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.
Just so you know... for such a fine, they will have to prove without doubt that they were texting. Some cop "suspecting" a person texting will not hold in court. They will need substantial evidence. I don't know their laws up there but I feel like they would need some sort of a transcript from the accused' service provider. Seems like they are just asking for trouble, DWI's in most states don't even cost that much after all of the fines, program and lawyer fees.
How is texting proven anywhere? Any time I look at my phone I could be texting, using the GPS, playing music, or answering a call. Maybe I'm checking the time.
How is texting proven anywhere? Any time I look at my phone I could be texting, using the GPS, playing music, or answering a call. Maybe I'm checking the time.
You shouldn't ever be looking at your phone while you're driving. Mine is in my bag or in the arm wrest storage box while I'm driving. If I get a call it comes over the radio and I answer it with a button on the steering wheel.
...DWI's in most states don't even cost that much after all of the fines, program and lawyer fees.
Maybe they Should cost that much, first offense.
It may not be something that happens often, and it'll probably take awhile to get it to stick for the First time... but when it does, and they work out the legwork needed, people will STOP.
I imagine that there will be a lot of plea-bargaining going on. LEO's witness offender using the phone with time-stamped voice on their in-car system, corroborated with cell service records showing that a text was sent OR received in that window, and the courts will bend a little, but not for complete dismissal.
Personally, I think it's a good thing. Get your grubby mitts off your phone when driving. I don't care if you're just looking for the time (what car doesn't have a clock these days!!??!), GPS, or what music is playing. There's just zero NEED to touch it.... sure, you have a lot of 'want' going on there, but smartphone users are all about their instant gratifications wants so that's not news.
I'd rather see an escalating penalty like $500 for first offense and so forth, otherwise police may be highly hesitant to apply the fine of 10k.
FYI - In suburban Chicago when I used to ride commuter rail....crossing the tracks on foot while the gates were still down was a $500 fine plus something like 40hours of community service (or maybe it was 80).
The problem was the tracks had 3 rails and the middle was reversible and as it pulled past, people would mentally check out and walk out in front of the middle track which was the 70mph express. (The departing train the commuter just got off of would also "screen" the other approaching train in terms of visual and noise)
You can youtube to see the results, there are several videos to choose from where someone or a surveilance camera accidentally catches it on tape.
Same sort of deal, with so much at stake and all the texting deaths they will eventually get tough on it like they did with DUI's.
Ridiculous fines don't work. Even the most guilty person possible will fight it tooth and nail, appeal it and push it out into oblivion, costing the state far more money and probably never collecting a fine.
Meanwhile, people will still keep doing it; people won't know, won't take it seriously or just won't care.
Monetary fines only do so much good. Real punishment is making someone do community service or attending lots of meetings, and going to jail if they don't comply. A friend of mine got a DUI and the money part was easy for her, but she dreaded the meetings and the community service, that is what stuck with her.
Texting has become a Cancer..........everywhere I look I see people bent over their dumb phones.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,330 posts, read 54,419,437 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by don1945
Monetary fines only do so much good. Real punishment is making someone do community service or attending lots of meetings, and going to jail if they don't comply. A friend of mine got a DUI and the money part was easy for her, but she dreaded the meetings and the community service, that is what stuck with her.
Texting has become a Cancer..........everywhere I look I see people bent over their dumb phones.
Works for me. I have texted exactly zero times while driving in my life. No need to do it. Ever.
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.
