vLane Blog

Things you Shouldn't Do While Driving

From LesleyB, Featured Contributor
Posted on June 27, 2008

Driving laws that don't exist, but maybe should

California joins other states in banning handheld cellphone usage in cars July 1st. The law is somewhat controversial as certain studies have shown that using a phone hands-free in the car is just as dangerous as using one while holding it. We asked around and found that there's a whole bunch of things that people think shouldn't be allowed while someone is behind the wheel, and the car is in motion.

This information was learned the hard way, either through personal experience or by observing others. What would you add?

Eating: particularly something that requires you to use utensils like forks or chopsticks.
Rooting around: trying to find something that is either on the floor of the front seat, or in the backseat.
Personal hygiene: including brushing teeth, applying makeup, giving oneself a manicure or pedicure, putting in contact lenses, or any number of things that people have observed people doing behind the wheel.
Changing clothes: putting on pants, shirts, shoes, etc.
Giving or receiving sexual favors: including to yourself. This is a very popular response, indicated that lots of have tried it, and most think it's a bad idea. Some people argue this should be expanded to include any kind of cuddling, like holding hands.
Fighting with another passenger, whether they are in the passenger seat or backseat.
Navigating: looking at a map, or programming your GPS system.
Littering: throwing trash out the window.
Reading: whether it's a book, the morning paper, or something on your laptop.
Playing a musical instrument: including drumming on the steering wheel with drumsticks.
Racing a remote control car that you are also steering. You've probably never thought of it, but we have it on good authority that it's a bad idea.

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LesleyB is a featured contributor for vLane.

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From Natovr
Commented on June 30, 2008

Showing offensive and provocative finger signs to other drivers, which may distract them or provoke them. I think programming GPS should be allowed, as long as the GPS is easy enough to program -- touch screen, drag map, speech recognition etc.
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From Anonymous
Commented on June 28, 2008

Thank you Captain Obvious how about: not sticking your legs out the door, preparing a Sunday roast, driving backwards whilst playing bagpipes, getting a solid 8 hours sleep, bathing the dog, reading the entire book of War and Peace without taking a look at the road, dressing as Hitler and doing the nazi salute to everyone you pass, painting the fence, and other such things that im sure are in the USA edition of the car owners manual.