Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Photographs- Photo 3: Traffic in Bangkok
This photo has very high resolution and provides a good sense of place for the Bangkok city scene, but lacks many qualities a great photo needs. The photo does not follow the rule of thirds in any way nor does it have a central focus. When you first look at the photo, the eyes are not to any point, causing the viewer to experience slight anxiety. The photo does have a slight linear perspective and shows very bright, appealing colors. There is also good contrast, due to the sharp differences in color. Overall, the photo is okay, but lacks many features that could make it a quality photograph.
Photographs- Photo 2: Major Traffic
This photo depicts a very busy highway with a mass of traffic that many commuters must deal with on their way to work and back home. This photo does an excellent job following the rule of thirds, with each vertical third clearly holding separate lanes of traffic. The bottom horizontal third contains most of the traffic on the roads, the middle third contains a small chunk of traffic and all of the city skyline, and the top third holds the entire blue sky. Overall, the picture is very appealing. There is a definite foreground, being the front-most cars in traffic, and a definite background, being the city and skyline. This difference in focus allows the viewer to, when first examining the picture, to start at the front of the cars and slowly make their way straight back to the background, following the straight line of cars in the center. Also, because of the heavy traffic, there is a good deal of repetition in the cars, especially as you move into the background. The scene really captures a sense of place, as we have all been in heavy traffic, and sets the mood at dismal, especially due to the bland colors and with the linear perspective being lost as the traffic continues distantly out of sight. The only problem with the picture is the resolution, which lessens the impact a fair amount. Yet, the photograph still does a nice job capturing the massive amount of traffic.
Photographs- Photo 1: Car Interior
This week, our Information 3.0 class is learning the basic methods in taking and analyzing photos, determining if they are good or bad pictures. This photo is an example of a very good photograph. It has excellent resolution, high definition, and great color balance. The foreground is the focus, showing the clear-cut features of the automobile's interior. The background, slightly less focused, sets a very calm mood on the seashore, clearly establishing a sense of place.The most notable characteristic of this picture is that it follows the rule of thirds ,a compositional rule stating that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. These important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. In this picture, the bottom horizontal third contains the seats and leg area, the middle horizontal third the dashboard and steering wheel, and the top horizontal third the scenery through the windshield. The first vertical third contains the steering wheel side, the middle vertical third has the center of the car and scenery, and the last vertical third contains the passenger side's area. Every third contains something different, and each third contains a very clear area; there is no trouble determining which third contains what object. This rule of thirds really plays into a viewer's unconscious feelings towards the photograph, so by heeding to this rule, this photo is quite exceptional.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Social Networks for Car Lovers , Collectors, and Enthusiasts
When it comes to social networking for the average American, most can be found updating their profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and/or MySpace. I, myself, have used Facebook for the past 3 years or so, but have never used MySpace; I have started using Twitter this past semester for Information 3.0, but I have yet to truly acknowledge its usefulness and have failed to use it for tweets that don't pertain to the class. Recently, I discovered there are more specialized social networks that group together smaller groups of people. Whereas Facebook is a social network open to anyone, there are other social networks reaching out to people that, for example, work in an office or like scary movies. There are even social networks that connect lovers of cute kittens. And, after some further research, I found several that establish a social network for car lovers, collectors, and enthusiasts.
The most legitimate two I could find are CarSpace and the Automative Social Network, and although they are the first ones to come up on a Google search for "car social networks," they are the most professional-looking sites I could find. These two networks are common in many ways, but each have features specific to their styles. Both networks involve membership and contributions to the site; users will add photos, videos, and start discussions all pertaining to car models, car sales, car tips, car everything! Both have forums and member blogs, with news of new automobile advancements and happenings. CarSpace is more oriented towards helping the car buyer, giving new and used car sales and their reviews. It even has guides to car insurance! Although a social network, it deals greatly with helping the individual about as much as it does with connecting car enthusiasts. The Automotive Social Network (ASN) is much more like Facebook. It has intricate profiles telling details of users and uses a more formal layout (CarSpace's layout is more informal and cheery). ASN is more about posting, less about selling. It has larger forums and many more blogs; the members are more connected through pictures and videos than car sales. It is also more important to note that CarSpace has members find other members to make friends based on a survey similar to that on a dating site (but about cars) whereas ASN uses a system where you can find a person and friend them (like on Facebook) or find people based on interests. Overall, ASN is focused more on the social aspect and CarSpace focuses more on educating car buyers, though both are social networks that function similarly.
By studying these two networks, I have seen that there are some parallels involving choosing different social networks to join. I really like using Facebook because of all its features, but I dislike Twitter because, although it has its own unique features, it is basically a Facebook status. MySpace, to me, just looked like it took to much effort to make and handle. I didn't like the format or the design. The same thing can be said of members of these car networks. I'm sure different car enthusiasts and collectors would prefer ASN over CarSpace and vice versa. Both have different features that appeal to different groups; at the same time, I'm sure there is plenty of overlap in members of the different networks(just as many Facebook users are often Twitter users). What I have yet to find is a social network that discusses cars and the industry. If there isn't one yet, it would probably become very popular when it's made because cars are a hot, everyday topic under a lot of debate. Crashes, innovations, laws, and such things arise everyday in the car world and are avid topics in forums on the aforementioned networks. I'm sure enough debate could fill an entire site rather than just a forum or two. That's what's coming next. Social network sites that deal less with specifics and focus on major debate topics. People will be able to discuss major issues and comment on posts. Then major changes will occur. Industries will change their outlooks and the masses will be able to find compromises/agreements. OneWorld is a good example of one such site that started a couple years ago, but it lacks the publicity, professional layout, and the many concerning topics that a true debate network requires to function. Soon, though, these social networks, that deal with all the big issues, will arise and people will be talking about what they read on them everyday.
The most legitimate two I could find are CarSpace and the Automative Social Network, and although they are the first ones to come up on a Google search for "car social networks," they are the most professional-looking sites I could find. These two networks are common in many ways, but each have features specific to their styles. Both networks involve membership and contributions to the site; users will add photos, videos, and start discussions all pertaining to car models, car sales, car tips, car everything! Both have forums and member blogs, with news of new automobile advancements and happenings. CarSpace is more oriented towards helping the car buyer, giving new and used car sales and their reviews. It even has guides to car insurance! Although a social network, it deals greatly with helping the individual about as much as it does with connecting car enthusiasts. The Automotive Social Network (ASN) is much more like Facebook. It has intricate profiles telling details of users and uses a more formal layout (CarSpace's layout is more informal and cheery). ASN is more about posting, less about selling. It has larger forums and many more blogs; the members are more connected through pictures and videos than car sales. It is also more important to note that CarSpace has members find other members to make friends based on a survey similar to that on a dating site (but about cars) whereas ASN uses a system where you can find a person and friend them (like on Facebook) or find people based on interests. Overall, ASN is focused more on the social aspect and CarSpace focuses more on educating car buyers, though both are social networks that function similarly.
By studying these two networks, I have seen that there are some parallels involving choosing different social networks to join. I really like using Facebook because of all its features, but I dislike Twitter because, although it has its own unique features, it is basically a Facebook status. MySpace, to me, just looked like it took to much effort to make and handle. I didn't like the format or the design. The same thing can be said of members of these car networks. I'm sure different car enthusiasts and collectors would prefer ASN over CarSpace and vice versa. Both have different features that appeal to different groups; at the same time, I'm sure there is plenty of overlap in members of the different networks(just as many Facebook users are often Twitter users). What I have yet to find is a social network that discusses cars and the industry. If there isn't one yet, it would probably become very popular when it's made because cars are a hot, everyday topic under a lot of debate. Crashes, innovations, laws, and such things arise everyday in the car world and are avid topics in forums on the aforementioned networks. I'm sure enough debate could fill an entire site rather than just a forum or two. That's what's coming next. Social network sites that deal less with specifics and focus on major debate topics. People will be able to discuss major issues and comment on posts. Then major changes will occur. Industries will change their outlooks and the masses will be able to find compromises/agreements. OneWorld is a good example of one such site that started a couple years ago, but it lacks the publicity, professional layout, and the many concerning topics that a true debate network requires to function. Soon, though, these social networks, that deal with all the big issues, will arise and people will be talking about what they read on them everyday.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Car: On Its Way To Becoming The Home
When a person goes to a car dealer to find the perfect car for their needs, the experience is a lot like buying a house. Which one uses the least amount of energy, is worth the cost, can survive a lot of wear, has room for the family, looks respectable, and has all the amenities one needs to feel secure and comfortable? All these are common questions that buyers of house and car ask themselves. Well, 10 years ago, no one would say they could live comfortably in their car (comfortably being the key word) in comparison to their home (let's ignore large vans used in the '60s and Winnebagos for commonality reasons). Nowadays, that's still unlikely, but the day where that statement will be wrong will soon be at hand. Cars today have internet for all the social access one needs (plus you're in a car, so...you can just drive places to be physically social), AC (both hot and cold), locks, better fueling systems (hybrids and whatnot), TVs, outlets used as power sources, and storage room. Now, as I look around my meager dorm room, the only things a standard car is missing are a fridge, bed, and extra storage. With the added benefit of being able to move your house, a car would seem like a wonderful home once a fridge, bed, and storage space were added. And it would be! We are not far from abandoning homes and just making car lots; houses would be torn down and replaced with designated parking lots. One would buy a space where you wanted to live and that'd be that. "Grocery shopping? Sure!"- And the house would be off towards to nearest grocery store. Sure, the idea would be much more complicated when fully drawn up, but the idea is undoubtedly plausible. "What if the kids wanted to go to a friend's?"- Walking would still be okay with a new traffic system, plus the parents can drive you there in the house. The point is, today's car is quite comfortable. With a way to store food, some more room for clothes, and seats comfortable enough to sleep in (my car seats are already quite comfortable; I'm sure a bed would be redundant in some cases), the car could the house. Hopefully, you, the reader, have already asked yourself by this time, "well, what about a sink and shower?" If you haven't, gross. Well, a couple things could happen. This is all hypothetical, but bathrooms could be communal (and not drive around); though I'm sure many would have a problem with that. Otherwise, I'm sure eventually bathrooms will be added to the car-home; it's already been done in Winnebagos. Once companies realize bigger hybrid cars are better, there will be a lot more options in creating a car-home.
And, of course, everyone has different priorities; some care more about space while others absolutely need seat warmers, and some need to have sports cars while others need a rugged car fit for all terrain. Here's a design that would fit the lifestyle of a single, adventurous driver: The Peugeot Capsule. This interesting vehicle is a "pint-sized one-seater with a satellite internet connection and a solar-assisted gas-electric hybrid drivetrain." It has internet access anywhere, for both social networking and emergencies in all-terrain accidents, and fits the lifestyle of a person who loves the outdoors (minus the bathroom and such). I would guess that in maybe 10 more years, there will be designs for car-homes. Homes on wheels that have everything a house has; a fridge, large TV, internet access, room for work, room for sleep, a bathroom, and space for clothes and other such stuff. They'd be like giant Winnebagos, but everyone would have one and lifestyles would change; not drastically, but in the manner that things are done. And there'd be great variety in size and add-ons to comply to the wishes of all consumers; single adults, families, college students, etc. The idea may seem crazy, but internet was first introduced to the public in the mid 1990s, so how crazy is it that internet is now becoming extremely popular in vehicles being made today? It seems like normal stuff to our generation because we are used to high tech innovations, but to the older generations, this is unheard of. So, to us, a world where people live in their cars full time may sound insane, but, hey, people already do it. The future just holds a grander scale version: a world where absolutely everyone would live comfortably in their car.
And, by having this option, the car industry will never die. The car industry can go in many directions: flying cars (which was just made, but they call it a "roadable aircraft"), house-cars, and maybe someday submarine cars (a tiny bit ridiculous, but you never know), but it will never stop making cars. Who's gonna invent bubble travel or teleportation, the travel of dreams and movies? Well, no one, because people will be forever blinded by the new cars always popping out. I don't dislike cars; I use mine whenever I can. But they are very unsafe in comparison to many forms of travel and if researchers focused on other modes of transportation, I'm sure many cool, unique, and safe modes of transport could be designed and invented. But, the other modes will have to wait until people finally realize that the car industry is taking over our society and our world.
And, of course, everyone has different priorities; some care more about space while others absolutely need seat warmers, and some need to have sports cars while others need a rugged car fit for all terrain. Here's a design that would fit the lifestyle of a single, adventurous driver: The Peugeot Capsule. This interesting vehicle is a "pint-sized one-seater with a satellite internet connection and a solar-assisted gas-electric hybrid drivetrain." It has internet access anywhere, for both social networking and emergencies in all-terrain accidents, and fits the lifestyle of a person who loves the outdoors (minus the bathroom and such). I would guess that in maybe 10 more years, there will be designs for car-homes. Homes on wheels that have everything a house has; a fridge, large TV, internet access, room for work, room for sleep, a bathroom, and space for clothes and other such stuff. They'd be like giant Winnebagos, but everyone would have one and lifestyles would change; not drastically, but in the manner that things are done. And there'd be great variety in size and add-ons to comply to the wishes of all consumers; single adults, families, college students, etc. The idea may seem crazy, but internet was first introduced to the public in the mid 1990s, so how crazy is it that internet is now becoming extremely popular in vehicles being made today? It seems like normal stuff to our generation because we are used to high tech innovations, but to the older generations, this is unheard of. So, to us, a world where people live in their cars full time may sound insane, but, hey, people already do it. The future just holds a grander scale version: a world where absolutely everyone would live comfortably in their car.
And, by having this option, the car industry will never die. The car industry can go in many directions: flying cars (which was just made, but they call it a "roadable aircraft"), house-cars, and maybe someday submarine cars (a tiny bit ridiculous, but you never know), but it will never stop making cars. Who's gonna invent bubble travel or teleportation, the travel of dreams and movies? Well, no one, because people will be forever blinded by the new cars always popping out. I don't dislike cars; I use mine whenever I can. But they are very unsafe in comparison to many forms of travel and if researchers focused on other modes of transportation, I'm sure many cool, unique, and safe modes of transport could be designed and invented. But, the other modes will have to wait until people finally realize that the car industry is taking over our society and our world.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Internet Access in Automobiles- Part 2: Social Networking Behind The Wheel
To top off the internet access, Ford has invented a new technology that can used to make the Twitter-while-driving experience quite simple. Future Ford cars will be updated with an application that allows drivers to verbally update their twitter feeds while behind the wheel. Sounds pretty convenient right? Now you can say,"Wow, I am so pissed at this heavy traffic" or "I am making a left turn...NOW!" Exciting, right? Well, if I were an avid Twitter user, I may have been excited; but because I'm not, I can quickly see the downside. Not only will this new addition be distracting, it will be an amazing source of road rage. As many people know, including the students of Information 3.0, voice recognition technology is nowhere near a good standard of performance. I'm quite positive this attempt at making Twitter easily accessible in a car will backfire due to the annoying problems that will arise from the voice recognition. As a result, drivers will become frustrated and annoyed, making them more prone to do dangerous acts while driving. Distraction is one thing, anger is another. Once voice recognition technology becomes more advanced and actually..well...works, this type of technology will be much less troublesome and actually quite nifty.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Internet Access in Automobiles- Part 1: The Limitation Soon To Be Broken
Long time no blog! I haven't written in over a week and I apologize for that, but that's what happens when Spring Break starts! Now, while my girlfriend is in class, I think it is high time to add another exciting post in this exhilarating epic while I await her return. This week, the topic of choice is internet access and how it relates to the blog. Now, if someone tried to relate the internet with cars all of 1 year ago. Not much could be said beyond "we may show some developments soon. As of 2010 though, many car brands have established their own internet connection and web browsers. A very well known example is the MyFord Touch equipment, a innovation by Ford, that has both WiFi and an internet browser included in the package. This piece of technology is actually quite amazing; whenever the car is in "Park," the driver or passenger can use an 8" LCD touch screen to do just about anything. One can watch a movie on Hulu, reserve a room at a hotel, or check the weather of a destination. Better yet, one can buy a special internet adapter that provides wireless internet to the whole car, so backseat passengers can use any web device they want to go online while in the car. Overall, it is very convenient and an excellent new addition to the Ford cars.
Now, who has heard of the iPod/iPhone practice known as "jailbreaking?" A "jailbreak" is the process in which an advanced programmer is able to hack a system so all the applications and little extras deemed unlawful can be used. Any good programmer or person with some extra money to spend can "jailbreak" an iPod, and this practice also works on many other new technologies. As of now, these new computers in automobiles can only be accessed while the vehicle is in "Park," but I am sure that many people won't be quite accepting of that limitation. It won't be long before people "jailbreak" these vehicular computers and start going on chat roulette while driving. On the other hand, car companies, in their everlasting fight against one another, may simply start taking off the parking limitations to get more buyers. One way or another, drivers will find ways to access the internet while driving, and a person's boredom while driving alone can only be exceeded by their inability to stay off the web when it is available. I'm 100% positive that, when people are bored or have nothing better to do (even with friends), they will eventually find themselves on facebook updating their status to "omg so booooored save me," or on hulu watching an old episode of Family Guy, or even on chat roulette, attempting to find an interesting stranger to talk to while avoiding videos of male genitalia. When internet becomes available in the car, you are bound to find a way to surpass the "park" limitation so you can watch that funny youtube video your friend told you about. And with all these distractions, how can there be room for driving? Well, there really isn't. Now, I'm not trying to hate on the car companies for creating these new internet browsers in their cars. I find them to be quite neat and very helpful. I would be psyched to have one for myself; I'm sure it would come in handy. But, even though everyone could admit that it's more dangerous to drive while using a phone, people still do it. It's not really their fault; I understand people get bored and when you're bored, why not text a friend? People have a need to constantly be connected to more than their immediate surroundings, and a phone helps them do that. A computer is even more useful, with all the different social networking sites and other fun websites. People are easily distracted, they can't really help it. And that is why it is so unsafe to drive. Yes, many accidents occur because of drunk driving, sleepiness, and just simple vehicle failures, but most can be attributed to a lack of attention. And a computer in the car won't help that category; it will enhance it like dry wood enhances a flash fire.
People aren't to blame. It is our nature that must take fault. We have a tendency to act on our curiosity (which kills the cat and often times people as well). If it is there, we touch it. When we see that cup rolling on the floor of the car and it is making an annoying rattling noise, we can't put it out of our heads. Rather, we challenge ourselves to see if we can grab it and pick it up before we make that turn in three seconds onto the highway in heavy traffic conditions. It's a curse. The computer will be very handy and won't be a cause of any crash problems for a good while, but when someone finds a way around that limitation, all hell will break loose. All it will take is a guy on chat roulette to finally snap from not finding a girl after 3 hours of being parked in one spot. If, in some odd turn of events, people learn to adapt their current behaviors to the new internet accessible vehicles, driving may change for the better.
Now, who has heard of the iPod/iPhone practice known as "jailbreaking?" A "jailbreak" is the process in which an advanced programmer is able to hack a system so all the applications and little extras deemed unlawful can be used. Any good programmer or person with some extra money to spend can "jailbreak" an iPod, and this practice also works on many other new technologies. As of now, these new computers in automobiles can only be accessed while the vehicle is in "Park," but I am sure that many people won't be quite accepting of that limitation. It won't be long before people "jailbreak" these vehicular computers and start going on chat roulette while driving. On the other hand, car companies, in their everlasting fight against one another, may simply start taking off the parking limitations to get more buyers. One way or another, drivers will find ways to access the internet while driving, and a person's boredom while driving alone can only be exceeded by their inability to stay off the web when it is available. I'm 100% positive that, when people are bored or have nothing better to do (even with friends), they will eventually find themselves on facebook updating their status to "omg so booooored save me," or on hulu watching an old episode of Family Guy, or even on chat roulette, attempting to find an interesting stranger to talk to while avoiding videos of male genitalia. When internet becomes available in the car, you are bound to find a way to surpass the "park" limitation so you can watch that funny youtube video your friend told you about. And with all these distractions, how can there be room for driving? Well, there really isn't. Now, I'm not trying to hate on the car companies for creating these new internet browsers in their cars. I find them to be quite neat and very helpful. I would be psyched to have one for myself; I'm sure it would come in handy. But, even though everyone could admit that it's more dangerous to drive while using a phone, people still do it. It's not really their fault; I understand people get bored and when you're bored, why not text a friend? People have a need to constantly be connected to more than their immediate surroundings, and a phone helps them do that. A computer is even more useful, with all the different social networking sites and other fun websites. People are easily distracted, they can't really help it. And that is why it is so unsafe to drive. Yes, many accidents occur because of drunk driving, sleepiness, and just simple vehicle failures, but most can be attributed to a lack of attention. And a computer in the car won't help that category; it will enhance it like dry wood enhances a flash fire.
People aren't to blame. It is our nature that must take fault. We have a tendency to act on our curiosity (which kills the cat and often times people as well). If it is there, we touch it. When we see that cup rolling on the floor of the car and it is making an annoying rattling noise, we can't put it out of our heads. Rather, we challenge ourselves to see if we can grab it and pick it up before we make that turn in three seconds onto the highway in heavy traffic conditions. It's a curse. The computer will be very handy and won't be a cause of any crash problems for a good while, but when someone finds a way around that limitation, all hell will break loose. All it will take is a guy on chat roulette to finally snap from not finding a girl after 3 hours of being parked in one spot. If, in some odd turn of events, people learn to adapt their current behaviors to the new internet accessible vehicles, driving may change for the better.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Cell Phones and Cars- Part 2: "The Wireless Era" in Relation To Vehicles
The assignment this week for our class, Information 3.0, required us to respond to a 2005 study encompassing the basic social effects of cell phone use in public areas. Now, seeing that this study was performed in 2005, it is slightly outdated, as cell phone technology has greatly evolved in recent years; heck, current cell phones are adding on projectors. No one in 2005 saw that coming. Anyways, this study encompasses the many different relationships that are effected by cell phone calls and how people respond in different situations. I will relate each major part of this study to cell phone use in cars.
The study defined two different types of people in public: "Singles" are people who are alone and "Withs" are people in a group. As you can already tell from these definitions, this study is not very technical or quantitative, it is actually entirely qualitative. "Singles" will often feel awkward in public, as if they're being judged, so they will often utilize self-defense strategies, like reading a paper or calling someone, to legitimize their presence and not feel out of place. At the same time, these reactions dismiss and possible social interaction by making them seem busy; it's self-defeating. "Withs" are the opposite, but, in some situations, a member of a "With" will feel awkward as well. For example, if in a group of 2, one person leaves to go order food, the other is left to sit alone and utilize standard "Single"-esque mechanisms to express business. A more important example, and one of the study's main points, is the instance of "cross talk:""a conversation where ‘one member of a With momentarily sustains exclusive talk with someone who is not in the With'," usually due to a cell phone call. This results in the creation of a new "Single" (the person not on the phone) and a "Dyad" (the relationship of a cell phone user and a caller/answerer). Depending on the non-physical person on the other end of the phone, the Single will or will not interact with the dyad. If the Single doesn't know the person, he/she won't interact with them and will enter a state of anxiety (often leaving if the call goes on for too long) while the cell phone user will attempt to make a "private space"; if the Single does know the person, the Single and dyad will enter the "Dual Front Interaction" stage, a form of listening in, or a "Three-way Interaction," where all three people will be involved in the conversation. The Single will talk through the cell phone user, who acts as a messenger on many occasions, and no anxiety will be found in any of the members of the group. If one is driving alone, there is never any social anxiety as a "Single" because, despite being in public, one always assumes a person is driving with a purpose in mind, a destination at the end of their drive. When driving with a passenger, in a "With," there is normally cross talk with unsafe drivers and no cross talk with safe drivers). Here are the steps of discourse if the driver is called (steps with "a" are for safe drivers, "b" for unsafe drivers): 1a) The music is turned down/off, 1a) The music is kept loud and distracting, 2a) Being a safe driver, the driver would give the phone to a passenger, 2b) Being an unsafe driver, the driver would start chatting on the phone, 3a) the passenger would act as a messenger/intermediate, taking part in the conversation so no one feels anxiety or exclusion, 3b) the passenger listens to music while the driver talks, ultimately feeling anxious due to his/her exclusion and most likely the dangerous driving.
The study also analyzed the use of caller ID and screening incoming calls. On older landline phones, caller ID was not always available, meaning the caller had the power in the interaction; the caller acts, and the answerer reacts. But, with caller ID, screening calls became possible, allowing the answerer to hold a large amount of power; if they didn't want to answer the call because of the caller, they now had the option. This created a varied caller-answerer relationship termed "caller hegemony." This imbalance, once only referring to the caller's power, now can change between the cell phone users based on screening and calling. This relationship can often be found in the car during calls. When a "Single" gets a call, he/she really shouldn't answer it in order to stay safe, but if, for example, the caller ID reads 'hospital,' it would be valid to answer because it could be an emergency. If it's a friend, a driver may not answer because it has lesser importance than being in control of the vehicle. When a driver is part of a "With," since there is a passenger, the call is much less likely to be screened, but it's not unheard of. Often times, the driver will have the passenger read the ID to determine its importance; although talking doesn't require as much concentration, chatting about trivial matters while driving is not often done by safe drivers, even if a passenger holds the phone. If the call does hold some importance, the passenger will either act as a messenger or just hold the phone while on speaker setting. The speaker setting on the phone was one of the great cell phone revolutions in relation to vehicular use, because it allowed drivers to take calls hands-free (minus the initial answering and pressing of buttons).
Recently, the Jupiter Jack, a nifty cell phone device promoted by the late Billy Mays, has been becoming rather mainstream. This gadget attachs quite nicely to your phone and allows you to place your phone in a convenient holder on the dashboard, allowing for one-button answering. It increases the speaker volume and overall makes the call much easier for the driver. Although a neat device, it successfully defeats a passenger's purpose as messenger, resulting in their feeling of exclusion. Also, it requires talking, meaning less attention is kept on the road. It solves some problems, but creates more in a sense. I don't have one because I firmly believe in a minimal amount of phone use while driving; plus I can see myself forgetting the phone in the holder many a time.
Overall, the study is outdated and, although many different individuals were studied in respective public environments, it provides no hard evidence or data because no subject was studied for a long period of time or observed in every environment. The definitions are also very loose and need to be expanded to express all the different members of a "With" in relation to the cell phone user. For example, what is a person called within a With if he/she is neither the messenger or cell phone user, but is talking to yet another member of the With? What is that With within a With called? Lastly, further studies concerning cell phone use should be done in cars. Why do drivers feel the need to answer the phone even though they it inhibits their driving skills? Like most people and subjects in the study, I will answer the phone, no matter the situation I am in; people have an innate response to answer a ringing phone, as if beckoning them. This should be studied in the car because, if research could unveil why drivers still feel they need to take calls, further actions could be taken to stop dangerous cell use in cars. Even though I know I shouldn't, I always innately go for my phone when it rings while I drive. I have to tell myself to stop. Once that innate drive is further investigated, I and many others will finally understand why there is an urge, a dependence, to answer that vibrating piece of plastic and electronics that indirectly controls all our lives.
The study defined two different types of people in public: "Singles" are people who are alone and "Withs" are people in a group. As you can already tell from these definitions, this study is not very technical or quantitative, it is actually entirely qualitative. "Singles" will often feel awkward in public, as if they're being judged, so they will often utilize self-defense strategies, like reading a paper or calling someone, to legitimize their presence and not feel out of place. At the same time, these reactions dismiss and possible social interaction by making them seem busy; it's self-defeating. "Withs" are the opposite, but, in some situations, a member of a "With" will feel awkward as well. For example, if in a group of 2, one person leaves to go order food, the other is left to sit alone and utilize standard "Single"-esque mechanisms to express business. A more important example, and one of the study's main points, is the instance of "cross talk:""a conversation where ‘one member of a With momentarily sustains exclusive talk with someone who is not in the With'," usually due to a cell phone call. This results in the creation of a new "Single" (the person not on the phone) and a "Dyad" (the relationship of a cell phone user and a caller/answerer). Depending on the non-physical person on the other end of the phone, the Single will or will not interact with the dyad. If the Single doesn't know the person, he/she won't interact with them and will enter a state of anxiety (often leaving if the call goes on for too long) while the cell phone user will attempt to make a "private space"; if the Single does know the person, the Single and dyad will enter the "Dual Front Interaction" stage, a form of listening in, or a "Three-way Interaction," where all three people will be involved in the conversation. The Single will talk through the cell phone user, who acts as a messenger on many occasions, and no anxiety will be found in any of the members of the group. If one is driving alone, there is never any social anxiety as a "Single" because, despite being in public, one always assumes a person is driving with a purpose in mind, a destination at the end of their drive. When driving with a passenger, in a "With," there is normally cross talk with unsafe drivers and no cross talk with safe drivers). Here are the steps of discourse if the driver is called (steps with "a" are for safe drivers, "b" for unsafe drivers): 1a) The music is turned down/off, 1a) The music is kept loud and distracting, 2a) Being a safe driver, the driver would give the phone to a passenger, 2b) Being an unsafe driver, the driver would start chatting on the phone, 3a) the passenger would act as a messenger/intermediate, taking part in the conversation so no one feels anxiety or exclusion, 3b) the passenger listens to music while the driver talks, ultimately feeling anxious due to his/her exclusion and most likely the dangerous driving.
The study also analyzed the use of caller ID and screening incoming calls. On older landline phones, caller ID was not always available, meaning the caller had the power in the interaction; the caller acts, and the answerer reacts. But, with caller ID, screening calls became possible, allowing the answerer to hold a large amount of power; if they didn't want to answer the call because of the caller, they now had the option. This created a varied caller-answerer relationship termed "caller hegemony." This imbalance, once only referring to the caller's power, now can change between the cell phone users based on screening and calling. This relationship can often be found in the car during calls. When a "Single" gets a call, he/she really shouldn't answer it in order to stay safe, but if, for example, the caller ID reads 'hospital,' it would be valid to answer because it could be an emergency. If it's a friend, a driver may not answer because it has lesser importance than being in control of the vehicle. When a driver is part of a "With," since there is a passenger, the call is much less likely to be screened, but it's not unheard of. Often times, the driver will have the passenger read the ID to determine its importance; although talking doesn't require as much concentration, chatting about trivial matters while driving is not often done by safe drivers, even if a passenger holds the phone. If the call does hold some importance, the passenger will either act as a messenger or just hold the phone while on speaker setting. The speaker setting on the phone was one of the great cell phone revolutions in relation to vehicular use, because it allowed drivers to take calls hands-free (minus the initial answering and pressing of buttons).
Recently, the Jupiter Jack, a nifty cell phone device promoted by the late Billy Mays, has been becoming rather mainstream. This gadget attachs quite nicely to your phone and allows you to place your phone in a convenient holder on the dashboard, allowing for one-button answering. It increases the speaker volume and overall makes the call much easier for the driver. Although a neat device, it successfully defeats a passenger's purpose as messenger, resulting in their feeling of exclusion. Also, it requires talking, meaning less attention is kept on the road. It solves some problems, but creates more in a sense. I don't have one because I firmly believe in a minimal amount of phone use while driving; plus I can see myself forgetting the phone in the holder many a time.
Overall, the study is outdated and, although many different individuals were studied in respective public environments, it provides no hard evidence or data because no subject was studied for a long period of time or observed in every environment. The definitions are also very loose and need to be expanded to express all the different members of a "With" in relation to the cell phone user. For example, what is a person called within a With if he/she is neither the messenger or cell phone user, but is talking to yet another member of the With? What is that With within a With called? Lastly, further studies concerning cell phone use should be done in cars. Why do drivers feel the need to answer the phone even though they it inhibits their driving skills? Like most people and subjects in the study, I will answer the phone, no matter the situation I am in; people have an innate response to answer a ringing phone, as if beckoning them. This should be studied in the car because, if research could unveil why drivers still feel they need to take calls, further actions could be taken to stop dangerous cell use in cars. Even though I know I shouldn't, I always innately go for my phone when it rings while I drive. I have to tell myself to stop. Once that innate drive is further investigated, I and many others will finally understand why there is an urge, a dependence, to answer that vibrating piece of plastic and electronics that indirectly controls all our lives.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Cell Phones and Cars- Part 1: A Not-So-Good Pair
Just about everyone in this modern day and age has a cell phone. Similarly, just about everyone with a license has access to a car, whether it is their own or their family's. Naturally, these two popular, globally-used technologies should be utilized simultaneously, right? Here's the part where I say "wrong." Cell phones are the bane of a cars existence. According to the Governor's Highway Safety Association, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Oregon, New York, Washington, and Washington D.C. have banned all handheld cell phone use, over 15 states have banned texting, and 21 states have banned novice cell phone use. Why is that? Well, if you drive, you should know the answer. A car requires the constant utilization of every part of one's consciousness; drivers must stay alert at all times and constantly check several different aspects of their surroundings. That includes the cars, the people on the sidewalks, the lights, the turns, the speed, the roads and their conditions, and, often times, the passengers in the car; you've heard it all before. Using a cell phone, especially in your hand, is extremely distracting and can easily interfere with a driver's concentration. For most experienced drivers, driving is like riding a bike; observing the car's surroundings is basically second nature. You no longer have to think twice about going through that 3-second yellow light or avoiding that pothole in the road; driving just becomes a breeze. But cell phones don't make the driving so easy.
As a driver, I know how it feels to navigate my vehicle in just about any environment, whether its my suburban neighborhood or the traffic-filled highway. When I drive, I feel very attached to my vehicle, like its a part of me. I press the gas, it goes; I ease the brakes, it slows. I am in complete control at all times. But, back in reality, I am not literally attached to the vehicle I drive, nor is any other driver attached to their own car. The only thing keeping you in that seat is gravity, and when you brake from 70 mph to 35 mph in 2 seconds to get on that ramp you didn't prepare for, the only thing keeping you in the car and not on the the pavement in a pool of blood is your seat belt. Although drivers lose sight of it, the reality of driving is that you are driving an extremely-sensitive, fast moving, 2 ton chunk of machine. This piece of machinery does not know who you are, it doesn't like you, it doesn't care for your traveling music, and it certainly has no problem with crashing into a tree, or, better yet, other cars. The truth is, the driver is the carpenter, the car is the hammer, and the road is the nail. No matter how experienced you are, if you get distracted, you're gonna wind up with a really swollen thumb. Unfortunately, this metaphor does not quite hold true, because, when a driver takes a phone call or decides to reply to a text, their loss of concentration will lead to much more than a sore thumb.
Now, phones are definitely not the only cause of diversion. There are hundreds of things that cause careful drivers to lose focus for that dire second. But, cell phones are major league players when compared to most of the other distractions. Cell phones, although very helpful in everyday life, do not outweigh the price of being distracted while driving. Making a call uses a very large part of the brain, as many different areas must be used at once. And of course some of those parts will overlap with the parts needed for driving. Texting is even worse because a standard texter needs to look at the screen or buttons while typing, which distracts a driver's sight, the most important sense required for driving. I have used my cell phone in the car 3 times, and they were to read texts that I received on separate occasions. Yes, that's hypocritical, but I know not to do it anymore. Besides that, I've never actually used my phone for calling or texting while driving. Some people, on the other hand, can't get it into their heads that using a handheld cell phone while driving is bad. It may seem like they're in complete control, but those who continue to use their handheld cell phones while driving will eventually end up with that sore thumb. It only needs to happen once.
As a driver, I know how it feels to navigate my vehicle in just about any environment, whether its my suburban neighborhood or the traffic-filled highway. When I drive, I feel very attached to my vehicle, like its a part of me. I press the gas, it goes; I ease the brakes, it slows. I am in complete control at all times. But, back in reality, I am not literally attached to the vehicle I drive, nor is any other driver attached to their own car. The only thing keeping you in that seat is gravity, and when you brake from 70 mph to 35 mph in 2 seconds to get on that ramp you didn't prepare for, the only thing keeping you in the car and not on the the pavement in a pool of blood is your seat belt. Although drivers lose sight of it, the reality of driving is that you are driving an extremely-sensitive, fast moving, 2 ton chunk of machine. This piece of machinery does not know who you are, it doesn't like you, it doesn't care for your traveling music, and it certainly has no problem with crashing into a tree, or, better yet, other cars. The truth is, the driver is the carpenter, the car is the hammer, and the road is the nail. No matter how experienced you are, if you get distracted, you're gonna wind up with a really swollen thumb. Unfortunately, this metaphor does not quite hold true, because, when a driver takes a phone call or decides to reply to a text, their loss of concentration will lead to much more than a sore thumb.
Now, phones are definitely not the only cause of diversion. There are hundreds of things that cause careful drivers to lose focus for that dire second. But, cell phones are major league players when compared to most of the other distractions. Cell phones, although very helpful in everyday life, do not outweigh the price of being distracted while driving. Making a call uses a very large part of the brain, as many different areas must be used at once. And of course some of those parts will overlap with the parts needed for driving. Texting is even worse because a standard texter needs to look at the screen or buttons while typing, which distracts a driver's sight, the most important sense required for driving. I have used my cell phone in the car 3 times, and they were to read texts that I received on separate occasions. Yes, that's hypocritical, but I know not to do it anymore. Besides that, I've never actually used my phone for calling or texting while driving. Some people, on the other hand, can't get it into their heads that using a handheld cell phone while driving is bad. It may seem like they're in complete control, but those who continue to use their handheld cell phones while driving will eventually end up with that sore thumb. It only needs to happen once.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
