NY State proposing ban on gaming while driving
by David Hinkle 
{ Jul 17th 2009 at 10:30PM }
The new law (much like Hawaii's) doesn't just apply to games and, should it pass, will make a number of activities on your phone (text, surf the web, hold it up and look at it) illegal to do while driving. Sure, it has everyone's safety in mind, but we really think the government is crazy if it expects us to pull over and park every time we try to level up our Pidgey.
[Via Game Politics]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Wiizer (Michael Pachter MUST DIE.. Professionally) @ Jul 17th 2009 10:35PM
GREAT! Now I can't peddle drugs on GTA DS while peddling drugs on a street corner...
WRYYYYYY @ Jul 18th 2009 12:02AM
SUP DAWG, WE HEARD YOU LIKE NARCOTICS SO WE PUT GTA ON YOUR DS SO YOU CAN PEDDLE DRUGS WHILE YOU PEDDLE DRUGS
Sly @ Jul 18th 2009 1:02AM
^FAIL.
WRYYYYYY @ Jul 18th 2009 1:58AM
No love for Xzibit? :(
Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Jul 18th 2009 8:06AM
Try driving whilst gaming here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRnx03QPIzg
Havok @ Jul 18th 2009 12:47PM
FROGGER! India Edition.
dfnj123 @ Jul 17th 2009 10:35PM
DARN IT!!!!
How will I be able to get gaming fix while putting my fellow drivers on the road at risk any more?
MY LIFE IS RUINED!!!!
Apollo @ Jul 17th 2009 10:36PM
Holy Crap, that made me laugh, LOL.
R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) @ Jul 17th 2009 10:37PM
Just had the no texting while driving law go into effect this month here in Virginia. I personally think its stupid that the government feels the need to pass laws on individual things like that. Blowjobs while driving are distracting too, lets ban those. Eating/drinking/talking on the phone are distractions too, so dont forget to ban those. (Actually, if you are under 18, its illegal to talk on the phone while driving here in VA as well) Listening to the radio/changing radio stations is distracting too. Shall we ban those?
Its not the distractions that are the problem, its the people themselves. Passing anal law after anal law isnt going to make the people that text and drive at the same time any smarter, or prevent them from starting to do some other dumbass thing while driving instead.
Freaking waste of taxpayer (my) money passing laws like this.
Vidikron @ Jul 17th 2009 10:44PM
To be fair, something like listening to the radio is distinctly different... passive vs active listening plus your hands are free.
Peter Moore @ Jul 17th 2009 11:13PM
No, you're an idiot.
Anyone who texts or plays a game while driving is a fucking moron and should have their license revoked for threatening the life of, not only themselves, but others for the instant satisfaction of knowing what a text message says immediately.
Saria the Cat @ Jul 17th 2009 11:14PM
I think cell phones in particular provide a major distraction to drivers and unfortunately a lot of people think they drive "perfectly fine" with distractions (or intoxication), so they won't NOT use their phones unless there's a law forbidding it. I for one would rather not trust other peoples' definition of safe driving and like the idea of something forcing people to be safer. It's sad that it comes to that, but people are major dickheads when it comes to driving, and most of these laws are the best way possible to curb their dickheadage. People will still be shitty drivers but it's at least it's one less distractor.
Stuff like like listening to the radio is completely different. Anything that takes up use of your hands or active processes for more than a split second can be a major distractor. Games should definitely be out, since it takes up hands, vision, and concentration.
R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) @ Jul 17th 2009 11:20PM
You cant go around banning every little thing that people "shouldnt" do. Second hand smoke is stupidly toxic, and smoking is legal. Driving while talking on the phone probably causes more accidents than texting while driving does ( more people do it) and thats legal. And I know multiple friends that have gotten into accidents because they were messing with the radio in some way ( changing a CD, volume, station, etc.) Eating while driving is distracting as well, you can drop something hot, or cold, and you are using 1 hand for something other than driving.
There has to be a line where personal responsiblity comes into play. The government cant ban every single thing that a person can do that could harm another person.
MystileArmor @ Jul 17th 2009 11:23PM
"And I know multiple friends that have gotten into accidents because"
That says alot about you and your friends. Birds of a feather flock together.
Lav @ Jul 17th 2009 11:29PM
Anything that takes your eyes off the road is a danger to your life and others. I was watching PBS on a story on teenage drivers....Interestingly enough they are much less rational and more emotional in their driving habits. Anyway....A story included a kid who took his eyes off the road for a second to change the station and crashed...lived...It only really takes a second...And laws work pretty well. It is why I do not see people run red lights even at 2 am where there could be no possible cops around. I walk red lights myself though....so yea...Why the hell would anyone be playing a portable while driving...How could you even have that much focus to not crash and still concentrate while playing anything.
R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) @ Jul 17th 2009 11:26PM
@Mystile
21 years old, been driving 4 years. Drive about 11k miles a year for my work/school
No tickets.
No accidents.
No legal problems of any kind.
Saria the Cat @ Jul 17th 2009 11:27PM
@R: Smoking is banned in restaurants and all public buildings in California, and my lungs are thankful for it. Not picking up your dog crap is also illegal in the Bay Area, and my shoes and nose are thankful for that. I do think "banning every little thing" is a waste of time. But playing video games is not a little thing when it comes to driving distractions. It's a huge thing. Texting while driving is just as dumb. And while eating can be just as distracting since it uses up your hands, it doesn't involve complex processes (i.e. you don't need to think to shove a Big Mac into your face). I really dislike it when people do stuff like eat/drink in the car too, but I do think banning that would be more difficult to enforce and a stickier legal situation.
It seems like you're fiscally conservative and you dislike big government though so I can understand that you just dislike this kind of thing in particular. I'm different. I'm happy to pay taxes so I don't step in dog shit, breathe unwarranted cigarette smoke, and get hit by some guy yammering on his cell phone or watching a DVD in his car.
MystileArmor @ Jul 17th 2009 11:31PM
Yeah but you're still an idiot, judging from your comments.
R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) @ Jul 17th 2009 11:38PM
Most of my "close calls" that I get while driving arent even from outside distractions. My closest calls nowadays are from me being lost in thought while driving and not noticing the light I just checked turn yellow. Ive left more than one set of skid marks on good ol' Greatneck Road, but no accidents yet.
Its not this law in particular that concerns me; rather, its the newfound love our legal system seems to have for banning very specific things. Eating alot of Taco Bell is bad for you too. Should a law against that be passed?
Any government which has the power to protect you from everything, also has the power to take everything from you.
R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) @ Jul 17th 2009 11:40PM
@Mystile
I may not agree with what you say, or even see what you base it in (Although calling conservatives "stupid" is pretty hip these days) but I will fight to the death your right to say it.
Saria the Cat @ Jul 17th 2009 11:47PM
@R: This isn't newfound at all, though. Remember Prohibition? :P
R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) @ Jul 17th 2009 11:50PM
Yeah, that is a point, but alcohol had..hell, has, far reaching effects throughout pretty much all of human life, not just on the read. Im actually a nonalcoholic myself, due to a large amount of my family being reliant on the sauce for everyday function (read: everyone but my grandmother) But it was stupid to think you could take away such a widespread addiction. Thatd be like...like...banning porn.
We are here talking about one single distraction in one aspect of human activity. I dont know any numbers, but im pretty fucking sure there is some other distraction that causes more car accidents than texting that is legal.
MystileArmor @ Jul 17th 2009 11:57PM
That's cause most people have enough common sense not to fuckin' play their DS while driving.
Yourself @ Jul 17th 2009 11:58PM
You're just using an idiotic slippery slope argument, the kind off of which political pundits make their living. Those other situations and the government's general tendencies don't have anything to do with the specific ban of texting and gaming while driving. You're saying that it should be legal for people to text while driving (even though you've conceded that it's hazardous) because it's somehow 'unfair' in your mind that eating, listening to the radio, etc. are legal and they too are dangerous, even though they're less so than texting/gaming. Do you also think drinking and driving should be legal? That's exactly what your argument implies - that the government shouldn't be 'allowed' to pass legislation against individual activities with regard to their respective dangerousness.
What's that? Drunk driving is much riskier, so it makes sense that that's banned? Oh, well, texting is much riskier than listening to the radio (as has been explained by many of the above posters), so why doesn't the same logic apply. It isn't a "little thing". It's a dangerous and totally uncalled-for practice. Try your argument on someone who's been or lost someone in an accident caused by texting. I have a feeling they wouldn't agree that it should be allowed on principle.
And please, don't even try to bring smoking in as a comparison. All of the mature adults in the room know that's a far more complex situation thanks to its cultural and financial repercussions.
R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) @ Jul 18th 2009 12:04AM
No. Im not saying its all ok, Im saying its either all ok, or none of its ok. Its wrong for the government to sit there and say "talking on phones is ok, but texting isnt. Eating is ok, but xxx isnt, etc,etc."
Particular LAWS against these things shouldnt exist. What should happen imho is its ALL ok, and the people stupid enough to do such a thing have to pay any damages they cause because of their stupid accidents. Wasting valuable time banning each and every little distraction is a waste of taxpayer money.
MystileArmor @ Jul 18th 2009 12:18AM
But they endanger everyone else on the road. If it was just them, I don't give a shit. But it's not.
The Dark Wayne @ Jul 18th 2009 12:49AM
because paying damages would make up for killing someone while driving drunk or texting or eating. Logical ends like the ones you're suggesting is stupid. This is the real world, not everything is logical and not everything has to be taken to it's endpoint. Just because the government bans one thing doesnt mean everything has to be banned on principle. Fuck principle.
Mobile Phone Diva @ Jul 18th 2009 1:13AM
These types of laws are also an attempt to cut down on the number of accidents caused by inattentive drivers, not just to legislate stupid behavior. "Personal responsibility" does no good to the person who gets run over.
Monkeydog @ Jul 18th 2009 1:15AM
Driving while talking on your phone, unless you have a hand's free device, is illegal in California. As well as texting has been for a year now.
It's not that they're nit picking, it's that these specific things are a bigger harm to the general populace than other things. Some drivers may be able to drive and text and play with their Pokemons all at the same time safely, but most people can't, and think they can.
Saying it should either be ALL okay or ALL not okay is wrong. For not everything is equivalent to everything else. They're not going to ban brushing your teeth while driving, or something stupidly specific, because it's not a problem, but using your cellphone is a significant harm. They are clearly not the same, and shouldn't be thrown all in the same basket.
Ballistic H @ Jul 18th 2009 2:42AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd0acDRFEMY
Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Jul 18th 2009 7:58AM
R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) tbh, I'm suprised this wasn't already in effect, most of these laws have been passed and are active in the UK ages ago, noone is moaning, so get over it, its not threatening your wellbeing, if anything its making you safer and healthier, if you want to crash, burn and die because some idiot was collecting coins in Mario on DS whilst driving, thats your perogative, the rest of us would like to be safe on the road.
Bootes @ Jul 18th 2009 2:56PM
First of all it gains money, doesn't lose it. It allows them to give out more tickets which is a source of money.
The important point here is that someone playing a game while driving is putting other people in danger. If they were only endangering themselves, it would be a different story. This is the reason why drunk driving should be illegal, but being drunk shouldn't be.
You seem to not like that they're choosing specific things to make illegal verse just making a law saying doing distracting things while driving is illegal. The problem is, who decides what is distracting then? The driver may not think he's doing something distracting and police would be free to ticket anyone for anything. What if some police officer thinks that scratching your arm is distracting and worth a ticket? The laws need to be specific so that the public, police, and courts have specific guidelines on what is against the rules and what is not.
kevinski @ Jul 19th 2009 8:12AM
Blame people's stupidity. It isn't just cell phones or video games. I see people READING while driving. Sure, it's silly that the government has to pass laws like this, but many people are just too stupid to do the right thing. I kinda wonder how many more people would just go around killing people if it wasn't *gasp* illegal.
Beau @ Jul 17th 2009 10:39PM
hahaha that was funny...(the gaming while driving part)
but isn't it already illegal to drive while on the phone, or text...
u nid a handsfree and it's only for drivers 21+
Diskoboy7 @ Jul 17th 2009 10:42PM
Are they fucking serious?
New York is getting worse than the Peoples Repulic of California.
They're gonna ban breathing next.
Leroy_Octopus @ Jul 17th 2009 11:01PM
Wait, so you want to try and play games while driving.
Shadow31 @ Jul 18th 2009 10:56AM
Oh wait. I see your logic there. First playing video games while driving. Then breathing. Makes perfect sense. Because we all just need to game while we drive. Stupid government taking away everything needed for life.
Oh wait, only someone who is completely idiotic would drive while gaming. Nevermind.
Diskoboy7 @ Jul 18th 2009 2:19PM
Need proof of the idocy of the average Joystiq reader? Just read the responses above this one!
No, I don't play games while driving. And if you're stupid enough to do it, you deserve to die. Darwin wins again.
It's called "personal freedom". The government is (as usual) overstepping it's bounds, and wasting taxpayer money, that someone with a lick of common sense should know better than doing anyway.
And lets see what other fun things New York has banned, since 2006:
* Trans-fats.
* Aluminum baseball bats.
* The purchase of tobacco by 18- to 20-year-olds.
* Foie gras.
* Pedicabs in parks.
* New fast-food restaurants (but only in poor neighborhoods).
* Lobbyists from the floor of council chambers.
* Lobbying city agencies after working at the same agency.
* Vehicles in Central and Prospect parks.
* Cell phones in upscale restaurants.
* The sale of pork products made in a processing plant in Tar Heel, N.C., because of a unionization dispute.
* Mail-order pharmaceutical plans.
* Candy-flavored cigarettes.
* Gas-station operators adjusting prices more than once daily.
* Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
* Wal-Mart.
There's a reason why we call NY a "nanny state".
OnToGloryReturns @ Jul 18th 2009 5:38PM
"No, I don't play games while driving. And if you're stupid enough to do it, you deserve to die."
But the innocent person who dies because of it doesn't deserve it - hence a law protecting them.
JewUnit666 @ Jul 17th 2009 10:48PM
does it count if your a taxi driver playing crazy taxi? your just practicing your job and learning how not to drive someone, they cant bann education can they?
Ballistic H @ Jul 17th 2009 10:54PM
I'm a pedestrian and don't have driver's license, so I approve of the initiative.
-Vexx- @ Jul 17th 2009 10:56PM
Why do they have to ban this? Im a diehard gamer as well but....
HOW THE FUCK DO PEOPLE PULL THIS ONE OFF?
Astral Drmz @ Jul 18th 2009 10:44PM
They learn to use each eye individually, as well as drive with one hand and stretch their fingers to reach every button with ease.
Like Mr. Fantastic. Of course, if he drove while gaming, he'd get hit by an airplane.
PhydeWice @ Jul 17th 2009 11:01PM
If common sense was actually common, our tax dollars would not be wasted to make laws like this.
Leroy_Octopus @ Jul 17th 2009 11:03PM
How is it wasting tax dollars? Are they getting paid by the law now?
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jul 18th 2009 10:33PM
Because its a useless pointless law that makes something that was already illegal (reckless driving) a new kind of illegal (gaming/texting/reading while driving). Its fluff legislation. The time (and money, because time IS money) could have been better spent on debating other, more worthy bills. That's why its a waste of taxpayer dollars.
At least it isn't done at the federal level. Then we'd have a "gaming while driving czar" to help manage the infinite bureaucracy that the feds will create to help manage, educate, and police the new law. :(
Dansk @ Jul 17th 2009 11:01PM
Some people might feel its okay to drive and cellphone at the same time. They might feel they can handle it. This law, if enforced properly, might make this people either change their mind or keep from doing it.
They in mythbusters 'proved' that driving and cellphoning is as bad as driving and drinking.
Ian @ Jul 17th 2009 11:08PM
Why do you even need to be told this is a bad idea? Seriously... who does this?
ArchiGamer [thephilosophyofgames.wordpress.com] @ Jul 17th 2009 11:13PM
Who the fuck play while driv-AAHH a pedestrian!!!
*hits curve*
ArchiGamer [thephilosophyofgames.wordpress.com] @ Jul 17th 2009 11:20PM
*plays
Here's my license officer....