Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2001 15:12:19 -0700 From: "IronMan Mike Curtis" Subject: Car stuff, was Re: Let's get rid of this stupid misconception once and for all
It really depends on how you play harp in the car.
If you get all wound up and involved, close your eyes, use both hands, and wail, sure it's dangerous to play harmonica in the car - you're an accident waiting to happen. But if you practice a few scales when the traffic is light and you're in a safe spot, it's safe.
Contrary to popular belief, it's not absolutely essential to always have two hands on the wheel. If it were, they'd outlaw stick shifts. If you suddenly need both hands to navigate, just let go of the harp. It's that simple. Get that thought firmly into your head and when trouble comes, you'll drop it.
Sometimes I practice in a rack in the car. But even this is no panacea if you play stupidly. The car is a place you can practice lightly (exercises, specific licks and riffs, specific melodies, and other things you wish to learn by rote that leave your brain available for driving). If you always wail mindlessly, you probably shouldn't be doing it in the drivers' seat of a moving car (in fact, you probably shouldn't play the radio at all - you may be tempted to sing or steering-wheel drum ;-) (For that matter, I know people who should not be allowed to even converse while driving, and quite a few who just shouldn't have been licensed in the first place.) If you need to wail, do it in the shower, jam, or gig.
People site cellphones as a driving hazard. They're not. It's the people who use them, and specifically those who use them unwisely. Amateur (ham) radio operators, police, and others have been operating radios in their cars for most of the past century with no significant problems.
The problem is that people on cell phones become *totally* involved in the conversation (like they do on a home phone) and *don't pay attention to their driving*.
Ham radio operators are well aware that the radio is a distant second to driving. We EXPECT mobile radio operators to be busy at times and not respond. When a mobile "disappears", we comment "Well, he must be in traffic" or some such, which (if he's listening) relieves any perceived pressure. Old timers initiate new ham operators into the hobby and pass along this (and other) information.
On a cell phone, people think your call has been dropped or that you're ignoring them, etc., which of course intimidates a lot of mobile cellphone operators, causing them to pay an inordinate amount of attention.
Also, ham radio operators need to hold the mic only while actually speaking. During rush hour, there will typically be a "roundtable" of hams on a given frequency, taking turns speaking. Cellphone requires one to be constantly available.
I have absolutely no problem using a ham radio with a hand mic. But I use a headset for cell phone, AND I tell people I'm in the car and that I may no be paying 100% attention to what they're saying.
If we want to play harmonica in the car, we need to take that kind of approach. One hand (or a rack), working on stuff that takes minimal brain power.
Should mobile use of cellphones be outlawed? No, I don't think so, and I don't think this will ever happen. I just think there should be some stiff penalties for driving badly while using a cellphone. And I feel the same about playing harp in the car. If you can't play and drive SAFELY, then you deserve a ticket, not for playing, but for unsafe driving.
On 20 Oct 2001, at 16:33, Phooey~ol.com wrote:
> > In a message dated 10/20/01 12:00:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time, > jimbeauha~otmail.com writes: > > << But if you have any illusions that > experienced harp players engage in playing and driving or condone it, > forget it. > > I'll be blunt: I think it's stupid and irresponsible. >> > > I'm not under any illusion. I KNOW that experienced harp players play > while driving. I also KNOW that some cops use a cell phone while > driving. Dangerous? Probably. I think your response was naive. :-) > > Kenny >
IronMan Mike Curtis Band Music/Video http://www.mp3.com/IronmanCurtis Let your Harp Mic SHINE! MikeMojo gives your crystal/ceramic mic that BIG bottom, regardless of what it's plugged into! Buy my C~http://www.bumpNgrindrecords.com
