Community Chat

[ECBG]

We've all seen the drivers that sit through the major time the green light is on, how people swerve around them when they crawl down the passing lane and the interstate, and last, but not least, people have gotten killed.

They could pull over to make the call, but they won't.

Should the people that won't get ear buds get a ticket?

[lolakimono]

It used to be a secondary offense, but now it is a primary offense.  All drivers must have Bluetooth/hands free capabilities to talk while driving.

[Moonchilde]

They already do in most states, and fines as well. The problem is:

Not enough enforcement (cops can't be everywhere, see everyone).

Penalties and fines not nearly stiff enough. It should be big bucks ($500 for first offence, $1000 for second, $3000 for third and lose license) and points on your d/l and affecting your insurance rates.

[athenian]

According to NPR, studies have shown that hands free phone use is almost equally distracting as holding the phone.  Interestingly, listening to the radio, even a talk station like NPR is not.  But the most dangerous thing is texting, which is harder to detect.

[Mz iMac]

I thought it was the law in all states?

[GCR18]

Yes.  Not so sure hand free is much better.  I know people say it's the same difference as talking to someone in the car.

[BlingQueen022]

It's a hopless cause in the dc area especially when you see cops chatting away and texting on their cell phones.  I see it every day in Montgomery county.  They're just as dangerous as everybody else. 

[terriebear]

The statitics are there to prove driving a holding a phone is not a good idea, but only 14 states have laws preventing the use of hand held phones.  Here are the stats:

• Hand-held Cell Phone Use Ban: 14 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using hand-held cell phones while driving.
• All Cell Phone ban: No state bans all cell phone use for all drivers, but 37 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice or teen drivers, and 20 states and D.C. prohibit any cell phone use for school bus drivers.
• Text Messaging ban: 46 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers.
  • 2 states prohibit text messaging by novice or teen drivers.
  • 3 states restrict school bus drivers from texting.

[chickenbutt]

Unfortunately, this is just another of those things that has gone too far and now it's nearly impossible to reverse.

Personally, I don't see a problem with just getting OFF the road to talk on the phone.   I know everybody doesn't feel that way.  Heck, some even think they should be able to do whatever they want when they drive and they will never change their minds until somebody they love gets killed.

There is just no way to adequately monitor this.   There is so much more that LE has to watch.  

I also do realize that some people can responsibly drive and use their phones, particularly with a blutooth.  I think that the very least should be that that is required.  But millions of people are out there not doing that and are not going to get caught and fined.  Even when they do, I bet a good percentage of those will keep on doing it.

[Lucky Charm]

Texters are the worse!

You cannot be texting or reading texts and driving at the same time.

People who text and drive are IDIOTS.