On the heels of the California driver who was ticketed for driving with Glass, a new bill has been introduced asking that all wearable computers be banned during operation of a vehicle. The bill, introduced by Wyoming Senator Floyd Esquibel, is aimed at safety.
“Common sense would tell you that you really don’t need to look at a little computer while driving, that it endangers you, your passengers and other drivers” Esquibel said of the bill. The bill will be entertained is legislature this February, when new bills are heard. If it sounds like something for Wyoming alone, it’s not. Several other states are reportedly interested as well.
The sparsely populated state has the company of six others in this proposed ban. Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia are also interested, says the National Conference of State Legislatures. Thogh newly introduced, the bill has merit, and the attention of many concerned states. After headlines of Cecilia Abadie’s ticket and subsequent dismissal, many began pondering whether Glass – or any other wearable device which was in the line of sight while driving — was safe.
Esquibel also has a history of safe driving initiatives. A member of the state Senate transportation panel, he successfully got Wyoming to ban texting while driving in 2010. For fans of Glass, it’s a potential set-back to making the wearable attractive to a wide audience. We’ll keep an eye on this one to see just where it takes us come February.
VIA: Reuters
Wait till they have to ban people from wearing watches while driving because of smart watches.
no, this is just because it has not the Apple logo so they are mad about that Google is much more innovative than the limited, outdated and boring Apple products, be sure about that 🙂
Google’s educating marketing sucks
As a glass explorer I think this is stupid. People are always going to be using their phones and glass is our of sight and can be completely hands free. Navigation is easier because you don’t have to look down so you continue looking at the road. When the nav on your phone times out you have to reach and.unlock your phone whereas with glass you just nod your head. People already use their Bluetooth headset which already requires the user to reach away from the steering wheel whereas with glass you don’t need to take your hands off the wheel. If glass is banned while driving Bluetooth headsets should be too. Honestly glass is the safest way to stay connected while driving. If like to see research showing glass being more dangerous before any laws are passed.
IDK. If you get a ticket for talking on the phone and driving, it only seems fair that driving with a screen in front of your eyes should be illegal too.
as some have said, then they should ban smartwatches, handsfree kits, SatNav, heads up displays, on board computers such as those you get on Audi’s and VW’s. the whole point of Glass is to be able to look at where you are going/what you are doing without taking your “eyes of the prize”…
a real bummer. they could have instead drafted a bill to compel manufacturers of wearables to include (and enforce) a “driving mode”, much like the oh so common “airplane mode”, wherein only “safe” functions are enabled.
for example: driving assistance apps (glass could be used to warn you about oncoming obstructions), sleep warning apps (head starts to bob and weave, BEEP and flash a warning), weather updates (“hail storm reported ahead, drive with caution”), or traffic updates (“accident reported ahead, change course to reduce congestion and make everyone happier”).
instead we get politicians jumping the gun and saying “i’m uncomfortable with out and don’t see how i would want it to i’d like to ban it”. makes me wish this was the WORST we’d see from dumbass politicians, but i tend to think this might be the BEST we see from them.
Isn’t the car itself already a “wearable computer?” People that allow themselves to be distracted by google glass while driving are just going to allow themselves to be distracted by something else.
What about pebble? Can’t even wear watch?