So...what do you all think? (Houston: buy, law, dangerous)

[ShelbyGirl1]

Woman convicted in cell phone crash: I wasn't given a fair chance | TOP STORIES | KHOU.com | News for Houston, Texas (http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou091006_mp_cell-phone-accident-woman.1f02cb783.html - broken link)

[EasilyAmused]

I think she gets everything she deserves.
I was hit buy a woman, running a red light, who was dialing on her cellphone...whose LCD screen was out. 6 months in rehab for hip and a lifetime of having "bad days"... I wish she had gotten more than just a traffic violation ticket.

[ShelbyGirl1]

I so agree. What is sad, it appears neither she or her father seem to think she was at fault and while she is "sorry" , not willing to take responsibility for the act. I actually think they should have been tougher on her. She took a life.
A few months back my husband and I were almost hit on 146...we were stopped at a light...this woman came barreling up on us...and DH, saw it in the rearview and yelled, hang on, we're going to be hit. Somehow, she avoided us at the last minute and ended up in the grass....We pulled over to see if she was ok...and her excuse as to why she almost hit us....She HAD to ans. her cell.

[westres1]

I am sorry but it is not against the law to drive while on the cell. It is against the law to ride without wearing a seat belt. Which the victim was not.
Until it is against the law to drive while on a cell I dont see how you can send someone to prison for it. It isnt a criminal act. It is a tragic accident.

Will they send someone to prison for causing an accident while eating a burrito,or swatting a mosquito, or trying to quiet a baby?

This is a judge trying to get re elected by making an example of someone. If they want to outlaw driving and talking on the phone do it. But dont send someone to prison for making a terrible mistake.

[ShelbyGirl1]

She was convicted of "unsafe driving" ie making an unsafe lane change...you know the 3 lane change we have all seen, because she was about to miss her exit. Why...because she was on her phone.

[westres1]

so do you think if she had not been on the phone and made the same mistake, as many do, she would have been prosecuted?

also,From what I have read she had hung up the phone prior to the lane change

[jfre81]

I'm sorry, what's so important about these phone/text conversations that they must take place while driving?

She's lucky she didn't run into somebody who had half a mind to beat her to death with a blackjack and/or dangle her off a freeway overpass while sticking that phone up her ass widthwise.

[Mom2Feebs]

if it takes crap like this to change the law, so be it. I was almost broadsided with my kids in the backseat the other day because of some twit chatting on her phone in her black ford fusion. Man, did I give her the what-for when I finally caught up to her. She looked at me like I was crazy. She couldn't have been more than 20.

[ShelbyGirl1]

Originally Posted by jfre81

I'm sorry, what's so important about these phone/text conversations that they must take place while driving?

She's lucky she didn't run into somebody who had half a mind to beat her to death with a blackjack and/or dangle her off a freeway overpass while sticking that phone up her ass widthwise.

LOL...can't say I don't disagree on that!
Now tell us how you really feel!

[EasilyAmused]

I don't answer the phone while driving anymore in town. I'm not really going anywhere that will take more than 15 minutes. They can wait. And seriously, doing business is dang dangerous on those things while driving. Totally distracting. I refuse to do it any longer.

Now on long drives, I do use the phone, quickly, but it's hands-free blue tooth and I'm way out of the city and on the country road before I get into it.

Also, I find it highly annoying that people have the RIGHT to contact me anytime/anywhere. Jeez! The panic attacks people have when you don't answer email with 6 hours! And it's for social or family reasons ....