Unsafe to use a laptop in moving car...

[Philippine Mango]

Isn't it unsafe to use a laptop while the car is in motion? (Obviously some one driving) I was wondering if there were any crash tests with people using laptops while driving or not, my dad never let me use the laptop while the car was moving which really pissed me off because it was always during really long drives...

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1774350&enterthread=y
Inspired by this thread

 

[yhelothar]

<obligatory> STFU and listen to your dad because he's always right! </obligatory>

 

[Viper GTS]

Can't be any more dangerous than the kleenex box in the back window!

Viper GTS

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
my dad never let me use the laptop while the car was moving which really pissed me off

That man wasn't your real father.

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Can't be any more dangerous than the kleenex box in the back window!

Viper GTS

Did you see the Mythbusters with that? The tissue box wasn't dangerous at all. They did test other items, but the only one I remember was the bowling ball (and from the looks of it, you wouldn't want to keep a bowling ball on your rear shelf in the car).

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Can't be any more dangerous than the kleenex box in the back window!

Viper GTS

Why not? A laptop weighs around 5LBs and if you hit a wall, You will go forward, the laptop will too but then it will move back (decelerate?) and hit you in the stomach...

 

[JLGatsby]

How does a passenger using a laptop in a car make it unsafe?

 

[bonkers325]

because if the car crashes, he doesnt want the laptop to be damaged.

or maybe he doesnt want the laptop to go through your skull in case of an accident

 

[tommywishbone]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby
How does a passenger using a laptop in a car make it unsafe?

Exactly. Totally absurb. Now if you were driving (and using the laptop) and Dad was the passenger, then I see his point.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

here in mass the cops will get you for impeded operation if its anyplace the driver can see it. maybe your dad was worried about a ticket.

 

[JLGatsby]

Originally posted by: bonkers325
because if the car crashes, he doesnt want the laptop to be damaged.

or maybe he doesnt want the laptop to go through your skull in case of an accident

And what are the odds of crashing?

If you're in an accident, the last thing you should be worried about is your laptop.

Like these people who signal in the turning lane and wear their seal belt all the time.

I only signal to communicate with another car. No car, no signal. And I never wear my seat belt.

 

[Viper GTS]

Come on people it was a simple joke...

As for the original question I have a hard time imagining something in front of you being any real danger.

Is there always the odd possibility of decapitating yourself with a Thinkpad?

Of course.

I'll take my chances.

Viper GTS

 

[potato28]

Ether way, if u get in a accident the insurance usually covers it, or a trip to the hospital...

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby
And I never wear my seat belt.

Yesssss. Eugenics in action!

 

[ElFenix]

a friend of mine had a hard drive in the backseat and it flew up and hit him in the back of the head, giving him a rather nasty bruise.

 

[bob4432]

maybe because if there is a crash, and when the airbags deploy your 5-8# laptop just became an object to take your head off???

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby
Like these people who signal in the turning lane and wear their seal belt all the time.

I only signal to communicate with another car. No car, no signal. And I never wear my seat belt.

On the first, habit. If the car moves laterally, the turn signa goes on. I don't even have to think about it, it's an automatic response. Much easier that way.

For the second, I can only say this: You, sir, are a dumbarse. But at least you're doing the right thing and increasing the odds of your own death in an effort to help clorinate the gene pool. Have you thought perhaps about playing in traffic? I'd encourage it, after all, what are the odds that you'll actually get hit?

ZV

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby

Originally posted by: bonkers325
because if the car crashes, he doesnt want the laptop to be damaged.

or maybe he doesnt want the laptop to go through your skull in case of an accident

And what are the odds of crashing?

If you're in an accident, the last thing you should be worried about is your laptop.

Like these people who signal in the turning lane and wear their seal belt all the time.

I only signal to communicate with another car. No car, no signal. And I never wear my seat belt.

If I was a cop I'd pull your ass over and give you a ticket every time you don't use your signal. I can't STAND people that do that crap.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
a friend of mine had a hard drive in the backseat and it flew up and hit him in the back of the head, giving him a rather nasty bruise.

That's nothing!

Reginald Thorneberry of Sussex, England was anally impaled by a humongous first generation steam powered analog joystick when he swerved to avoid a rabid wolverine on the A1 motorway and plowed his aged Ford Anglia into a concrete abutment, resulting in a post rigor mortis grin deemed so wicked and evil by the Archbishop of Canterbury that he subsequently denounced Mr. Thorneberry in an emotional homily televised nationwide on BBC 3.

 

[newParadigm]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: JLGatsby

Originally posted by: bonkers325
because if the car crashes, he doesnt want the laptop to be damaged.

or maybe he doesnt want the laptop to go through your skull in case of an accident

And what are the odds of crashing?

If you're in an accident, the last thing you should be worried about is your laptop.

Like these people who signal in the turning lane and wear their seal belt all the time.

I only signal to communicate with another car. No car, no signal.
And I never wear my seat belt.

If I was a cop I'd pull your ass over and give you a ticket every time you don't use your signal. I can't STAND people that do that crap.

Who cares

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: ElFenix
a friend of mine had a hard drive in the backseat and it flew up and hit him in the back of the head, giving him a rather nasty bruise.

That's nothing!

Reginald Thorneberry of Sussex, England was anally impaled by a humongous first generation steam powered analog joystick when he swerved to avoid a rabid wolverine on the A1 motorway and plowed his aged Ford Anglia into a concrete abutment, resulting in a post rigor mortis grin deemed so wicked and evil by the Archbishop of Canterbury that he subsequently denounced Mr. Thorneberry in an emotional homily televised nationwide on BBC 3.

the rma for the hard drive was approved

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: ElFenix
a friend of mine had a hard drive in the backseat and it flew up and hit him in the back of the head, giving him a rather nasty bruise.

That's nothing!

Reginald Thorneberry of Sussex, England was anally impaled by a humongous first generation steam powered analog joystick when he swerved to avoid a rabid wolverine on the A1 motorway and plowed his aged Ford Anglia into a concrete abutment, resulting in a post rigor mortis grin deemed so wicked and evil by the Archbishop of Canterbury that he subsequently denounced Mr. Thorneberry in an emotional homily televised nationwide on BBC 3.

the rma for the hard drive was approved

The joystick's rma was denied for what a representative of BelkinUK, Ltd. crypticly called, "Moral and esthetic reasons".

 

[Savij]

Yes, it can be dangerous. Using it in the front seat could result in some serious injury when the airbag launches it into your face. It could fly across the car in an accident and leave someone with a qwerty face.

It has the same level of danger as any other similar sized object that isn't strapped down in your car. In my opinion, it's not entirely unreasonable to not allow laptop use in the front seat. That being said, I don't really worry about it in my car.