Is now against the law in my home town of San Antonio Tx. Bout time. [thumbsup]
It has been the law in WA for a while now. Here is a sad video about a teen who died.
Distracted Driving / Heather Lerch (full-length version) / Driving while Texting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0k--HnHrM&feature=player_embedded#normal)
Hopefully it will get enforced. I can see police officers having many more important things to do but the idiots that do a lot of that are killing and maiming people left and right and last time I checked that was kind of important to. [thumbsup] Hopefully DFW will expand it's ban in school zones to every road all the time. But they already act like that won't happen anytime soon. Sad.
It's been the law here in AZ for about a year. I still yell at
FUKING
AZZHOLES
that do it and get in my lane or drive retarded everyday!! >:(
Unforeseen consequences... (http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20100929/00202911209/new-study-shows-texting-bans-may-make-roads-even-more-dangerous.shtml)
Quote from: rc51 on October 07, 2010, 06:06:38 PM
Hopefully it will get enforced. I can see police officers having many more important things to do but the idiots that do a lot of that are killing and maiming people left and right and last time I checked that was kind of important to. [thumbsup] Hopefully DFW will expand it's ban in school zones to every road all the time. But they already act like that won't happen anytime soon. Sad.
I think they said Austin and El Paso already enacted laws. DFW can't be far behind.
I don't really see how it can be enforced.
Quote from: kopfjäger on October 07, 2010, 06:26:00 PM
I don't really see how it can be enforced.
Unless cops see it or witnesses to accidents see it. Stiffer penalties can be enforced.
Quote from: kopfjäger on October 07, 2010, 06:26:00 PM
I don't really see how it can be enforced.
You're right, it pretty much cant/wont be. Been illegal to handle a mobile phone whilst driving in my part of the world for quite some time. Thats no texting and no talking either (unless via an approved handsfree kit). But every day I see arseholes texting away as they weave all over the road. When one of these self-important tossers actually crashes, then [leo] checks their mobile phone records to see if phone use was a contributing factor.
Something about barn doors and bolted horses springs to mind......
it can be enforeced like any other laws, if they see you you get a a ticket, same thing as if they see you weaving and give you a ticket for reckless driving or such. then its you and him in court telling it to the judge and he believes one or the other.
it can be enforced only question is how much will it be enforced.
the only way drunk driving is enforced is that you are pulled over for something else and then you get dinged, or fi there was a check point but most people get dinged for bad driving so this should be no different.
Distracted driving is illegal in my area. I like that. It still doesn't stop the rolling phonebooths.
I still say almost impossible to enforce. Yeah every now and again someone might get popped, but what about looking down at your phone to see who's calling, etc. etc. Great law on the books but.........
Hooray for laws that don't accomplish anything! [thumbsup]
Quote from: zarn02 on October 07, 2010, 08:09:25 PM
Hooray for laws that don't accomplish anything! [thumbsup]
[laugh] Somebody probably got a star on their paper. :D
there is a company that is working on a module that prevents your phone from sending and receiving texts in the car unless through one that can read them aloud and take voice commands. I'd be up for this to be standard........emails too.
Quote from: zarn02 on October 07, 2010, 06:09:45 PM
Unforeseen consequences... (http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20100929/00202911209/new-study-shows-texting-bans-may-make-roads-even-more-dangerous.shtml)
PLEASE tell me this is a reference to one of the greatest video games ever created.
Quote from: Veloce-Fino on October 07, 2010, 08:25:06 PM
PLEASE tell me this is a reference to one of the greatest video games ever created.
Yup.
I'm w, D on this one .......I can't see how a [leo] is going to see you w, a phone down out of view ...and how dangerous is it that the [leo] is gawking at all the vehicles around them to see if they can spot texting and still drive safely themselves.
Seems like they would be just as distracted trying to check out who's doing what !
Dolph
Quote from: DoubleEagle on October 07, 2010, 09:57:33 PM
I'm w, D on this one .......I can't see how a [leo] is going to see you w, a phone down out of view ...and how dangerous is it that the [leo] is gawking at all the vehicles around them to see if they can spot texting and still drive safely themselves.
Seems like they would be just as distracted trying to check out who's doing what !
Dolph
there was an article in the news the other day that says these laws might actually make the streets more dangerous because now drivers are trying to be discrete about their texting.
Quote from: zarn02 on October 07, 2010, 06:09:45 PM
Unforeseen consequences... (http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20100929/00202911209/new-study-shows-texting-bans-may-make-roads-even-more-dangerous.shtml)
^
Quote from: derby on October 07, 2010, 10:57:41 PM
there was an article in the news the other day that says these laws might actually make the streets more dangerous because now drivers are trying to be discrete about their texting.
Quote from: DoubleEagle on October 07, 2010, 09:57:33 PM
I'm w, D on this one .......I can't see how a [leo] is going to see you w, a phone down out of view ...and how dangerous is it that the [leo] is gawking at all the vehicles around them to see if they can spot texting and still drive safely themselves.
Seems like they would be just as distracted trying to check out who's doing what !
Dolph
All they have to do is watch for the cars that are partially in the opposing lane, up on the curb, partially in the grass, .............
Quote from: redxblack on October 07, 2010, 08:07:27 PM
Distracted driving is illegal in my area. I like that. It still doesn't stop the rolling phonebooths.
[laugh].. I like that description.
I live in an environment where its not legal to text whilst driving..... You can see the texters heads bobbing up and down as they alternate between watching where they're "driving" and their texting activity from the out-of-sight phone in their lap.
Quote from: sbrguy on October 07, 2010, 08:06:01 PM
it can be enforeced like any other laws, if they see you you get a a ticket.....
Sure. It
can be. My point is that from on-the-ground experience... it wont be. It costs money to commit resources to enforcing such things... and our legislators (maybe yours are a superior breed to mine) like to be
seen to be doing something... but not at any great expense to the state funds. But speed cameras..... dont they pretty much prevent all road trauma anyway... and in a nice, cost effective way too. Costs nothing to have private contractor sit in an unmarked vehicle catching criminals recklessly exceeding the speed limit by 3 Km/h... and the vast revenue they
generate saves way more lives than the money which would need to be
spent catching badly distracted drivers doing something other than driving... whilst they're driving.
Quote from: zarn02 on October 07, 2010, 08:09:25 PM
Hooray for laws that don't accomplish anything! [thumbsup]
You miss the point. The laws do accomplish something. They allow your legislators to tell you that "they're serious about road safety"..... [laugh] [laugh]
IN WA sate the LEO's are exempt from the law as are tow truck drivers and those with deafness. The law covers texting, talking, and using the phone for email, gps, etc.
Oregon has a lot of exemptions to their law.
Exceptions provided in the law are:
•
A person who is summoning medical or other emergency help if no other person in the vehicle is capable of summoning help;
•
A person using a mobile communication device for the purpose of farming or agricultural operations;
•
A person operating an ambulance or emergency vehicle;
•
A person 18 years of age or older who is using a hands-free accessory (a device that when used allows the driver to maintain both hands on the steering wheel);
•
A person operating a motor vehicle while providing public safety services or emergency services as a volunteer;
•
A person operating a motor vehicle while acting in the scope of the person's employment as a public safety officer, as defined in ORS 348.270;
•
A person operating a motor vehicle in the scope of the person's employment if operation of the motor vehicle is necessary for the person's job;
•
A person activating or deactivating the mobile communication device or a function of the device (note: dialing is considered the same as texting and is not a “function of the device);
•
A person who holds a valid amateur radio operator license issued or any other license issued by the Federal Communications Commission and is operating an amateur radio;
•
A person who operates a two-way radio device that transmits radio communication transmitted by a station operating on an authorized frequency within the citizens' or family radio service bands in accordance with rules of the Federal Communications Commission;
•
A person using a function of the mobile communication device that allows for only one-way voice communication while the person is:
1.
Operating a motor vehicle in the scope of the person's employment;
2.
Providing transit services to persons with disabilities or to senior citizens; or
3.
Participating in public safety or emergency service activities.
Quote from: ungeheuer on October 08, 2010, 05:21:13 AM
I can hear Nate rattling keys....
[popcorn]
It
is straying into the area that would cause that. ;)
Around the DC metro, we've had our own little discussion about this thing in CAM, a while back. As noted before, distracted driving has been a no no in just about every area for a long time and the point was made that texting or talking on the phone both fall under that... But we still end up with regs speaking to those items specifically...
Around here, DC has a ban and MD just rolled out one for texting and using a phone handset. It's coming in VA (or is it here...) If I remember right, in MD it's a secondary offense. Meaning that you can't be pulled over for it - but if they pull you on something else, then you get a bonus ticket. Not sure if they can pull you over for distracted driving... but I could see that being an easy one for the 2-fer if they can.
I wish we as a society didn't need regs like this... that people wouldn't be so daft... but I see it every day :(
You know, there is one easy way to enforce it. Have a motorbike cop set up on the sidewalk in the shade and shoot radar and check visually for phone usage. He/she could get two for one! And even if the driver sees the officer and realizes they are not speeding they may continue texting as they drive by. It's worked for catching speeders forever, ambushing the texters could too! [thumbsup]
(http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll161/porschaholic/1038690449_gGswG-M.jpg)
i'm training my 13 y.o. about how texts aren't that important.
1) no iPhones or Blackberry at the dining table. period.
2) when friends are over, iPhone is put down. is a text from someone else more important than the friend in your presence?
3) if something was that important, a phone call is necessary. and when we are eating as a family, phone calls go unanswered. if it was that important, they'll leave a message.
4) what text message is worth dying for?
my list is sure to grow. i have a few years to beat this into my kids' heads before i let them get behind a wheel. ride and drive safe everyone. Ciao!
Well done. If I ever have kiddos, I've got plans for rules like that.
How can you tell? The light turned green 15 seconds ago and they still have their head bent down and their shoulders hunched while they thumb away at the key pad
cars now get 4 seconds to react to a light and I am on the horn until they move
the other way to tell is the front end damage on anything their driving
it just passed here to..no txt while moving or at a stop.
people were using a loop hole(txt while at a red light) as a way to keep doing it...
Quote from: rc51 on October 08, 2010, 08:53:47 AM
You know, there is one easy way to enforce it. Have a motorbike cop set up on the sidewalk in the shade and shoot radar and check visually for phone usage. He/she could get two for one! And even if the driver sees the officer and realizes they are not speeding they may continue texting as they drive by. It's worked for catching speeders forever, ambushing the texters could too! [thumbsup]
exactly or you can just be pulled over and given a ticket for failing to signal while changnig lanes or weaving and such when driving.
in other words if they see you talking on the phone they can give you a ticket for what they see indicates bad driving and give you a ticke for that and other offences such at seatbelt/talking on the phone, dui test, etc.
all you need first is the initial excuse to give a simple ticket then you can tack on a lot more.
Quote from: r_ciao on October 08, 2010, 10:11:37 AM
i'm training my 13 y.o. about how texts aren't that important.
1) no iPhones or Blackberry at the dining table. period.
2) when friends are over, iPhone is put down. is a text from someone else more important than the friend in your presence?
3) if something was that important, a phone call is necessary. and when we are eating as a family, phone calls go unanswered. if it was that important, they'll leave a message.
4) what text message is worth dying for?
my list is sure to grow. i have a few years to beat this into my kids' heads before i let them get behind a wheel. ride and drive safe everyone. Ciao!
We're trying the same thing with our 13 year old. You have to at least try. I refrain from talking about all the horrible, dangerous, distracted drivers I see every day around his Mom. She is already freaked about him learning how to drive anyway. Don't want to fan the flames. But if he is with me in the car or truck and we see someone do something extra stupid I just say "did you see that? don't do that". [thumbsup]
Quote from: yuu on October 08, 2010, 10:26:14 AM
Well done. If I ever have kiddos, I've got plans for rules like that.
IMO there is no need to for a kid to have a cell phone before they are driving anyway. No cell phone, no need for the rules.
Quote from: r_ciao on October 08, 2010, 10:11:37 AM
i'm training my 13 y.o. about how texts aren't that important.
1) no iPhones or Blackberry at the dining table. period.
2) when friends are over, iPhone is put down. is a text from someone else more important than the friend in your presence?
13 y.o with an Iphone?
What about those people who drive with a dog or other pet on their lap? Do they think they can respond in an emergency without worrying about squishing Barkster with their arm as they turn the wheel, or use one arm to stop the dog from slamming into the wheel? Those airbags aren't made for dog-on-lap protection, if they don't recommend children in the front seat, I doubt a tiny dog squished between the airbag and someone's chest is going to fare well either.
Or the ones with their left leg bent and their left foot up on the seat with them (so you can see the top of their knee just above the windowsill). What is up with that crap? They obviously aren't driving a stick like me, otherwise their leg would be down in the footwell where it belongs. I can just imagine the damage top their body if they got in an collision with their leg up like that. It's bad enough looking through files and X-rays of people who WERE sitting correctly and still got hurt in collisions, having your completely flexed hip and knee slammed back into your pelvis in that position, *shudders*.
The Doc
Maybe I'll just open my own highway, with no phones, or cheeseburgers, or snotty brats...
And extraneous curves!
No cupholders allowed!
("I'll build my own moon park. With blackjack! And hookers!")
Quote from: Vindingo on October 08, 2010, 11:36:43 AM
IMO there is no need to for a kid to have a cell phone before they are driving anyway. No cell phone, no need for the rules.
13 y.o with an Iphone?
Thank you! Can I have an amen! Previously mentioned 13 year old never make the beast with two backsing shut up about a cell phone all last year. He was an outcast in the 7th grade because he didn't have one! WTF??!! All we heard before Xmas was that's all he wanted and that so-and-so's 5th grade brother/sister has one and how he's treated like a retard because he doesn't have a cell phone, Iphone, etc... The shit never ended. I told Mom, make the beast with two backs it, he can have mine it's ancient and it never rings because everyone knows I probably won't answer it. Guess what, they call the house and leave me a message just like the good old days. Still works. I don't need to be or want to be "immediately accessible" to everyone!
He's actually my step son and his real Dad and step Mom (who are very nice folks that we really get along with) are so into keeping up with the Jones' they just couldn't let Junior be an outcast due to no cell phone. Great you buy it and stick him on your plan! They did... Merry Christmas [clap]. Guess what? He still doesn't talk to anyone anymore than he did before the cell phone!! [bang] But now he has one and his universe is in alignment. :P Total bullshit. But hey... I'm not paying for it. [thumbsup] A new generation of "I have to have it right now or I will explode and it will all be your fault for not giving it to me". Jeez... I keep hoping mine gets stolen out of my car but it's so old no one wants it! [laugh] No camera, no video. Just a phone, that I only want when I'm on a ride in the middle of nowhere and I break down. [moto] ;D
I heard on the local KGO news station that the accidents regarding texting since the law passed has gone up.
I don't know how true this is but the reasoning was that people that were doing it before still do it but now they try to hide the fact they are doing it so they have even less attention on the road. The logic seems to make sense to me.
Quote from: Vindingo on October 08, 2010, 11:36:43 AM
IMO there is no need to for a kid to have a cell phone before they are driving anyway. No cell phone, no need for the rules.
13 y.o with an Iphone?
ahem. guilty as charged and it's the iPhone 4. maybe i should start a new topic: the official "i can justify anything" thread. ;D
Quote from: Vindingo on October 08, 2010, 11:36:43 AM
IMO there is no need to for a kid to have a cell phone before they are driving anyway. No cell phone, no need for the rules.
13 y.o with an Iphone?
These were my exact thoughts too...
QuoteA person who holds a valid amateur radio operator license issued or any other license issued by the Federal Communications Commission and is operating an amateur radio;
I'm not crazy about that exemption. Who should be operating a radio/broadcasting while driving?
Interpretations/opinions of law will get this locked.
Quote from: RAT900 on October 08, 2010, 10:29:14 AM
cars now get 4 seconds to react to a light and I am on the horn until they move
I'd never have the paitience to wait 4, it's more like 2.
This is just as bad here in Australia, I watched a classic one yesterday morning, Sitting at a set of lights in the turn lane waiting to turn
right across the intersection, Highway patrol car sitting to my left waiting for the main lights to turn green, Green arrow comes on both sides of the intersection (Main lights still red) Woman in a Honda accord just sees any hint of green and drives through the intersection against the red, Car ahead of me has to brake and swerve to avoid her, She drives off oblivious to near accident she causes because she is chatting on her cell phone. I stop right next to the Highway patrol car to see if he will react (He was 1st in the lane, so in the perfect position to view the incident) he turns to look at what is going on, he has a phone up to his ear as well! :o [bang] [thumbsdown]
Nothing happens, and he just drives off! Now, I'm not going to get into a cop bashing session, but what hope have you got when even [leo] is doing the wrong thing!?! (I know they have exceptions under the law, but it is still wrong unless they have a very good reason!)
Again, no thread locking police smack-talk here, but police in my town just don't pull over the yahoo drivers and site them the way they used to. Lord knows they are busy and have some serious shit to attend to. But I wish my goofy city council would get all their budget woes straightened out and hire another 100 officers assigned to nothing but traffic duty. I live right by a big police sub-station so my area is crawling with law enforcement coming and going and I get to see them ignore some pretty obvious stuff every day. Scary...
I seem to notice it more when I'm riding than when I'm driving. I guess because I'm paying closer attention to what the people around me are paying attention to.
The other day I saw a lady texting while driving. She was driving a beater civic with front end damage and the air bag had been removed, presumably used when she got the front end damage. And of course she was texting with her phone right there at the little hole in the steering wheel where her air bag used to be. Some people just don't learn. [roll]
Another girl I saw I couldn't tell if she was texting and then made a call or just plain took forever to dial up the call in the first place. She was putting along hella slow in the #2 lane for like 2 minutes in congested traffic and then finally sped up and put the phone against her ear. >:(
Every time I want to kick these guys' car and honk my horn but I'm always worried that if I were to do something like that I would get creamed when it startles them and the jerk the wheel. [thumbsdown] If I ever get a motion pro camera or something of the like I'm gonna film while I ride and post up videos on people texting while driving and try to put up their license plate numbers and address.
just be careful. If you're focused on filming instead of riding, it may be counterproductive to the point you're trying to make.
I saw a woman reading a novel in traffic last week on my morning commute. I can only hope it was "Pirate Fabio."
Quote from: erkishhorde on October 10, 2010, 05:44:31 PM
If I ever get a motion pro camera or something of the like I'm gonna film while I ride and post up videos on people texting while driving and try to put up their license plate numbers and address.
Yeah, That's a great idea. Pay attention to what other people are doing instead of riding. :-X
Quote from: kopfjäger on October 10, 2010, 08:56:41 PM
Yeah, That's a great idea. Pay attention to what other people are doing instead of riding. :-X
I love riding with my LMT 5.56 on my back when headed to the range. Everyone is too busy doing a double take to see if thats really "a guy on a ducati with a rifle on his back" to be texting or doing whatever else. 8)
Quote from: Veloce-Fino on October 11, 2010, 06:12:25 PM
I love riding with my LMT 5.56 on my back when headed to the range.
Really? Maybe not the smartest thing to be doing...
</jack>
I have a version number! LMT 5.6 baby! [bow_down]
I'm in California this week. Bus driver to the hotel from the airport was texting in traffic. We almost rear ended someone. I told her to put the damn phone down.
Quote from: Veloce-Fino on October 11, 2010, 06:12:25 PM
I love riding with my LMT 5.56 on my back when headed to the range. Everyone is too busy doing a double take to see if thats really "a guy on a ducati with a rifle on his back" to be texting or doing whatever else. 8)
[bang]
Quote from: DRKWNG on October 11, 2010, 06:46:39 PM
Really? Maybe not the smartest thing to be doing...
</jack>
It's not illegal? I live in the woods... it's a 5 min ride to the private range.
In response to the threads purpose in order to avoid thread jacking.
Texting and driving... bad.
*didn't fix the spelling mistake I didn't make.
Quote from: kopfjäger on October 10, 2010, 08:56:41 PM
Yeah, That's a great idea. Pay attention to what other people are doing instead of riding. :-X
Doesn't take that long to see that someone is texting while driving. If you can't tell from a quick glance you should practice being aware of your surroundings without having to focus on them.
Quote from: Veloce-Fino on October 11, 2010, 08:21:23 PM
It's not ilegal? I live in the woods... it's a 5 min ride to the private range.
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z53/b_upton/facepalm/20080918_Picard_Facepalm.jpg)
Quote from: DRKWNG on October 12, 2010, 03:27:21 PM
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z53/b_upton/facepalm/20080918_Picard_Facepalm.jpg)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1D1GblK7oMw/TCgSE08TTxI/AAAAAAAABtY/WcRUZtJdXgw/s1600/picard_finger.jpg)
;D
Quote from: DRKWNG on October 12, 2010, 03:27:21 PM
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z53/b_upton/facepalm/20080918_Picard_Facepalm.jpg)
Yeah...
what's the issue?
My buddy rode from NH to FL with a shotgun strapped on his back.
He had to replace the shotgun because of the rain he encountered...but it's a free country. [evil]
biting your tongue now...eh? All coming from the same guy that thinks drums are a good toy for a 3 yo. [grin]
Really? Asking why I think it's unwise to ride with a long-arm strapped to your back? Aside of the personal safety issue (you're right, it's a free country and you risk your own life every time you ride) there is the issue of accountability for such a weapon of an M4rgery. You draw quite a bit of attention to yourself when cruising about with something like that in plain view, and there are MANY people out there that would be happy to take you out just to get their hands on that weapon and use it for ill purposes.
Hey I just dove hunted with some friends and one of my buddies rode up from San Antonio with his over and under strapped in a case on his KLR Kawi. His car was dead and needed a motor overhaul and the bike was it or no hunt. No biggie... hell, it's Texas. Everyone expects a hunting shotgun in the car or on the bike in this state!! [thumbsup] [moto] [drink] Again, it wasn't strapped to his back. It was in a hard plastic case secured on the side of the scooter. But it was plainly a gun case.
Quote from: DRKWNG on October 12, 2010, 06:36:16 PM
Really? Asking why I think it's unwise to ride with a long-arm strapped to your back? Aside of the personal safety issue (you're right, it's a free country and you risk your own life every time you ride) there is the issue of accountability for such a weapon of an M4rgery. You draw quite a bit of attention to yourself when cruising about with something like that in plain view, and there are MANY people out there that would be happy to take you out just to get their hands on that weapon and use it for ill purposes.
Where do you live Detroit? Where I'm from shotguns in truck windows and civilians wearing sidearms in plain view are not cause for panic. Sure A guy with a rifle strapped to his back on a motorcycle is less commonplace, but there's nothing wrong with it.
It's not like I'm riding down the street shooting indiscriminately while pulling a wheelie.
(we really need to stop thread jacking)
M4gery?
Quote from: rc51 on October 12, 2010, 07:01:29 PM
Hey I just dove hunted with some friends and one of my buddies rode up from San Antonio with his over and under strapped in a case on his KLR Kawi. His car was dead and needed a motor overhaul and the bike was it or no hunt. No biggie... hell, it's Texas. Everyone expects a hunting shotgun in the car or on the bike in this state!! [thumbsup] [moto] [drink] Again, it wasn't strapped to his back. It was in a hard plastic case secured on the side of the scooter. But it was plainly a gun case.
Have any pics? I've been trying to come up with a decent way to do this on my KLR.
Yeah...
take this to the gun stuff thread please.