If Beyonce can lip-sync the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the Inauguration, we can have an imaginary (but not hard to imagine) conversation with our iPhone’s Siri app.
Me: “Siri, Google my January 2012 column about my less-than-successful experiment using you to send hands-free texts while driving.”
Siri: “My search function is unavailable at this time.”
Me:
…
If Beyonce can lip-sync the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the Inauguration, we can have an imaginary (but not hard to imagine) conversation with our iPhone’s Siri app.
Me: “Siri, Google my January 2012 column about my less-than-successful experiment using you to send hands-free texts while driving.”
Siri: “My search function is unavailable at this time.”
Me: “What? You just looked up something for me.”
Siri: “Um, I’m sorry, Joseph, but I don’t know what column you’re talking about. Hands-free texting? ”
Me: “Yes you do. Remember, you failed miserably in heavy traffic on U.S. 26.”
Siri: “Searching for directions on U.S. 26.”
Me: “OK. Play dumb. But a year ago, I wrote about how drivers should steer clear of using you and other voice-activated apps to send text messages in traffic. In fact, I concluded that relying on you was nearly as distracting as using my hands. Here’s the video. (I searched for it on my own.)”
Does Apple’s Siri really work for texting while driving?Oregonian commuting reporter Joseph Rose puts Apple’s Siri to the test when he takes his iPhone out for a drive to try hands-free texting.Watch video
Siri: “So, where are we going with this, Joseph?”
Me: “Well, now there’s science to back up my conclusion. The Atlantic Cities blog reports that a new study from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that voice-operated texting is nearly as dangerous as using your fingers behind the wheel:
More recent evidence, focusing on texting, has made similar conclusions. In one study published last year, a team of researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute evaluated the performance of drivers texting on a closed road. Some texted from their handheld device, which previous research had already concluded was dangerous, while others texted through an in-vehicle system connected to Bluetooth.
No surprise that drivers who texted by hand drove very poorly: they reported greater mental demand during the drive, took longer glances away from the roadway, and steered worse compared to baseline driving performance. Those who used the in-vehicle system did a little better. They didn’t have much problem receiving text messages through the in-car system, but sending them posed a problem.
Even sending a voice text as simple as “I’m stuck in traffic” led drivers in the study to glance off the road more often and longer than usual, and they too reported a higher mental demand during this part of the test.
There’s even a graphic demonstrating the “mental demand.” And this isn’t the only study coming to these conclusions.”
Siri: “But only one state allows voice-activated texting: California.”
Me: “Yes. Texting of any kind – with or without hands – is still against the law in Oregon. An Oregon State Police trooper made that clear to me after my little experiment, which he appreciated.”
Siri: “So, what does it matter if I’m a good texter or not in the Northwest? Just saying.”
Me: “Well, it could be worse. The Android voice apps I’ve used are worse than even you, Siri.”
Siri: “And at least I’m not Apple Maps. That guy is completely clueless.”
Apple Maps: “Huh? Where? What?”
In other commuting headlines from around the globe:
The Oregonian: As the Oregon Department of Transportation continues to hold open houses on the future of high-speed rail, this is good news: Amtrak’s operating loss is at its lowest since 1975.
Portland Tribune:Projects on drawing board as city mulls changes to parking requirements.
The Oregonian:What do a problematic streetcar and a $1.7 million boathouse have in common?
Jalopnik:The Ten Strangest Alternative Fuel Cars Ever Built.
Bike Portland:Oregon City votes to build bike tourism ‘epicenter’ in Amtrak station.