America Moves to Criminalize Cell Phones While Driving

@Green Witch,

Green Witch wrote:

Laws like these are designed for idiots who do not use common sense. I don't see it as the government telling me not to use my cell phone while driving, I see it as a law to protect me from all the morons who can't figure out it is dangerous.

That would be most of your peers....I dont personally know anyone who will not pick up while driving, though I do know a few who will try to pull over if they take a call.

2 Replies

Driving in most jurisdictions is considered a privilege, not a right.
You are only allowed to drive because the state has given you the permission. There are many restrictions on driving already, and considering the safety record of this product, more should be made.
Driving with a cell phone is not only incredibly dangerous, it's selfish. As far as distractions go, I believe cell phones are 5th on the list of worst offenders. Children, passengers, dogs, eating - smoking - drinking - radio all come before cell phones. However, you can't tell people they can't listen to a radio or conversation or ban passengers. So I think hands free is a good middle ground.

1 Reply

@hawkeye10,

Well, you're talking about your government not mine, hawkeye.
But if I was talking about my government, I have seen enough media reports/details of court cases of deaths & injuries caused by texting drivers, plus personally witnessed enough dangerous driving by texting/talking motorists (sometimes drinking coffee/eating breakfast at the same time!) to support such a ban.
In a nutshell: a person's right to not be killed or injured by a distracted texting/talking driver far out-weighs the rights of anyone to use their mobile phone while driving. No argument in my book.

0 Replies

@hawkeye10,

hawkeye10 wrote:

That would be most of your peers....I dont personally know anyone who will not pick up while driving, though I do know a few who will try to pull over if they take a call.

that may have to do with your acquaintances.

I know a number of people who do not have their mobiles turned on when they are driving. They tend to be people who work with people who have been catastrophically injured or people who have worked in emergency rooms or people who have lost friends or family in accidents caused by distracted drivers.

I disconnected my hands-free option and put my cell phone away the day my neighbours' son was killed by a texting driver.

I take the phone out once I've reached my destination, or I ask my passenger to make any required call. The BB is not on if I'm driving and alone in the car.

0 Replies

I don't need documentation.
I read reports of court cases in reputable newspapers. (I don't think they made these cases up. Wink

)
Plus, as I said, I drive on our roads.
I have seen more than enough negligent driving by texting/talking drivers than I would have liked to have seen.

1 Reply

@msolga,

msolga wrote:

I don't need documentation.
I read reports of court cases in reputable newspapers. (I don't think they made these cases up. )
Plus, as I said, I drive on our roads.
I have seen more than enough negligent driving by texting/talking drivers than I would have liked to have seen.

I deleted the post because I mis-read yours....I had first read you claiming that your countrymen support these kinds of laws when you were talking only of you.

My mistake.

1 Reply

@Ceili,

Ceili wrote:

Driving in most jurisdictions is considered a privilege, not a right.

Which is bullshit until and unless the government ever offers a usable public transit system. We might as well say that breathing is a privilege not a right for all the choice most of us have on whether to drive or not.

1 Reply

@hawkeye10,

hawkeye10 wrote:

Green Witch wrote:

Laws like these are designed for idiots who do not use common sense. I don't see it as the government telling me not to use my cell phone while driving, I see it as a law to protect me from all the morons who can't figure out it is dangerous.

That would be most of your peers....I dont personally know anyone who will not pick up while driving, though I do know a few who will try to pull over if they take a call.

Well then I am all for these laws to keep your idiot acquaintances from killing someone. Really, we lived for years not attached to our phones. I don't think there are many phone calls so important that they can't be returned shortly. The problem is everyone thinks they are so personally important that every call needs their immediate attention. I say again- laws are created for people who are too stupid to do the right thing.

3 Replies

@hawkeye10,

They've never been asked if they support those types of laws.

1 Reply

@Green Witch,

Green Witch wrote:

The problem is everyone thinks they are so personally important that every call needs their immediate attention. I say again- laws are created for people who are too stupid to do the right thing.

ding ding ding

for the small number of surgeons who need to be contacted immediately - I'm willing to consider an exception

none of the rest of us are that important

0 Replies

@Green Witch,

Quote:

. I say again- laws are created for people who are too stupid to do the right thing.

"right" and "smart" are in the eye of the beholder often times. The minority most always thinks that they are right, but we live in a majority rule system so maybe those who think that cell phone should be banned dont get their way unless they first do the heavy lifting of creating a majority behind their opinion...

0 Replies

@msolga,

But I believe our courts are far too lenient about offences caused by texting drivers .... in this case a cyclist was killed.

Quote:

The court was told that Ciach, of Curlewis, was preparing to send an SMS message - cu1 - to a friend while driving near Geelong on the morning of December 30, 2001. She swerved into the bicycle lane and crashed into the back of Mr Marsh's bicycle.

The mechanical engineer, 36, who was returning from a training ride, was thrown against the car's windscreen and roof before landing on the side of the road, apparently dying almost instantly.

Ciach pleaded guilty to culpable driving. Her licence was cancelled for two years.

Text-message driver who killed cyclist goes free:
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/10/1068329487085.html

1 Reply

@msolga,

Quote:

Should the use of cell phones while driving be banned nationwide?
Yes........................78%.......................64958
No........................22%.......................18471

cnn.com

0 Replies

Am I correct that the federal government does not have the authority to ban driving while using a cell phone - or texting? Only the states or localities within a state can do that.
Does that change the discussion at all?

1 Reply

@realjohnboy,

realjohnboy wrote:

Am I correct that the federal government does not have the authority to ban driving while using a cell phone - or texting? Only the states or localities within a state can do that.
Does that change the discussion at all?

Not when the Federal government does have the power and is willing to use the power to say " do it or else you get zip highway dollars!".....The law has been subverted, the Federal government has appropriated vast amounts of power for itself by ways not envisioned by either the reading or the spirit of the Constitution.

The Federal government goes to this well over and over again....they just recently crammed down their will on alleged sexual assault procedures at universities for instance by telling universities " Do as you are told or else you get no student loans or grants or research dollars!"

The alleged separation of powers between the states and universities with the federal government is a fantasy....the Feds have decided to use force to get around the barriers which were put in place to limit its power.

0 Replies

@hawkeye10,

hawkeye10 wrote:

Which is bullshit until and unless the government ever offers a usable public transit system. We might as well say that breathing is a privilege not a right for all the choice most of us have on whether to drive or not.

Bullshit? Really??
You have to be a certain age to drive. You have to pass a test to drive. You have to maintain a good driving record and/or health exam to keep it. The government giveth and the government can most certainly taketh away.
Should the government buy you a vehicle? Pay your insurance, gas or maintenance fees too?
I doubt there is a nation on earth who has free transportation set in their bill of rights. I do know that freedom of movement and breathing are human rights..

2 Replies

@Ceili,

Quote:

Should the government buy you a vehicle? Pay your insurance, gas or maintenance fees too

Given the lack of ability to live a good life in America without the ability to drive the Government is morally wrong to put extensive restrictions on driving. The government is acting the bully here, it is saying " if you are going to get what you need then you listen up and follow all of our rules for you!"....the government is holding over our heads the ability to drive, as it proceeds on its project of micro-managing our lives.

0 Replies

@hawkeye10,

What's the "quality of life for the other 99.9999%" that you're talking about? Being able to drive and talk on the cell is now quality of life? Puh-lease!

And it's not just lives saved - it's injuries and cars damage - do you want your insurance rates to go up because some freaking idiot was texting/calling his g/f about their date? Do you want your wife in a wheelchair because some yobbo was telling his friend what beer to get him? Really. Get a grip.

It's the LAW here... and it should be in the States. It's no different than the No Smoking In Public Places law - everybody moaned and groaned, businesses complained they would lose business, yadda yadda - but you know what? They're doing ok.

Now, here in Alberta (and I know it's happened/happening elsewhere in Canada), we have a .05% alcohol rate. They catch you over that and they impound your car for three days, plus fines, etc. That's one drink per hour for a normal-weighted person. Aw gee. Only one drink an hour. Get a designated driver or a taxi if you want to drink more. I've seen cars weaving all over the road and you bet I call them in. What if they ran someone over?? Too stupid. I don't care if alcohol consumption is off in bars and restaurants. Boo hoo. Small price to pay for a life.

And that's ditto with cell phones. Get a hands-free unit or get off the phone! And Engineer has a good point about being able to hear - trucks whizzing by, horns blaring - yeah, it's hard to hear on a cell phone, plus hard to hold while driving. It's just a stupid idea, and as we all know, a recipe for disaster.

And yeah, the government introduces these laws - eventually - because lives are lost and some people are just too stupid.

How many times have you heard of someone having 13 or so DUIs? Did they learn? NO! So, that's why laws are enacted. To protect us from the stupid, the ignorant, and those who don't care.

1 Reply

@Mame,

Quote:

What's the "quality of life for the other 99.9999%" that you're talking about? Being able to drive and talk on the cell is now quality of life?

Not allowing me contact with the world though my mobile device as I drive significantly and in my opinion with-out justification lowers my quality of life.... yes.

3 Replies

@hawkeye10,

I don't even think you know the meaning of 'quality of life', all things considered, so I'm not going to worry about it overmuch.

1 Reply

America Moves to Criminalize Cell Phones While Driving

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know