Is this the stupidest thing yet?

A Blackberry Tablet WINDSHIELD mount! a 10 inch rectangle of death.

http://shop.crackberry.com/igrip-windshield-tablet-kit/3A78A8593.htm

But what if I want to play Angry Birds while I drive?

Seriously, though - you could use some tablets for GPS systems… but there should be a size limit before it blocks too much of your view. Personally, I think this is dumber:

Driving is becoming less safe by the minute.

It seems that no one drives like their lives depend on it, anymore.

Of course not, they are too busy playing with all their fancy gadgets

The product description sums it up perfectly: “…allows you to mount the device in your vehicle for an optimal viewing experience.” “Perfect hands-free solution”, as if people regularly drive around using these rather large, rather bulky devices. The scary part is that people probably do. I might as well plop this laptop onto the top of my dashboard so I can continue to surf the Net while I’m going down the highway. The screen is not that much larger than that of the PlayBook.

the comments on the Amazon link eraser posted are quite humorous.

The GPS system on Paris taxis have a screen about that size. It’s mounted at an angle like the computer in a police car. On my last trip there, the driver made good us of it. He set the suburban Holiday Inn address on it and then talked the rest of the trip to his girlfriend.All very safely.

@eraser1998 Have you seen the customer images posted on it?? Hilarious!

Personally, I wouldn’t mind that device for when I’m stuck in my car and stopped for a bit. Sometimes I eat in my car between clients, and having a little table would be nice - WHEN NOT DRIVING.

Drivers who mess with their phones even if they’re mounted on the dashboard or windshield are the reason auto insurance rates go up each year! To all you drivers who make the road unsafe by using your cellphone while driving…Thank you for making the roads even more unsafe than they already are!

What is even more stupid is that the screen for the DVD in the Chevrolet Uplander that I used to own was mounted behind the front seat. I got such a pain in my neck trying to drive and watch the movie that I finally gave up and never used it after the first time.

Cars these days have way too many distracting gadgets! Even GPS can be distracting! GPS systems have been known to cause accidents too! I’ve seen drivers stare at the screens of their GPS systems and end up rearending another driver. If you need to use GPS…make sure you get a model that has the voice prompt function. “Turn right on Elm Street.” Oh yeah and make sure you’re in the right lane to make the turn as well…I had GPS system in my old car and was using it and had the voice command and it told me to turn on a street and I realized I was in the wrong lane, quickly changed lanes and cut off a cop. And yes I got pulled over. Luckily the Cop just gave me a warning but since then, I don’t use GPS often! I’m the type of driver who focuses on the road. I strategically place my cup of coffee in a cup holder I can easily reach while keeping my eyes on the road and if I need to eat food, I pack food that its easy to put in my mouth while driving (granola bars). If I’m really hungry, I’ll stop to eat!

It is illegal in MN to have anything attached to your windshield. Of course, people do it anyway.

Yeah. I’ve never heard of any MN cop pulling someone over for a GPS in the window, but I’d imagine if they saw you with a 10" tablet, that might change.

Actually that law was written not for safety, but as a way to pull people over for having radar detectors.

Does “hands free driving” mean “no hands on wheel”?

It may just be because I am a bit tall (5’11"), but there is a great deal of windshield ‘real-estate’ where all I can see is the hood of my car. Devices located there wouldn’t block my view of the road, and allow for driving information, such as GPS, to be visible while keeping my line of vision close to the road.

One of the things I do when deciding on a new car is to sit in the driver’s seat and check to see how far from my proper line of vision all the controls and indicators are. If they require taking my eyes too far from the road, I won’t buy that model. Putting a display just above the wheel, or over the dash and to the side of the wheel seems to me to be an ideal location. Knowing what NOT to display in such a location is just (UN)common sense.

I agree that ‘distracted’ is the operative word. If you are thinking about something other than driving (conversation - phone or otherwise, looking for a road on a map/GPS, etc.) you ARE distracted and dangerous. I refuse to converse with passengers while driving. I refuse to converse with the driver when I am (rarely) a passenger. Driving-related things, sure, but no conversations about random subjects.

And, yes, some people don’t like sharing a vehicle with me because I WON’T talk to them.

I lived in Japan for three years, and they have TV’s in the dashboards, I mean they can watch television shows or DVD’s while they are driving, craziest thing I have ever seen. Now in the US we have touch screens for auto-systems, navigation, rear view TV ect. Too much.

I suppose it’s for using GPS features. It’s no worse than using a portable GPS unless you’re stupid enough to be playing a game, balancing your checkbook, etc. in traffic.

Stupidest thing yet? Not sure, but it will do until something stupider comes along :slight_smile:

I don’t think it’s necessarily a horrible idea. I use my iPhone to play music/podcasts when I drive (generally not too crazy about what’s on the radio). It’s convenient and I don’t think changing songs every once in awhile is that different than changing radio stations or adjusting the a/c. If I somehow had the misfortune of owning a Blackberry playbook, I’d probably play my music from that instead; in which case this mount makes total sense to me.

I had GPS system in my old car and was using it and had the voice command and it told me to turn on a street and I realized I was in the wrong lane, quickly changed lanes and cut off a cop. You don’t need a GPS to do that. A back seat driver does just fine without GPS.