It’s the (Stupid) People, Stupid

According to USA Today, a number of states are considering banning a host of CE devices while driving.

I’m always struck by these measures – the substantive utility of which, the article notes, are completely unproven – because they presume that someone stupid enough to drive and watch TV won’t simply go onto the next dumb thing. I think history teaches us that stupidity is far more resilient and will spread virus-like outside the boundaries our erstwhile legislators try to impose on it.

It’s also grossly unfair to single out consumer electronics devices. When I used to commute by car, I saw all manor of reckless behavior – someone shaving with an electric razor while going 60mph, another eating a bowl of cereal, people reading the newspaper, etc. Using a CE device in a distracting way while driving is a reflection of poor judgment, not the cause.