Ban on Texting & Driving could reach Tampa too! (not soon enough) (St. Petersburg: home, law)

[algia]

Florida texting and driving ban one year away, lawmaker says | 10connects.com | Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater (http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=114467&provider=rss - broken link)

[bentlebee]

Intexticated should be banned a.s.ap.!

[LoganFL]

Sounds kindof stupid actually. How exactly do they plan to enforce this? People have all kinds of devices these days which they use for GPS, directions, keeping notes and lists, etc. and I imagine a cop would have a hard time telling what app the driver is using on his phone as the car zooms by. Unless they plan to ban usage of any handheld devices while driving, which is even worse.

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by LoganFL

Sounds kindof stupid actually. How exactly do they plan to enforce this? People have all kinds of devices these days which they use for GPS, directions, keeping notes and lists, etc. and I imagine a cop would have a hard time telling what app the driver is using on his phone as the car zooms by. Unless they plan to ban usage of any handheld devices while driving, which is even worse.

If your family member or friend get's killed by a person texting or being on the phone...would you still call that the way you described it?

It is easily to enforce....in Europe and in many other US States like NY, you will receive a ticket when you get caught...in the beginning the fines are not that high but for additional offences, the fine will get higher...

This morning on Fox News they showed a guy who sat in prison for 30 days after having killed a father and husband...In Utah where this happened the law is now way stricter and if he had done it now, his sentence would have been 15 years!

Btw after an accident your cell phone records will reveal what you did at the time of an accident....so very easy!

[LoganFL]

Originally Posted by bentlebee

If your family member or friend get's killed by a person texting or being on the phone...would you still call that the way you described it?

It is easily to enforce....in Europe and in many other US States like NY, you will receive a ticket when you get caught...in the beginning the fines are not that high but for additional offences, the fine will get higher...

This morning on Fox News they showed a guy who sat in prison for 30 days after having killed a father and husband...In Utah where this happened the law is now way stricter and if he had done it now, his sentence would have been 15 years!

I think you've missed my point. Let's put it this way. Suppose you're a cop. You're in your patrol vehicle, parked on the shoulder of some road. A car goes by and you notice that the driver is holding a phone or some other kind of mobile device. What do you do? Do you know that he is texting? Or maybe he is lookin at a map on his GPS device? Or just looking at it to check the time? Or to see whose call he just missed? Do you give him a ticket just because he has a mobile phone? Like I said, good intention but almost impossible to enforce.

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by LoganFL

I think you've missed my point. Let's put it this way. Suppose you're a cop. You're in your patrol vehicle, parked on the shoulder of some road. A car goes by and you notice that the driver is holding a phone or some other kind of mobile device. What do you do? Do you know that he is texting? Or maybe he is lookin at a map on his GPS device? Or just looking at it to check the time? Or to see whose call he just missed? Do you give him a ticket just because he has a mobile phone? Like I said, good intention but almost impossible to enforce.

When cell phones are forbidden, it doesn't matter what you do, you can only use bluetooth or similar device and any other thing that shows you have a phone in your hands will be a reason for a ticket....GPS systems have a voice system so no reason to keep it in your hands or you must park your car.

[LoganFL]

Originally Posted by bentlebee

When cell phones are forbidden, it doesn't matter what you do, you can only use bluetooth or similar device and any other thing that shows you have a phone in your hands will be a reason for a ticket....GPS systems have a voice system so no reason to keep it in your hands or you must park your car.

Not all devices have voice GPS system. For example, my phone displays maps and current location but no voice directions. In any case, I didn't realize we're talking about banning usage outright. I guess that's what it essentially means anyway: "operate a moving motor vehicle while reading, manually writing or typing, or sending a message on an electronic wireless communications device." Seems kindof oppressive IMO.

[algia]

PAID GPS subscriptions always talk to you, no need to look at it even......but believe me, the people who text and cause accidents are not the ones having the GPS on......these are people who are chatting while driving pure and simple.....just like the women who can't find a mirror at home and use the rear view mirror instead....so stupid!

[mgt04]

Just wanted to give you some feedback from NJ on this since its been banned here for over a year. The penalty is currently just a fine with each subsequent offense being more expensive than the previous. It starts out at around $50 for the first offense.

I can tell you it either does not get enforced well enough or the fines are not high enough to deter people from texting or talking on their cell phones while driving. The problem has actually gotten WORSE. I'm not saying don't ban it but they need to increase the fines by a lot before people will care.

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by mgt04

Just wanted to give you some feedback from NJ on this since its been banned here for over a year. The penalty is currently just a fine with each subsequent offense being more expensive than the previous. It starts out at around $50 for the first offense.

I can tell you it either does not get enforced well enough or the fines are not high enough to deter people from texting or talking on their cell phones while driving. The problem has actually gotten WORSE. I'm not saying don't ban it but they need to increase the fines by a lot before people will care.

I agree with you on the fines...but people will realize more and more that if you cause an accident due to cell phone use (doesn't matter for what, txt. phone or gps) the prison time and law suit can be tremendous that you rather think twice before the one minut or split second of fun will cause you 15 years in prison + a heck of guilt feeling + labeled a murderer if you killed some one.