Bans on Texting While Driving

[guywithashovel]

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live...litics&sid=101

My city just passed a ban on texting while driving. Starting 5/5, it will be a primary offense, meaning the cops can pull you over and give you a ticket just for texting.

Is this a good thing? Are these bans necessary and/or effective?

Here's the thing I wonder about: How can they know for sure that you're really texting if they pull you over for it? Also, how could they prove that you were texting? Don't get me wrong. I think texting while driving is horrible, given how distracted you are from the road. However, if you are holding the device below the dash, then I don't see how the cops can be sure that texting is really what you're doing.

Also, check out the very first sentence of the article I posted.

[daleduke17]

Why have one law that says "No talking on the cell phone while driving" and one that says "no texting while driving"? Why not just have on that says "Don't use your cell phone while driving"?

[BlaqueKatt]

Why not just have on that says "Don't use your cell phone while driving"?

because my dear-some people use them as GPS systems-most major carriers have some sort of navigation application with turn-by turn instructions just like a gps-and even using that could be considered illegal if you got a cop that was on enough of a power trip-that's why

[the_std]

My city passed a law effective January 1st, 2010 that stated that a hands-free device HAD to be used while driving or else you would get a ticket. This applied to all cell phone use, so that makes texting illegal. I talked to a cop who said they were giving a one-month grace period so that people could buy Bluetooth headsets/visor clips, and then they were going to start doling out the hurt.

Last I'd checked they'd given a fair number of tickets, not nearly as many as I thought they would have, but I've personally noticed a drop in the number of people I see staring at their cell screen while they're driving. I don't see any good reason not to make it illegal - it takes your visual attention off the road for a good amount of time, and that is just flat-out dangerous.

[Lace Neil Singer]

However, if you are holding the device below the dash, then I don't see how the cops can be sure that texting is really what you're doing.

If you're, um, playing with yourself instead, I believe that the cops have a right to pull you over for that as well.

Seriously, anything that means that you're not keeping your eyes on the road is bad; and I don't believe that anything you can get in a text is so important that you can't spare the time to pull over before you look at it.

[Greenday]

If you're, um, playing with yourself instead, I believe that the cops have a right to pull you over for that as well.

Seriously, anything that means that you're not keeping your eyes on the road is bad; and I don't believe that anything you can get in a text is so important that you can't spare the time to pull over before you look at it.

Or wait until you hit a red light. We've banned normal talking on cell phones and texting in NJ while driving. But apparently you can text at a red light because you aren't moving. It just makes sense though. Too many people are unable to multitask and if you try to multitask while driving and you can't, the results could be quite fatal.

[DrFaroohk]

I don't like the idea that cops can stop you for something they didn't really even see. Where I live they can stop you for not wearing a seatbelt - however if you're cruising down the highway at 65, take a look at the guy in the other lane. You've got about .33 seconds of a clear visual shot of him - not enough to see if he's actually got the seatbelt on. But it gives the cop an excuse, cuz all he has to say is "Well I didn't see a seatbelt". Well no shit you didn't see a seatbelt, you didn't see ANYTHING.

Also where I live, many of the driving laws are for "Operating" a motor vehicle, notr "driving" one. So technically, if you are in the vehicle and its on, and you're texting, they can ticket you. Lots of people are getting busted for drunk driving too, because they were too drunk to drive home from the bar and decided to sleep in their car. Left the radio on, counts as "operating" and they get arrested.

Stupid bullshit if you ask me.

[lordlundar]

My big issue is that most, if not all regions already have laws in place for this kind of thing. Look up "driving while distracted", "driving while impaired", and "dangerous driving" and/or any combination thereof.

[jackfaire]

My big issue is that most, if not all regions already have laws in place for this kind of thing. Look up "driving while distracted", "driving while impaired", and "dangerous driving" and/or any combination thereof.

Unfortuantly then you have to make the argument that a cell phone distracted that particular person. It's easier to just say cell phones are a no go.

[Jester]

My older sister sees no problem with texting while driving down the interstate.

I am pretty sure I've mentioned dozens of times that my older sister is a fucking idiot.

Laws like this are necessary. How effective they'll be, I have no idea. They are in their infancy, so time will tell.

Incidentally, I have no problem with people who text at red lights, as long as they keep half an eye on the light so they know what's going on.

Lots of people are getting busted for drunk driving too, because they were too drunk to drive home from the bar and decided to sleep in their car. Left the radio on, counts as "operating" and they get arrested.

Got great advice from a former cop about this some time ago. I have an SUV, so sleeping in my vehicle is a realistic alternative to driving drunk or spending money on a cab. The advice was this: when crashing out in your vehicle, don't put the keys in the ignition (duh) or even in your pocket, but in the glove compartment. This showes premeditation of you having no intention of going anywhere. Makes a DUI that much harder to stick.

(It helps that I have tinted windows, and realistically, with my windshield blocker up, it is impossible to tell if anyone is sleeping in the vehicle.)

[fireheart17]

In Ausland, the laws vary according to state as to the following:

-If you can drive while talking on your mobile. (flat no across all states AFAIK)
-If you can text while driving. (my state says no, not sure about others)
-If you can use handsfree while driving...(in my state, it's a no for learners and P1 drivers (required to display P-Plates, but you don't need a supervising driver), a yes for P2 (same as P1's but don't need to display plates) and fully licensed drivers)

Me? I agree with the first two, the last one I don't see the full hazard in it. My dad's car actually had a handsfree kit that consisted of the cradle, then a small microphone/speaker wired through the car and was on the top right hand corner of the drivers side, near the window. All he had to do was just press the "answer" button on his phone whenever it was hooked up, rather than fiddling with a headset.

[lordlundar]

Unfortuantly then you have to make the argument that a cell phone distracted that particular person. It's easier to just say cell phones are a no go.

It's a simple argument actually. People can't multitask. We shift focus momentarily but we can't focus on multiple things at the same time. We're just not wired for it. so the simple fact that if you are focused on something other than driving, you are distracted.

[powerboy]

I have a Bluetooth car kit. Plus, I have a pair of Bluetooth sunglasses. I keep the car kit in my car and I use my sunglasses if I am driving my parents car. I have reasons for doing it like that. I keep a pair of sunglasses in my car. In my parents car, I don't. Sooooo.

I start my phones GPS when I first get in the car and get it set. If for some reason, I need to do it while in the car, then I pull over. But then again, I am not wanting to die anytime soon

[guywithashovel]

I was reading an article about this in my city's paper a while ago, and the issue seems to be splitting amongst party lines, for the most part (in my state's legislature, anyway). Most for the ban are Democrats, and most opposed are Republicans. One of the Republicans said that the law discriminates against people who "are skilled enough to do this."

I don't know if very many people are skilled enough to text while driving, but like I said earlier, I'm still not sure how the police are supposed to know if someone is definitely texting while driving or not. And like someone else pointed out, there are already charges in place that could cover this, like Driving while Distracted.

[Pagan]

I have only once ever used my cell phone whilst driving. I was heading down to Las Cruces and as it was early, I hadn't called my parents yet to let them know. Got south of Belen and north of Socorro, (42 miles of nothing but you and the interstate) with nobody around for miles. I chose that time to call them real quick. Just that two minutes was enough to realize that was something I could not do, especially with traffic.

Got great advice from a former cop about this some time ago. I have an SUV, so sleeping in my vehicle is a realistic alternative to driving drunk or spending money on a cab. The advice was this: when crashing out in your vehicle, don't put the keys in the ignition (duh) or even in your pocket, but in the glove compartment. This showes premeditation of you having no intention of going anywhere. Makes a DUI that much harder to stick.

Unless you're in Albuquerque and dealing with idiot APD and our idiot DA. Guy does the right thing and still gets popped and convicted. http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S....shtml?cat=528

Meanwhile, we've got people on their 17th, 18th, 19th DWI still driving. Not to mention the one that took out himself and his two passengers, while driving drunk, with an interlock. Luckily, the people in the car he hit weren't hurt.