Coming soon from your concerned Austin City Council-a ban on texting while driving + 3 foot bicyclists buffer zone (live, law)

[satxguero]

While i agree with giving bicyclists safety and space should the city ban texting while driving?

Ban on texting while driving to be discussed Thursday (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/08/25/0825texting.html - broken link)

[orbius]

Of course they should ban texting! They're not going far enough in my book, drivers talking on non-hands free cellphones are a downright menace. If not for me paying 100% attention and executing emergency manouvers cell phone talkers would have wrecked me about 5 times in the last year alone.

[Jennibc]

I typically think the less government control the better, but in this case, texting while driving should be banned. It's right up there with driving under the influence. See Texting While Driving Kills Virtual Pedestrians | LiveScience

[kingugly]

YouTube - CAUGHT ON TAPE: Texting While Driving

[centralaustinite]

The city, state, and federal government should ALL ban texting while driving. It is worse than drinking while driving!

Enforcement might be tricky but if records show that someone was texting just before a serious accident that caused a fatality -- then I want that driver in jail!

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

The city, state, and federal government should ALL ban texting while driving. It is worse than drinking while driving!

Enforcement might be tricky but if records show that someone was texting just before a serious accident that caused a fatality -- then I want that driver in jail!

Federal government cannot ban it because public welfare (which includes traffic laws) is constitutionally a state's right to regulate. What the fed can do is withhold federal highway funds much the way the Reagan administration did in the eighties to get all states to raise the legal drinking age to 21.

[Jennibc]

While about cell phone use rather than texting, this is an especially poignant video about the ramifications of distracted driving.
YouTube - Death by Cell Phone: If You Care, We Can Make a Difference

[iceshots]

Originally Posted by satxguero

While i agree with giving bicyclists safety and space should the city ban texting while driving?

Ban on texting while driving to be discussed Thursday (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/08/25/0825texting.html - broken link)

While I totally support the ban on texting, I cannot fully agree with the bicycle safety buffer. I agree in principle that cyclists must be able to safely share the road, but as the news item pointed out last night, the new rule will allow a bike to legally take up an entire driving lane. This will just increase frustrations and I think, lead to more incidents. Effectively, a two lane road just became one lane and a bike lane.

I can't wait until some vigilante cyclists take the law to the limit and completely block traffic down town by claiming their 3 foot buffer zone.

One of the cyclists summed it up nicely. Forget the buffer zone. Put in more bike lanes.

I'm glad I do not have to go down town too often, and especially not during the day. It'll be interesting while this thing sorts itself out.

[Cha Ching]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

While about cell phone use rather than texting, this is an especially poignant video about the ramifications of distracted driving.
YouTube - Death by Cell Phone: If You Care, We Can Make a Difference

Rather than??

They're BOTH dangerous, and should BOTH be banned, for Christ's sake. You CANNOT look at the road and the screen or the buttons while you're dialing or texting. Pull off into a parking lot or something instead of putting other peoples' lives in danger.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by Cha Ching

Rather than??

They're BOTH dangerous, and should BOTH be banned, for Christ's sake. You CANNOT look at the road and the screen or the buttons while you're dialing or texting. Pull off into a parking lot or something instead of putting other peoples' lives in danger.

The use of the word rather was simply to state that the video was not about texting. I am not sure if you indignation is directed at me, but obviously I support a ban on both, that was the point of posting the video.