When I see a driver not going with traffic, going too slow or weaving between lanes, it’s almost always because they are on the phone. Self centered jerks like these won’t care about any law. The world will end if the can’t receive and respond to their highly important calls 24/7.
Banning cell phones makes more sense than seat belt laws. When some moron on the phone hits me, it’s my problem. When some moron not wearing a seatbelt flies 1,000 feet through their windshield, that’s their problem.
Even if cell phone use with a hands-free device were banned, how do you enforce it?
There’s no way a cop can see a hands-free device in a driver’s right ear in a car at any speed. At best, it would be a secondary infraction.
Better enforcement of current speeding, weaving, obstruction of traffic, and reckless driving laws should be the first step before implementing new restrictions.
Ratemaker, you’re right, it would be difficult to enforce.
But if hefty fines were introduced, and everyone knew it was illegal, then a lot less people would do it. Sure, many people would still do it, but less is better than nothing.
Nobody, you and I have been on the same page about this issue for some time, judging from your posts but I am quite sure this will be very unpopular, same as the helmet laws. I too cringe when I drive because I can spot these “jerks” quite easily. I have a cell phone and use it mostly for making tee times or calling from the grocery store. I don’t use it any more than I would a pay phone, that is, I only make necessary calls, not elective. Too bad some folks think they need to be “in touch”, just because they can. Doubt if anything will change
Taking away people’s ability to use cell phones while driving denies me my Darwinian right to clear the surplus of stupid genes in my gene pool. Let them continue to use the phone I say.
It is about time that the initiatives become executed to enforce this ban. Too many people do not pay attention while using such devices. BBerries and Palms should also be considered….anyone see the movie “7 Pounds”? That says enough why the ban should be in place.
There’s no way to enforce hands-free bans. New cars can broadcast your call over the radio speakers. Voice activation is the latest ‘gadget’ on almost every model.
So if you’re singing to the radio a cop can stop you because he suspects you’re on the phone?
I do most of my phone time on my cell phone in the car. I am not going to say I am capable while others are not. I scream on a daily basis at some idiot who isnt paying attention while they are on the phone – typically holding the phone – and yes typically female (although there are a large share of male idiots out there too). As somebody who does a lot of driving on a daily basis, I object to the ban because it is 2+ hours I can connect with family, return business calls, etc. but I dont drive without my Bluetooth and I put it in before I leave the parking lot or driveway.
It’s just my opinion. I do agree hands free is critical and I would probably do it anyway if you took away my right to talk hands free. Give the idiots who are shaving or doing make up, driving, drinking coffee and holding the phone the ticket. I see them on my normal commute every day but apparently the cops arent around and dont care.
While we are at it, why not ban “driving with children” and “driving while upset”. If that doesn’t work, we could always go to a five (5) mph national speed limit – and you thought that “Bambi” was going to slow down the economy!
I agree – I drive over 800 miles during the work week. My car IS my office. I have used my cell phone while driving daily for almost 18 yrs. Yes, I used to have the huge brick phone. My car has boothtooth in the radio and I log over 2000 min a month, mostly while driving. I am a female & have not had a single car accident while on the phone. I don’t think talking and driving are any more dangerous then someone smoking & driving or messing with the radio. Keep the government OUT of our lives.
Lets be realistic, not talking on the phone while driving won’t happen. I must agree that it is annoying when you see a BAD driver talking on the phone. Actually, when I get caught being a BAD driver while talking on the phone, I get embarrassed. All I am saying is you have these Not For Profit organizations who have nothing else to do but keep finding another thing to ***** about. MADD is now looking to put breathlizers on EVERYBODY’s car with or without being convicted of a DUI. Things are just getting a little insane. Pull people over if they are chatting on their handheld- ok. Start teaching that you are not to use your cell phone to the 15 year old drivers ed students- ok. What is that saying again, the most effective prison is when the prisoners don’t know they are in one.
Change of times, change of laws- AGREE but lets slow this down a bit.
I wondered what idots put us on the seat belt law so bureacrates can collect fines. Now it’s phones. Airline pilots and all pilots should not be talking with tower & ATC while shooting complicate landings, approaches and weather related courses.
I couldn’t agree with you more KKSMO!!
I am too a women driver, not in one accident, drive 800 miles a week for business and need and relish this time between states to work and catch up with my life.
I agree completely. Put the ban in place; the great majority of people are law abiding and will comply. It will be safer overall even if those few don’t go along.
Hopefully there will be less drivers out there to have to honk at…(I have been re-ended twice by drivers on cell phones…..the first thing I do after I come to a complete stop is look in my rear-view mirror. If they are on a phone, I honk my horn!)
If a driver wants to come out of a driveway in an area where traffic is backed up, the first thing I do is see if they are on the phone. If they are, they won’t be let in by me. Those of you who think you are above these numbers in the study, think again. You have been lucky to this point.
I’m tired of these single issue lobbying groups who want to take away one or another of our freedoms in the name of safety. Little by little our freedoms are being assaulted by these groups and we the lilly-livered Americans are allowing ourselves to be manipulated into buying it. The cumulative effect is that we are becomming a society that is enslaving itself. Thomas Jefferson said that a society that will sacrafice its freedoms for safety will end up being neither free nor safe. We have got to stop this trend in America of trying to prevent certain outcomes by outlawing individual freedoms. One day we’ll wake up in a country that says United States but feels like 1950’s Soviet Union of Red China. How safe was the individual in those countries.
First of all…I’d like to know how they sort that data. For example, not every accident a cell phone user gets into is caused by the talking on the cell phone. They just happen to be using the phone when the accident occurred. I can think of a few types of accidents where it wouldn’t have mattered one bit. But, because the person was on the cell phone it gets listed as a cell use caused accident. Say, a deer runs in front of the car…fat chance you’ll avoid that accident cell phone or no cell phone.
Second, the artcile has this quote:
“There are over 100 million people engaged in this behavior,” Ulczycki said.
This is probably the majority of all drivers considering this is about 1/3 of ALL americans (child, adult, and elderly). If such a large percentage of drivers use cell phones, is 6% truly a significant number total accidents? Yes..Yes..Yes.. you can argue that any number of accidents is to many for a preventable cause. But, what next? Test ALL drivers at every license renewal and take away the persons license at any age for any failed part of the test? Nearly ALL of you would lose your license. But, it could save my life.
Well, just throwing that out for conversations sake. Yes, I occassionally talk on the cell while driving and always use a bluetooth headset. I do try to avoid it most times though. I will also add that I see more people driving recklessly without using cell phones and I do spend a lot of time on the road.
Is banning the use of a productivity device really the best way to solve a problem?
Thousands of auto-accidents occur daily with a number of contributing factors to each loss. Instead of banning a device that fuels a portion of our economy, how about looking for solution to the problem?
Possible solution:
How about making DMV exams more difficult to pass? i.e. test for the proficiency of multi-tasking – some people CAN successfully do two things at once! Do we really need to punish those who are capable of doing this safely?
While were on the topic of poor driving, how about we also test people on their reaction time as well? I have seen many drivers that either A. for some reason can’t even get their car above 50 mph on the freeway (Speed limit 65, and driving in the left lane?!) or B. can react and control their vehicle to a proficiency that allows them to avoid loss.
Cell phones in the hands of drivers don’t kill people, ignorance does. Paying attention to what is going on around you and avoiding tailgating can save many more lives than any ban.
Instead of telling everyone what they can and can’t do, why don’t we look for solutions to problems? Avoiding the problem simply won’t make it go away…
Are you serious? Read the article. They are not limiting a freedom to protect you from yourself, they are limiting your freedom to protect ME from YOU. Wake up, I don’t want to drive with self centered, arrogant idiots thinking they are so important they can endanger myself, my family or my friends. Again, think man, think. Or better yet, leave the country if you don’t like it.
You are right! What were we thinking abolishing slavery?!?!?!? Back to prohibition!!! And women voting??? What has this country come to?!?!?!?!?!
Drastic times call for drastic measures, not that banning cell phones while driving is that drastic.
And if the only time you can catch up with family, friends and your life is while driving in a car, talking on a cell phone, perhaps you shouldn’t have made work a higher priority than family & friends.
We all somehow survived before cell phones. I’m sure we can pull through this.
I agree. You don’t have the right to endanger others through your inattention to the primary duty, driving. Driving is not your right. By the way, I didn’t say the law would work, just that I think cell phone usage when driving is self-centered and foolish. I’m more importtant than the well being and property of those sharing the road with me. Typical of our me culture.
I agree with banning hand-held cell phone usage, but how is the cop going to give me a ticket when i use a bluetooth? all i have to do is end the call when i see bluelights. I am a woman driver with 2 kids to keep up with. If i have to pull over every time my phone rings,i will never get anywhere.
Are you telling me that keeping up with YOUR two kids is more important than possibly endangering the lives of others? So typical for the average American today, it’s all about me. Like I said, self centered.
I said i use voice dialing and a bluetooth. and yes, to me MY TWO KIDS are more important to me than ANYthing else. HOWEVER….i also said i agree that you should not use a cell phone without a bluetooth. (and i have never had an accident)
How did our parents function without cellphones? How did they keep track of us? It’s amazing the human race did not cease to exist without cellphones and blackberries!
Well, here in California, we recently implemented a “hands fee device” requirement. Huh. What is the fine, $10. for the first offense and $20. for the second??? I got a ticket for PARKING in my OWN driveway for $85.00….what’s the logic in that? I guess they figure my emergency break will release and roll into a pedestrian…fought this ticket and lost(that’s another story)….
As a matter of fact, I am seeing more and more drivers losing the bluetooth and going back to the hand-held. WT*? I say ban cell phones all together in the cars and implement fines that would really make a person think three times before talking on a cell phone while driving. Maybe a $500. for the first offense, $1,000 for the second. (I have trouble speaking to a passenger in my car. Have told people to “wait” to talk to me because of traffic jams in the financial district..too many cars, bikes and pedestrians).
Also, has it occured to anyone that you can pull over and chit-chat? That’s what I do…no phone, no bluetooth…I ignore the phone while I drive. I will pull over to make my call….I can’t find a phone booth anymore (what’s a phone booth?)….
I don’t know of a single person closing an important business deal on the cell phone while driving….how rude to your client if you try!
I guess common courtesy is on the way out…it’s me, me, me first…
Cheli, and a few others, read the article, Bluetooth does not help. Its still dangerous.
And Cheli, why would you pull over? Just let it go to voice mail!! Call your loser friends back some other time. How bout talking to your kids instead of chatting on the phone!! Kids are smart, they know they are being neglected.
Cheli,
I just read your first post….I am a mother of four…how do you think I do it?
Evidently, you are more concerned with going somewhere than the safety of your children. What kind of example are you setting for them? Then you’ll be sorry when you do have an accident and someone gets really hurt becasue all you can think about is yourself…what do you think we did before cell phones? Whatever it is, it can wait……
Sorry, Cheli. Disagree. We CHOOSE to put more on our plate than we can handle. Something has to be sacrificed. Work, family, safety… Ask yourself, is that phone call more important than your safety and the safety of others around you?
“Times were different then, parents have a lot more to worry about now”.
Cheli, are you being facetious? You can’t be serious….is that soccer game a matter of life and death? You don’t know how much EASIER we have it than back in the 60’s.
Maybe you should stop chatting on the phone and start listening to your kids and interact with them more…the sure do know when they are being ignored…
“Times were different then, parents have a lot more to worry about now”.
Cheli, are you being facetious? You can’t be serious….is that soccer game a matter of life and death? You don’t know how much EASIER we have it than back in the 60’s.
Maybe you should stop chatting on the phone and start listening to your kids and interact with them more…the sure do know when they are being ignored…
“Times were different then, parents have a lot more to worry about now”.
Cheli, are you being facetious? You can’t be serious….is that soccer game a matter of life and death? You don’t know how much EASIER we have it than back in the 60’s.
Maybe you should stop chatting on the phone and start listening to your kids and interact with them more…the sure do know when they are being ignored…
my kids are my life. i spend every minute that i am not at work with them and they are not lacking for attention. However, when i was a kid, it was unheard of to worry about guns in school. you were safe there. it was rare in small towns to have drive-by shootings, now it is common. you must not have kids.
Have any of you ever done a study? You can skew the study by how ever you manifest the data, how you ask a question, and how you interpret the data. When you show me data from an unbiased source i will consider changing my actions and habits of driving while holding my cell phone. Ive been driving for 10 years now without an accident while talkin and driving. The bigger issue is all the people on the road who forgot who has the right of way and continue to drive as if they always are right.
Speeding, talking, multitasking and other things you all are talkinb about isnt dangerous…its the people driving who are dangerous. Learn to know your own limitations and what you can and can not do
Sorry, I am lining up with freedom on this. It may seem minor, but what about when this same group does not like my SUV, kills more people in a crash than a Prius. What about my snowmobile, I could start an avalanche and kill some snowshoer. What about my house on a cliff in Calif, could slide down and kill someone. Now my plane, that is totally out of the question, it could crash into a house. On second thought I think I will just give up driving and get back my freedom to drink and talk on the phone.
Ya know, while we’re at it…if low credit scores are such a good indicator of future loss, then why not take on credit card companies and the credit scoring bureaus that support them? They also represent an indirect cause of loss.
Why, if we would simply ignore the obvious problems (cell phone usage) and begin to concentrate on improving the results of these other “indicators”, we would begin to enjoy record underwriting profits! If you believe that, well I hear AIG may be hiring.
The insurance industry must start debiting the premium of anyone with a cell phone – and I do mean now. If you use a cell phone, you are a burden on the backs of the rest of us who do not use cell phones, and, we present ourselves as superior risks. If you are married, have elderly parents, teenaged kids, or any other stressor in your life – your premium should be, in fairness to the rest of us, increased by 15%, because you represent an increased risk of being in an accident.
If you don’t buy all of this…well, you’re just stupid and/or too lazy to read all of the studies, which may exist or will exist once we can swing funding from the industry.
Come on, they can’t even enforce simple things like speeding (ever heard of the 100 mph club? It’s a social club down here), insurance, tags, especially DRIVERS LICENSES!
I’m sorry, but there is no way you will ever convince me that a valid driver in a legal car on a cell phone is more dangerous then a driver with no license, no tags, no insurance, doing 103 on the highway. Yet the cops just can’t seem to do anything about it.
When roughly 33% of the cars on Fla are illegal in some way, cell phones are the LEAST of our worries. Let’s start increasing the penalties and start enforcing the other laws before we add more to the book.
The only cops that will enfoce it are the small town sherriff wanna-bes that have nothing better to do, and the only people they will stop will be the ones actually doing the speed limit in a nice new car that the cops know will pay the fine.
Geez, drive by shootings are simple. Your passenger would either hold the wheel while you shoot or have them do your shooting. Delegate. Are you foolish?
Today on the way into work I was behind an Ohio State Patrolman going slower than the speed limit; guess what he was doing… that’s right… dialing his cell phone.
This is not as much about safety or other such pedestrian considerations, as it is about funding public safety (i.e. Police Depts) in a failing economy.
You got it right – the police will ticket those law abiding (well, kinda-sorta law abiding) citizens, driving around in perfectly legal vehicles, who, having a cell phone, must have a bi-weekly paycheck and a check book.
The police picnic/golf tournament is coming up and the beer fund is too low? Run a cell phone trap and, voila, the beer cart is fully funded!
I talk on my cell and drive everyday…so what is the big deal…..If they are gonna ban one thing they should ban all things…smoking a cigg. and driving is more dangerous….for instance…what do you do if your cigg. falls in your lap? do you leave it there while you find a place to pull over and remove it…NOOOO you flinch because you just burned yourself then you pick it up and toss it. WELL WELL WELL while you were tending to your brand new pair of burned Lacoste slacks that only cost you a arm and a leg..you just so happen to rearend someone. That goes for any situation. We shouldn’t single out cell phones….if one thing goes they all should go…….talking on my blue tooth is a lot less dangerous than some. Come on now, Lets start banning things that are more important first…and for the rest of you get back to work, you’ve been on here all day!!!???
1) first of all, any study can be persuaded to look like numbers are properly to reflect good or bad. think of all those numbers when we talk about presidents and what they have accomplished. i can create any study to say anything i want.
2) phone records can be researched by the police showing that you were on the phone at the time of the incident. don’t think you can just switch it off and not get caught.
3) it does not matter if hands free or not, it does distract a driver. it amazes me how many folks lean to the window with the phone in hand or speed faster down the road. it does not matter if your a policeman or not, everyone has to abide the law. they are not exempt or above the law when they are just cruising. question, if they pass this, how are they going to enforce it? are you truly going to catch everyone and if you let someone go, then you have to let them all go. so it’s a nogo!
4) solution: instead of making it illegal, do something similar like the europeans…if you cause an accident, reduce the damage paid out by the insurance company and increase your fine by the amount per speed or in this case, by having been on the phone that possibly could have lessened the damages…doing it this way can alleviate the problem of enforcement…there are already towns that have passed laws stating that if your on the phone at the time of the incident, that even if you were not at-fault at the time, you are now considered at-fault for the accident…we had a child killed because the other party could have prevented the accident if they were paying attention…
so, where do we stand?! i am for individuals starting to take responsibility of our own actions. from wearing a seatbelt, helmets, eating while driving. we have to be individually held accountable. stop the federal government to take away from our small libery of choice. yes, we all like to be safe, but where does that stop or end? it could be like me sitting watching a game of baseball, and get hit by a bat or ball (think of little league). are you truly going to sue the parent of the child because you got hurt? in the major leagues, most clubs will take care of their fans. police have too much to do to protect us, like the I-90 shooter. or any other felonious crime.
i’m all for not using a mobile phone (making a call or text)whilst driving without an earpiece (i often berate my partner for doing this and regularly have to put my foot down with a firm hand!) however, if there is going to be a total ban regardless, what is the difference between this and having passengers in your vechicle? surely this is even more distracting as you can take your eyes off the road. what next a ban on carrying passengers!
I think Johnny Law still has to have a subpoena to get phone records, which probably wouldn’t be worth the effort… but then if fine is to cover the Police weiney roast…
OK KKMSO how would you feel if instead of banning they just said if you ever hurt anyone while on the phone, if they are injured you are guilty of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, and if you kill someone you are guilty of 2nd degree murder?
I don’t think “but I talk on the phone 2,000 minutes a month while driving” is a viable justification for permitting it.
As I said in my previous comment, this is not about YOUR rights but MINE. It is MY RIGHT to safe passage on the roadways. When you are jabbing about who cares what on the phone and you’re not paying attention (and you’re not as study after study has shown) you are violating my rights.
Helmet and seatbelt laws are Nanny State laws meant to keep you from hurting yourself. While this is an honorable intent, a law preventing you from violating your own rights is a lot different in my mind than one that prevents you from violating mine.
Oh no, you would not be so direct as to ask an obvious question. Instead, you would contract with all of the cell phone companies to release an indication of the insured’s cell phone usage (a cell phone score, if you will), and then place the client in the appropriate premium tier.
..I saw a guy zipping-up his pants as he drove.
You think THAT’S something ?
You should’ve seen his girl-friend re-fastening her bra at the same time.
Now THAT’S distractive!
(I almost hit a pole as I reached for a Kleenex)
even then, if you had a passenger in the car with you,how would they proved you had not loaned the phone to them? or asked them to make the call for you?
You don’t like the facts in the survey, make up your own. It seems most people do anyway. My personal survey shows that the people on the phones that I see on the road are not paying attention to their driving. My own personal scientific survey. I just prefer that my family and myself not be hurt by these self centered people.
how are is it going to be enforced? afterall, we are not enforcing the 55 MPH or 70 MPH speed limit. we are not enforcing the Seatbelt ticket. in most states, seatbelt tickets are only issued after a primary violation. so what are you going to do? if you are trying to mitigate accidents, then lets try to educate folks because your not going to stop them. what most folks don’t realize, if they allow folks to do things against the rules/laws, they can’t enforce them. so when you see many folks keep speeding 65 in 55, they have to allow that and can’t convict you. how many of you know that you can ask to see the radar gun? it is the item convicting you, but you must ask to see it upon them stating they used the gun to catch your speed. if not, then they can’t cite you a ticket also. again, it’s the matter of enforcement? and how do we allow even the police officers to do it? i have seen many using cellphones in their vehicles or even the laptops….
Our dog barks at some people, no telling who, and barks ferociously at all other dogs when she is taking a ride in the family car. It can be a little distracting telling her to “pipe down.” Next ban – dogs in cars!
Also my kids used to act up once in a while on a long drive. Maybe we can ban screaming children from cars – or maybe we should take them to the nearest police station to scare them into being quiet!
well, in many states they do have an ordinace for decibal levels. problem is that when they go down the road, and the bass is so loud, it reverberates through my house and hard to hear the TV. so can we ban these cars w/the bass that feels like it going to rock my skin off the car; or can i sue them for loss of hearing?
It matters in this instance too. I drive 30 minutes each way to work on a rural four lane highway in Iowa. Not much of a problem talking on the phone as there isn’t much traffic to worry about. On the other hand, I would not even consider talking on the phone while driving on I-80 across Iowa, or in Des Moines.
I can see using a cell in highly populated areas being an issue, but out here in the boondocks, I don’t see it as a problem.
Cheli,
Like I said before, I have 4 kids, now grown, but yes, they had soccer/karate/ballet, etc…I was on the go-go-go all the time. Although they are 18,20, 21 & 26 now, it wasn’t THAT long ago where I put over 200,000 miles on my Ford Taurus taking them and their friends herre there and everywhere WITHOUT the use of a cell phone. You sound like a very young, inexperienced mother who has been spoiled by the cell phone……
Rikki,
It’s pretty easy noticing these drivers. I happened to be at a stop sign or a red light each time I saw these jokers…..anyway, I’ve been driving for 34 years (do the math) and have NEVER had an accident…both hands belong ON THE WHEEL not on a cell while applying mascara and trying to calm down Mary & Johnny in the back seat while you balance your latte between you knees reading a map….again, deal with it and pull over! (No- I am NO a rarity – my husband was a long haul truck-driver (teamseter) for 30 years WITHOUT any fines or accidents – ditto for all of my kids. It really doesn’t take rocket science to figure out how to keep our roads safe…….
I guess they are gonna ban kids from being in the car too…as a matter of fact, while they are at it…they should ban radios too…whose not guilty of changing the station while driving or changing a cd…looks like we will all be walking pretty soon… we cant ride the bus because they are distracted by looking for people at the bus stop to pick up…YESH….i dont even know if walking is safe…someone might be looking at their watch and walk into me…
Try the phone users speeding through Chicago or any major city. In those cities it seems like more people are on the phone while driving through traffic and pedestrians than not on the phone.
Driving from point “A” to point “B” today which was a matter of approx 22 blocks, I counted 8 people talking on their cell
(NOT a bluetooth) with their right hand clenching the phone to their right ear. Half of these idiots didn’t bother to stop at a stop sign and one alsmost side-swipped a car ahead of me…..We need tougher fines…and as for cigarettes burning your crotch and screaming kids in the back seat, deal with it! (I don’t smoke and all my kids are adult non-smokers)….pull over, whydon’tcha?
Are serious??? You could have gotten into an accident while you were to busy being nosey watching everyone else. Looks like you were just as distracted as they were while they were talking on their phone…..I see we need add nosey drivers to banning list..lol
All of these people who are sooo eager to ban bluetooth in a car more than likely dont have kids that they have to keep up with and dont have friends to talk to.
You’re right. It’s easy to figure out how to keep our roads safe.
1. ENFORCE that silly law that requires driver’s licenses. Gee, that takes care of almost 1/3 of all cars on the road.
2. ENFORCE that other silly law that says you have to have tags and insurance. Gee, more cars off the road.
That won’t leave many for those on cell phones to hit.
Cut down on traffic = cut down on accidents. ESPECIALLY the ones that don’t have a license or lost it for whatever reason. Not rocket science.
Stop nitpicking over the small stuff. You might be able to stop hand held phones (which, BTW- I don’t like, either) but you can’t stop bluetooth (which a most newer models actually have through the radio) the radio, CD, GPS, eating, drinking hot coffee, etc that most drivers are doing in their cars these days. (okay, I do take issue with reading the paper and shaving, but that’s another thread)
I WISH! I AM 40 YEARS OLD THIS MONTH AND I HAVE RAISED 2 BOYS AND I HAVE A DAUGHTER IN THE 11TH GRADE. SHE WORKS, IS IN EVERY CLUB AT SCHOOL AND HAS COLOR GUARD PRACTISE 3 DAYS A WEEK. SHE IS THE ONE I TALK TO MOST OF THE TIME. SHE CALLS ME WHEN SHE LEAVES SCHOOL TO GO TO WHAT EVER EVENT SHE HAS TO GO TO THAT DAY.
MY SON CALLS ME CONSTANTLY TO KEEP ME UP ON WHAT HE IS DOING AND WHERE HE IS BECAUSE I LOST MY OLDER SON 2 YEARS AGO AND THEY KNOW HOW MUCH I WORRY ABOUT THEM,
NOW DO I SOUND SPOILED TO YOU?
YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE JUDGEMENTS UNTIL YOU WALK IN SOMEONE ELSES SHOES FOR A WHILE.
How can you enforce something that I see police officers themselves breaking on a daily basis. I cannot tell you how many times i’ve seen police officers yapping on their cellphones while driving. You have to lead by example and they clearly are not doing so.
so true. if you read the papers you see (every week) police caught doing a lot of things they should not be doing. i have started to wonder if there are any honest cops left. its no wonder they dont command the respect they once did.
Absolutely, the police are all cheats and liars. We should do away with all laws since they can’t be enforced by these criminals. Every law passed is sucking your freedom out your ears. Anarchy is the only solution. Get real guys. Just because a law is hard to enforce doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have laws.
I don’t know where you drive, but in S Fla, Anarchy IS what’s happening on the roads. That’s my point.
Enforce what we have and raise the penalty so it’s not worth the risk. If the penalty for no insurance is $5K, insurance only costs $3K, people would actually buy insurance. Right now it’s only $500, so it’s ‘worth it’ to risk it. Plus the so-called law that says if you cause an accident and don’t have liability, it’s $1200 fine? I’ve personally reported 2 people who hit me and known of 3 others that were reported, and guess what? NOTHING. OUR insurance companies paid for damages while the drivers with no insurance walked away.
And no license? 15-25 times picked up is the average for one person before they do a few days in jail. (or they kill someone)
The ONLY people who will be affected by a cell phone ban is the people who work, have insurance, have tags, and care about fines and points. And, IMHO, is what’s wrong with it. Easy money for municipalities. They won’t target the car with no hood or tags, because they won’t pay anyway. They’ll target us. And, yes, I’ve had cops tell me point blank that if a ‘nice’ car is going 95 vs a POS going 95, the nice car will get stopped because they will pay the fine. The POS probably has no insurance, no license, but it’s a ‘cost’ to the municipality because they will never pay the fine until they are pursued. (which costs money) And the fines aren’t high enough to justify further legal action, even if you could find them. (which a lot of them just disappear)
If they’d get the others off the road, the number of accidents would drop. Again, not rocket science.
Dawn,
I agree 100%….raise the fines! When CA imposed a “cell phone” fine last year, I couldn’t beleive it. If you look at my earlier post, I stated that I got a ticket for parking in my OWN driveway ($85.00-not only once, but 3 times in the same week…that’s another subject,though). I can’t understand why the fines don’t fit the infractions. the bluetooth/hands-free device is a no-brainer. The only way to get drivers to continue using them is to increase the fines…..I bet they would think twice!
Cheli,
No need to shout….I can read you :)
Sorry for your loss…..
I apologize for assuming, but you have to understand my frustration with the cell phones (bluetooth/hands free not included-perhaps I should have clarified) but c’mon. What did we do BEFORE there were cell phones, faxes, etc? We had made do. All I am saying is that if you MUST use your cell phone, pull over. 3 mintues of your driving time is nothing compared to the time you lose if you get into an accident….not to mention the anxiety if someone actually gets hurt.
Also, I wish the kids would utilize voicemail more often…I have trouble having my own kids use it. Perhaps we can lead by example?
The drivers that have no license or insurance cause more deaths then people on blue-tooth. Those are the fines that need to be tripled. Along with jail time before the 25th offense. Or they kill someone. Like I said, it’s estimated that 1/3 of the cars shouldn’t be on the road at all.
I’m all for a law for hands-free. But there would be no way to enforce a law against bluetooth- especially through sync, or Onstar, or any of those programs. Some cities down here already have a law against hand-held devices. I use my iPhone. I listen to music on it in the car, and it automatically cuts off the music when I activate my blue-tooth, which I put on before I start the car. When I turn it off, the music starts again. So even if you saw me on the road, there would be no way for you to tell if I was talking on my headset at any given time. Neither could a cop.
I thought you gave up already? I’ve been driving for years chit chatting on my cell between my ear and shoulder and eating with one hand and changing the radio station with the other hand and driving with one knee while turned around tending to “Mary & John” ALL while driving…and I have never caused a accident….however, some one ran into me one day as i was driving changing my shirt..lol..guess he was too busy being a peeping tom..so looks like nosey people are still on my list
I use bluetooth and voice dialing. but i can remember life without cable/24 hour tv,and computers and gps. i could live without it but its nice to have.
I think you are all missing the point. Some people can drive safely with cell phone and some can’t. so now we are going to remove another right? You walk your dog down my street and he does his business on my lawn – NO MORE DOGS ON MY STREET. Big Brother is taking away ALL our rights one after another. What happened to “self responsibility”? After all, I can no longer eat strawberries – REMOVE THEM FROM ALL STORES.
Signed, Big Brother
When I see a driver not going with traffic, going too slow or weaving between lanes, it’s almost always because they are on the phone. Self centered jerks like these won’t care about any law. The world will end if the can’t receive and respond to their highly important calls 24/7.
Banning cell phones makes more sense than seat belt laws. When some moron on the phone hits me, it’s my problem. When some moron not wearing a seatbelt flies 1,000 feet through their windshield, that’s their problem.
Cell phone or no cell phone,
women drivers
no survivors
Hang up and drive before you kill someone.
Thank you,
The guy who says what you all think but won’t say.
Even if cell phone use with a hands-free device were banned, how do you enforce it?
There’s no way a cop can see a hands-free device in a driver’s right ear in a car at any speed. At best, it would be a secondary infraction.
Better enforcement of current speeding, weaving, obstruction of traffic, and reckless driving laws should be the first step before implementing new restrictions.
Ratemaker, you’re right, it would be difficult to enforce.
But if hefty fines were introduced, and everyone knew it was illegal, then a lot less people would do it. Sure, many people would still do it, but less is better than nothing.
Nobody, you and I have been on the same page about this issue for some time, judging from your posts but I am quite sure this will be very unpopular, same as the helmet laws. I too cringe when I drive because I can spot these “jerks” quite easily. I have a cell phone and use it mostly for making tee times or calling from the grocery store. I don’t use it any more than I would a pay phone, that is, I only make necessary calls, not elective. Too bad some folks think they need to be “in touch”, just because they can. Doubt if anything will change
Taking away people’s ability to use cell phones while driving denies me my Darwinian right to clear the surplus of stupid genes in my gene pool. Let them continue to use the phone I say.
It is about time that the initiatives become executed to enforce this ban. Too many people do not pay attention while using such devices. BBerries and Palms should also be considered….anyone see the movie “7 Pounds”? That says enough why the ban should be in place.
There’s no way to enforce hands-free bans. New cars can broadcast your call over the radio speakers. Voice activation is the latest ‘gadget’ on almost every model.
So if you’re singing to the radio a cop can stop you because he suspects you’re on the phone?
I do most of my phone time on my cell phone in the car. I am not going to say I am capable while others are not. I scream on a daily basis at some idiot who isnt paying attention while they are on the phone – typically holding the phone – and yes typically female (although there are a large share of male idiots out there too). As somebody who does a lot of driving on a daily basis, I object to the ban because it is 2+ hours I can connect with family, return business calls, etc. but I dont drive without my Bluetooth and I put it in before I leave the parking lot or driveway.
It’s just my opinion. I do agree hands free is critical and I would probably do it anyway if you took away my right to talk hands free. Give the idiots who are shaving or doing make up, driving, drinking coffee and holding the phone the ticket. I see them on my normal commute every day but apparently the cops arent around and dont care.
While we are at it, why not ban “driving with children” and “driving while upset”. If that doesn’t work, we could always go to a five (5) mph national speed limit – and you thought that “Bambi” was going to slow down the economy!
Glenf you are too funny!!!!
I agree – I drive over 800 miles during the work week. My car IS my office. I have used my cell phone while driving daily for almost 18 yrs. Yes, I used to have the huge brick phone. My car has boothtooth in the radio and I log over 2000 min a month, mostly while driving. I am a female & have not had a single car accident while on the phone. I don’t think talking and driving are any more dangerous then someone smoking & driving or messing with the radio. Keep the government OUT of our lives.
Lets be realistic, not talking on the phone while driving won’t happen. I must agree that it is annoying when you see a BAD driver talking on the phone. Actually, when I get caught being a BAD driver while talking on the phone, I get embarrassed. All I am saying is you have these Not For Profit organizations who have nothing else to do but keep finding another thing to ***** about. MADD is now looking to put breathlizers on EVERYBODY’s car with or without being convicted of a DUI. Things are just getting a little insane. Pull people over if they are chatting on their handheld- ok. Start teaching that you are not to use your cell phone to the 15 year old drivers ed students- ok. What is that saying again, the most effective prison is when the prisoners don’t know they are in one.
Change of times, change of laws- AGREE but lets slow this down a bit.
I wondered what idots put us on the seat belt law so bureacrates can collect fines. Now it’s phones. Airline pilots and all pilots should not be talking with tower & ATC while shooting complicate landings, approaches and weather related courses.
I couldn’t agree with you more KKSMO!!
I am too a women driver, not in one accident, drive 800 miles a week for business and need and relish this time between states to work and catch up with my life.
I agree completely. Put the ban in place; the great majority of people are law abiding and will comply. It will be safer overall even if those few don’t go along.
Hopefully there will be less drivers out there to have to honk at…(I have been re-ended twice by drivers on cell phones…..the first thing I do after I come to a complete stop is look in my rear-view mirror. If they are on a phone, I honk my horn!)
If a driver wants to come out of a driveway in an area where traffic is backed up, the first thing I do is see if they are on the phone. If they are, they won’t be let in by me. Those of you who think you are above these numbers in the study, think again. You have been lucky to this point.
How can you tell?
The people who are holding their phone up to their ear so they can’t see what’s beside them when they decide to move over annoy me.
But how can you tell someone who is singing with the radio, talking to themselves, or talking on hands free?
I’m tired of these single issue lobbying groups who want to take away one or another of our freedoms in the name of safety. Little by little our freedoms are being assaulted by these groups and we the lilly-livered Americans are allowing ourselves to be manipulated into buying it. The cumulative effect is that we are becomming a society that is enslaving itself. Thomas Jefferson said that a society that will sacrafice its freedoms for safety will end up being neither free nor safe. We have got to stop this trend in America of trying to prevent certain outcomes by outlawing individual freedoms. One day we’ll wake up in a country that says United States but feels like 1950’s Soviet Union of Red China. How safe was the individual in those countries.
First of all…I’d like to know how they sort that data. For example, not every accident a cell phone user gets into is caused by the talking on the cell phone. They just happen to be using the phone when the accident occurred. I can think of a few types of accidents where it wouldn’t have mattered one bit. But, because the person was on the cell phone it gets listed as a cell use caused accident. Say, a deer runs in front of the car…fat chance you’ll avoid that accident cell phone or no cell phone.
Second, the artcile has this quote:
“There are over 100 million people engaged in this behavior,” Ulczycki said.
This is probably the majority of all drivers considering this is about 1/3 of ALL americans (child, adult, and elderly). If such a large percentage of drivers use cell phones, is 6% truly a significant number total accidents? Yes..Yes..Yes.. you can argue that any number of accidents is to many for a preventable cause. But, what next? Test ALL drivers at every license renewal and take away the persons license at any age for any failed part of the test? Nearly ALL of you would lose your license. But, it could save my life.
Well, just throwing that out for conversations sake. Yes, I occassionally talk on the cell while driving and always use a bluetooth headset. I do try to avoid it most times though. I will also add that I see more people driving recklessly without using cell phones and I do spend a lot of time on the road.
Maybe we should all just live in a padded cell from birth to death! Then we won’t hurt ourselves or anyone else!!
Is banning the use of a productivity device really the best way to solve a problem?
Thousands of auto-accidents occur daily with a number of contributing factors to each loss. Instead of banning a device that fuels a portion of our economy, how about looking for solution to the problem?
Possible solution:
How about making DMV exams more difficult to pass? i.e. test for the proficiency of multi-tasking – some people CAN successfully do two things at once! Do we really need to punish those who are capable of doing this safely?
While were on the topic of poor driving, how about we also test people on their reaction time as well? I have seen many drivers that either A. for some reason can’t even get their car above 50 mph on the freeway (Speed limit 65, and driving in the left lane?!) or B. can react and control their vehicle to a proficiency that allows them to avoid loss.
Cell phones in the hands of drivers don’t kill people, ignorance does. Paying attention to what is going on around you and avoiding tailgating can save many more lives than any ban.
Instead of telling everyone what they can and can’t do, why don’t we look for solutions to problems? Avoiding the problem simply won’t make it go away…
Are you serious? Read the article. They are not limiting a freedom to protect you from yourself, they are limiting your freedom to protect ME from YOU. Wake up, I don’t want to drive with self centered, arrogant idiots thinking they are so important they can endanger myself, my family or my friends. Again, think man, think. Or better yet, leave the country if you don’t like it.
You are right! What were we thinking abolishing slavery?!?!?!? Back to prohibition!!! And women voting??? What has this country come to?!?!?!?!?!
Drastic times call for drastic measures, not that banning cell phones while driving is that drastic.
And if the only time you can catch up with family, friends and your life is while driving in a car, talking on a cell phone, perhaps you shouldn’t have made work a higher priority than family & friends.
We all somehow survived before cell phones. I’m sure we can pull through this.
I agree. You don’t have the right to endanger others through your inattention to the primary duty, driving. Driving is not your right. By the way, I didn’t say the law would work, just that I think cell phone usage when driving is self-centered and foolish. I’m more importtant than the well being and property of those sharing the road with me. Typical of our me culture.
I agree with banning hand-held cell phone usage, but how is the cop going to give me a ticket when i use a bluetooth? all i have to do is end the call when i see bluelights. I am a woman driver with 2 kids to keep up with. If i have to pull over every time my phone rings,i will never get anywhere.
cheli,
Are you telling me that keeping up with YOUR two kids is more important than possibly endangering the lives of others? So typical for the average American today, it’s all about me. Like I said, self centered.
How do you think the telcom companies will lobby here??
How do you think the telcom companies will lobby here??
I said i use voice dialing and a bluetooth. and yes, to me MY TWO KIDS are more important to me than ANYthing else. HOWEVER….i also said i agree that you should not use a cell phone without a bluetooth. (and i have never had an accident)
How did our parents function without cellphones? How did they keep track of us? It’s amazing the human race did not cease to exist without cellphones and blackberries!
Times were different then, parents have a lot more to worry about now.
Well, here in California, we recently implemented a “hands fee device” requirement. Huh. What is the fine, $10. for the first offense and $20. for the second??? I got a ticket for PARKING in my OWN driveway for $85.00….what’s the logic in that? I guess they figure my emergency break will release and roll into a pedestrian…fought this ticket and lost(that’s another story)….
As a matter of fact, I am seeing more and more drivers losing the bluetooth and going back to the hand-held. WT*? I say ban cell phones all together in the cars and implement fines that would really make a person think three times before talking on a cell phone while driving. Maybe a $500. for the first offense, $1,000 for the second. (I have trouble speaking to a passenger in my car. Have told people to “wait” to talk to me because of traffic jams in the financial district..too many cars, bikes and pedestrians).
Also, has it occured to anyone that you can pull over and chit-chat? That’s what I do…no phone, no bluetooth…I ignore the phone while I drive. I will pull over to make my call….I can’t find a phone booth anymore (what’s a phone booth?)….
I don’t know of a single person closing an important business deal on the cell phone while driving….how rude to your client if you try!
I guess common courtesy is on the way out…it’s me, me, me first…
Cheli, and a few others, read the article, Bluetooth does not help. Its still dangerous.
And Cheli, why would you pull over? Just let it go to voice mail!! Call your loser friends back some other time. How bout talking to your kids instead of chatting on the phone!! Kids are smart, they know they are being neglected.
Cheli,
I just read your first post….I am a mother of four…how do you think I do it?
Evidently, you are more concerned with going somewhere than the safety of your children. What kind of example are you setting for them? Then you’ll be sorry when you do have an accident and someone gets really hurt becasue all you can think about is yourself…what do you think we did before cell phones? Whatever it is, it can wait……
Ok folks, when the next article about DWI comes up, remember, cell phones are just as dangerous! Its in the article.
So…bring on the cell phone road blocks, and impound peoples cars. If there is an injury accident, send them straight to jail.
Arent you MADD about cell phones?
Sorry, Cheli. Disagree. We CHOOSE to put more on our plate than we can handle. Something has to be sacrificed. Work, family, safety… Ask yourself, is that phone call more important than your safety and the safety of others around you?
“Times were different then, parents have a lot more to worry about now”.
Cheli, are you being facetious? You can’t be serious….is that soccer game a matter of life and death? You don’t know how much EASIER we have it than back in the 60’s.
Maybe you should stop chatting on the phone and start listening to your kids and interact with them more…the sure do know when they are being ignored…
“Times were different then, parents have a lot more to worry about now”.
Cheli, are you being facetious? You can’t be serious….is that soccer game a matter of life and death? You don’t know how much EASIER we have it than back in the 60’s.
Maybe you should stop chatting on the phone and start listening to your kids and interact with them more…the sure do know when they are being ignored…
“Times were different then, parents have a lot more to worry about now”.
Cheli, are you being facetious? You can’t be serious….is that soccer game a matter of life and death? You don’t know how much EASIER we have it than back in the 60’s.
Maybe you should stop chatting on the phone and start listening to your kids and interact with them more…the sure do know when they are being ignored…
it IS my kids i am talking to! that was the point i was making!!!
My job keeps me on the road, i dont just drive around for pleasure.
I disagree that using a bluetooth is dangerous.
And the study in the article disagrees with you. There have been other studies as well.
We all appreciate your bickering however, take your argument elsewhere. There WAS a discussion taking place…
my kids are my life. i spend every minute that i am not at work with them and they are not lacking for attention. However, when i was a kid, it was unheard of to worry about guns in school. you were safe there. it was rare in small towns to have drive-by shootings, now it is common. you must not have kids.
How can one drive by and shoot if they are on the phone? Multitasking.
If nobody important and amazed can voice their opinions, why do you have a problem with us doing so also?
Bann the hand held cell phones, bann the hand guns and let me have my bluetooth!!
Cheli,
Can you honestly say, you drive just as safely with the bluetooth as you do without?
Have any of you ever done a study? You can skew the study by how ever you manifest the data, how you ask a question, and how you interpret the data. When you show me data from an unbiased source i will consider changing my actions and habits of driving while holding my cell phone. Ive been driving for 10 years now without an accident while talkin and driving. The bigger issue is all the people on the road who forgot who has the right of way and continue to drive as if they always are right.
Speeding, talking, multitasking and other things you all are talkinb about isnt dangerous…its the people driving who are dangerous. Learn to know your own limitations and what you can and can not do
Sorry, I am lining up with freedom on this. It may seem minor, but what about when this same group does not like my SUV, kills more people in a crash than a Prius. What about my snowmobile, I could start an avalanche and kill some snowshoer. What about my house on a cliff in Calif, could slide down and kill someone. Now my plane, that is totally out of the question, it could crash into a house. On second thought I think I will just give up driving and get back my freedom to drink and talk on the phone.
Ya know, while we’re at it…if low credit scores are such a good indicator of future loss, then why not take on credit card companies and the credit scoring bureaus that support them? They also represent an indirect cause of loss.
Why, if we would simply ignore the obvious problems (cell phone usage) and begin to concentrate on improving the results of these other “indicators”, we would begin to enjoy record underwriting profits! If you believe that, well I hear AIG may be hiring.
The insurance industry must start debiting the premium of anyone with a cell phone – and I do mean now. If you use a cell phone, you are a burden on the backs of the rest of us who do not use cell phones, and, we present ourselves as superior risks. If you are married, have elderly parents, teenaged kids, or any other stressor in your life – your premium should be, in fairness to the rest of us, increased by 15%, because you represent an increased risk of being in an accident.
If you don’t buy all of this…well, you’re just stupid and/or too lazy to read all of the studies, which may exist or will exist once we can swing funding from the industry.
Come on, they can’t even enforce simple things like speeding (ever heard of the 100 mph club? It’s a social club down here), insurance, tags, especially DRIVERS LICENSES!
I’m sorry, but there is no way you will ever convince me that a valid driver in a legal car on a cell phone is more dangerous then a driver with no license, no tags, no insurance, doing 103 on the highway. Yet the cops just can’t seem to do anything about it.
When roughly 33% of the cars on Fla are illegal in some way, cell phones are the LEAST of our worries. Let’s start increasing the penalties and start enforcing the other laws before we add more to the book.
The only cops that will enfoce it are the small town sherriff wanna-bes that have nothing better to do, and the only people they will stop will be the ones actually doing the speed limit in a nice new car that the cops know will pay the fine.
Geez, drive by shootings are simple. Your passenger would either hold the wheel while you shoot or have them do your shooting. Delegate. Are you foolish?
Today on the way into work I was behind an Ohio State Patrolman going slower than the speed limit; guess what he was doing… that’s right… dialing his cell phone.
Ohioan, Isn’t that the truth? Police are exempt….CHP’s do it here, too.
Ah, you have provided us with a bit of clarity.
This is not as much about safety or other such pedestrian considerations, as it is about funding public safety (i.e. Police Depts) in a failing economy.
You got it right – the police will ticket those law abiding (well, kinda-sorta law abiding) citizens, driving around in perfectly legal vehicles, who, having a cell phone, must have a bi-weekly paycheck and a check book.
The police picnic/golf tournament is coming up and the beer fund is too low? Run a cell phone trap and, voila, the beer cart is fully funded!
Yes, sir! Only in Amerika.
and how would you prove that i talk on a cell phone while driving?
Agent: what is your dob? ss#? address? what is the vin# of the car we are insuring today? do you talk on your cell phone while driving?
how many people will answer that with a yes if they think their premuim will go up?
I talk on my cell and drive everyday…so what is the big deal…..If they are gonna ban one thing they should ban all things…smoking a cigg. and driving is more dangerous….for instance…what do you do if your cigg. falls in your lap? do you leave it there while you find a place to pull over and remove it…NOOOO you flinch because you just burned yourself then you pick it up and toss it. WELL WELL WELL while you were tending to your brand new pair of burned Lacoste slacks that only cost you a arm and a leg..you just so happen to rearend someone. That goes for any situation. We shouldn’t single out cell phones….if one thing goes they all should go…….talking on my blue tooth is a lot less dangerous than some. Come on now, Lets start banning things that are more important first…and for the rest of you get back to work, you’ve been on here all day!!!???
i could not have said i it better!
1) first of all, any study can be persuaded to look like numbers are properly to reflect good or bad. think of all those numbers when we talk about presidents and what they have accomplished. i can create any study to say anything i want.
2) phone records can be researched by the police showing that you were on the phone at the time of the incident. don’t think you can just switch it off and not get caught.
3) it does not matter if hands free or not, it does distract a driver. it amazes me how many folks lean to the window with the phone in hand or speed faster down the road. it does not matter if your a policeman or not, everyone has to abide the law. they are not exempt or above the law when they are just cruising. question, if they pass this, how are they going to enforce it? are you truly going to catch everyone and if you let someone go, then you have to let them all go. so it’s a nogo!
4) solution: instead of making it illegal, do something similar like the europeans…if you cause an accident, reduce the damage paid out by the insurance company and increase your fine by the amount per speed or in this case, by having been on the phone that possibly could have lessened the damages…doing it this way can alleviate the problem of enforcement…there are already towns that have passed laws stating that if your on the phone at the time of the incident, that even if you were not at-fault at the time, you are now considered at-fault for the accident…we had a child killed because the other party could have prevented the accident if they were paying attention…
so, where do we stand?! i am for individuals starting to take responsibility of our own actions. from wearing a seatbelt, helmets, eating while driving. we have to be individually held accountable. stop the federal government to take away from our small libery of choice. yes, we all like to be safe, but where does that stop or end? it could be like me sitting watching a game of baseball, and get hit by a bat or ball (think of little league). are you truly going to sue the parent of the child because you got hurt? in the major leagues, most clubs will take care of their fans. police have too much to do to protect us, like the I-90 shooter. or any other felonious crime.
i’m all for not using a mobile phone (making a call or text)whilst driving without an earpiece (i often berate my partner for doing this and regularly have to put my foot down with a firm hand!) however, if there is going to be a total ban regardless, what is the difference between this and having passengers in your vechicle? surely this is even more distracting as you can take your eyes off the road. what next a ban on carrying passengers!
I think Johnny Law still has to have a subpoena to get phone records, which probably wouldn’t be worth the effort… but then if fine is to cover the Police weiney roast…
OK KKMSO how would you feel if instead of banning they just said if you ever hurt anyone while on the phone, if they are injured you are guilty of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, and if you kill someone you are guilty of 2nd degree murder?
I don’t think “but I talk on the phone 2,000 minutes a month while driving” is a viable justification for permitting it.
As I said in my previous comment, this is not about YOUR rights but MINE. It is MY RIGHT to safe passage on the roadways. When you are jabbing about who cares what on the phone and you’re not paying attention (and you’re not as study after study has shown) you are violating my rights.
Helmet and seatbelt laws are Nanny State laws meant to keep you from hurting yourself. While this is an honorable intent, a law preventing you from violating your own rights is a lot different in my mind than one that prevents you from violating mine.
Oh no, you would not be so direct as to ask an obvious question. Instead, you would contract with all of the cell phone companies to release an indication of the insured’s cell phone usage (a cell phone score, if you will), and then place the client in the appropriate premium tier.
Yeah! The police are drunks too! Don’t they deserve the right to bust ya and fund their picnics? Damn right they do!
Who are you to question the few who rule, hmmmm? What did you think you had goin’ on up in here? A republic or somethin’?
Dang it, now! The police put your life on the line everytime they stop you…the least you can do is help them get drunk from time to time.
..I saw a guy zipping-up his pants as he drove.
You think THAT’S something ?
You should’ve seen his girl-friend re-fastening her bra at the same time.
Now THAT’S distractive!
(I almost hit a pole as I reached for a Kleenex)
even then, if you had a passenger in the car with you,how would they proved you had not loaned the phone to them? or asked them to make the call for you?
Too many people have pre-paid service for any of this to matter. no records.
You don’t like the facts in the survey, make up your own. It seems most people do anyway. My personal survey shows that the people on the phones that I see on the road are not paying attention to their driving. My own personal scientific survey. I just prefer that my family and myself not be hurt by these self centered people.
how are is it going to be enforced? afterall, we are not enforcing the 55 MPH or 70 MPH speed limit. we are not enforcing the Seatbelt ticket. in most states, seatbelt tickets are only issued after a primary violation. so what are you going to do? if you are trying to mitigate accidents, then lets try to educate folks because your not going to stop them. what most folks don’t realize, if they allow folks to do things against the rules/laws, they can’t enforce them. so when you see many folks keep speeding 65 in 55, they have to allow that and can’t convict you. how many of you know that you can ask to see the radar gun? it is the item convicting you, but you must ask to see it upon them stating they used the gun to catch your speed. if not, then they can’t cite you a ticket also. again, it’s the matter of enforcement? and how do we allow even the police officers to do it? i have seen many using cellphones in their vehicles or even the laptops….
Our dog barks at some people, no telling who, and barks ferociously at all other dogs when she is taking a ride in the family car. It can be a little distracting telling her to “pipe down.” Next ban – dogs in cars!
Also my kids used to act up once in a while on a long drive. Maybe we can ban screaming children from cars – or maybe we should take them to the nearest police station to scare them into being quiet!
well, in many states they do have an ordinace for decibal levels. problem is that when they go down the road, and the bass is so loud, it reverberates through my house and hard to hear the TV. so can we ban these cars w/the bass that feels like it going to rock my skin off the car; or can i sue them for loss of hearing?
It matters in this instance too. I drive 30 minutes each way to work on a rural four lane highway in Iowa. Not much of a problem talking on the phone as there isn’t much traffic to worry about. On the other hand, I would not even consider talking on the phone while driving on I-80 across Iowa, or in Des Moines.
I can see using a cell in highly populated areas being an issue, but out here in the boondocks, I don’t see it as a problem.
Cheli,
Like I said before, I have 4 kids, now grown, but yes, they had soccer/karate/ballet, etc…I was on the go-go-go all the time. Although they are 18,20, 21 & 26 now, it wasn’t THAT long ago where I put over 200,000 miles on my Ford Taurus taking them and their friends herre there and everywhere WITHOUT the use of a cell phone. You sound like a very young, inexperienced mother who has been spoiled by the cell phone……
Rikki,
It’s pretty easy noticing these drivers. I happened to be at a stop sign or a red light each time I saw these jokers…..anyway, I’ve been driving for 34 years (do the math) and have NEVER had an accident…both hands belong ON THE WHEEL not on a cell while applying mascara and trying to calm down Mary & Johnny in the back seat while you balance your latte between you knees reading a map….again, deal with it and pull over! (No- I am NO a rarity – my husband was a long haul truck-driver (teamseter) for 30 years WITHOUT any fines or accidents – ditto for all of my kids. It really doesn’t take rocket science to figure out how to keep our roads safe…….
I guess they are gonna ban kids from being in the car too…as a matter of fact, while they are at it…they should ban radios too…whose not guilty of changing the station while driving or changing a cd…looks like we will all be walking pretty soon… we cant ride the bus because they are distracted by looking for people at the bus stop to pick up…YESH….i dont even know if walking is safe…someone might be looking at their watch and walk into me…
Try the phone users speeding through Chicago or any major city. In those cities it seems like more people are on the phone while driving through traffic and pedestrians than not on the phone.
Driving from point “A” to point “B” today which was a matter of approx 22 blocks, I counted 8 people talking on their cell
(NOT a bluetooth) with their right hand clenching the phone to their right ear. Half of these idiots didn’t bother to stop at a stop sign and one alsmost side-swipped a car ahead of me…..We need tougher fines…and as for cigarettes burning your crotch and screaming kids in the back seat, deal with it! (I don’t smoke and all my kids are adult non-smokers)….pull over, whydon’tcha?
Are serious??? You could have gotten into an accident while you were to busy being nosey watching everyone else. Looks like you were just as distracted as they were while they were talking on their phone…..I see we need add nosey drivers to banning list..lol
its really easy for people with no small kids to tell others to deal with it.
All of these people who are sooo eager to ban bluetooth in a car more than likely dont have kids that they have to keep up with and dont have friends to talk to.
You’re right. It’s easy to figure out how to keep our roads safe.
1. ENFORCE that silly law that requires driver’s licenses. Gee, that takes care of almost 1/3 of all cars on the road.
2. ENFORCE that other silly law that says you have to have tags and insurance. Gee, more cars off the road.
That won’t leave many for those on cell phones to hit.
Cut down on traffic = cut down on accidents. ESPECIALLY the ones that don’t have a license or lost it for whatever reason. Not rocket science.
Stop nitpicking over the small stuff. You might be able to stop hand held phones (which, BTW- I don’t like, either) but you can’t stop bluetooth (which a most newer models actually have through the radio) the radio, CD, GPS, eating, drinking hot coffee, etc that most drivers are doing in their cars these days. (okay, I do take issue with reading the paper and shaving, but that’s another thread)
I WISH! I AM 40 YEARS OLD THIS MONTH AND I HAVE RAISED 2 BOYS AND I HAVE A DAUGHTER IN THE 11TH GRADE. SHE WORKS, IS IN EVERY CLUB AT SCHOOL AND HAS COLOR GUARD PRACTISE 3 DAYS A WEEK. SHE IS THE ONE I TALK TO MOST OF THE TIME. SHE CALLS ME WHEN SHE LEAVES SCHOOL TO GO TO WHAT EVER EVENT SHE HAS TO GO TO THAT DAY.
MY SON CALLS ME CONSTANTLY TO KEEP ME UP ON WHAT HE IS DOING AND WHERE HE IS BECAUSE I LOST MY OLDER SON 2 YEARS AGO AND THEY KNOW HOW MUCH I WORRY ABOUT THEM,
NOW DO I SOUND SPOILED TO YOU?
YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE JUDGEMENTS UNTIL YOU WALK IN SOMEONE ELSES SHOES FOR A WHILE.
How can you enforce something that I see police officers themselves breaking on a daily basis. I cannot tell you how many times i’ve seen police officers yapping on their cellphones while driving. You have to lead by example and they clearly are not doing so.
so true. if you read the papers you see (every week) police caught doing a lot of things they should not be doing. i have started to wonder if there are any honest cops left. its no wonder they dont command the respect they once did.
Absolutely, the police are all cheats and liars. We should do away with all laws since they can’t be enforced by these criminals. Every law passed is sucking your freedom out your ears. Anarchy is the only solution. Get real guys. Just because a law is hard to enforce doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have laws.
no one said we shouldnt have laws. of course we should. we JUST made a statement that we wished there were more honest men in law inforcement. geeze!
I don’t know where you drive, but in S Fla, Anarchy IS what’s happening on the roads. That’s my point.
Enforce what we have and raise the penalty so it’s not worth the risk. If the penalty for no insurance is $5K, insurance only costs $3K, people would actually buy insurance. Right now it’s only $500, so it’s ‘worth it’ to risk it. Plus the so-called law that says if you cause an accident and don’t have liability, it’s $1200 fine? I’ve personally reported 2 people who hit me and known of 3 others that were reported, and guess what? NOTHING. OUR insurance companies paid for damages while the drivers with no insurance walked away.
And no license? 15-25 times picked up is the average for one person before they do a few days in jail. (or they kill someone)
The ONLY people who will be affected by a cell phone ban is the people who work, have insurance, have tags, and care about fines and points. And, IMHO, is what’s wrong with it. Easy money for municipalities. They won’t target the car with no hood or tags, because they won’t pay anyway. They’ll target us. And, yes, I’ve had cops tell me point blank that if a ‘nice’ car is going 95 vs a POS going 95, the nice car will get stopped because they will pay the fine. The POS probably has no insurance, no license, but it’s a ‘cost’ to the municipality because they will never pay the fine until they are pursued. (which costs money) And the fines aren’t high enough to justify further legal action, even if you could find them. (which a lot of them just disappear)
If they’d get the others off the road, the number of accidents would drop. Again, not rocket science.
Dawn,
I agree 100%….raise the fines! When CA imposed a “cell phone” fine last year, I couldn’t beleive it. If you look at my earlier post, I stated that I got a ticket for parking in my OWN driveway ($85.00-not only once, but 3 times in the same week…that’s another subject,though). I can’t understand why the fines don’t fit the infractions. the bluetooth/hands-free device is a no-brainer. The only way to get drivers to continue using them is to increase the fines…..I bet they would think twice!
Cheli,
No need to shout….I can read you :)
Sorry for your loss…..
I apologize for assuming, but you have to understand my frustration with the cell phones (bluetooth/hands free not included-perhaps I should have clarified) but c’mon. What did we do BEFORE there were cell phones, faxes, etc? We had made do. All I am saying is that if you MUST use your cell phone, pull over. 3 mintues of your driving time is nothing compared to the time you lose if you get into an accident….not to mention the anxiety if someone actually gets hurt.
Also, I wish the kids would utilize voicemail more often…I have trouble having my own kids use it. Perhaps we can lead by example?
The drivers that have no license or insurance cause more deaths then people on blue-tooth. Those are the fines that need to be tripled. Along with jail time before the 25th offense. Or they kill someone. Like I said, it’s estimated that 1/3 of the cars shouldn’t be on the road at all.
I’m all for a law for hands-free. But there would be no way to enforce a law against bluetooth- especially through sync, or Onstar, or any of those programs. Some cities down here already have a law against hand-held devices. I use my iPhone. I listen to music on it in the car, and it automatically cuts off the music when I activate my blue-tooth, which I put on before I start the car. When I turn it off, the music starts again. So even if you saw me on the road, there would be no way for you to tell if I was talking on my headset at any given time. Neither could a cop.
SFOInsuranceLady,
I thought you gave up already? I’ve been driving for years chit chatting on my cell between my ear and shoulder and eating with one hand and changing the radio station with the other hand and driving with one knee while turned around tending to “Mary & John” ALL while driving…and I have never caused a accident….however, some one ran into me one day as i was driving changing my shirt..lol..guess he was too busy being a peeping tom..so looks like nosey people are still on my list
I use bluetooth and voice dialing. but i can remember life without cable/24 hour tv,and computers and gps. i could live without it but its nice to have.
I think you are all missing the point. Some people can drive safely with cell phone and some can’t. so now we are going to remove another right? You walk your dog down my street and he does his business on my lawn – NO MORE DOGS ON MY STREET. Big Brother is taking away ALL our rights one after another. What happened to “self responsibility”? After all, I can no longer eat strawberries – REMOVE THEM FROM ALL STORES.
Signed, Big Brother