Community Chat

[SurferWife]

@Spurt...I hear you. This is one of those topics that really get people's emotions going. It's horrible when accidents occur because of someone being stupid, whether it's texting, drinking, applying make-up, dropping food or drink, or anything that distracts us from keeping our eyes on the road.  Even having a conversation with a passenger can be distracting, so it begs the question, will passing new laws hinder this?

Where I live we have a no talking/texting while driving law, and as cheap as Bluetooth headsets are, it just kills me to see people driving and holding their handset away from their ear, yelling into the speaker phone. Apparently "ha do-free" is a difficult concept to grasp.

[Spurt]

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@SurferWife wrote:

@Spurt...I hear you. This is one of those topics that really get people's emotions going. It's horrible when accidents occur because of someone being stupid, whether it's texting, drinking, applying make-up, dropping food or drink, or anything that distracts us from keeping our eyes on the road.  Even having a conversation with a passenger can be distracting, so it begs the question, will passing new laws hinder this?

Where I live we have a no talking/texting while driving law, and as cheap as Bluetooth headsets are, it just kills me to see people driving and holding their handset away from their ear, yelling into the speaker phone. Apparently "ha do-free" is a difficult concept to grasp.

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@SurferWife

I hear you too....Despite our city having passed the no texting and driving ordinance, our city has the distinction of being one of the top cities for DISTRACTED DRIVING which encompasses all the activities you mentioned.....it's an overall lack of taking driving and the dangers seriously....an overall lackadaisical attitude....

[SurferWife]

@Kachina624...when I first left home my first husband and I moved to ABQ for his job. I had never been that far from my mama & daddy & was miserable. We were only there for 2 1/2 years before he got another promotion which took us to Dallas. Looking back I wish I would have enjoyed it more because NM is such a beautiful place, but I was still pretty youmg (mid-20's) and mama's baby girl and all I could think about was being closer to her. I am always talking about NM to my husband (not the same one) about going for a visit. He'd like to go, too, after telling him  about the food!

[Kachina624]

@SurferWife  New Mexico certainly has its quirky charms.  There's a lot to see and do.  I take a lot of trips around the state doing collie rescue and always come home and do research on what I've seen.  Young people are ego-centric and not much into their surroundings.  They start to appreciate things when they get older. 

I mostly like the climate here, not too hot or cold but four seasons with a little snow that doesn't inconvenience.  I love mountains probably about like you love surf. 

Bring DH to the balloon Fiesta one of these years.  Men love it. 

[151949]

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@Shanus wrote:

@QVCkitty1. Whether he was texting, fell asleep at the wheel or drinking a Pepsi, there's a law about vehicular manslaughter. That definitely has jail time. 

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No it doesn't always - the driver who was drunk & high and killed my parents plus paralysed his 2 year old daughter only got probation.

[Cakers3]

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@ccassaday wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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@ccassaday wrote:

There doesn't need to be rules for texting and driving. It's already law that if you cause a accident while driving it is negligence at the least. The law is dumb because you can't enforce it until a accident happens. 

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@ccassaday  Of course cops can enforce a no texting law.  Don't you see people texting?  I do and so can the cops who can give a ticket if there is a "no texting" law.  They should not have to wait until there is an accident to enforce no texting. 

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It isn't enforceable. Say a cop pulls you over. You shove your phone in your purse real quick or in the console. If they ask you say no. They have no right to ask to look at your phone without a warrant.

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@ccassaday  I agree.  State-wide bans on texting are only statistically relevant after an accident has happened as a result of texting.

While bans are important, there is no way to determine just how effective they are.

A state ban on texting does not guarantee that every driver is complying.

Personal responsibility keeps these bans working to protect public safety; those who willfully ignore the bans are no different than those who ignore drunk driving laws.

Out of all the drivers who text and drive, regardless if their states have bans or not, it would interesting to see just how many are caught. 

This tragedy in Texas is heart-breaking and while I agree a state ban is needed,  it cannot be reasonably assumed that this driver would have complied.

And thanks to @Spurt for providing the list of Texas localities that prohibit texting while drving.

[hckynut]

I have been saying for decades (DUI/DWI) and years(texting and/or talking on a cell) are not accidents. I consider them "an on-purpose", and all found guilty should be charged with Motor Vehicle Homicide.

Unless these people have zero brain cells, or are just  too incompetent to drive, to me, it is the same as any other non-premeditated death. The sooner people start ending up in State Prisons, the more serious they will take the privilege of driving a motor vehicle.  Period!!!

hckynut(john)

[hckynut]

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@Oznell wrote:

The recent high-profile bus crash in Texas was apparently caused by a truck driver who was texting.  The actor James Woods tweeted out that those who text and cause accidents should be subject to the same penalties as those who drive while intoxicated.

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I agree completely.  Would it be harder to verify, though, if the driver did not admit what he/she had been doing?

@Oznell

It is easy for Law Enforcement to find out the time of the wreck(911 call), and also check with cell phone provider, if driver was using their phone for texting or talking, at or around the time of their alleged crime.

Not much CSI  cannot find out with the technologies available to them at the present times. Sure, the driver can say it was a passenger doing it, but would you commit perjury for a friend that is responsible for people's deaths?  No friend I have, or have ever had, would have my lying under oath for their alleged crime(s)

hckynut(john)

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[Desertdi]

I think we can now put texting into the "addiction" category

[Cats3000]

Kachina624:  Do you really believe that this wouldn't have happened if there had been a law against texting while driving?  Do you really believe that the person would have said: "Whoa, I better not do this because it's illegal"?  I live in a state where using hand-held devices while driving is illegal and I still see drivers doing it?  Driving while drunk is illegal everywhere, yet drivers still drive while drunk.  Most states require use of seat belts when driving, yet some drivers won't use them anyway.  You can't legislate personal judgement and personal responsibility.  Those kinds of laws are "feel-good laws" that accomplish little or nothing.