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South Korea Judge Allows Cabbies to Watch TV While Driving

by Caleb Johnson on November 4, 2009 at 09:21 AM

If you're planning a trip to South Korea, it might be a good idea to pack a comfortable pair of shoes. Why? Because you'll want to avoid the country's taxis. According to BBC News, a South Korean judge ruled that it's legal for taxi drivers to continue having televisions mounted on the dashboards of their cabs. This news comes despite police reports that cab drivers who were watching TV caused 200 accidents last year, claiming the lives of three people and injuring 351 in the process.

The ruling came as a result of one Seoul driver's challenge of a $507 fine he'd been given for watching TV while driving. Seoul is notorious for its congested streets -- the reason cab drivers installed the screens in the first place. When the government first launched a broadcasting system that beamed to mobile screens in 2005, TV-watching cabbies turned into a phenomenon.

Let's just hope this trend doesn't transition to U.S. cities. We're just now waking up to the dangers of texting while driving. At the same rate, it would take 20 years for Americans to realize it's not a good idea to watch 'Sanford & Son' reruns while driving. [From: BBC News via Engadget]

Tags: car, court, mobile, southkorea, taxi, television, top, weird

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