Here’s one for you. Ever got caught behind a car going really slow for ages and ages and you’re thinking “Granny” or “Learner driver” (even if there is no L plate). So you come to a dual lane intersection or a passing lane, and look across the the person is talking on their mobile or texting? Very annoying, eh?
I bring this up for a couple of reasons. In the UK they are looking at banning texting while driving (calling on your mobile is already illegal there), with a recent ad campaign going viral on YouTube about such dangers. Late last week, a Geelong teenager had her license suspended because she was caught texting and not having a seatbelt on. Her circumstances were not helped by her mother being in the passenger seat. There is evidence that mobile handsets have either been responsible – either partially or wholly – for accidents, some even leading to death. This brings about the question of negative connotations that surround technology. Those who have opposed technology are abelled luddites, a term that came from the industrial revolution where the everyman thought their livelihood was being taken over by machinery. Most of us are afraid of new things, so it is no surprise that some people baulk when something new comes along, but eventually we embrace it. However, there are other sides to technology that people need to take into consideration when embracing new devices in the tech arena. We have become so reliant on mobile phones that we sometimes forget what is going on around us. That’s fine if you’re sitting down at home texting a mate, but when you’re in car, or to a lesser extent walking along, you have suddenly become a danger to those around you. At best, you might accidentally bump into someone, at worse lose concentration while driving and kill somebody. Next time your phone is going off as you drive along, just ask yourself “how important is it that I answer it?”. If you are that desperate, pull over. Could save you a lot of grief in the long run. As an aside, of late I have been helping out Nokia with a variety of things over the past couple of weeks, especially explaining some of the new technologies they are incorporating into their range of handsets. I’ve had a lot of fun with these guys and if you would like to see what we’ve been up to, click here.