texting and driving

[Veloce-Fino]

Unforeseen consequences...

PLEASE tell me this is a reference to one of the greatest video games ever created.

[zarn02]

PLEASE tell me this is a reference to one of the greatest video games ever created.

Yup.

[DoubleEagle]

I'm w, D on this one .......I can't see how a  is going to see you w, a phone down out of view ...and how dangerous is it that the  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     

[derby]

I'm w, D on this one .......I can't see how a  is going to see you w, a phone down out of view ...and how dangerous is it that the  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.

[zarn02]

Unforeseen consequences...

^

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.

[psycledelic]

I'm w, D on this one .......I can't see how a  is going to see you w, a phone down out of view ...and how dangerous is it that the  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, .............

[ungeheuer]

Distracted driving is illegal in my area. I like that. It still doesn't stop the rolling phonebooths.

.. 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.   

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.

Hooray for laws that don't accomplish anything!

You miss the point.  The laws do accomplish something.  They allow your legislators to tell you that "they're serious about road safety".....   

[LMT]

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.

[ducpainter]

I can hear Nate rattling keys....

It is straying into the area that would cause that.

[Slide Panda]

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   

[fastwin]

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!

[Porsche Monkey]

[r_ciao]

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!

[Slide Panda]

Well done. If I ever have kiddos, I've got plans for rules like that.

[RAT900]

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