Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am unable to fine an independent source that confirms this information, which only appeared for the first time today on the web, and the source of the infomation is not indicated. I will not believe it until I see it in some reliable and independent source. Even the original source, Mother Jones, does not source it.
With fines like that, there would be some very good lawyers getting those ticket thrown out of court, and they'd wind up with no law at all that has any teeth.
Furthermore, I'd very surprised if any court in Alaska has fined a single driver any more than a couple hundred for it. The, presumably, is the largest fine allowed by law, but if anyone had paid it, we'd have heard about it before now.
vmacnc, we get it. You suffer from "it'll never happen to me" syndrome, just like everyone else who texts/uses a phone/plays with entertainment systems/etc... when they should be involved with the act of driving. There's only one fix for that, you getting into an accident due to your own actions (wait, it'll happen).
As for the clock issue, the best option is to forget about the time while moving. It doesn't matter, you'll get "there" when you get there. Knowing how early or how late you may be makes absolutely no difference. But moving your eyes is safer than moving your hand, finding a phone AND moving your eyes. But you won't buy that, and I don't really care. Hopefully when you have your accident it won't involve anyone else.
I am unable to fine an independent source that confirms this information, which only appeared for the first time today on the web, and the source of the infomation is not indicated. I will not believe it until I see it in some reliable and independent source. Even the original source, Mother Jones, does not source it.
With fines like that, there are going to be some very good lawyers getting those ticket thrown out of court, and they'll wind up with no law at all that has any teeth.
Furthermore, I'd very surprised if any court in Alaska has fined a single driver any more than a couple hundred for it. The, presumably, is the largest fine allowed by law, but if anyone had paid it, we'd have heard about it before now.
It is true, but it's "up to $10,000 fine", so how it's enforced and the penalties associated are anyone's guess.
But here's the part that really bothers me:
Quote:
(a) A person commits the crime of driving while texting, while communicating on a computer, or while a screen device is operating if the person is driving a motor vehicle, and
(1) the vehicle has a television, video monitor, portable computer, or any other similar means capable of providing a visual display that is in full view of a driver in a normal driving position while the vehicle is in motion, and the monitor or visual display is operating while the person is driving; or
(2) the person is reading or typing a text message or other nonvoice message or communication on a cellular telephone, personal data assistant, computer, or any other similar means capable of providing a visual display that is in the view of the driver in a normal driving position while the vehicle is in motion and while the person is driving.
The way I read it, one could potentially be charged with this offense without actually texting or messaging anyone. Just reading a message is apparently sufficient.
How this would be proved is another question entirely. It's rather difficult for a police officer to say "this person was reading a message" from the inside of a different car. Simply having your face in a phone or navigation unit isn't the same thing, as the law explicitly states that devices which provide maps or navigation are exempt. So at some point a phone may be exempt, because it provides maps and navigation.
As always, encrypt and password protect your digital devices. Not much to look at if the only thing that is accessible is a password screen.
You said "people have been using their cell phones for 30 years with few problems"
So you're basically stating that cell phones don't cause many accidents.
I only have found links with a large variance. Clearly though, it's hardly "few". Although I'm not the one making the claim.
It could be as low as 1 in 20, or as many as half, depending on which of your links we believe. The truth is, no one really knows. I could go find a bunch of links that support my claim, but they're as speculative as the ones you posted. Cell phones use does cause some accidents, but so do a myriad of other factors in a vehicle that haven't been studied and propogandized.
Scoff if you want. I have my opinion, and you have yours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian_M
vmacnc, we get it. You suffer from "it'll never happen to me" syndrome, just like everyone else who texts/uses a phone/plays with entertainment systems/etc... when they should be involved with the act of driving. There's only one fix for that, you getting into an accident due to your own actions (wait, it'll happen).
As for the clock issue, the best option is to forget about the time while moving. It doesn't matter, you'll get "there" when you get there. Knowing how early or how late you may be makes absolutely no difference. But moving your eyes is safer than moving your hand, finding a phone AND moving your eyes. But you won't buy that, and I don't really care. Hopefully when you have your accident it won't involve anyone else.
Texting has been singled out because it more often than not involves teenagers. But like many wild overreactions, all hopes of stopping teen vehicle deaths have been put on stopping texting. Yes, it's important, but as an adult I make decisions every day that have much more potential for problems than simply looking at my phone. I, and many others, do not need to be isolated from everything to drive a car or do anything else.
UP TO $10,000. It can't be more than that. It can be less, but not more, unless there are injuries as a result of an accident. Kill somebody, and it's a quarter of a million. They don't say whether they take checks, MasterCard of Visa..
Hypothetical question -- you seriously injure somebody while texting, and are fined $100,000. Who gets the money? The victim? Ha ha, very funny. The victim sues for damages in civil court, and then stands in line behind the court's assessment of the fine. Zero chance of ever getting a penny, even if there is a civil suit judgment.
Another hypothetical. You' re texting while driving and you see the blue flashers behind you. What do you do? Pull over and say you're sorry and start gathering up your $10K? Or try to get away and lead the cops on a chase through Anchorage and klll a half a dozen innocent bystander? You make laws that create and encourage desperadoes, and the community will be threatened by desperadoes.
You want to know what rural Texans fear more than anything else? Desperate fugitives who are being chased by the police for nonviolent crimes, like drugs and immigration, turning the non-violent offenders into violent desperadoes who will do anything to preserve their freedom.
Does no one know about voice to text ? No different than talking on the phone.
"Siri, send a message to Jim "I'll be late"" -- never taking eyes off road.
A lot of people at a stop light will check their phone. I have seen lawyer going through legal briefs
while driving at 75 mph. I have seen women putting on makeup with a mirror while driving.
I have seen MEN talking on the phone with their head turned toward the passenger and going off
their lane on each side. I have seen both men and women arguing with the person they were driving
with and not watching the road at all.
Why pick on a text message with all of this going on. People just do not watch the road and don't take
their driving seriously.
So with voice to text I doubt any of this is going to work ....
That's what I want to know. I barely type an email or text anymore, at least when I'm using my mobile devices. What's the problem with having a hands free conversation with a mobile device as opposed to another person?
Last edited by 43north87west; 10-25-2013 at 09:23 PM..
Does no one know about voice to text ? No different than talking on the phone.
"Siri, send a message to Jim "I'll be late"" -- never taking eyes off road.
A lot of people at a stop light will check their phone. I have seen lawyer going through legal briefs
while driving at 75 mph. I have seen women putting on makeup with a mirror while driving.
I have seen MEN talking on the phone with their head turned toward the passenger and going off
their lane on each side. I have seen both men and women arguing with the person they were driving
with and not watching the road at all.
Why pick on a text message with all of this going on. People just do not watch the road and don't take
their driving seriously.
So with voice to text I doubt any of this is going to work ....
We don't all have $500 phones with voice recognition, or a Siri to work for us. The voice to text on my $200 phone and others like it works about half the time, uses little puntuation or capitals, and still requires a good bit of attention.
We don't all have $500 phones with voice recognition, or a Siri to work for us. The voice to text on my $200 phone and others like it works about half the time, uses little puntuation or capitals, and still requires a good bit of attention.
I'm sorry. I did not think of that.
But did you know that people have COMPUTERS built into their dash boards. I don't have one but on some rental cars I get when my car is in the shop for repairs have them.
The auto industry is going to continue to make things that people want for convenience. Obviously someone should not be typing while driving, but texting at a stop light to me is not a major issue.
There are bad drivers and good drivers and I don't feel that the good drivers should be punished by having their phone records pulled because a cop wants to make his quota. If someone is involved in an accident, then that is another story altogether.
A $10,000 fine for anything is just greed by a municipality that is short on money. People who can afford Siri and have computers in their car can afford those fines.
Those that can't afford SmartPhones are the ones who will get the tickets... always is that way.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
