Lap Driving Banned

A 1950's effort to stop distracted driving.

But what was going on in Cheboygan that they felt a need for an ordinance against this form of distracted driving specifically?

The Pittsburgh Press - Dec 28, 1952


CHEBOYGAN, Mich., Dec 27 (UP) — Traffic violation penalties going into effect here Jan. 1 include a $5 fine for any motorist caught driving with a woman on his lap.
     Posted By: Alex - Tue Apr 05, 2016
     Category: Regulations | 1950s | Cars





Comments
Can't have that, she might get stuck on the stick shift you know!
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 04/05/16 at 09:38 AM
It's hard impossible to concentrate on the road when 99.83% of your blood has gathered in one distant location and things are about to come to a head.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/05/16 at 09:49 AM
I was not myself last night, ran a light without my registration.
Where the cops were bound to see and you know me, already on probation.
I wound up on parole, I tore my tuck-n-roll upholstery.
Where my baby sits up close to me.
That's supposed to be what our life is all about.
Posted by KDP on 04/05/16 at 10:37 AM
ROTFLMAO!!!
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 04/05/16 at 10:39 AM
As long as she can have her head over my lap I'm good with it. Been there .. done that. (At my age there is little if anything left although I'm sure our Patty could come up with something.)
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 04/05/16 at 03:39 PM
"But what was going on in Cheboygan that they felt a need for an ordinance against this form of distracted driving specifically?"

Women were riding around on men's laps while they were driving cars, obviously.

At this rate, I should get a promotion to major pretty soon.
Posted by A Nonny Mouse on 04/05/16 at 04:49 PM
I wonder if this was applied equally to women with men on their laps or heads down there? During my short career as a driver of a big rig I saw such activity. The fact that the lady had her blouse open was what got my attention.
Posted by Gator Guy on 04/05/16 at 07:50 PM
So many things wrong here. If the P.C. police had existed in the 50's, they surely would have busted the Cheboygan Police. There's that double standard mentioned, where anyone could drive with a man on her/his lap, or a woman could drive with another woman on her lap. It's a clear case of profiling only women who lap-sit on male drivers.

It doesn't sound like much of a deterrent, anyway. The woman must already cost much more than $5; otherwise, there's no need to drive to some place that has furniture.
Posted by Virtual on 04/05/16 at 08:18 PM
So, if she's under 18, there's no $5 fine for her sitting in your lap. Of course, if she's under 18, Statutory Rape comes into play, instead.
Posted by TheCannyScot in Atlanta, GA on 04/06/16 at 08:08 AM
KDP, +1 for the Phantom of the Paradise reference!

Of all life's mysteries, the greatest one I've seen,
My short runs better when it's clean!
Posted by Brewvet on 04/06/16 at 09:23 AM
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