Drivers give in to a lot of distractions behind the wheel. Phone calls, eating, drinking, and slapping the kids around are one thing, but something that's always irked us is drivers traveling with pets on their laps. Aside from the possibility of Fluffy freaking out and doing its doggone best to create a crash, we've always envisioned a Chihuahua-sized cavity in someone's chest after the airbag deploys. Well, California Assemblyman Bill Maze shares our concern and has proposed a bill to make it illegal for an animal to be held on a driver's lap while behind the wheel. The bill passed the Assembly on Monday by a vote of 44-11 and is on its way to the state Senate before landing on Arnie's desk. Here's hoping that the Governator does what's right for man and his best friend.[Source: AP]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Yar @ May 7th 2008 3:33PM
The Peoples Republic of California can do whatever they want, since I, nor anyone I will ever associate with, will ever live there.
Cap'n Jack @ May 7th 2008 3:39PM
Promise?
psu48187 @ May 7th 2008 3:41PM
Yes because it is such a HORRIBLE place to live
Tool @ May 7th 2008 3:46PM
Yeah, it really sucks here. I hate that every damn morning I walk out the house and have deal with nearly perfect weather, beautiful women, etc. Basically this place is a real backwater cesspool.
Rick @ May 7th 2008 4:00PM
No really, please don't. But I promise to wave when I fly over.
Gary Blomquist @ May 7th 2008 4:29PM
Let's See........Where could this go?
1. No, nose rubbing, picking/scratching.
2. No, radio on while driving......
3. No, munching peanuts, cashews, or other snack foods.
4. No application of make-up.
5. No map reading/checking.
6. No GPS screens on while moving.
7. No back seat DVD screens/movies operating.
8. No smoking
9. No gum or tobacco chewing
10.No talking with passengers
11. ********Please continue this list......California, where I reside needs more intelligent input *******
I'm a native Californian, and I'll tell yah.....I'm ashamed to say I am.....We have bonafide loonies running CARB, the Department of transportation/DMV........
Might as well let Shirley McClaine run things here, it couldn't get any worse.
We make rulings that ruin oportunities for the other states to have nice, efficient clean burning diesel cars.............you name it. So goes California........So goes our economy. :(
Mr. Oak @ May 7th 2008 5:28PM
You can keep your stupid lap dog, if I am allowed to cut you off in traffic, and bashyou over the head with a baseball bat. Why is it that we have grown into being the dumbest collection of jackasses on the planet?
Why is it that we are forced into making laws out things that simple common sence or reason issues.
No, jackass you don't have enough ability/skill to operate a 5000lb battering ram and talk on the phone.
...and yes, if that stupid ugly mutt that you call a pet falls off your lap down into the footwell, you, stupid as you are to have it there in the first place, you are going to let go of the steering wheel and dive udver the dash at 70 mph to rescue your BooBoo.
...Or having a child in the car unbuckled.
Violations like these should all be classified wreckless endangerments and if found guilty, you should be heavily fined, and lose points off your license, you clown.
Quit whining about "your" freedoms. You are free to do as you please, until it endangers someone else's life.
SOhp101 @ May 8th 2008 3:33AM
Don't worry, the feeling's mutual.
XeroK00L @ May 7th 2008 3:34PM
lol nice choice of pic there, AutoBlog!
jake @ May 8th 2008 4:12AM
F*ck dogs and F*ck Bush.
mk @ May 7th 2008 3:36PM
How about just using that as a reason for someone to be guilty of committing a real crime?
Since when does every circumstance need a law?
Instead of a ban on every little thing, just say...
"this person had a pet on their lap when they had this accident, which shows that their attention was elsewhere, and their movement and view was impaired, a contributing factor."
Pretty soon there is going to be one tightrope-wide path through life, bordered on both sides by laws, bans, taxes, and restrictions.
That is not what the law is for. Politicians need to realize that there are things they need to do, and this ain't it.
Disgruntled Goat @ May 7th 2008 4:17PM
Laws are created for those that don't know any better. If people weren't total idiots then the rest of us wouldn't be saddled with law after law after law. Why should we have to wait until someone is killed before doing something? If you don't like these laws, blame the morons driving around with Fido on their laps, drinking coffee, eating a McMuffin and chatting up their buddy Biff while driving their 6000lb SUV 50mph down to the dry cleaners.
mk @ May 7th 2008 5:11PM
I do blame those morons for ruining it for the rest of us.
But the more you feed the legislators, the more of this they do, and once it is on the books, it is extremely difficult to get anyone to remove it again, when it is no longer applicable.
And it may seem innocuous this time, but what about when it ISN'T innocuous.
This isn't going to prevent accidents, it is merely going to be a feather in lawmaker's caps to get re-elected to keep banning this and that thing.
Morons who have their pets on their laps in the car are not going to be deterred by an obscure law banning it, they will only be charged with it after an accident. Then, they are culpable for the accident anyway, and the pet would be a contributing factor.
Such laws don't have preventative effects, they just clog up the legislative and judicial systems, and lead to precedence for more bans.
Rocketboy @ May 8th 2008 9:27AM
Why? Because it's idiotic to drive with a pet on your lap. The sad thing is, is that there are idiots who drive with a pet on their lap. So the law is created to protect the idiot, and everyone around them.
psu48187 @ May 7th 2008 3:39PM
NO issues here, and I have a dog. I think it's both silly and a major hazard to have your dog all over the car including on your lap. I guess people aren't content with: shaving/eating a whopper/drinking coffee/applying makeup, so they had 'fluffy' to the mix.
Soccer Mom @ May 7th 2008 3:41PM
I see a monkey in a cowboy hat, but where is the driver?
J M C 3 @ May 7th 2008 3:43PM
That elevates the conversation .
John P. @ May 7th 2008 3:41PM
Lame Lame Lame. Did I mention Lame? Hey California, while you are at it, why don't you make people wear shoulder pads, knee pads and helmets in their cars? I mean, come on, get with the program!
mk @ May 7th 2008 3:43PM
Agreed, it is monumentally stupid to do this.
But laws impinge freedom, and bans on this encourage bans on that, and sooner or later it is going to effect something you do.
Freedom means free to be monumentally stupid. social and behavioral control via legislation is not freedom, it is tyranny.
I have no sympathy for people who do stupid things, which might effect me. But government regulations are eventually SURE to effect me. That sounds selfish, until you apply it to every individual.
Allan @ May 7th 2008 3:51PM
If I may put on my proper English hat* for a moment...
You mean "affect," right?
* Proper English hat does not guarantee that the English contained within this post is proper. It is meant for correction purposes only. Always use as directed.