Banning Texting While Driving

[Ralph Wiggum]

What does the "hive" here think of such a ban?  

Seriously though, I can't imagine anyone actually texting while the vehicle is in motion.  I know people do it.  My Blackberry keyboard is so small that I wouldn't even consider it.  However, I do compose texts, read e-mail, click on apps while I'm stuck at a red light.

I can't decide whether this is a nanny state idea or whether it will really help with safety.

[thundley4]

They have done it here in Illinois, and many cops say that it is almost unenforceable.  When a car goes by, there isn't enough time to determine if the person is texting, using GPS or just punching in a number to make a call.

I'd prefer they ban cell phone use while driving altogether, or at least require a hands free device.

[Ralph Wiggum]

They have done it here in Illinois, and many cops say that it is almost unenforceable. 

I don't know how you could prove that someone was actually sending a text.

[IassaFTots]

I don't have any problem with them banning it with kids, just like making seatbelts mandatory for kids.   My former coworker had a child that had just started college, and was on her FOURTH car due to texting and driving.  

Stupid Moonbat parents.  Bought every one of those cars.  

[Ralph Wiggum]

My former coworker had a child that had just started college, and was on her FOURTH car due to texting and driving.  

Stupid Moonbat parents.  Bought every one of those cars.  

You've got to be kidding me.

[IassaFTots]

You've got to be kidding me.

I wish that I were.  Very affluent.  I asked her over and over why she kept buying her a car again and again, and she said she had to get to work and school.  I told her to take away her phone, and she wouldn't, for in case of emergency. 

[Thor]

I agree with the impossible enforceability of texting while driving. I think it's a good idea, as many accidents have been caused by doing this. However, I think that it doesn't go far enough and agree with thundley to some extent. Any cell phone use should be banned while a motor vehicle is in motion. I don't agree with the use of handsfree units, as it's been proven that even those drivers using handsfree devices are still 4 times as likely to get in an accident. Too many times, both here in Texas and in Minnesota, I've observed drivers talking on the cell phone and they just aren't paying attention. They are ripe to cause or have an accident due to their inattention.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I wish that I were.  Very affluent.  I asked her over and over why she kept buying her a car again and again, and she said she had to get to work and school.  I told her to take away her phone, and she wouldn't, for in case of emergency. 

If I were the parent, I'd have removed the text option from the damn phone rather than continuing to buy cars.

[Thor]

I don't have any problem with them banning it with kids, just like making seatbelts mandatory for kids.   My former coworker had a child that had just started college, and was on her FOURTH car due to texting and driving.  

Stupid Moonbat parents.  Bought every one of those cars.  

I don't think that banning it just for kids reaches far enough. I know that here in Texas, they did that. However, if it's OK for adults, then WHY is the use of cell phones in a school zone forbidden?? If the state  or locality can ban the use of cell phones in a school zone, doesn't that send the message that there's a problem with their use, period??

[IassaFTots]

If I were the parent, I'd have removed the text option from the damn phone rather than continuing to buy cars.

If I were the parent, well, never mind.  I am not the parent.  The younger son got busted with smokes, he was 15 or so?  He left them on the fence support, on the outside of the yard.  And said someone left them there.  She asked me if that would really happen, and I advised her that smokers were not in the habit of willy nilly leaving full packs of cigarettes on people's fence supports, esp with how expensive they are, and she brought them in to me.  YAY!  Free smokes!

Oh, and back to the subject.....yeah, cell phones are a nuisance.  I have begun to keep mine in my purse, on silent, so I don't know if anyone is calling, or texting until I am stopped.  I hesitate to see a law about it, but I could argue it for general safety I suppose.  

[IassaFTots]

I don't think that banning it just for kids reaches far enough. I know that here in Texas, they did that. However, if it's OK for adults, then WHY is the use of cell phones in a school zone forbidden?? If the state  or locality can ban the use of cell phones in a school zone, doesn't that send the message that there's a problem with their use, period??

I hear ya Thor.  And truly, I don't know the answer.  Unlike a safety belt or helmet law (Both of which I am against, with the exception of children), a person texting or talking on a phone endangers more than just themselves.  I have seen my fair share of whackadoodle nutbar driving while texting/calling here in DFW.  I just don't know what the answer should be. 

[Texacon]

People who text and drive infuriate me.  I have been run off the road numerous times because someone was texting ... once I was on my motorcycle!

KC

[Thor]

I hear ya Thor.  And truly, I don't know the answer.  Unlike a safety belt or helmet law (Both of which I am against, with the exception of children), a person texting or talking on a phone endangers more than just themselves.  I have seen my fair share of whackadoodle nutbar driving while texting/calling here in DFW.  I just don't know what the answer should be.  

The answer should be to ban their use completely. Regardless of the sentiment, people using cell phones at all are FOUR times likely to cause or have an accident than those that aren't. That parallels drinking and driving.


As far as the seat belt thing,  I have a minor problem with it, but I have been typically using my seat belt since I was sixteen. I was in a single car accident in Garland back then and because of me wearing my seat belt, I was able to maintain some sort of control over my vehicle (actually, my mom's) I would up missing a utility pole and a speed limit sign, winding up in a ditch, perpendicular to the road. Rainy day and an industrial road made for a slick combination that day I went to Whataburger to get dinner for the family. Where I have a problem with the seat belt/ helmet laws is that they are hypocritical. In both Texas and Minnesota, they have a seat belt law and NO helmet law. IF the state is going to require me to wear a seat belt, then they most definitely should require a motorcyclist to wear a helmet. Helmets save as many, if not more lives than seat belts.

[thundley4]

The answer should be to ban their use completely. Regardless of the sentiment, people using cell phones at all are FOUR times likely to cause or have an accident than those that aren't. That parallels drinking and driving.

Maybe, instead of trying to ban cell phone use while driving, just include a hefty penalty for their use if the person is involved in an accident. The phone records would be easy enough to obtain as proof.

[NHSparky]

They also banned texting while driving in NH starting in January.  Number of citations issued for violation so far: ZERO.

[IassaFTots]

I like THundley's idea.  What I see alot of, though, are people that get almost side swiped or pushed off the road, due to someone being on a cell phone.  The opportunity is there to cause damage to someone else, but there isn't any citation given.

[debk]

As of January 1st, it's illegal here to text while driving.

Cops have said it's basically unenforceable. I don't know if any tickets have been written.

I don't text while driving....but I will text a very short memory if stopped at some lights. We have several lights on my side of town that if you hit them at yellow....you will sit there a good 2-3 minutes. I don't have GPS nor do I check email on my phone.

I am guilty of talking on the phone when driving....and people can tell it...as I am only partially paying attention to the conversation.

It's rare to see a police officer around here, who isn't talking on their cell phone while driving.

But I'm sure their conversations are all work related.....

[Texacon]

Maybe, instead of trying to ban cell phone use while driving, just include a hefty penalty for their use if the person is involved in an accident. The phone records would be easy enough to obtain as proof.

Except we very well might end up with a dead biker or mom or dad or sister or ....

I don't have a problem with people talking on cell phones as I don't see a whole lot of really distracted drivers on the phone.  Yeah, they might miss a green light or they may sit at a stop sign waiting for it to change but I don't see a lot of lane crossing or dropping wheels off the road.

On the flip side of that those who are texting while driving I have seen many, many times not being able to control their speed, crossing the center line, dropping wheels off the side of the road, missing stop signs/lights completely ...

Hell I was going into town the other day on a twisty road and a woman crossed the center line, in a curve, coming directly at me.  I had to put my passenger side wheels into the grass to avoid her and I thought our mirrors were going to hit anyway.  As she passed me I looked at her and she was texting.  I don't even think she knew she passed me and I was afraid to honk my horn.

Same thing happened on my motorcycle except I was not only moving right but I was trying to stop enough to get off the bike while the pickup truck barreled down on me.  Scared the shit out of me.

KC

[Texacon]

I think they need to come up with a way to block the texting of anyone who is behind the wheel while not blocking others in the vehicle.  I don't see how it could be done but that would solve the problem.

KC

[Eupher]

Here's my take on cell phone usage while driving (I had to lay my motorcycle down in 2005 due to a sweet young thing drivin' Daddy's Lexus):

Option #1 - Every driver, upon getting his/her driver's license and, if applicable, license plates, signs a legal document that says that they are personally liable for damages they create if an investigation determines they were using a cell phone immediately prior to an accident REGARDLESS who might be at fault. In short, if you wanna play, you're gonna pay.

Option #2 - Those who refuse to sign said legal document are not issued a license. It's just that simple.

Yeah, I know. Many of you are thinking, "Well, what about the illegal alien who doesn't have the money to pay for the accident she caused?" Answer: illegals aren't issued licenses. Period.

Still others are thinking, "But my 16-year-old son isn't old enough to be legally liable for the accidents he might cause!" Guess what?    Kinda looks like Junior doesn't get his license till he's old enough to sign a contract and be responsible for himself.

I hope my point is clear - driving isn't a RIGHT. It's a freakin' PRIVILEGE. And if the nanny state that we have isn't quite bad enough, well, I'm advocating that it be even worse in matters regarding safety.

This is one area in which I can see huge things happening to keep stupidity at least somewhat at bay.

[DefiantSix]

...This is one area in which I can see huge things happening to keep stupidity at least somewhat at bay.

Especially since fewer and fewer people seem interested or capable in reigning in the idiocy surrounding them without the intervention of the strong arm of oppressive government.

[Eupher]

Especially since fewer and fewer people seem interested or capable in reigning in the idiocy surrounding them without the intervention of the strong arm of oppressive government.

All government is oppressive in one way or another, I'll grant you that. But when we're too stupid to keep from doing stupid things and those stupid things result in innocent people being maimed and killed, state gubmint does have a responsibility toward enacting and enforcing safety-related laws.

That's imho. YMMV.

[debk]

Yeah, I know. Many of you are thinking, "Well, what about the illegal alien who doesn't have the money to pay for the accident she caused?" Answer: illegals aren't issued licenses. Period.

They may not be issued licenses...but it doesn't stop them from driving!

Outside of little old people who can't see over their steering wheels (I can see over mine! and I don't drive cars that I can't), they brake for shadows and puddles....and are a horrendous hazard to the road....the worst drivers are obviously foreign. Little people that appear to be hispanic or middle eastern and they can't drive worth a damn. They are all over the road, change lanes without warning, turn right on red without looking or stopping, their cars are beat up..,,and most of them have a car full of kids!!! 

[IassaFTots]

Especially since fewer and fewer people seem interested or capable in reigning in the idiocy surrounding them without the intervention of the strong arm of oppressive government.

God Bless!  Exactly.  Yeah, that. 

Which is exactly my point about seat belts and helmets.  If you (not you, but people) are going to be so stupid to not observe safety guidelines, in place, well then you deserve what happens to you.  The cell phone thing I see differently, as you are endangering other people.