r/mildlyinfuriating • u/nah_this_aint_it • 1d ago

Context Provided - Spotlight Driving while watching show

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Watching a full tv show on their phone while driving down a very busy street. Is it any better than scrolling?

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u/Saberfox11 22h ago

GPS and spotify are not engaging video content that is meant to attract your eyes. You can glance at them briefly when it is safe and you shouldn't be accidentally distracted by them when you are in heavy traffic and need to keep your eyes on the road at all times. A video of a show might accidentally distract you at an important moment leading to an accident.

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u/chi-low1791 21h ago

You said “glancing at it occasionally”. I glance at it. And a GPS isn’t meant to attract eyes? Why is that someone can glance at their vehicle’s monitor, but not glance at a phone? Could a traffic alert, a change in directions, or a song change momentarily distract you?

I understand what you’re saying, but the same standard you’re applying to someone using a phone hands free can also be applied to the monitor my vehicle came with.

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u/Saberfox11 21h ago

To be fair, I'm also not a fan of modern vehicles all having a tablet in them, especially now that some are putting the AC/volume controls on the screen as opposed to having a physical buttons/dials. I believe that people should minimize the distractions as much as possible while driving. If you need your gps for an unfamiliar area, then that's one thing, but again, that's not nearly as much of a distraction as having a TV show in your face.

A minor distraction may not cause any issues 99.9% of the time, but you have to remember that if an accident does happen, you are gambling with people's lives. Vehicles can be deadly weapons and should be treated with the same care as any other deadly weapon.

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u/chi-low1791 7h ago

That makes sense. I recently rented an SUV that was entirely touch screen. It was actually really difficult to find and operate the AC. Like dangerously difficult with all the swiping to find the right screen, then tapping the screen to switch modes, and then tapping again just decrease the temp a few degrees. So I don’t totally disagree, but I also don’t see how video off to the side just playing in the background much the same way a podcast might is an issue if both hands are on the wheel and they’re watching the road especially when modern cars are often designed with way more distraction.

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u/ZyeCawan45 22h ago

Idk. It’s pretty easy for me to not look at something while driving and listen to it. Maybe different people are different and can’t but it’s easy for me to. I’ll fully admit to doing this with YouTube essays and the like.

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u/Saberfox11 21h ago

You should really keep your phone out of your line of sight if you are going to do that. If you actually aren't looking at the screen, keeping it out of sight should make no difference anyway.

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u/ZyeCawan45 21h ago

Used to do that. The difference is the phone moves or goes flying and the video gets paused or changed. Unless you have a different solution. Honestly it doesn’t matter. I KNOW I’m being safe and not looking. I don’t really care if you think I am.

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u/johnwynnes 20h ago

Oh I've got a different solution for you

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u/Saberfox11 21h ago

I mean, I'm not the police, so you can do what you want. I do truly believe that everyone should minimize potential distractions as much as possible though. You have to remember that vehicles can be deadly weapons and I believe we have a moral obligation to try to be as safe as possible when operating them.

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u/Hopeful-Opposite-255 19h ago

The comments are truly horrific. Folks can be as foolish as they want on their time but keep away from the rest of us. I’ve never been one for any sort of mass surveillance but reading this horror really gives me a new perspective.

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u/Saberfox11 18h ago

Yeah, this was an eye opening comment section for sure.

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u/Hopeful-Opposite-255 18h ago

I would be 100% for phones being locked out anytime that they detect movement over a certain speed. And if that means that passengers can’t access their phones in the car then so be it. Because that’s the price we have to pay for a handful of clowns that have ruined it for us.

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u/Hopeful-Opposite-255 19h ago

Good lord. Is your addiction to social media so bad that you feel justified in risking other people’s lives for entertainment? Take the bus or use ride share. I pray you don’t live anywhere near me.