On Sunday morning, I was casually surfing the BBC news app on my phone. I ran into an article titled, “Ticket issued to driver wearing Google Glass.” The article reports on a woman in California by the name of Cecilia Abadie, who got a ticket for wearing her Google Glass. If you are not familiar with Google Glasses, they are basically computers that one can wear. The technology can project a website or a video onto the beholder’s view site. These nifty spectacles can also film video. Ms. Abadie is in the minority of Google Glass users. Her ticket is the first to be issued surrounding these gadgets.
It seems obvious that one should not watch a video, be on the internet or be photographing something whilst driving. However, should there be exceptions to society’s condition. With more revolutionary technology under way,–such as the Recon Jet, another version of wearable virtual glasses–should society’s justice system evolve with the trending gadgets and adapt with it, or should society create more strict legislation against these types of devices?
The controversy surrounding this issue has recently come to light. Ms. Abadie’s case proves that our ever-changing global community is in need of some strict governing in this grey area, and we need it fast. Although these virtual glasses may be issued under the violation of distracted driving in some areas, many argue that these types of spectacles aid in enhancing the driver’s view with programs such as Google Maps. Cecilia Abadie plans to argue her ticket in court; she has many supporters on her Google+ page.
When these glasses inevitably become the social norm, we need laws to prevent conflict between the driver and the law. In a recent article in the Inquirer, the United Kingdom police department have stated that wearing the Google Glass while driving will be considered as an offense. It is not long before other national departments respond to this matter. We have all been disciplined by the saying, “Don’t drink and drive.” Perhaps, it is a matter of time that we enunciate, “Don’t Google and drive.”