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Old 08-26-2009, 02:25 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,063,260 times
Reputation: 9478

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Quote:
Originally Posted by mlassoff View Post
Here's some other things that make driving more dangerous:

Eating while driving.... Dangerous.... BAN IT!
Drinking Soda Whie Driving.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Changing the Radio Station.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Putting on Makeup.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Reading commercial signage on the side of the road.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Writing something down.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Talking to Kids in the Car.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Talking to Adults in the Car.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Putting in a CD.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Looking for a CD.... Dangerous! BAN IT!
Counting your money for a toll.... Dangerous! BAN IT!

Let's face it, the government can't make the world completely safe and this type of reactionary thinking results in way, way too many laws.

I agree that texting while driving is dangerous... However, many of you would also like to ban cell phone usage while driving... So why not just ban everything on the above list. It would make us safer.
Isn't there a law already on the books that makes reckless driving of any sort illegal? Doesn't it already cover this?

Knitting, sewing, typing and whittling are also equally distracting and dangerous while driving. Do we really need a new law to address these things?
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Old 08-26-2009, 02:30 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,063,260 times
Reputation: 9478
Quote:
Originally Posted by AustinAaron View Post
Indeed, I have. Which is why I now ONLY ride on back roads and off major, inner-city throughways. I learned that city streets are meant for auto traffic, not bike traffic. I think I would feel differently if I knew I could keep up with the flow of traffic. Some cyclists can. Most can not. Metro offers racks for bikes, and rides are very affordable. I don't mind cyclists in "my lane". It's just as much their lane as mine. BUT . . . cease the flow of traffic? Time to reconsider your means of travel. It's unsafe to ALL on the street. Not just the cyclists.

Bikes and cars don't mix. Personal opinion is that, if there is no bike lane, then there should be no bike.
Thank you, I agree completely!
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Old 08-26-2009, 02:35 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,063,260 times
Reputation: 9478
This 3' law would apply to bicyclists also would it not? So if there is already a line of cars next to the gutter stopped at a traffic light, it would be illegal (if it isn't already) for a bicyclist to pass them all in the gutter and pull to the head of the line wouldn't it? Each car passed would be a separate offense.

Gee wouldn't that be something to see bicyclists wait for their turn like every other vehicle on the road, wouldn't that be something?
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Old 08-26-2009, 02:37 PM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,981 posts, read 6,736,067 times
Reputation: 2882
Quote:
Originally Posted by CptnRn View Post
Isn't there a law already on the books that makes reckless driving of any sort illegal? Doesn't it already cover this?
You could use that argument to say that the only time DWI should be prosecuted is if there is an accident and it is proven the DWI driver was at fault. We have many laws that are designed to discourage dangerous behavior BEFORE something bad happens. Case in point would be this thread and both of the laws proposed.
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Old 08-26-2009, 02:44 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,400,512 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CptnRn View Post
This 3' law would apply to bicyclists also would it not? So if there is already a line of cars next to the gutter stopped at a traffic light, it would be illegal (if it isn't already) for a bicyclist to pass them all in the gutter and pull to the head of the line wouldn't it? Each car passed would be a separate offense.

Gee wouldn't that be something to see bicyclists wait for their turn like every other vehicle on the road, wouldn't that be something?
Oh, now this is interesting. Can't wait to hear the wailing when this occurs to some folks.
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Old 08-26-2009, 02:48 PM
 
Location: Dripping Springs , TX
786 posts, read 2,761,844 times
Reputation: 238
Quote:
Originally Posted by CptnRn View Post
This 3' law would apply to bicyclists also would it not? So if there is already a line of cars next to the gutter stopped at a traffic light, it would be illegal (if it isn't already) for a bicyclist to pass them all in the gutter and pull to the head of the line wouldn't it? Each car passed would be a separate offense.

Gee wouldn't that be something to see bicyclists wait for their turn like every other vehicle on the road, wouldn't that be something?

Nah. I'm pretty sure the law would be the car has to give the cyclist the 3 foot buffer. So in the case presented above, all of the stationary cars would have to immediately jump three feet to the left to give the cyclist his legal space.
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Old 08-26-2009, 02:58 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,063,260 times
Reputation: 9478
Quote:
Originally Posted by iceshots View Post
Nah. I'm pretty sure the law would be the car has to give the cyclist the 3 foot buffer. So in the case presented above, all of the stationary cars would have to immediately jump three feet to the left to give the cyclist his legal space.
I can't seem to find that button in my owners manual!
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Old 08-26-2009, 03:00 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,063,260 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady View Post
Oh, now this is interesting. Can't wait to hear the wailing when this occurs to some folks.
The way I read this it would apply to cyclists and pedestrians as well.

Quote:
They also want to require a three-foot distance between vehicles and "vulnerable road users," such as cyclists, pedestrians and people in wheelchairs. Either party — the driver or other road user — could be ticketed for failing to keep that distance, Martinez said.
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)
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Old 08-26-2009, 03:02 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,063,260 times
Reputation: 9478
Quote:
Originally Posted by verybadgnome View Post
You could use that argument to say that the only time DWI should be prosecuted is if there is an accident and it is proven the DWI driver was at fault. We have many laws that are designed to discourage dangerous behavior BEFORE something bad happens. Case in point would be this thread and both of the laws proposed.
Not at all, reckless driving can be ticketed anytime. The police don't have to wait for an accident to ticket for it.
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Old 08-26-2009, 03:06 PM
 
Location: Dripping Springs , TX
786 posts, read 2,761,844 times
Reputation: 238
Quote:
Originally Posted by CptnRn View Post
The way I read this it would apply to cyclists and pedestrians as well.



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)
Oh this could get interesting. Wonder who gets the first ticket? The driver, the pedestrian, the cyclist or granny in the wheelchair.
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