NO TOLERANCE LAW-cell phone or texting when driving (DMV, licensed)
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"Class Envy" isn't "my word"... it's a term that originated in the 80's/ 90's when the rich had everything and those that didn't saw it as unfair. Oddly enough, that practice continues to this day.
You're the one who chose to actually call out labels as in, BMW, iPhone, Blackberry...
The question really should be, what would you consider a cruddy car, seeing as how you're so into identifying people you think are "above it all" by the labels of items they have.
FTR, the typical millionaire drives a Ford. Just because someone drives a BMW and has an iPhone doesn't make them rich. It may just mean they're in debt and living beyond their means. Ya never know. Good luck with trying to get a ton of $ out of them when they hit you.
So glad to see the point of my original post was completely lost on you though.
Studies have shown it's not wether you're holding a phone while driving, or a bluetooth, that's the problem... it's the conversation that is the distraction. Bet, somewhere, on some forum out there, there's someone complaining about the way you drove while appearing to talk to yourself and how distracted you were. Ya just never know.
I’m not arguing that people are still talking away on their phones. I spend 30k+ miles per year on our roads and highways, and I notice it all the time. Where your argument loses me is the connection between violating this law, and size and price of vehicle. I see this just as much in older vehicles as I do new ones. In fact, I would argue that the newer, and more expensive the vehicle the *less* likely the violator, because of the availability of factory hands-free setups.
Well, something tells me you drive a more expensive car so your viewpoint is focused more on older vehicles. I'll have to look at older vehicles. I've just been looking at the newer and bigger vehicles and I would think if you have that kind of money to buy a vehicle of that size and price you would naturally be able to buy a headset instead of holding the phone in your hand.
It's more prevalent in bigger cars. People in SUVs and and large sedans hold the phones in their hands and just arbitrarily talk.
Do you have studies, reports, proof to back this up?
Because if not than you just come off sounding bitter about what other people drive. The fact that you don't see that, even when it's pointed out to you by more than one person is astounding!
If handed a BMW SUV (again, your example), free and clear, would you really turn it down seeing as how you don't like them based on the few you've seen driving around and how those drivers operate them?
Or would you accept it and drive it and love it and drive it differently than you've seen other people drive theirs?
On Oct. 5, 2009, in Houston, TX, a female driver, Jeri Montgomery, claimed to had just ended a cell phone call, when she rapidly changed lanes realizing that she was about to narrowly miss her exit. She was unaware that there was a vehicle right beside her in that lane. Jeri Montgomery's vehicle hit a truck, driven by 25 year old Chance Wilcox, with such force that he was ejected from his vehicle and died at the scene. Although, Jeri Montgomery claimed that she was not on the phone at the time the accident happened, but that she had just hung the phone up seconds before the impact. (Which in my opinion is the same thing).
The jury did not believe that, they believe that Jeri Montgomery was on the phone, talking and completely unaware of other vehicles on the freeway and saw her exit and made a mad dash crossing lanes at 60-70 mph.
Her Charge: Criminal Negligent Homicide
Her Sentence:
#1. 10 years probation
#2. $10,000. fine
#3. pay $50. to Crime Stoppers
#4. must pay for Mr. Wilcox's funeral
#5. complete 400 hours of community service
#6. write a 1000 word essay on "the dangers of driving while on phone"
I am sure many of you may feel like me that she should have been sentenced to some jail time. God forbid, if I did that I would tell them to please give me some jail time, because I did a horrible thing, "not intentionally", but, I just have to pay for my "negligent behavior", that resulted in someones death. Sure, I will loose all of my possessions, and the family will suffer, but someone lost everything, "their life".
As you all may know that there is a difference between:
Negligent Homicide and Involuntary Manslaughter
Examples of Involuntary Manslaughter: someone has a heart attack or seizure while
driving resulting in a death or great bodily harm or someone swerves to avoid hitting an animal.
I can understand why an involuntary manslaughter charge may not result in receiving jail time, but those are just my thoughts. Someone please chime in, what are your views on any of these issues.
Do you have studies, reports, proof to back this up?
Because if not than you just come off sounding bitter about what other people drive. The fact that you don't see that, even when it's pointed out to you by more than one person is astounding!
If handed a BMW SUV (again, your example), free and clear, would you really turn it down seeing as how you don't like them based on the few you've seen driving around and how those drivers operate them?
Or would you accept it and drive it and love it and drive it differently than you've seen other people drive theirs?
I think you're projecting!
Gee, I should have never said "BMW" seeing that you're hanging on to it for dear life. Bad me!
My best study and first hand experience is living here in Ventura County and driving through Los Angeles County for more years than I'd like to admit.
My beef is driving to work and back or doing errands and many times having someone drive a pretty large or huge vehicle almost on top of me while gazing at a cellphone! Or passing me on the Ventura Freeway and almost clipping the front of my car with the back of theirs when they change lanes, since they don't even turn their heads to check availability of the lane they're moving into.
I don't care if you don't believe me - I have a life, I don't compile data for people on threads on City-Data. I've got better things to do with my free time. Bring on your own charts and graphs! Or argue your case - I worked for lawyers previously. I'm not a lawyer. I'm not an engineer. I'm a real woman living a real life and really encountering these people in their moving bubbles. I don't care what the "data" says...I'm responding to the OP of the thread. This stuff affects me every day that I drive to work. I know what my own personal experience is!
I don't care if it's a schoolbus, I don't care if it's a tiny Mazda Miata. If the person can't keep their eyes on the road while holding a cellphone of any brand and thinks they are exempted from this proposed law which is the topic of this thread, then I hope they are cited and fined the heck out of. I want to get from point A to point B without being involved in an accident with these people. And yes, people of all kinds, even people who drive BMWs, woo hoo!
And if driving a bigger car or a small zippy car makes a person exempt or feel entitled that the law doesn't apply to them (and I don't care if they can really afford it or not, the fact is, they aren't handling the vehicle well, they are DISTRACTED), then it goes to show human nature in its truest form.
I really hope that law comes into effect and passes! I want it to pass!
Last edited by cricket_factor; 10-24-2009 at 09:18 AM..
I'm guilty of all above mentioned dangers. I have been contemplating making my own law for myself while driving; no calls and no text unless I pull into a parking lot and have the car in park. I don't want to kill anyone and nobody's conversation is worth a human life.
I wish it would get passed in all 50 states as a federal law with very stiff fines that way we all have no choice, and some lives will be spared hopefully. Make it very strict; Cop sees you on a cell phone your gets towed and you go to jail. A few of those and people (myself included) will get the hint. Treat it as we would driving drunk.
Cell phone use while driving should be treated exactly like what it is.......the irresponsible, dangerous, and possibly deadly use of a vehicle!
The operator should be prosecuted accordingly.
The minute you get on the road you are basically taking you are taking chances. Car with bad brakes and tires, trucks with objects flying off them, bad drivers, drunks, drugged out, fighting passengers, etc. The difference with cell phones is that is not occasional, it is actually more common than not. People seem to basically lead there lives on devices and the trend is escalating, so basically yes the fines need to be as strict as possible. People will only curb this with the threat of like a breathalyzer is to drinking. Short of an electronic interception, The talking texting, you can even play key board and what ever else next will not end.
I think the biggest problem is enforcement.
Cops are not going to pull someone over for talking on a cell phone while driving.
The courts handout a slap on the wrist to defendants.
What is needed is a group of DMV officers to get off their butts,and go out in the field and see just who is breaking this law.
Police are much too busy with real crime to stop anyone for this.
Let the DMV do it's job like they do in many other states.
The california vehicle code is written and suppossedly enforced by the DMV.
Hand the job of cell phone police over too them where it belongs.
As for penalties, if it were up too me, the first offense would be vehicle impoundment, $500 fine, and forfiture of a cell phone account for a period of one year.
DMV has check and balances in place so that they know when a vehicle is insured, and they could do te same when it comes to who has a cell phone account, and who doesn't.
Bob.
It irks me. I went and got the hands free gear and comply at all times.
Amazing some people just continue to gamble - not only on getting away with it but with their lives.
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