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West Virginia Wants to Ban Google Glass While Driving
Though Google Claims Tech Would Make Drivers Safer
Despite the fact that Google Glass isn't even launched yet, West Virginia lawmakers are getting ready to pass a law banning people from using Glass while driving. State lawmakers have already been working on new laws that ban texting while driving, so Gary Howell (R-Mineral) is updating the law so that it also covers "a computing device which is worn on the head and projects visual information into the field of vision of the wearer." Google, for its part, is trying to argue that Google Glass could make drivers safer:
quote:
"We are putting a lot of thought into the design of Glass because new technologies always raise new issues," a Google spokesperson wrote to Ars. "We actually believe there is tremendous potential to improve safety on our roads and reduce accidents. As always, feedback is welcome."
While the potential for driver distraction might be significant, West Virginia probably has more important things to worry about than passing regulations governing a niche product few people will actually be able to afford at $1,500 a pop. This is the state currently investigating its own incompetence and corruption after state leaders wasted $126.3-million in broadband funding on un-used, overpriced routers and redundant, overpaid consultants, in the process lining Cisco and Verizon's pockets with no-bid contracts.
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jtl999
join:2012-11-24
canada

jtl999

Member

More testing.

More testing will have to be done to evaluate if the device is a distraction. Certainly taking your hands off the wheel to interact with gestures might be.

AAAngryMann
@sbcglobal.net

AAAngryMann

Anon

Re: More testing.

said by jtl999:

More testing will have to be done to evaluate if the device is a distraction. Certainly taking your hands off the wheel to interact with gestures might be.

Looking at a screen that is in front of your face while driving is DUMB, DUMB, DUMB and even more DUMB! Last thing I need is some distracted twitter-head plowing into me while getting the latest sports scores or weather updates.

This is like "evaluating" if placing an open flame directly on someone's skin burns. Google and all of their little brain dead hipster followers can take their stupid spytech and go leap off the nearest cliff.

GET OUT OF MY FACE WITH YOUR STUPID GLASSES AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT STAY OFF THE ROADS!

I will not associate with any prick who comes near me with those glasses.
me1212
join:2008-11-20
Lees Summit, MO
·Google Fiber

me1212

Member

Re: More testing.

said by AAAngryMann :

Google and all of their little brain dead hipster

said by AAAngryMann :

Google

said by AAAngryMann :

hipster

Google isn't apple.

Probitas
@teksavvy.com

Probitas

Anon

obviously misguided tech

Regardless of the "Neat-o!" effect of this tech, it's going to lead to accidents. The moment you take focus off something, everything else is blurred. And this will lend to tunnel vision, which is the worst thing you can have when driving. Eyes are supposed to be in motion while driving so you keep your mind active: I would say tunnel vision is almost the same as being hypnotized.

Watch for insurance companies to chime in at some point, refusing to cover clients who use such devices and get into accidents, claiming drive fault for not actively being involved in driving.

Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

Mike

Mod

Re: obviously misguided tech

2013 BMW 6 series has a HUD built into the glass.

I don't think it's banned in WV, just no one owns one.
big_e
join:2011-03-05

big_e

Member

Re: obviously misguided tech

The HUD displays in cars are extremely limited in function to comply with state laws and to limit liability. You can't play angry birds, watch a video, or surf the web using the HUD built into a BMW.

BimmerE38FN
join:2002-09-15
Boise, ID

BimmerE38FN to Mike

Member

to Mike
HUD was first introd on a BMW M5 back in 04-05 time frame I believe. Only displayed speed and RPMs I think.

Any sort of distraction being radio console, phones or something in the windshield is a distraction and should not be allowed in cars period. Humans have prevent time and time again that we are not competent to multi task and drive at the same time. Technology is a kewl thing, however for driving, people need to be focused on driving, and there surroundings. Leave all the other stuff to passengers when they are riding or pull over if your alone or people just need to find patience and wait till they arrive. People are so impatient. My 2 cents.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: obviously misguided tech

GM had a B&W HUD in 1988 and color HUD in 1998. My 2001 Pontiac Bonneville had a HUD display.

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He ··· omobiles
FFH5

FFH5 to Probitas

Premium Member

to Probitas
said by Probitas :

Regardless of the "Neat-o!" effect of this tech, it's going to lead to accidents. The moment you take focus off something, everything else is blurred. And this will lend to tunnel vision, which is the worst thing you can have when driving. Eyes are supposed to be in motion while driving so you keep your mind active: I would say tunnel vision is almost the same as being hypnotized.

Watch for insurance companies to chime in at some point, refusing to cover clients who use such devices and get into accidents, claiming drive fault for not actively being involved in driving.

Yes. Ultimately insurance companies can decide the case. If they refuse to write policies for those who use Google Glass, that will kill the devices for using them while driving.

While it doesn't seem much different than the Heads-Up displays that project info in front of the windshield used by some cars today, the data would need to be severely limited to not distract drivers. And I don't believe that Google cares at all what data would be displayed while driving, including msgs, videos, etc while the user was driving.

So, insurance companies and lawsuits would ultimately kill off Google Glass for drivers.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72 to Probitas

Member

to Probitas
You've probably never seen an HmountD, but contrary to urban beliefs humans are able to concentrate on multiple fields of view at one time for situational awareness.

In any case if it can remove texting and talking so you don't have to take your eyes off the road this is more helpful, but it requires training, not the 30 minutes in the instructors wheel.

This is all transitional to card driving themselves anyways.

Think about it, when we were running in the fields did we have to worry about one lion or the pack.

Probitas
@teksavvy.com

Probitas

Anon

Re: obviously misguided tech

A couple points. While hunting the food, humans normally did so in packs the same way wolves do it. Safety in numbers, and more than one person watching your back.

Driving is a SINGLE operator tech. No one else is going to point out the traffic you're about to drive into if you're focused on the you tube video being streamed. There is a reason parents scream at kids to shut it while they are driving: distraction.

And also, even before Google Glass, the rodes are full of people who think they know how to drive properly at high speed rates like they are A.J. Foyt, and sadly graveyards are full of those results.

Common sense is supposed to be common too, and I NEVER see evidence of that at all.

fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday
Premium Member
join:2005-07-01
Palm Springs, CA

fuziwuzi

Premium Member

Special model

Google should make a special model that has a built-in small-caliber semi-automatic gun. Then the GOP would demand it be mandatory equipment for drivers.

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

2 recommendations

battleop

Member

Re: Special model

Maybe their will be a version for democrats so you can sit at home on your ass and suck off the government tit all day long.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County

CylonRed

MVM

Re: Special model

And yet so many democrats do not such thing - huh...

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

1 recommendation

battleop

Member

Re: Special model

I thought I would make an equally off topic crazy as claim as well....

michieru
Premium Member
join:2009-07-25
Denver, CO

michieru

Premium Member

Re: Special model

Acceptable!

fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday
Premium Member
join:2005-07-01
Palm Springs, CA

fuziwuzi to battleop

Premium Member

to battleop
No crazier than GOP officials, whether local or national. You have to admit, there is some major crazy going on in that party right now.

Eddy120876
join:2009-02-16
Bronx, NY

Eddy120876

Member

Re: Special model

They always been crazy...we are just hearing it now thanks to so much media devices and people talking about it 24/7 and no surprise that West V is the first one taking the lead on the looney policies. Look if this was the case then law enforcement should give people tickets for driving while texting and talking on the phone. Which is the norm if you pay attention while driving. Look Im not a fan of google glass but if you want to minimize the safe risk i know google will come with a driving mode. Every IOS,android,BB,Win 8 phone has this feature so what makes then thing that Google won't implement then on glass?. Only the GOP will think otherwise. LOL
me1212
join:2008-11-20
Lees Summit, MO

me1212 to fuziwuzi

Member

to fuziwuzi
There is crazy shit going on in both parties. All ether of them want is for us to be their bitches and to rule over us 100% and take all out freedoms.
b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
united state

1 edit

b10010011

Member

What's unsafe about watching you-tube videos in traffic...

I mean getting updated traffic reports and Google map driving directions?

Yeah, that's what I meant...

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

1 edit

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Texting and driving

I personally think texting and driving or using any electronic device not permanently attached to the vehicle should be treated the same as drunk driving with jail time and license suspension.

The reason I say this is I lost a perfectly good car to a combination of alcohol and a cell phone (of course I was not the one at fault).

I say ban the use of all electronics not permanently attached to the car including hands free cell phones. What I mean by permanently attached is stuff like the car radio and climate controls. But I think cell phones, iPods, tablets, etc should be off limits while driving.

Being involved in an accident is no fun at all, especially when you're not at fault and you now have to take the bus because your car was totaled.

When you are driving, you should give 100 percent of your attention to the task of driving and zero attention to other things. If the phone rings, just let it go to voicemail, if you get a text just ignore it until you get to your destination.

Edit: And I forgot to mention that one of the passengers in the at fault vehicle was killed.

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

battleop

Member

Re: Texting and driving

"I personally think texting and driving or using any electronic device not permanently attached to the vehicle should be treated the same as drunk driving with jail time and license suspension."

Agreed... The anti texting laws are not doing shit here. I am still stuck behind assholes who are doing 55 in the fast lane weaving back and fourth because they are focused on their phone and not the road.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt to IowaCowboy

Premium Member

to IowaCowboy
said by IowaCowboy:

I personally think texting and driving or using any electronic device not permanently attached to the vehicle should be treated the same as drunk driving with jail time and license suspension.

The reason I say this is I lost a perfectly good car to a combination of alcohol and a cell phone (of course I was not the one at fault).

I say ban the use of all electronics not permanently attached to the car including hands free cell phones. What I mean by permanently attached is stuff like the car radio and climate controls. But I think cell phones, iPods, tablets, etc should be off limits while driving.

Being involved in an accident is no fun at all, especially when you're not at fault and you now have to take the bus because your car was totaled.

When you are driving, you should give 100 percent of your attention to the task of driving and zero attention to other things. If the phone rings, just let it go to voicemail, if you get a text just ignore it until you get to your destination.

Edit: And I forgot to mention that one of the passengers in the at fault vehicle was killed.

That makes no sense. So a car that has built in cellular, it's fine to use hands free talking, but a cellphone you can carry, it isn't fine to use Hand Free talking? The result is the same. Either allow both or neither.

And even a radio or a passenger can also be distracting to the driver.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Re: Texting and driving

Some countries have banned using a cell phone (either handheld or hands-free) while driving outright. I think we should do the same here.

My mother is a grade school crossing guard and the worst drivers she sees are the ones using a cell phone. Now think if that was your child that got ran over because a driver was more concerned about talking to their client than the job of driving. My mother has had more than her fair share of near-misses with drivers and most were texting or talking on a cell phone. That is why I think using a cell phone should be treated as a criminal motor vehicle infraction with license suspension and jail time.

NOCTech75
Premium Member
join:2009-06-29
Marietta, GA

NOCTech75 to IowaCowboy

Premium Member

to IowaCowboy
said by IowaCowboy:

I personally think texting and driving or using any electronic device not permanently attached to the vehicle should be treated the same as drunk driving with jail time and license suspension.

So we should put all cops in jail for drunk driving with jail time... they have a whole computer to play with and no laws against that.

kevinds
Premium Member
join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB

kevinds to IowaCowboy

Premium Member

to IowaCowboy
Why not stuff like car radio and climate controls? As you said

"you should give 100 percent of your attention to the task of driving and zero attention to other things"

"other things" will be everything else, including talking to passengers...

I sure hope you follow this now yourself?...

And I think that ignoring a text or call until I get to my destination is bloody stupid! If you were driving from Springfield, MA to Long Beach, CA, do you really expect everybody to ignore all calls and text messages for minimum 2 days? This is what you said.

Lastly, if I am on the highway with little traffic around me, yes I will answer my phone, if I am in an area with a lot of traffic or not on a freeway/highway, I will leave my phone.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Re: Texting and driving

You'll be thinking the way I do after surviving a major car accident like I did the one where the other driver reached for a cell phone and alcohol was a factor.

There is nothing more traumatic than being in a high speed crash in the middle of nowhere and watching a car roll and I could have been killed. I might have walked away from that crash but the emotional scars are still with me, especially since someone was killed in the other vehicle and I'm not the one at fault.

Texting and driving, it can wait. Same goes for calls as well.
Happydude32
Premium Member
join:2005-07-16

Happydude32 to IowaCowboy

Premium Member

to IowaCowboy
So, it’s A-OK, if my car had an integrated navigation system w/Bluetooth audio. But you want me brought up on criminal charges if I use my phone for Google Navigation? It’s perfectly fine to press a button to change a radio station or pop in a new CD, but I can’t use the Sirius XM or Pandora app to switch what I’m listening to?

Umm, no not gonna happen. Due to the voice recognition capabilities for the smartphones on the market, it’s pretty much safer and less of a struggle to dictate functions to your phone then reach over and play with buttons on the dash. I used Google Nav all the time for work, while streaming Sirius XM. When I text and drive I usually (but not always) use the voice commands. And quite frankly, I don’t give a shit, NY State was the first to ban talking and driving, but I always talk and drive w/o a hands free thing. I personally know of not one single person who has ever been ticketed for cell phone use. I notice more cops than ever using cell phones while driving or playing on their Panasonic Toughbooks. When I’m out and about I will hold the phone down and put it on speaker when the radar detector goes off, just to be on the safe side and bring the phone back to my ear as soon as the threat is over. And when driving in an urban setting, it really doesn’t matter. I’ve been in various cities and been at red lights next to cops while on my cell phone and they don’t care. Those are real cops with real crime to fight, they’re not tax collectors. They have stabbings to respond to and domestics to break up that are more important than collecting extra revenue for the city in the form of cell phone violations. Stupid nanny state laws like banning cell phones while driving has nothing to do with ‘to serve and protect’ it’s more like ‘to serve and collect’.

If you would like to pay the $1,500 to $2,000 and set me up an appointment at a local Ford dealer to replace my radio with the in-dash Lincoln Factory Nav system, I would be more than happy to oblige, but for the time being, I’ll just use my smartphone, thank you very much.
NoHereNoMo
join:2012-12-06

NoHereNoMo to IowaCowboy

Member

to IowaCowboy
You let a drunk drive your car, and he/she crashed it, killing someone else in the car in the process... and you blame "a combination of alcohol and a cell phone"? Sorry, but it's due completely to alcohol.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA

aaronwt

Premium Member

Re: Texting and driving

Yes I wish they would give the death penalty to people who drink, drive, and kill someone. Instead they typically get what amounts to a slap on the wrist, considering they killed someone.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy to NoHereNoMo

Premium Member

to NoHereNoMo
It was another vehicle that had the drunk driver with the cell phone that hit my vehicle. That vehicle rolled killing someone in the process. Mine just spun out and landed in the median and I walked away. This all happened on I-95 in New Hampshire at 65 mph. I was very lucky as many high speed crashes are fatal.
IowaCowboy

IowaCowboy to NoHereNoMo

Premium Member

to NoHereNoMo
It was another vehicle that had the drunk driver with the cell phone that hit my vehicle. That vehicle rolled killing someone in the process. Mine just spun out and landed in the median and I walked away. This all happened on I-95 in New Hampshire at 65 mph. I was very lucky as many high speed crashes are fatal.
IowaCowboy

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Re: Texting and driving

Sorry for the duplicate post, I was having issues with getting the site to load.

DaSneaky1D
what's up
MVM
join:2001-03-29
The Lou

DaSneaky1D

MVM

Yet, they won't ban....

Yet, they won't ban car manufacturers from putting touchscreen computers in vehicles that operate while the car is in motion? That use "mice" as console controls?

Please, pick a priority then come back to Glass.
chgo_man99
join:2010-01-01
Sunnyvale, CA

chgo_man99

Member

Re: Yet, they won't ban....

said by DaSneaky1D:

Yet, they won't ban car manufacturers from putting touchscreen computers in vehicles that operate while the car is in motion? That use "mice" as console controls?

Please, pick a priority then come back to Glass.

I have toyota corolla 2011 and it won't allow you to for ex. set up or pair bluetooth while vehicle is in motion, only simple task like making a phone call.

Hover the design of the dashboard could use upgrade. It should let you switch radio station with buttons instead forcing you to adjust knob.

cableties
Premium Member
join:2005-01-27

cableties

Premium Member

Ban those active billboards...

When driving, peripheral vision awareness shows distraction on vector.
These billboards actively change and are much brighter than reflective.
They are distraction. And if I even recall what was on it, it angers me that I was not paying attention on a road that has idiots going 15 over the limit, and cops wait for the accident rather than be proactive and cause more (nothing like rush hour for idiot to slam into someone while texting, then hold everyone else up for an hour or more...).
Oh and while making new laws, how about "speeders of hybrids get double fine...Smug while speeding!"
travisdh1
join:2007-10-20
Wooster, OH

travisdh1

Member

Gary Howell demonstrates the stupidity of government.

We know nothing about how google glass will actually work. Who's to say they don't have the system detect when you're behind the wheel? It could probably be the best thing to ever happen for a driver by making sure they're paying attention to the road and not nodding off. We just don't know at this point and trying to pass legislation to ban them is just wrong.

Mr. Howell, you have no idea yet if these devices will be a distraction or a driving aide. Go away and work on a real problem.
Os
join:2011-01-26
US

Os

Member

Re: Gary Howell demonstrates the stupidity of government.

Gary Howell is the State Senator right across the border from me.

You have to be an idiot to get elected in Mineral County.

AAAngryMann
@sbcglobal.net

AAAngryMann to travisdh1

Anon

to travisdh1
said by travisdh1:

We know nothing about how google glass will actually work.

No, this is what you choose to make yourself believe that. It's common knowledge that these glasses will be used to overlay various information directly to a user and record video.

There is no other way to white wash it. This is what these glasses will do and yes people will use it while driving which is why they are considering a law.

Who's to say they don't have the system detect when you're behind the wheel?

Unless they're able to pack a human brain in one of these glasses, this is impossible to detect when anyone is behind a wheel but some GPS devices do detect when a user is in motion and have an option to disable certain features but most people disable it anyway.

It could probably be the best thing to ever happen for a driver by making sure they're paying attention to the road and not nodding off.

And and and maybe it'll keep my car fueled and my tires inflated without stopping so I agree, lets throw common sense out the window and stock up on these babies!

We just don't know at this point and trying to pass legislation to ban them is just wrong.

Again "You" not "We" choose to make yourself believe that you don't know.

Mr. Howell, you have no idea yet if these devices will be a distraction or a driving aide. Go away and work on a real problem.

Google will always call it an aid because they want to sell this crap, they are no different from the cigarette companies.

Stay off the roads, stay out of my face and take your google glasses, turn them sideways and sho... well you know the rest.

NotHereNow
@verizon.net

NotHereNow

Anon

Look at me! Look at me!

Watch me while I up my quota for submitting legislation!

Texting is dangerous because you take both your hands off the wheel and your eyes off the road in order to do it. Not only can you not drive safely while texting, you aren't driving at all. The car is, effectively, driving itself; of course, since cars don't have auto-pilot, the car is simply an unguided missile at that point.

We don't know jack about what effect Glass can have on drivers yet. Passing some law to "ban" it because "ooh, I've been reading all these warnings about Glass... I ought to get my name in the register ASAP" ...well, it's not just premature, it's reckless (not "wreck"-less). Let's actually identify a problem before trying a stupid solution. (Of course, since when have legislators cared about doing something right?)

People drive "distracted" all the time--thinking about other things, talking to others in the car, listening to the radio, whatever. As long as your hands are on the wheel (at least one of them) and your eyes are on the road, one is doing about as well as can be expected.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

KrK

Premium Member

Knee jerk banning a technology in advance?

How can you ban something in advance? Without knowing what it may or may not do?

Wonder who is behind this, really.
me1212
join:2008-11-20
Lees Summit, MO
·Google Fiber

me1212

Member

Re: Knee jerk banning a technology in advance?

said by KrK:

Wonder who is behind this, really.

Probably apple, who is butthurt they didn't make it, or rather let someone else make it then patent it and steal it, first.