OT...say goodbye to our communication while in the bump?

[fomocoguy]

The technology is there for hands free everything, and it's not that expensive. My gal works for US Cellular and her bluetooth hands free device works great. I can't even tell the difference in sound quality when she's on it. She told me last night that they even have ones that will read a text out to you, and when you answer it will type in your response for you. Most people just choose not to use the stuff.

[Ranchero50]

Withing five years there will be a surcharge on your cell phone bill, just like cigarette taxes just because of this. It just ain't healthy...

I'm sure millions in cash could be generated by overpass mounted cameras and mailed tickets. Tie in the technology that knows the address of your cell phone and wether it's active and our Gov'ts financial woes would be lessened considerably. Maybe I should apply for a patent of that idea???

Jamie

[BobbyFord]

You do not have to pay any camera-generated tickets that you may receive in the mail.It's already been an issue here in L.A. and was found to be in violation of your constitutional rights by bypassing your right to due process.

[MrMajestyk]

You do not have to pay any camera-generated tickets that you may receive in the mail.It's already been an issue here in L.A. and was found to be in violation of your constitutional rights by bypassing your right to due process.

Exactly right ! this is the reason Red Flex and the State of AZ lost money on the deal and why the cameras are gone

Until there is common sense, responsibility along with accountability we will continue to
see government protect us from ourselves...just my opinion.

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the
government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense
of taking care of them."

Thomas Jefferson

[Bob]

Had a kid coming down the middle of the road at me one day and I had no where to go but over a steep hill. Little bass-terd was texting on top of his steering wheel and apparently not looking up very often. He notice me just before he got to me and I was off the road riding the gravel right up on the edge of the guardrails. I would've like to have turned around... chased him down... and knocked the crap out of him. Thing is... Had he hit me I would've without a doubt been the one in trouble regardless of what the puke was doing because I had a few beers in me.

Which brings me to my view on the punishment for texting while driving. I think if a person is involved in an accident or pulled over for any reason, the cop should be required to look at the drivers phone and see if they had phone activity at the time of the issue. If they do then treat it just like a D.U.I. Same difference right? Driving impared... Heck might even be worse than the beers in that when a person is buzzed at least they're typically trying very hard to pay close attention to avoid issue. I think I'd pick a drunk coming at me over a texter any day. At least the drunk is looking at the road or roads ... if seeing double ... and has a chance of avoiding one of you anyway.

[fitzwell]

Withing five years there will be a surcharge on your cell phone bill, just like cigarette taxes just because of this. It just ain't healthy...

I'm sure millions in cash could be generated by overpass mounted cameras and mailed tickets. Tie in the technology that knows the address of your cell phone and wether it's active and our Gov'ts financial woes would be lessened considerably. Maybe I should apply for a patent of that idea???

Jamie

Now that is a scary thought...

on another note, Seems to me as tho "hands free" woule be more of a distraction. At least with a hand held, you should be aware that you are on the phone & driving, ( and p'rolly not doing either one real well) With a hands free, you can become more absorbed in the conversation, less attention to the task at hand. Don't know, just throwin' it out there.

The penalty for talking on a cell phone, while applying makeup & drinking a double soy latte crappachino should be death by eyebrow pencil & cold day old auto parts coffee....

[fireguywtc]

People in L.A. have a demented sense of entitlement and do not want to be bothered by other drivers while they are busy carrying on their "important" conversations or worse yet, completing that text message that "can't wait".

Very well said, though it applies to people everywhere.

The first time you pull someone's body out of a car because of a call and especially a text message, no matter how important it may have been, the perspective changes. Talking while driving is a grey area for me, but I think it should be allowed with hands free. Texting is as bad as drunk driving in my opinion and causes more wrecks. I am seeing it bad, even with professional truck drivers in their big trucks. How many can they kill with their semi?

I think the reason for the big push for no driver cell communication is enforcement. It will difficult for law enforcement to enforce the rules without a full ban. The demented sense of entitlement and abuse of privilages is what is ruining this issue for everyone.

[flyboy71]

Tie in the technology that knows the address of your cell phone and wether it's active and our Gov'ts financial woes would be lessened considerably. Maybe I should apply for a patent of that idea???
Jamie

Oh they can track your location now to within feet of where you are and whether youre moving or not. AT&T has a tracker you can spy on our kids if you want to but its not as accurate as what the systems are capable of. I know someone who used it and thier daughter kept getting texts telling her she was being tracked.

Its really going to be tough to enforce the law. Its not like you blow by an officer doing 80 in a 35 or blasting thru a red light. You have to be blatantly obvious in your cell phone use to get pulled over or be driving erratically. Its the same deal as when they passed the seat belt law here in PA. They cant just pull someone over because the officer thinks the person isnt buckled in they have to be pulled over for a violation and then you get whacked for not wearing one. Im thinking the cell phone law would be similar. Its gonna be hard to prove a driver was talking on a cell phone and not singing to the radio or talking to themselves. The one news story they ran here likened the cell phone ban to a DUI checkpoint. I think there might be some legal issues if they setup a cellphone checkpoint and ask for your license, registration and cell phone.

[UNCLE BOO]

Alberta enacted a "Distracted Driver" law about 2 months ago, that covers cell phones, texting, eating, putting on makup, reading, etc., etc. while operating a vehicle.

The police have been pretty good to just issue warnings at first. But, they are starting to enforce the law rigidly now.

This one is a bit tough on the wife, but not for me too much! (I don't use my phone while driving, and we have OnStar.)

The statistics have proven that most of all collisions / accidents are caused by distracted drivers. So, if this law helps to save lives and reduce injuries, I am totally in favor. Hopefully, our insurance rates will go down as a result....eventually. Or, am I being too optimistic?

Bruce.

[cowbay]

People in L.A. have a demented sense of entitlement and do not want to be bothered by other drivers while they are busy carrying on their "important" conversations or worse yet, completing that text message that "can't wait".

Very well said, though it applies to people everywhere.

The first time you pull someone's body out of a car because of a call and especially a text message, no matter how important it may have been, the perspective changes. Talking while driving is a grey area for me, but I think it should be allowed with hands free. Texting is as bad as drunk driving in my opinion and causes more wrecks. I am seeing it bad, even with professional truck drivers in their big trucks. How many can they kill with their semi?

I think the reason for the big push for no driver cell communication is enforcement. It will difficult for law enforcement to enforce the rules without a full ban. The demented sense of entitlement and abuse of privilages is what is ruining this issue for everyone.

I agree with you. Distracted driving is a huge problem. I know every day I am on the road driving there will be one incident with someone not paying attention. We have been involved with some accident cleanups do to what I found out was distracted driving where the towing companies have us come out with a nbackhoe or skid steer to scrap up all the parts. I do believe hands free should be allowed but like you said on an enforcement level it probably has to be all or nothing to make a change, since the common sense thing is not working to well around here.

[woods]

We've got that bann in NY and I still take certain calls while driving.....no texting. There are way to many people that shouldn't have a license,let alone trying to multi-task and no matter how many laws they make....it'll never solve that fact. If ya ask me....eating is the worst distraction there is,but every fast food place has a drivethru. Who hasn't dropped a frenchfry,spilled ketchup,musterd,etc. down the front of them....spilt there coffee or pop. Scary looking back up to traffic after trying clean your self off

Yeah, I've dropped my bottle of booze on the floor and when reaching for it, the MAC 10 fell out of my coat and landed on the accelerator, which got a little hairy, but, I wasn't on the phone, so I had that going for me.

[basketcase0302]

Yeah, I've dropped my bottle of booze on the floor and when reaching for it, the MAC 10 fell out of my coat and landed on the accelerator, which got a little hairy, but, I wasn't on the phone, so I had that going for me.

ROTF Woods!

Right after I added the poll this morning, I thought that "makeup application" should have been there-now I can't seem to add it? I agree with most here that texting could probably be compared to drunk driving as without a doubt, the driver is impaired. I saw three different ones today texting while driving on I-75 going over 70 MPH.

Uncle Boo, maybe ya'll have the answer right there with the "impaired driver" law passed up there. But I'd have a lot of sleepless nights being a jury foreperson that had to vote for a life sentence for a 16 year old that harmed someone else while texting?
Tough call guys, gonna be neat to see our this plays out for us here in the US.

[67mann]

Yeah, I've dropped my bottle of booze on the floor and when reaching for it, the MAC 10 fell out of my coat and landed on the accelerator, which got a little hairy, but, I wasn't on the phone, so I had that going for me.

You were'nt on your way to the Power Company by any chance were you Tight grip on the bottle from now on

[flyboy71]

Heres another twist on the issue depending how legislation is worded. CB's would also fall under this if they went this far. That begs the question though that if they ban two way radios police and fire should also fall under the same law. Hmmm

http://www.arrl.org/news/ntsb-urges-sta ... by-drivers

[marxtoys]

Poll is B.S.

No option for an outright ban.

F@#% cellphones and those addicted to them.