Should California Have Banned Checking Smartphone Maps While Driving?

Nerval's Lobster writes "According to an appellate court in California, checking your smartphone while driving your Volkswagen (or any other vehicle) is officially verboten. In January 2012, one Steven R. Spriggs was pulled over and cited for checking a map on his smartphone while driving. In a trial held four months later, Spriggs disputed that his action violated California's Section 23123 subdivision (a), which states that a person can't use a phone while driving unless 'that telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free driving and talking, and is used in that manner while driving.' In short, he argued that the statute was limited to those functions of listening and talking—things he insisted could have been followed to the letter of the law. But the judge ruled that operating a phone for GPS, calling, texting, or whatever else was still a distraction and allowed the conviction to stand. That leads to a big question: with everything from Google Glass to cars' own dashboard screens offering visual 'distractions' like dynamic maps, can (and should) courts take a more active role in defining what people are allowed to do with technology behind the wheel? Or are statutes like California's hopelessly outdated?"

Re:Bad Ruling

[jxander]

I agree, terrible ruling. Now if you'll excuse me, my Thomas Brothers guide says that this street is on paage ... 637 ... grid square ... umm F3, and I'm headed to pag***CARRIER LOST***

Re:The law does seem to be out of date, yes...

[buybuydandavis]

Apparently so. Given the overwhelming evidence that many of the activities mentioned in this thread do dramatically increase the risk of having an accident, it appears that a lot more things should be prohibited than actually are.

Let's ban driving. That'll decrease car accident risk.

Re:Bullshit!

[TheRealMindChild]

I don't know what vehicles you have driven, but every vehicle I have ever operated had controls in predictable places, delineated by different textures and tactile feedback. I can change my radio station up and down, as well as toggle my AC and put down my windows without having to think or fiddle any more than having to zip up my fly

Re:Bullshit!

[martinX]

Oh, please. Let's send everyone with screaming kids in their cars to jail too.

Can we just send the kids to jail? At least until they stop bugging each other and RESPECT THE INVISIBLE LINE DRAWN DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR.

Re:And in other news

[LocalH]

Don't you mean girlfriend-free hands?