jerrytug
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- Messages
- 1,837
- Location
- Isle of Wight
In the 60's, when I was in short trousers but already fascinated by cars and other machines, I remember a newspaper story my dad read to me.
Rolls Royce had managed to install a TV in a car! This was unprecedented, and almost unbelievable.
One thing was clearly mentioned: the TV must only be visible to passengers in the back seat, because if the driver caught a glimpse, it would dangerously distract his eyes from the road.
The distraction issue was so obviously true that everyone took it for granted. *Of course* the driver must not be able to view a screen. That would be insanity!
Fast forward to 2022. Tesla seem to have started a trend for huge iPad or larger size computer screens, in the middle of the dashboard. Now plenty of other car makers are copying them, These screens are not merely satnavs, they are often used for basic controls like lights and wipers, suspension settings, and many other functions which I don't know about. This is obviously crazy.
To use the screen, you need to remove your gaze from the road ahead, turn your head to the left, then lower your head, then completely refocus your eyeballs from infinity to two feet. Then you have to read the screen or look at the pictures, and process that information. Then you have to remove your left hand from the wheel, and concentrate on touching or swiping some tiny icon on the screen, then check the results. Assuming you achieved what you wanted, you then raise your head, face forward, refocus your eyes, and see what's happened in front of you during the seconds when your attention was completely elsewhere.
This is insanity and must cause many crashes and near misses. Why is it even allowed? It would be very easy to legally insist that the screens automatically go dark if the wheels are turning, and if you want to fiddle with your suspension settings or whatever, you pull over and put the handbrake on. Satnav would be allowed, but it should not be user-adjustable when the wheels are turning.
There is no reason to play with computer screens when you are driving. If you need to fiddle, pull over and stop.
I don't care if you are a multi-drop delivery driver or whatever, it is dangerously distracting, and should be banned immediately.
Anyone who claims they somehow 'need' to use a computer screen while driving needs re-educating.
Rolls Royce had managed to install a TV in a car! This was unprecedented, and almost unbelievable.
One thing was clearly mentioned: the TV must only be visible to passengers in the back seat, because if the driver caught a glimpse, it would dangerously distract his eyes from the road.
The distraction issue was so obviously true that everyone took it for granted. *Of course* the driver must not be able to view a screen. That would be insanity!
Fast forward to 2022. Tesla seem to have started a trend for huge iPad or larger size computer screens, in the middle of the dashboard. Now plenty of other car makers are copying them, These screens are not merely satnavs, they are often used for basic controls like lights and wipers, suspension settings, and many other functions which I don't know about. This is obviously crazy.
To use the screen, you need to remove your gaze from the road ahead, turn your head to the left, then lower your head, then completely refocus your eyeballs from infinity to two feet. Then you have to read the screen or look at the pictures, and process that information. Then you have to remove your left hand from the wheel, and concentrate on touching or swiping some tiny icon on the screen, then check the results. Assuming you achieved what you wanted, you then raise your head, face forward, refocus your eyes, and see what's happened in front of you during the seconds when your attention was completely elsewhere.
This is insanity and must cause many crashes and near misses. Why is it even allowed? It would be very easy to legally insist that the screens automatically go dark if the wheels are turning, and if you want to fiddle with your suspension settings or whatever, you pull over and put the handbrake on. Satnav would be allowed, but it should not be user-adjustable when the wheels are turning.
There is no reason to play with computer screens when you are driving. If you need to fiddle, pull over and stop.
I don't care if you are a multi-drop delivery driver or whatever, it is dangerously distracting, and should be banned immediately.
Anyone who claims they somehow 'need' to use a computer screen while driving needs re-educating.