Police spot toddler steering car on German autobahn (www.dw.com)
from MicroWave@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 10 Dec 12:48
https://lemmy.world/post/39990168

Police officers in western Germany made a shock discovery after they noticed a woman using her phone in the driver’s seat. It turned out that someone else was behind the wheel.

A police patrol in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate made a shocking discovery after they came across a driver who appeared to be typing on her mobile phone.

While such behaviour would already be hazardous, what they saw on closer inspection stunned officers. A toddler, less than two years old, was sitting on her lap with both hands on the steering wheel.

According to police, the woman showed no understanding of the risk. She insisted that the child had not been feeling well and that she was simply driving to a fast-food restaurant.

#world

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biggerbogboy@sh.itjust.works on 10 Dec 12:51 next collapse

Automation, I like it! /s

AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space on 10 Dec 12:58 next collapse

In France, children get watered-down wine with their dinner. In Germany, instead, this happens.

boonhet@sopuli.xyz on 10 Dec 16:58 collapse

Fairly sure children in Germany can have beer at home too (SOME of them), but this one is a toddler lol

30p87@feddit.org on 10 Dec 13:04 next collapse

She insisted that the child had not been feeling well and that she was simply driving to a fast-food restaurant.

yetAnotherUser@discuss.tchncs.de on 10 Dec 15:09 collapse

“Not feeling well? I’ll give you something to not feel well!”

boonhet@sopuli.xyz on 10 Dec 16:57 collapse

Gotta have that emergency döner

JesusTheCarpenter@feddit.uk on 10 Dec 13:19 next collapse

I see toddlers driving cars around me on a daily basis.

riskable@programming.dev on 10 Dec 14:15 next collapse

Well they didn’t cause an accident which is better than many drivers 🤷

cecilkorik@piefed.ca on 10 Dec 15:31 collapse

They aren’t as distracted by their phones yet. Once they get Tiktok, all bets are off.

Jumuta@sh.itjust.works on 10 Dec 14:52 next collapse

A solution to the toddler unemployment crisis!

Sunshine@piefed.ca on 10 Dec 15:25 next collapse

Americans: let them drive!

dubyakay@lemmy.ca on 10 Dec 15:40 collapse

Sensationalism.

  • The woman had a car-sick two year old on her lap in the driving seat.
  • The woman was still driving the car herself.
  • The toddler was not steering the vehicle even if they had their hands on the steering wheel.
  • The woman was not driving fast. They were just driving to a fast-food restaurant.
  • The woman was not driving to the fast food restaurant because the kid was sick.
  • The woman was texting and driving.

So there’s really two egregious things here only:

  • child not in their seat
  • texting while driving

Based on the headline and first paragraph I was imagining a scenario where the toddler was driving the car with auto-pilot on while the woman was on her phone playing Balatro.

Edit: re-reading the German article, she was indeed driving to a fast food restaurant because the kid didn’t feel well. Understandable though. Döner withdrawal symptoms are life threatening.

Lhianna@feddit.org on 10 Dec 16:17 collapse

Excuse me? They were driving on the Autobahn, this type of street with speed limits between 60 (when there’s building taking place) and unlimited. Also no article states that she was still steering the vehicle or even still had one hand on the wheel.

This could have ended in a horrific accident, no sensationalism about it.

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca on 10 Dec 16:21 next collapse

Even a minor collsion would have crushed the child in her lap.

CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works on 10 Dec 20:49 collapse

Also no article states that she was still steering the vehicle or even still had one hand on the wheel.

So? No article states that she wasn’t an alien from outer space steering the car with telekinesis either, but it doesn’t make sense to operate under the assumption that she was.