Re: [Harp-L] re: playing and driving

[Jonathan McAnulty <mcanultj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
"it's dark, raining,
rush hour traffic, Little Walter is playing, you're playing along,
passengers are chatting, you're drinking coffee--you're dealing with a
finite resource."


This sounds like the opening lines of a John LeCarre novel (although if you are playing with one hand and drinking coffee with the other, where does the driving come in?). Seems like the real question is whether playing harmonica is a distraction, particularly when compared to listening to the stereo (which nobody is condemning as distracting, yet, if you listen closely you can argue that it is distracting). The other question is whether some distraction is better than none if it wards off drowsiness (which is a bona fide killer). Based on comments from various list members, for some it is a distraction and for some it is not. Not everyone's neural networks are wired the same.
For me, attempting to eat a Subway sandwich while it attempts to disintegrate in my lap is way more distracting than playing harmonica.

Jon