10 Activities That Should Be Illegal To Do While Driving
Posted by: Catherine Strawn
Filed in:
news
2:40PM, Friday August 21st 2009
After hearing the appeal of a man who was caught using his mobile phone while driving and fined $350, a German judge is making the argument that this shouldn’t be illegal in the first place. In his ruling, Judge Albert Bartz wrote that if it is against the law to use a phone while driving, shouldn’t other dangerous activities be illegal, too? Examples he cited included masturbating or typing on a computer that’s sitting on the passenger’s seat. Sure, there have been studies proving telephone use while driving, especially texting, can lead to accidents, but there are a lot of other dangerous activities we engage in behind the wheel that aren’t illegal unless they distract you and cause an accident. After the jump, 10 things that aren’t illegal to do while driving but should be. [Spiegel Online]
1. Flossing: Dental hygiene is important, but this activity requires the use of both hands. Using a flosser, on the other hand, should be totally legal.
2. Reading magazines: You might think flipping through Us Weekly couldn’t possibly be distracting—is there anything in it that requires reading, anyway?—until you get so engrossed in the “Why He Chose Renée?” story you miss a traffic light.
3. Applying makeup: Do you want to lose an eye? We didn’t think so.
4. Sex of any kind: If both parties end up satisfied, who’s going to control the steering wheel?
5. Changing a diaper: The smell alone could cause an accident.
6. Disciplining a child: Turning around to scold or separate siblings in a fight means no one’s eyes are on the road.
7. Getting out money for tolls: Swerving happens when your purse falls to the floor of the car and you have to dig for your wallet. Maybe they should just get rid of tolls.
8. Eating: Unless it’s a granola bar that requires one hand and can’t spill, food is as dangerous as cell phones.
9. Singing: When we hear Whitney Houston, we close our eyes and try to hit the high notes. A fender bender occurs every time “How Will I Know?” gets played on the radio, that’s why you don’t hear it very often.
10. Sneezing: Another eye-closer, sneezing can’t be controlled, making it all the more dangerous for motorists.
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Kiki T
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:00 pm: [report]
fighting
Riley
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:04 pm: [report]
Glad to see firing my shotgun at road signs didn’t make the list. Really passes the time when I’m driving slowly through school zones. Be smart though, wear ear protection.
onionne
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:04 pm: [report]
I *always* sing in the car. Maybe we just need to ban particular songs with ridiculously high notes. Or anything by Mariah Carey.
GreenAura
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:10 pm: [report]
My hubby and I go back and forth to Vegas often (its where we grew up) and we have had to make countless trips over the always crowded Hoover Dam. That being said, #4, 8 & 9 should NOT be made illegal because then I would have nothing to do for the 2 hours or so that I sit in Dam traffic. And yes, there are ways of making sure both driver and passenger are satisfied while keeping one hand on the wheel. Where theres a will, theres a way!
*sam*
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:13 pm: [report]
re: sneezing— how did you KNOW that I rear-ended a truck because of that!?!?! have you been googling my driving record Catherine?!?!?!
writergirl
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:15 pm: [report]
If I have to sneeze at a red light, I put both feet on the break. If sneezing when driving, I’ve mastered how to do “dainty” sneezes that don’t require closing your eyes.
WhiskeyJenn
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:19 pm: [report]
@ Riley
See, in my home state, that makes the list. And if you’re going to go with a crossbow or a bow & arrow…that is also illegal. Really takes the fun out of a cross state drive, ya know?
AgentBeryllium
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:21 pm: [report]
Every morning I take the same commute. TwinPeaks to Ted Williams Parkway then jump on the 56. A woman cut me off last year. Because she was READING and DRIVING. The papers she as reading was propped on her steering wheel. She was looking down and drifted in my lane.
I yelled at her through my window. She just gave me this stupid look. Oblivious and probably confused to why it was a bad thing to drive and read at the same time. Seemed perfectly safe to her apparently.
I know that the CA driving test is long and hard. But Do they really need to add this question to the test:
Which is NOT OK to do while driving:
A) Talk on the cell phone.
B)Brush your teeth.
C)Shave or put on your make - up.
D)Read.
E) All of the above.
The funny thing is 90% of Californians would get this one wrong.
I just don’t get it, but I watch these people on the road everyday on my commute.Then wonder who might attempt kill me next.
And they are doing all sorts of crazy things like brushing their teeth, reading, texting. Doing their make up. Shaving. Still using their cell phone STILL with the ban and then turns around just not holding it up to their ear but shouting in the speaker. Or hiding the cell under their hair. Or doing a Soduku puzzle. Sometimes all of the above at the same time.
What is amazing is that there is there are so many drivers and not enough CHP. So even if the Highway patrol wanted to pull them over there are 65 others squirelling around attempting the same circus act.
I think the term ‘California: Land of fruits and nuts.’ Probably came from other drivers driving with us.
Coral
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:26 pm: [report]
I used to always have a problem with getting my money ready for tolls. But now my newer car has a slot of quarters where I can keep 8, plus a little compartment that snugly fits dollar bills. So now I just always make sure it’s stocked.
spatula
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:34 pm: [report]
the only one of these i have ever done, or known of anyone doing, is sneezing, singing, and eating. Which, I beg to differ, NONE of those things should be illegal while driving. Some others on the list should, though. The OP was surprising to me..who actually thinks it’s OK to freaking type while driving?!?! Or read?!?!
Riley
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:35 pm: [report]
@WhiskeyJenn - Good thing they haven’t outlawed drinking and driving. I use my empty beer bottles to hurl at signs. It takes a while to learn to drive while hanging out the window trying to hit signs, you get it eventually.
majicksand
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 02:40 pm: [report]
How about changing clothes? I must admit I did that once - a long time ago - I was 18 - I was late for a date - I was only doing 60 - it was only raining a little - the lanes in that tunnel were plenty wide.
Thank God there were no cell phones then. I’d have killed someone for sure. In good news I have grown up and don’t drive that way anymore.
Mariabeth67
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 03:35 pm: [report]
Yesterday I saw a guy reading & driving. I tried to snap a pic, but by the time we passed him (my friend was driving, so no worries!) he put the book away.
joyy
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 03:37 pm: [report]
I have a coworker who talks about how she texts and drives now, but that has to be better than when she was in grad school and would study her flash cards on her hour and a half commute each way commute!
WhiskeyJenn
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 03:46 pm: [report]
@Riley
I just chuck whatever is handy frankly. Especially when going through school zones or retirement communities. I really like reaching on the floor of the passenger side too….get some nice swerving action in there too!
You know what people should also not do while driving? Smoke weed in BROAD DAYLIGHT while driving in a crowded downtown area. I would see that one at least once a week back home.
cali_candy
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 04:33 pm: [report]
I agree with GreenAura - driving through the desert is pretty boring and and doing #4 in the car is sooo hot.
My hubby does #1 (flossing), but only when he’s taking a sharp curve near a cliff to freak me out, lol. He also does #8 (eating) and uses his knees to “hold” onto the steering wheel. He drives a stick shift too.
*sam*
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 05:10 pm: [report]
@majicksand: ah, yes, the ‘changing while driving’ stunt. I managed to pull that one off while doing 75 on the interstate AND talking on the phone. (and not just a quick shirt change either, like, a whole outfit). ah, to be young and invincible. (never mind my not-so-spotless driving record).
(FTR: I have since grown up and now only text at stop lights—for the most part
)
majicksand
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 05:38 pm: [report]
@sam: shoes, socks, bra, underwear- all of it. Makeup too. Bad, very bad.
dandrean
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:05 pm: [report]
i am TERRIFIED of sneezing while i drive. if i’m on the highway in an area i know and feel a sneeze coming on, i’ll pull over. same if i’m just driving around in a city. i’ll also pull over to text something important and change cds if i’m feeling a bit indesicive. other than the speeding and drinking while driving[vitamin water, not alcohol] i’m a relatively safe driver. and i’ve only had my license for 2 years. oh, that is if you don’t count backing up. i really really suck at reversing. i’ve kind of backed into three different cars… while they were parked.
bogart4017
wrote on August 24 2009 @ 01:04 pm: [report]
I’ve seen everything on this list occur in New York!
@coral—i have one of those things in my car too. But i also have a wife so it never stays stocked no matter what i do. Any suggestions?
Coral
wrote on August 24 2009 @ 01:28 pm: [report]
@bogart: On the rare occasion that my boyfriend drives my car, he used to take my quarters for parking meters or tolls, so I had to talk to him—and he’s not allowed to drive my car unless he will help restock it too. And every time I go to the grocery store, I give the cashier $10 in exchange for a roll of quarters (I guess I could go to a bank), and I have the roll of quarters in the glove compartment in addition (but my boyfriend doesn’t know about that). That’s all I can think of working.