Cell phone texting while driving?

[Rodzilla]

In the UK I think I am right in saying the fine is £60 ( = ~$100) + 3 points on your licence (12 points and you are automatically banned from driving).

Add to that that you are supposed to declare such offences to your vehicle insurer (many don't) who then obligingly charge you an increased rate the next time you renew - and for the next 4 years ! 4 years is the length of time the offence remains on your licence.

Oh, and for those who don't declare - their insurance could be voided.

this is automatic here...there is a single line in our motor vehicle act that allows and requires this....it's actually a little scary to read it

...wha the?..wait a minu..HEY! was about my reaction,its just a small handful of words with a lot of power.

by virtue of that one line in the MVA, your insurance company has every right to know,and since you are also required to provide proof of insurance to the DMV before they'll issue you a plate...they don't even have to ask,your insurance company is dutifully notified of your convictions and status by the DMV!

as i suggested i think an automatic suspension should go along with a conviction for using your cell...in that case...*here*...your insurance company would be notified and they can reassess their risk...this is not far fetched and already happens with speeding tickets.beyond a certain level you get a fine,some points...and an automatic one week suspension.your insurance co is then notified that your license has been suspended...and they ding you accordingly at renewal time as a greater risk,it's the gift that keeps on giving,it's awful to find yourself on the wrong side of it...but it IS your own fault and fair!

 

[Crunch]

So, you're no different a driver than everyone else in this city.

Shoulda seen me scramble for my meth pipe last night while crossing the American Legion bridge over the Potomac at 11:30 PM going 85 mph after entertaining clients at a DC strip club.

I had Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" blasting and needed a quick hit to keep from nodding off.

I burned my hand, dropped the pipe, and almost burned the leather on the passenger seat of my BMW 7 series but I had an open Colt 45 to douse the flame. I swerved into one of those tiny Smart cars and gave the driver the finger.

Close call. Music in cars ought to be bannned.

 

[www.records]

They recently passed a law here that it is against the law for anyone under the age of 21 to text while driving. I am not sure why they only did it for 21 and under, seems like all ages would be included. A young man I work with who is 19 said he got pulled over this morning because the cop thought he was texting. He says he wasn't and that he wasn't sited.

I agree that texting or even talking on a cell phone while driving is very dangerous, especially while driving in a city. But I also am concerned about so many laws being passed to govern our activities. I am not trying to be political here, just making a statement.

 

[RichPA]

Interesting reading, Rich. Thanks. However, it looks like he/they have not tested cell phone talking vs. in person talking for attention deficit. He/they make some assumptions at the end of one paper but have no research to support them.

Actually, Ray, they have tested that, though maybe the paper is not listed. Bottom line - talking with someone in person is not nearly as disruptive. Partly because they also notice the driving distractions, and partly because they're more forgiving ot pauses in the conversation.

 

[RichPA]

Another point that's relevant - people who are using cell phones don't notice that they're distracted, so they believe that they're doing just fine. There's research on this, but all you have to do is watch.

 

[bshorey]

Most new cell phones have gps.

A lot of them have gps navigation.

So there could be a circuit that could detect that the cell
phone was moving over 5 mph on a road - not a train track
and disable all distracting operation.

for older or non gps phones.

I bet that the cell tower systems could be programmed to sense that a cell phone is in motion - then deny service
while the phone is in motion.

Car passengers and might suffer from no service but
train riders, bus riders -etc would not have a problem.

Bus and trains could emit a signal - blue tooth - that would enable the phone to operate in motion.

Or something like that


The technology exsists - right now - to solve this problem.

Right. And you can determine if the driver or a passenger was making the call?

What if I've got some jackass harassing me and pursuing me? I'm not allowed to call 911?

I can think of any number of scenarios in which it would be advisable to use a cell phone, with or without hands free, while driving. I'm tired of laws that attempt to legislate common sense.

bs

 

[RayW]

Thanks Rich and others answering my questions. I'll keep my eyes open on the roads.

 

[Twenty20Man]

people are idiots no doubt. i have had a cell phone for 5 years and in 5 years i am willing to bet i have talked while driving maybe 20-30 times total. its a freaking phone for crying out loud. i will be damned if again i am governed by a regulation passed because of some freaking fool doesnt have the sense god gave a louse. i have blue tooth and i have enough sense to know when driving needs all my attention . just like when im making turns i dont change the radio i wait....its not rocket science

 

[Sharpstik]

You know where my road rage comes from? Inattentive drivers. Like the idiot woman in front of me today who stops in the EZ Pass lane for a ticket. On the godamm phone. My truck almost put her into the booth...To say nothing of the 17 year old 3 houses down from me who drove his parents minivan into the telephone pole/ street light.I hear a thump, figure its my heater. Down it came into my yard. I live on a corner. Texting his girlfriend. His father stopped by to apologize..hey, it's your car and his life. He survived....Do I use a cell phone? Yes. But, rarely. No question, it is a distraction.

 

[hypertone]

Ban all cell phone use while driving. Make the fines up there with drunk driving, because it's just as dangerous. No phone call is important enough to risk an accident.

 

[markdi]

bshorey


911 would always work even in a moving car.

Cell phone service providers could have solved this problem long ago
but they make too much money from the airtime used in a moving
car.

 

[Novachord]

Out of interest as a British person, are the laws different around mobile phone use different in each State?

The laws here apply to the whole of the UK and mobile phone use whilst driving has been toughened up. If you are caught you now get fined and 6 points on your licence. 12 points on a licence and you banned for I think 2 years. In the UK it’s a big no no.

My company doesn’t allow phones or hands free devices when on company business as it comes under Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 whereby the company is liable for accidents. This Act comes under criminal law, therefore the company owners can face court or prison for not observing health and safety or not having safe systems of work.

The other thing that’s being looked into, is noise of vehicles exhausts. The Government are thinking about having cameras on gantries with noise detectors, so if your vehicle makes excessive noise you get caught on camera and fined. Hasn’t come into force yet but I would think a lot of super tuned cars and motorcycles would need quieter exhaust systems to be fitted.

The UK is still part of the European Human Rights Convention and one of the rights, is a right to a quiet life. At the moment if your dog makes a lot of noise, the local authorities can order the owner to quieten the dog down by retraining or you loose your dog in extreme circumstances if the noise continues.

Looking at some of the comments I think there’s a lot more personal freedom in the USA, in the UK there’s definitely more State control about individuals rights and here it’s more about what’s good for society as a whole.