jail to the mix.

When you say you are watching it in traffic, if you put on the e-brake cause traffic isn't moving, I don't see that as an issue; if you do that while rolling, even slowly, I strongly disagree.

I agree that anything that takes your eyes off the road is bad. However, there is a world difference between the intermittant activities you mention (soda, lipstick, etc) and watching a TV. Two points:

1) If a chick puts on lipstick, she can stop, look at the road, and pick up where she left off. However, we all learn that if you take your eyes off the TV, you miss something - as a result, people really do not take their eyes off the TV when watching, it actually requires a concious effort. Maybe you are able to maintain this discipline, but if so I would say you are 1 in 1000. I learned a lot about maintaining the scan from flight school, and I like to think of myself as a reasonably intelligent person who can multitask fairly well, but I know I can't watch TV and drive.

2) Most people zone out watching a TV, get that blank vacant stare... When we watch movies or TV, we are drawn into that 'Alternate Reality' playing out on the screen. We lose track of the world around us. When driving, this is a bad thing. Again, maybe you are 1 in 1000 - and if so, I worry about the other 999.

Similarily I am horrified by people who read and drive at the same time; that same 'Alternate Reality' thing applies. There is even a bit of the "Alternate Reality" thing with Cell Phones, and I have this peeve about Soccer Moms in SUVs wrapped up in their phone conversations and running red lights - and I am not talking about when the light has changed, I am talking about driving through a stream of traffic. Seems like once a week I have to dodge one of them - and if I were watching TV, or reading, or chatting on the phone instead of being focused on driving, my s would be a hood ornament instead of a fine machine.

One last point - my boss agrees with you, and says if we ban cell phones, we should ban GPS's too. I don't agree with the GPS argument, as I mostly listen to mine when I am using it, and it is an aid (like a speedo) that doesn't promote any "Alternate Reality". YMMV

-JD

 

Devil's Advocate:

What's the difference between looking at a Navigational system for direction (standard in most lux.cars.) and watching a DVD or even a cell phone in one ear?
Let's add eating and makeup in the cars too.

Let's here some comments.

BC

 

I think nav is okay because it speaks, so you can just listen and drive, then glance once in a while. Eating is a no no but not as distracting since its your mouth thats moving and you can keep your eye on the road (if you know how to eat while driving) but it can cause problems for people not knowing how to prioritize what to do when there's food in front of them . Cell phone is bad too, unless in speaker but at least its your mouth and ears not your eyes thats being occupied. DVD is bad because it causes you to glance and sometimes even watch a certain part of the movie because its interesting. Watching it will keep your eye off the road and is very very dangerous. I think watching DVD and reading maps or reading books while driving is very very bad.

 

Mike, looking at navigation would be no different than looking at a map. Or reading your mapquest for that matter.

Ryan

 

[QUOTE=OverBooster,Jul 28 2004, 10:26 AM] Mike, looking at navigation would be no different than looking at a map.

 

Funny that this topic is up, because I and a few other members had a meeting with the #1/#2 man in charge of the s2000 for North America, and we requested for a navi to be put in the S2000 in the future model, of 2006/07. I guess we'll see how it goes.

BC