Ask Noah Questions in our forums and don't forget to watch PhoneDog TV every Wednesday
Register or Sign in  |  About us  |  Our promise  |  Help / questions

Hands-Free: Driving with both earbuds in is NOT okay

Noah Kravitz
Posted on Thursday, October 09, 2008
by Noah Kravitz, Senior Editor, Consumer Products and Services
Share/Save/Bookmark
For the past few weeks I've been considering writing a post about how California's law against driving while holding a cell phone has done pretty much nothing to curb the habit - at least in the Oakland/Berkeley area where I live and work.  Yesterday on my bike ride home from the office I figured out why I hadn't penned the post yet.  The law has done something, I think.  Sure, I still see at least three drivers with cellies in hand every day (one almost hit me in a parking lot yesterday, in fact) ... but I'm also seeing a higher occurrence of another phenomenon that I think is related: Drivers with white earbuds in both ears while they're behind the wheel.

Now I can't be one hundred percent sure that these drivers are using iPhones and not iPods (or even iPod earbuds with some other device), but it really doesn't matter.  Driving with earbuds in both ears is dumb.  Don't do it.  Seriously, think about it: You're driving a car.  You need to hear the sounds of buses honking at you when you veer into their lane and are about to cause a head-on crash.  ONE EARBUD IS PLENTY!  If you're on a phone call, you can hear fine with one earbud.  If you're listening to music or a podcast, either make do with one earbud, wait until you're out of the car, or buy an audio cable or FM transmitter so you can listen over your car stereo.

Believe you me, I'm a communication and media junkie as much as the next driver is.  I want my phone calls, podcasts, and illegally downloaded unreleased mp3s at the ready whenever I please, whether it's in the car or not.  But putting other people in danger so I can listen to The Dan Patrick Show in stereo over my earbuds is not okay.  So before I get behind the wheel next time I'll take at least one of those earbuds out.  Heck, I'll take 'em both out. 

Please make sure you do the same.  Thanks.

Driving with headphones

0 (0)

Our fancy algorithm says this stuff is related...

m3
Thursday, October 09, 2008Did you just admit to downloading music illegally ?Wow..just wow.
Brandon Enalls
Thursday, October 09, 2008Thanks for posting this. People need to be paying attention while driving.

Add a comment

There are two easy ways to submit your comment
  1. Sign in if you are already a member, or join PhoneDog for a free account- this way you won't have to re-enter your information on subsequent comment posts. Additionally you'll receive all these great benefits of being a PhoneDog community member.
    Or,
  2. Submit your comment without registering by using the form below

About our blog

Not just regurgitated press releases! Our editors, like the ever-popular Noah Kravitz, present the latest industry happenings in a fun and informative way.Or use your favorite online news reader
Google, My Yahoo, My MSN, Bloglines, Netvibes, Newsgator

Latest Videos & Reviews

Check out the latest cell phone videos and in-depth reviews from Noah and our other expert editors
  • Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 Full Review
    Xperia X1 Full ReviewAfter a week with the X1, Noah answers the eternal question: Is beauty really only skin deep, or is
  • LG Incite - AT&T Windows Mobile Smartphone
    LG Incite VideoHands-on LG's first smartphone for the US market in a long time ... ever, even. The AT&T Incite
  • Nokia launches flagship N97
    Nokia launches N97As expected, Nokia dropped a bomb on its faithful at Nokia World in Barcelona early this morning.
  • Ping PWN: Nokia gets it right with N96 Bruce Lee videos
    Nokia N96 Bruce Lee VideosAwesome. Not sure what this has to do with cell phones, except that Nokia is selling an N96 Bruce
  • Samsung Omnia (Verizon) - Unboxing and Hands-On
    Samsung Omnia (Verizon)Samsung brings its "all in one smartphone," the Omnia, to Verizon Wireless. This slim touchscreen
  • BlackBerry Storm vs iPhone 3G, Part 2 - Messaging & Keyboard
    Storm vs iPhone 3G Pt 2It's the battle of the touchscreen heavyweights: The Apple iPhone 3G takes on the first touchscreen
  • BlackBerry Storm vs iPhone 3G, Part 1 - Form Factor & Phone
    Storm vs iPhone 3G Pt 1It's the battle of the touchscreen heavyweights: The Apple iPhone 3G takes on the first touchscreen
  • Xperia X1 (Sony Ericsson Unlocked GSM) - Unboxing
    Xperia X1 UnboxingNoah can't even wait until he gets back to the office ... The Xperia X1 smartphone is unboxed at an
  • BlackBerry Storm 9530 (Verizon) - Day One Review
    BlackBerry Storm Day 1 ReviewTen hours with the Storm - Noah's update on typing on the clickable "SurePress" touchscreen. Is
  • BlackBerry Storm 9530 (Verizon) - Unboxing and Hands-On Pt 2
    BlackBerry Storm Pt 2Part two of our first look at the first Touch BlackBerry - Verizon's Storm. Check out the Web
Feed me  |  More videos
  • BlackBerry 9000-Bold
    BlackBerry 9000-BoldThe highly anticipated BlackBerry 9000 Bold has finally arrived and it just might have been worth
  • BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220
    BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220What’s Good: surprisingly music-friendly; external play/pause button; stereo bluetooth, standard
  • Samsung Highnote M630-Blue
    Samsung Highnote M630-BlueSprint and Samsung are unleashing the specialists this season, and the Highnote's role is obvious.
  • Samsung Rant Black
    Samsung Rant BlackReplacing the Rumor as Sprint's primary texter, Rant is a messaging powerhouse. The keyboard feels
  • HTC G1
    HTC G1What’s Good: Android experience is excellent; Web browser is amongst best available on cell phones;
  • Samsung i900-Omnia
    Samsung i900-OmniaWhat’s Good: Universal landscape mode and universal landscape QWERTY; optically-enhanced action
  • HTC Touch-Diamond
    HTC Touch-DiamondWhat’s Good: Stunning hardware design and elegant software user interface; front panel is subdued,
  • LG Dare
    LG DareWhat’s Good: Attractive, highly customizable UI with home screen shortcuts; Compact design with
  • Samsung Instinct-M800
    Samsung Instinct-M800What’s Good: Supports every feature Sprint offers; EV-DO Rev. A data speeds; Good touchscreen
  • LG enV2
    LG enV2What’s Good: Sleeker and smaller than the original EnV. Comfortable QWERTY keyboard and QVGA
Feed me  |  More reviews

What's happening right now

  • Blog Article
    Worlds 2nd Android phone on sale, courtesy of Ruslan Kogan (um, who?)

    World's 2nd Android phone

    The Land Down Undah is having a banner year. Not only is Baz Luhrman's Australia getting rave reviews, but Ruslan Kogan, a young Aussie entrepreneur, has unveiled the world's second Android phone. Huh? Who is Kogan, and how in heck did he race ahead of the major cell phone manufacturers??The story, it seems, started when the twenty-something was looking for an LCD TV a couple of years ago, says The Sydney Morning Herald. Unfortunately, like most...
    Blog Article
    Wal-Phone: $99 4GB iPhone Rumored for Wal-Mart

    $99 iPhone?

    This isn't so outlandish of an idea, but I'll believe it when I see it.The hot Rumor du Jour has a 4GB Apple iPhone headed to uber-discount store Wal-Mart at the low, low cost of $99 with a two-year contract.  99 bones is less than you'll wind up forking over to AT&T for that first month's bill once you figure in the iPhone data plan and activation fee, never mind all of those mysterious taxes that show up cell phone bills.Boy Genius...
    Blog Article
    Mini-Review: Nokia Email Beta needs some work

    Mini-Review: Nokia Email Beta

    Thanks to the folks at Nokia, I've got a re-loan of the E71 smartphone, one of my favorite releases of 2008.  A Symbian S60 device, the E71 has an Email client as part of its pre-loaded Messaging application, and while it can't handle HTML mail and isn't the prettiest thing to look at, it basically works just fine.However, Nokia just announced the live Beta of their new Nokia Email service for select devices - including the E71.  So I...
    Polls
    Digital Trails: Your money or your privacy?

    Your money or your privacy?

    Last Sunday's NYTimes featured an article about a group of MIT students who've traded their privacy for free smartphones.  Researchers are tracking the every move of 100 or so students as part of a study on "collective intelligence," or what the article describes as:a vast sea of digital information being recorded by an ever thicker web of sensors, from phones to GPS units to the tags in office ID badges, that capture our movements and...
    Video
    Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 Full Review

    Xperia X1 Full Review

    After a week with the X1, Noah answers the eternal question: Is beauty really only skin deep, or is the X1 good all the way down to its core?
  • Blog Article
    Two years later and ThinkGeeks bluetooth handset still uncontested

    Best bluetooth design ever?

    I've searched far and wide over the last two years, but found no bluetooth device that can stand up to ThinkGeek's revolutionary design from '06. In the shadow of its sinewy curves and the glare of its glistening semi-reflective surface, all competitors appear painfully unimaginative and inadequate. Can this subtle beauty ever be matched... or dare I say, toppled? Undeniably, a classic. I'm also a fan of their BluAlert Bluetooth Bracelet. I...
    GadgetDog
    GadgetDog Daily - 12/4/08

    GadgetDog Daily - 12/4/08

    GadgetDog Daily - 12/4/08 Today Noah started off talking about a possible $99 4GB iPhone at WalMart then moved onto cars...??  You will just have to watch!  Enjoy. Are Apple and Walmart working on a $99 4GB iPhone? ASUS Eee Box Nettop computer gains discrete graphics card with HDMI-out for HD video Tango burns Tesla in electric car drag race Poll question:  Would you give up your privacy for a free phone?  
    Polls
    Which AT&T phone reigned supreme in 2008?

    AT&T phone reigned

    It's that time of year ... No, not Christmas, Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice time ... It's year-end awards time!  The PhoneDog Editors will be selecting our personal Phone of the Year favorites over the coming weeks, but we're more interested in what you have to say.   We turn our attention to the former Ma Bell, AT&T.  Which AT&T phone reigned supreme in 2008?  The "affordable" iPhone, iPhone 3G?  The first...
    Blog Article
    Wine gets unsnobby with new iPhone app

    New iPhone app for wine lovers

    If you're like me, a wine enthusiast without a lot of expertise, selecting a bottle can be downright stressful. More than once, I've wandered around and around in a shop, under the gaze of a not-too-helpful sales person who keeps pushing expensive items. I usually wind up choosing based on a cool label or staring at a dinner table wine menu like a deer caught in headlights (that is, until I close my eyes and pick something at random). For mere...
    Polls
    Whats the Verizon Phone of the Year for 2008

    Verizon Phone of the Year

    It's that time of year ... No, not Christmas, Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice time ... It's year-end awards time!  The PhoneDog Editors will be selecting our personal Phone of the Year favorites over the coming weeks, but we're more interested in what you have to say.  So let's kick off the voting with the Verizon Wireless Phone of the Year for 2008. BlackBerry Storm got a lot of recent hype, but there are other worthy contenders for...
  • Video
    LG Incite - AT&T Windows Mobile Smartphone

    LG Incite Video

    Hands-on LG's first smartphone for the US market in a long time ... ever, even. The AT&T Incite runs WinMo 6.1, has a 3" touchscreen, and rocks Video Share and a 3.5mm audio jack. But what's up with the stylus with no stylus slot to call home?
    Coming Soon
    Nokia N97

    Nokia N97

    Technology: GSMLikely Carrier: UnknownExpected: Spring 2009 The Nokia N97 is their first N-series device with a full slideout QWERTY keyboard coming to the U.S.  N97 is expected to come fully loaded including a 5MP camera, WiFi, GPS, support for Flash Lite 3.0 & Flash Video, plus running on S60 5th edition OS.  Stay tuned to the site as we will update full specifications as they become available.
    PhoneDog TV
    PhoneDog TV - Episode 4

    Episode 4

    No where to put your stylus!  Noah reviewed two Windows Mobile touchscreen devices, the LG Incite with AT&T and Samsung Omnia with Verizon during our 4th episode of PhoneDog TV.  Noah also covered the best and worst of 2008 as reported on the cellular industry in Consumer Reports, news from Nokia World 2008, why he is using the Nokia E71...for now, and everyone's favorite part; live chat! 
    GadgetDog
    GadgetDog Daily - 12/3/08

    GadgetDog Daily - 12/3/08

    GadgetDog Daily - 12/3/08 Noah talked about the upcoming launch of Windows 7 Beta 1 happening 1/13/09.  Read more about it over at Gizmodo from here.  Also discussed during this episode was Apple's Top 10 iPhone app downloads of 2008, Noah's getting Tivo, and the guitar comes out during Noah's Bark!  Be sure to tune in for tonight's episode of PhoneDog TV where Noah will announce which new device he is using...
    Latest Carrier Releases
    LG Rhythm-UX585

    LG Rhythm-UX585

    Carrier: U.S. CellularRetail Price:$279.95 or via ebayContract Price:$79.95 or via Let's TalkHot Feature: Slider+ 1" touch screen The LG Rhythm is a solid music phone that sports a familiar slider form factor combined with a cool touchscreen. Key features include a 1.3 megapixel camera with flash, MP3 player, FM transmitter, stereo Bluetooth,  expandable memory card (microSD up to 8GB) and a 1" circular...

Latest phone images

Pearl Flip 8220 RedRhythm UX585 PinkRhythm UX585 BlackN972608 6260 Slide Biege6260 slide BlackNeo E1100CP150i776WHint QA30Omnia i910Instinct M800 BlackEternity a867Incite6650 Red

One-Pawed Bandit Coming soon...

The Phonedog Days of Summer giveaway is coming to a close, but stay tuned for our new "Phonedog One-Paw Bandit Instant Winner Game", coming soon! We'll be giving away an iPhone in the very first week!

Fetch PhoneDog via Rss

Subscribe & use your favorite news reader to get: