On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 5:01 PM, Robert Carroll<[email protected]> wrote:
> This is another black or white debate -- meaning that either all electronic > devices such as GPS units or cell phones should be banned, or there should > be no laws regarding their use in cars. The thread was not initially whether or not to allow the use of GPS or other devices in cars. It was whether or not to allow a digital device, or devices, to be affixed to windshields, particularly when done so in a manner that is illegal, such as right at eye level and interfering with the field of view of the operator. > Since the GPS device is a useful tool, some safe way must be found for it to > be accommodated in a car. I would prefer that it be mounted on the > dashboard either underneath the rear-view mirror or on the left side of the > steering wheel. But most GPS units, including mine, are intended to be > mounted on the windshield and can't be mounted on the dashboard because of > its texture. The fact that mounting such devices on the windshield is pretty much illegal everywhere brings into question why makers of such devices seem to be fixated on convincing buyers that's where they should mount them. > In my opinion, these units are here to stay so claiming that they are > illegal and therefore must be banned is narrow-minded. Let us engineer > better solutions, not ban all improvements. Again, no one is suggesting that GPS units be banned. Just don't put them on the windshield if it is illegal to do so. > If drivers who mount GPS units on their windshields are ticketed as Ms. > Warner recommends, very soon there will be a change in the law which permits > windshield mounting. This has already happened in California, but with restrictions as to where on the windshield only one device may be legally mounted, how big they can be, and how much they can intrude into the windshield area. Still, there were cries of "foul" from manufacturer lobbyists and car owner organizations with vows to fight back. Steve ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
