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Re:Show HN: A machine that detects when you text and drive t... by giantg2 on Monday June 28, 2021 @11:09AM (#27662933)
The idea of it being more dangerous is that you have someone who isn't aware of their surroundings and then you apply a shock that surprises them, some people will react with erratic movement, increasing the chance that they will "blindly" hit something.

So essentially the shock is adding a confounding factor to the focal impairment. The only way the shock can reduce the overall risk is through prevention. You could do that through other less dangerous methods like charging them money instead of supplying a shock.

Re:Show HN: A machine that detects when you text and drive t... by gknoy on Monday June 28, 2021 @04:23PM (#27667508)
Getting charged money, unless you have some audible ping or something, won't be noticed, so you don't have the immediacy of the enforcement.

Great point on the danger of being shocked while driving, though.

Re:Show HN: A machine that detects when you text and drive t... by giantg2 on Monday June 28, 2021 @04:27PM (#27667578)
I mean, if they're looking at their phone a push notification that overlays the texting app should be pretty disruptive to the act of texting and immediately enforce it.

Actually, I'm not sure if the overlay is possible, but a phone call would be pretty intrusive and on speaker phone / hands-free would be ok.

Re:Show HN: A machine that detects when you text and drive t... by MrYellowP on Monday June 28, 2021 @07:09PM (#27669510)
The first reaction will be trying to remove that notification, which helps nothing.

It seems that the best course of action would be locking out the user from the ability to text while driving, because whatever signal the user is getting is going to add to the time spent not looking where he should, but when the user can not text while driving, this time will always be zero.

(at least in regards to texting)

Re:Show HN: A machine that detects when you text and drive t... by giantg2 on Tuesday June 29, 2021 @10:11AM (#27675986)
Yeah, but we're talking about the voluntary system shown. If they are just removing the notification, then would they have installed it in the first place?