As a child, I recall learning of vehicle accidents caused by drivers bending down to pick up their dropped cigarette. Today, the focus is on “distracted driving.” In fact, following an accident, there seems to be more interest in determining whether the driver was talking on their cell phone than assessing their blood alcohol level.
I also read in the news that GM and Ford are racing to incorporate more technology into less expensive vehicle models, purportedly to make more money. Let’s see. We want Satellite radio, Bluetooth MP3, Hands-Free cell phone, GPS, and now voice commands to update our Facebook status! (http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-08/gm-s-onstar-said-to-consider-free-service-facebook.html)
Some of this stuff makes sense and some does not. Many GPS units will let the passenger search for a fuel stop, but many others do not. The hands-free cell phone feature in my car plays the audio only through the driver’s speaker – it’s useless for the passenger. And only the driver can operate the “hands-free” controls, although after going through several levels of voice menus, it may require you to stop the vehicle to confirm your final menu selection!
But is it really necessary to update Facebook while driving? After all, “Facebook users are insecure, narcissistic and have low self-esteem” (click link --> http://tinyurl.com/32483fb). I can just about predict tomorrow’s headline: Politicians get speeding tickets; insecure drivers have accidents…
1 comment:
Side note for whatever it's worth...the Facebook "study" concluding users are "insecure, narcissistic and have low self-esteem" was hardly scientific. It only polled 100 students ages 18-25. Um, aren't most students between the aged 18-25 insecure, narcissistic & have low self-esteem??
Post a Comment