California Bans Front-Seat Computer Use

An anonymous reader submits "As of January 1, 2004 the State of California has banned the use of notebook computers used anywhere in the front seat (PDF) of a moving vehicle. Previously, the ban applied just to TV sets. Even if your car-pooling front seat passenger is just doing some programming, you can be charged with a crime (AB 301). Thanks go to CA Assemblymember Sarah Reyes for this well meaning but overly broad piece of legislation." The text is mercifully short, but still contains some tricky language; probably the meaning of "installed" at the very least needs to be clarified. Would a laptop affixed to a installed bracket count? Considering the complexity of modern automotive navigation/control systems (now sneaking into budget vehicles, too), it seems like a very fine distinction. The law would seem to ban handheld computers being used as navigation aids, too, or GPS devices with games, and very soon, nearly all cell phones.

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RE: opposite sex not allowed in front seat

[chooks]

Sacrementa, California (AP) -- In a surprising move, the state legislature of California recently passed legislation to outlaw members of the opposite sex in the front seat of vehicles.

Legislature members point to recent studies that cite that cars driven by heterosexuals are 13.232 percent more likely to be involved in accidents when a member of the opposite sex is in the passenger seat. These numbers rise to a shocking 35.243% when that member is a significant other and to an unseemly 75% rate when the passenger is naked and has fake breasts. When the driver and passenger are married, the researchers found that the accident rate hovered around 50.324%, a phenomona known as the "nag factor".

"The numbers don't lie. Having the opposite sex as a passenger in the car is a definite distraction to the driver" said Dr. Frank O. Overman, a head researcher in the project. "Won't somebody please please PLEASE think of the safety of the children!" he continued.

Dr. Overman had no comments on the studies in Massuchusets involving homosexual drivers and same sex passengers.