And so it begins… California-based Glass Explorer Cecilia Adabie is the first person to get a ticket while wearing Google’s head-mounted computer. And she won’t be the last.
Abadie was driving in San Diego when an officer pulled her over for speeding. The primary infraction was for going 15 mph over the speed limit, but there was a secondary offense scrawled on the ticket: “driving w/ monitor visible to driver (Google Glass).”
The arresting officer issued the citation to Abadie for violating California’s Vehicle Code Section 27602, which states that “A person shall not drive a motor vehicle if a television receiver, a video monitor, or a television or video screen, or any other similar means of visually displaying a television broadcast or video signal that produces entertainment or business applications, is operating and is located in the motor vehicle at a point forward of the back of the driver’s seat, or is operating and the monitor, screen, or display is visible to the driver while driving the motor vehicle.”
Obviously, that law is aimed at preventing drivers from viewing videos in the front seat, something that all factory and aftermarket in-dash displays disable when the vehicle is in motion (although bypassing that restriction is well documented).
The law explicitly states that it does not apply to equipment “installed in a vehicle” — not mounted on a driver’s face — including: “(1) A vehicle information display. (2) A global positioning display. (3) A mapping display.” The vehicle code also adds the caveat that, “the equipment has an interlock device that, when the motor vehicle is driven, disables the equipment for all uses except as a visual display”
According to Abadie’s post on Google+, Glass wasn’t functioning when she was driving (you’ve got to issue a voice command or swipe the side to get it running), but that didn’t seem to be the issue — the arresting officer said “it was blocking my view.”
Laws prohibiting drivers from using Google Glass while driving have already surfaced both stateside and abroad. West Virginia House Bill 3057 was submitted earlier this year but has been stuck in the House Roads and Transportation committee. Arizona has proposed similar legislation, and the U.K.’s Department of Transport is also considering banning certain wearable devices to be used while driving.
That’s going to be an issue for Mercedes-Benz, which is already working on Glass integration into its vehicles. But the broader question is what’s worse: Staring at your mobile phone’s screen as it gives you navigation instructions or text messages, or simply looking through a head-mounted display?
Abadie’s ticket might be the opening salvo in the war to get wearables out of the car, but one of her Google Glass Explorer friends is already telling her to fight the case — and he’s a lawyer.
Then I say start a petition to remove all computers and computer monitors that are in every police car in the whole country that is clearly visible to the driver of the police car!
What they need to do is use the tech that is available to eliminate the usage of phones while driving or in motion of ANY GOVERNMENT VEHICLE because they are just as responsible as everyone else on the road and do not obey the law one bit POS cops especially.
I saw this coming and you will find people who will use this device while driving just like texting and FLAPPING YOUR DAM GUMBS ON THE PHONE!!!!!
Drive PAY ATTENTION even though I know it is so dam expensive for you risking the lives of everyone around you and yeah FRACK yours! I cant even count how many people I see daily either talking or texting on the the phone WHILE DRIVING!! Just get all of your toiletries and a huge mirror in the front seat so you can have a real reason to either crash or run someone over. You are a kin to child molesters in my book because you are putting me in danger because I want to put that phone inside your head permanently making sure you wont use it ever again or anything else for that matter.
People really need to start honestly shaming and then pulling people out of their cars and beating them down for doing this.
This just really gets under my skin sorry for the rant.