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Funny thing, I was talking to a cop about the issue of distracted driving and he was adamant that taking a hand off the steering wheel to do anything was inherently unsafe. So I asked him how he shifted his car. He looked at me like I had 3 heads. I was like, "yeah, one hand on the wheel, and one hand shifting, even around a corner." He seriously responded with, "then you're not in control of your car. Your hands shoudl ALWAYS be on the wheel."
Location: Lakewood NJ/Murrells Inlet SC/ N. Naples FL/Swainton NJ
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbohm
personally i think that anyone caught texting while driving should be publicly flogged. thirty lashes and fined heavily, say $10,000 and 1000 hours community service.
I totally agree! I walk 6 miles a day. My walks often take me along roads that have little if any shoulders. I always walk against traffic to I can try to make eye contact with the on coming driver. The times I have had to scramble onto the grass are usually when the on coming driver is texting or talking on the phone.
I see many drivers with a cigarette in one hand and the cell phone in the other. How the hell are they driving??!!
If you see me walking and are talking or texting on your cell phone, try to read my lips as you go by. I will give you instructions on where to put the phone as you are driving. Although if you follow my instructions you will probably need a doctor to retrieve your phone!
Its not necessary. It's a waste of time and money. I take my eyes off the road dozens of times a minute looking in mirrors and other driving related things. Just sayin.
You are a problem. Who died and made you cell phone cop. So help me if you give a "Problem" to someone ho may be having a medical emergency...
You worry about others to much and dont even realize that you are a problem on the roads.
Very few wrecks have their phone records checked by police. It's usually only fatality or serious injury wrecks that have reasonable suspicion that texting may have caused it. "They crashed" is not enough for a warrant.
Exactly. Distracted driving is all it is. Doesnt matter if its texting, singing, playing steering wheel drums, etc.
Thats all find and dandy, but a warrant is still needed. There has to be reasonable suspicion to obtain too.
This has always been an interesting subject.
Why are we singling out texting? It should be any distraction. But, what is a distraction to me is not to you. Some people cant drive with a radio on. Most of us can. Some people can talk to a passenger fine and drive, while others cant. There is no line here because everybody is different.
Take away texting part and write the law for distracted driving. Now you just included anything. This is good. This can make turning your radio station into a infraction if you are not able to do so safely.
Now, keep it a secondary offense. This is needed for one reason only. You are NOT distracted if you are one that can do something without it affecting the other. After all, the definition of distracted is "Unable to concentrate because one's mind is preoccupied".
So, as a secondary offense, if you are observed doing anything other than driving and commit a moving violation, then you are busted.
Keep the penalty for distracted driving stiff though. We still want to discourage it.
Remember, long before cell phones, people were messing with CD players, cassette tapes, 8 tracks, etc. There has always been distracted driving and lots of it.
Now, as far as anyone under 18, no phone in hand period.
If you all want to keep going for these little bans, just solve it all by mandating 10 and 2 or 9 and 3 steering wheel positions. If your hands are on the wheel at all times, you cant do make up, radio, read, game, text, etc.
Exactly. Distracted driving is all it is. Doesnt matter if its texting, singing, playing steering wheel drums, etc.
Why are we singling out texting? It should be any distraction. But, what is a distraction to me is not to you. Some people cant drive with a radio on. Most of us can. Some people can talk to a passenger fine and drive, while others cant. There is no line here because everybody is different.
Take away texting part and write the law for distracted driving. Now you just included anything. This is good. This can make turning your radio station into a infraction if you are not able to do so safely.
Now, keep it a secondary offense. This is needed for one reason only. You are NOT distracted if you are one that can do something without it affecting the other. After all, the definition of distracted is "Unable to concentrate because one's mind is preoccupied".
So, as a secondary offense, if you are observed doing anything other than driving and commit a moving violation, then you are busted.
Keep the penalty for distracted driving stiff though. We still want to discourage it.
Remember, long before cell phones, people were messing with CD players, cassette tapes, 8 tracks, etc. There has always been distracted driving and lots of it.
Now, as far as anyone under 18, no phone in hand period.
I don't text. I rarely even have a cell phone on me. I agree with what you wrote, 100%.
An accident is an accident, whether it's caused due to texting or any number of other distractions.
Btw.. getting a warrant for anything these days is about as hard as saying "please" for any LE these days. JS
That video makes me not want to drive around others They are scary!
Quote:
Originally Posted by tgbwc
I don't text. I rarely even have a cell phone on me. I agree with what you wrote, 100%.
An accident is an accident, whether it's caused due to texting or any number of other distractions.
I'll be one of the few that will admit it, but I have sent a few texts. Its rare, but I have. Most of the time, its while waiting for a light. I've never had anybody honk at me for not seeing a green light though because I still am focused on driving and surroundings.
I also have a voice to text feature that I always use when I do. I dont have to look at the keyboard or screen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tmozer
I totally agree! I walk 6 miles a day. My walks often take me along roads that have little if any shoulders. I always walk against traffic to I can try to make eye contact with the on coming driver. The times I have had to scramble onto the grass are usually when the on coming driver is texting or talking on the phone.
I see many drivers with a cigarette in one hand and the cell phone in the other. How the hell are they driving??!!
If you see me walking and are talking or texting on your cell phone, try to read my lips as you go by. I will give you instructions on where to put the phone as you are driving. Although if you follow my instructions you will probably need a doctor to retrieve your phone!
I can drive just fine while talking on the phone. Many people cant, but many can. Why should I be punished?
Just an FYI, most of these dangerous texters and talkers behind the wheel are just as dangerous not talking or texting. They will have another distraction. These are the kinds of people that scare the crap out of me every day. Its not even worth honking at them because they dont even know what the did or almost did.
Why must we keep banning everything because of stupid people. Its not fair to us that are not stupid. How about going after the ones that cant do it.
Btw.. getting a warrant for anything these days is about as hard as saying "please" for any LE these days. JS
That video is a bit misleading.
Most folks can open a bottle while driving and are smart enough to do that while driving on a straight road, not in a tide curve like in this test.....
I do not text, and answer the phone while on the interstate or highway, but not in city traffic.
So, therefore YOU did fine without computers 50 years ago. Were there a ton of personal computers 70 years ago? 50 years ago? 40 years ago? No. My point still stands.
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They are scary!
