Drivers Watching Media Players

[Flying_Monkey]

This horrific accident in South Korea, in which a driver who was watching television on his digital media player, killed three young club cyclists and seriously injured several others, got me thinking about law and practice.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/three-cyclists-killed-in-korea-crash

It seems quite clear that more and more drivers in all countries are doing this, regardless of the law - and it is illegal to watch films or TV whilst driving in many countries. So should it actually be illegal to sell vehicle with devices that can show this kind of media, or install them in your own vehicle? Handheld devices are already limited, and if people are prepared to post such fatal risks to others just because they are able to watch TV, shouldn't we just remove that temptation?

 

[MontyVeda]

yes.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Yet, the trend is the other way: more and more media devices are being installed in vehicles.

 

[ianrauk]

that makes for horrific reading.

 

[srw]

I rather think that if the police in the UK saw you watching telly while driving they'd pull you over. It sounds as if the same doesn't apply in South Korea.

One case in one place in the world isn't enough to contemplate a change in the law. Since it's now possible to watch films on mobile devices, it would be a ludicrous law anyway.

 

[subaqua]

define "installed in the vehicle" lots have them installed in the rear headrests for back seat passengers to watch. the headphones won't work past the rear of the front seats either. its a great medium for keeping the kids quiet meaning I can give the road my full attention.

 

[Haitch]

Why stop at media players (radios?)? Speed regulators, alcohol locks, gadgets that you have to enter your destination or weight into and if it's, say, less than a mile away or higher than 100 kg, the car won't start?

 

[growingvegetables]

Yet, the trend is the other way: more and more media devices are being installed in vehicles.

It's worse than that - my daughter has just bought a new car. And to all intents and purposes, it's no more than a sophisticated, high speed, sit-in, mobile phone extension or docking station.

OK, I know it costs a bit more and you can keep up with your facebook at 70mph. But it just isn't a CAR (as in PROPER Mini).

Luddite rant over.

 

[defy-one]

I have rear screens, DVD player and a PS2 in my car, keeps wife & kids happy in the back so I can drive.
Don't see the issue as long as people don't override the safety settings

 

[e-rider]

I rather think that if the police in the UK saw you watching telly while driving they'd pull you over. It sounds as if the same doesn't apply in South Korea.

One case in one place in the world isn't enough to contemplate a change in the law. Since it's now possible to watch films on mobile devices, it would be a ludicrous law anyway.

The police in the UK will pull you over if they see you using your mobile phone - that doesn't stop thousands of people using their phones whilst driving everyday. The law needs to be a much bigger deterent in order to stop people doing it - 3 points and £60 simply is no way near enough to make people think twice.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

define "installed in the vehicle" lots have them installed in the rear headrests for back seat passengers to watch. the headphones won't work past the rear of the front seats either. its a great medium for keeping the kids quiet meaning I can give the road my full attention.

I think it's pretty clear I am not talking about what people in the back seat are doing, but drivers.

 

[subaqua]

I think it's pretty clear I am not talking about what people in the back seat are doing, but drivers.

it could be assumed thats what you meant , but thats how we end up with loopholes.


some manufacturers have sorted it with displays that only work at a certain view point , so passengers see one thing and driver ses sat nav , radio etc.
I do agree that the pop up retrofit head units need banning whilst vehicle is in motion. can't be that hard to do with all the electronics in cars these days ,CANBUS is a good example

 

[Flying_Monkey]

it could be assumed thats what you meant , but thats how we end up with loopholes

We're having a friendly discussion here, not writing policy (which, by the way, I have done).

 

[subaqua]

We're having a friendly discussion here, not writing policy (which, by the way, I have done).

ah i get it, you don't need to be clear when you post something, but everybody else does.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The police in the UK will pull you over if they see you using your mobile phone - that doesn't stop thousands of people using their phones whilst driving everyday. The law needs to be a much bigger deterent in order to stop people doing it - 3 points and £60 simply is no way near enough to make people think twice.

It's not the stiffness of the penalty that deters people from breaking a law, it's the likelihood of being caught. We need more police monitoring traffic, not rely on cameras.


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