Distracted driving at 0 to 3mph

Thumbing through a manual for a Ford car equipped with Microsoft Sync, I found this gem concerning sending new text messages through your phone via the Sync car interface: "This is a speed dependent feature. The vehicle must be moving less than 3 mph (4.82 khm/h) to use this feature."

This implementation of Sync helpfully comes with 15 predefined messages ranging from "why?" to "where r you?"

My advice to drivers: park it first, then choose "can't talk right now." There's enough distracted driving out there!

Parking worse than driving?

A 2007 article from Slate: Why parking your car is more environmentally destructive than driving it. I found this in the epic comment-fest (552 and counting) following the SF Chronicle's July 14 story on Oakland's dramatic recent parking meter price increase.