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.

Comments

Re:heh.

[p3d0]

Brother, you need to get a grip. In the olden days, they used to do this thing called "planning ahead" where they would leave enough time in case traffic is bad. Most times they would get to the destination ten minutes early and find something to do.

Today people think their time is so extremely important that they can't bear to arrive some place before they absolutely need to. Well, I have news for you: when you arrive someplace, you are either early or late. There is no third choice, unless you can manage to arrive within planck time of the chosen moment.

Just get accustomed to being early for everything and life is less stressful. Yes, you might get one less thing done over the course of the day. (The horror!)