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Senators push nationwide ban on texting while driving

Cilogy

Cilogy

Pathetic Douchebag
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Senators push nationwide ban on texting while driving - CNN.com

Ok so, all I can pretty much say is ... its about damn time.

Anyone guilty of this? When I was a new driver I admit that I did this same thing, but I have a set of very important safety rules since I got a speeding ticket last year.

The thing that angers me the most about my friends who text while driving is that they always claim that its not as bad as doing other things. They say they feel safer since they switched from having a car phone to just texting. That's pretty hilarious and even more so, dangerous. The report even says it right there that "when compared with dialing, talking, listening or reaching for an electronic device, texting posed the greatest accident risk ..."

Now, whether this is important, debatable, breaking news, I am unsure of, but I believe its an important piece of news that can avoid deadly statistics like this one, also mentioned in the CNN report:

"In September, a commuter train engineer missed a stop signal while trading text messages with a friend, leading to a collision with a freight train that killed 25 people in California, according to federal investigators. The accident also injured 101 people."

What do you think, is it justified? Or do you still think it "doesn't affect you?"
 
I think that it's a good law, but how is it going to be enforced. Speeders break the law all the time, and get away with it, and you can't train a radar gun at a car and know if the guy driving is texting. I wonder about laws that are so hard to enforce.
 
I hate these damned laws. These are nothing more than selectively enforced laws at the discretion of the cops. Something made so that it makes another fine to hand out. All you need for things like this is reckless or careless driving, and nothing more.
 
It's a very good law and one that needs strict enforcement. I hope all states adopt a statute that prohibits this as well, complete with heavy fines and points on your license.
 
Nope, not a federal issue. Let the damn congress go back to doing what the Constitutional allows it to do instead of gallivanting all over the map doing fairy god mother work the states can handle just fine if the Congress got the hell out of the way.

And...there's no need for a NEW law banning texting while driving, there's perfectly good laws on the books making it illegal to do other distracting tasks while driving. It's against the law to apply mascara while driving, and yes, some dumb broads have killed people doing just that. It's against the law to read newspapers while driving, to shave, to build model airplanes, to tie your shoes, to have sex, to change clothes, to do any damn thing you can think of that's not driving. And the states don't have an individual law against each and every possible thing to do.
 
Ikari said:
I hate these damned laws. These are nothing more than selectively enforced laws at the discretion of the cops. Something made so that it makes another fine to hand out. All you need for things like this is reckless or careless driving, and nothing more.
Click to expand...

Actually you have a very good point Ikari. States could simply amend their statutes to include this. It has to be specifically worded otherwise you open the door to tag every driver doing anything in a car but driving.
 
I find texting while driving pretty easy, considering that you don't have to be looking at the phone and thus are less engaged in it than say talking on the phone.
 
Lerxst said:
It's a very good law and one that needs strict enforcement. I hope all states adopt a statute that prohibits this as well, complete with heavy fines and points on your license.
Click to expand...

In Virginia, they passed a law banning texting while driving; however, you cannot be pulled over for this offense. You can only be charged if the police officer pulls you over for something else (speeding, reckless driving, etc.). That pisses me off!
 
Cilogy said:
Senators push nationwide ban on texting while driving - CNN.com

Ok so, all I can pretty much say is ... its about damn time.

Anyone guilty of this? When I was a new driver I admit that I did this same thing, but I have a set of very important safety rules since I got a speeding ticket last year.

The thing that angers me the most about my friends who text while driving is that they always claim that its not as bad as doing other things. They say they feel safer since they switched from having a car phone to just texting. That's pretty hilarious and even more so, dangerous. The report even says it right there that "when compared with dialing, talking, listening or reaching for an electronic device, texting posed the greatest accident risk ..."

Now, whether this is important, debatable, breaking news, I am unsure of, but I believe its an important piece of news that can avoid deadly statistics like this one, also mentioned in the CNN report:

"In September, a commuter train engineer missed a stop signal while trading text messages with a friend, leading to a collision with a freight train that killed 25 people in California, according to federal investigators. The accident also injured 101 people."

What do you think, is it justified? Or do you still think it "doesn't affect you?"
Click to expand...

What a pack of fools if they are if they want to pass laws for private passenger vehicles. Private passenger vehicle laws are the responsibility of the states and /or local govrnments. The Feds need to stay the blast out of that area. Commercial trains, planes, ferry boats, and planes the feds may be a diferent case and the Feds probably have the law behind them to screw with those types of transportation methods.

You know how liberals say stay out of our bedrooms and the religious conversatives say stay out of my churches to the feds well I say stay out of my car.
 
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aps said:
In Virginia, they passed a law banning texting while driving; however, you cannot be pulled over for this offense. You can only be charged if the police officer pulls you over for something else (speeding, reckless driving, etc.). That pisses me off!
Click to expand...

What psses you off speeding, reckless driving, or the cops f-ing with you ?
 
Cilogy said:
Senators push nationwide ban on texting while driving - CNN.com

Ok so, all I can pretty much say is ... its about damn time.

Anyone guilty of this? When I was a new driver I admit that I did this same thing, but I have a set of very important safety rules since I got a speeding ticket last year.

The thing that angers me the most about my friends who text while driving is that they always claim that its not as bad as doing other things. They say they feel safer since they switched from having a car phone to just texting. That's pretty hilarious and even more so, dangerous. The report even says it right there that "when compared with dialing, talking, listening or reaching for an electronic device, texting posed the greatest accident risk ..."

Now, whether this is important, debatable, breaking news, I am unsure of, but I believe its an important piece of news that can avoid deadly statistics like this one, also mentioned in the CNN report:

"In September, a commuter train engineer missed a stop signal while trading text messages with a friend, leading to a collision with a freight train that killed 25 people in California, according to federal investigators. The accident also injured 101 people."

What do you think, is it justified? Or do you still think it "doesn't affect you?"
Click to expand...

No, it's not justified. It's beyond the authority of the Federal government to do this. I would support a law passed by each individual state at their own accord, but I do not support the Federal government engaging in extortion to force them to do it like they did with the seat belt laws, raising the drinking age, and mandating auto insurance. Neither should you.
 
Good luck catching these people.

Can you really see down in to someones vehicle and see them texting while your driving?

If you can I'm more worried about you and your not paying attention.
 
The very first car I ever had, I totaled because I was busy changing radio stations and rear ended the guy in front of me. I was given an inattentive driving ticket, learned my lesson, and the Congress of the US never had to try and ban radios from cars.
 
texting while driving is basically more dangerous than driving drunk and unlike drunk driving is completely unnecessary

i mean if you're drunk you must get home somehow but there is absolutely no need to send text messages from behind the wheel - you can either pull over to do it, or it can wait, or you can make a phone call using a speakerphone.

so yeah either texting from behind the wheel should be illegal or drunk driving should be legal.
 
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F107HyperSabr said:
What psses you off speeding, reckless driving, or the cops f-ing with you ?
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LOL NO, it pisses me off that someone cannot be pulled over for texting while driving ONLY.
 
Harry Guerrilla said:
Good luck catching these people.

Can you really see down in to someones vehicle and see them texting while your driving?

If you can I'm more worried about you and your not paying attention.
Click to expand...

I just personally witnessed it. The woman was weaving in and out of the lane we were in (I was behind her). She was also driving below the speed limit. When we got to the stop light, I was able to pull up next to her and could see she was texting (I pulled up so I could see what was wrong with this person). I think I could have been in a moving vehicle and seen her without putting myself or my son in danger.
 
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F107HyperSabr said:
What a pack of fools if they are if they want to pass laws for private passenger vehicles. Private passenger vehicle laws are the responsibility of the states and /or local govrnments. The Feds need to stay the blast out of that area. Commercial trains, planes, ferry boats, and planes the feds may be a diferent case and the Feds probably have the law behind them to screw with those types of transportation methods.

You know how liberals say stay out of our bedrooms and the religious conversatives say stay out of my churches to the feds well I say stay out of my car.
Click to expand...

Bedroom versus car. Interesting comparison since I doubt your bedroom involves federal property or federal monies.
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
Nope, not a federal issue. Let the damn congress go back to doing what the Constitutional allows it to do instead of gallivanting all over the map doing fairy god mother work the states can handle just fine if the Congress got the hell out of the way.

And...there's no need for a NEW law banning texting while driving, there's perfectly good laws on the books making it illegal to do other distracting tasks while driving. It's against the law to apply mascara while driving, and yes, some dumb broads have killed people doing just that. It's against the law to read newspapers while driving, to shave, to build model airplanes, to tie your shoes, to have sex, to change clothes, to do any damn thing you can think of that's not driving. And the states don't have an individual law against each and every possible thing to do.
Click to expand...

Actually, Congress can attach any strings it wants to when it hands out federal dollars to states. It seems this case is an issue of Congress wanting to make having in place a state law banning texting while driving in order to receive certain transportation funds.

States are still free to decline to enact such a law and thus choose to forego those funds.
 
It's not enforceable, but I do agree with it in principle. I've personally been in a car accident where the other driver was texting, and been on plenty of car rides where I've seen drivers swirving while they text. It's a stupid reason to jeopardize one's safety on the road.

Not everyone is that adept at multitasking. The law is for the stupid ones, not the skillful ones. But like I said, not really enforceable.
 
Birdzeye said:
Actually, Congress can attach any strings it wants to when it hands out federal dollars to states. It seems this case is an issue of Congress wanting to make having in place a state law banning texting while driving in order to receive certain transportation funds.

States are still free to decline to enact such a law and thus choose to forego those funds.
Click to expand...

That's utter bull****. That's my damned money! I want roads, I give money to the government to build and maintain roads. The federal government takes that money and disperses it to the many States. Now, they have to build and maintain the damned roads. My money, my mandate. The government can only tax because the People give it the authority to do so. In the end, this is nothing more than federal blackmail. I don't need them adding conditions to my money to maintain our roads. That's not appropriate for them to do, it's the same with the drinking age. These things are up to the State, it is proper State power and the blackmail is just the federal government trying to butt in where it's not warranted.
 
Why do people always go to the classic "They can't catch you so its pointless?" bikwas? Shut up for a second and use some common sense; think of the things this would if this legislation is made into some kind of law:

1. It would mean drivers who were guilty of texting when getting into a car accident would be punished more.

2. It would mean drivers who were pulled over and admitted to texting while driving would be fined more.

3. In the same vein, it would mean that in WHATEVER WAY THE POLICE FIGURE OUT that a driver was texting, then the punishment would be more severe.

3. It would mean every time a person sees another driver texting, they would be able to report them to the police. Of course everyone won't do this, but it will get people thinking about it.

4. Whenever something is made illegal, its guaranteed that atleast one person in the U.S. will think twice before doing it. Of course there will be people who will say otherwise, but believe it or not! :shock: People actually obey the law sometimes!

Laws always influence and always get people thinking even if most people will most likely disobey the law.
 
Hey, maybe the police should randomly stop people and interrogate them about texting while driving.

They could install cameras everywhere and use recoginition software to capture and analyse evidence.

How about the police going to the government schools and asking the kids if their parents text while driving. They could then make them testify against their parents.

Aren't these some great ideas?

The good citizens of the USA are like the frog in the pot of water on the stove. Turn up the heat slowly and it will just sit there and cook. :2wave:


.
 
Cilogy said:
Why do people always go to the classic "They can't catch you so its pointless?" bikwas? Shut up for a second and use some common sense; think of the things this would if this legislation is made into some kind of law:

1. It would mean drivers who were guilty of texting when getting into a car accident would be punished more.

2. It would mean drivers who were pulled over and admitted to texting while driving would be fined more.

3. In the same vein, it would mean that in WHATEVER WAY THE POLICE FIGURE OUT that a driver was texting, then the punishment would be more severe.

3. It would mean every time a person sees another driver texting, they would be able to report them to the police. Of course everyone won't do this, but it will get people thinking about it.

4. Whenever something is made illegal, its guaranteed that atleast one person in the U.S. will think twice before doing it. Of course there will be people who will say otherwise, but believe it or not! :shock: People actually obey the law sometimes!

Laws always influence and always get people thinking even if most people will most likely disobey the law.
Click to expand...


It would make a minor traffic infraction a FEDERAL OFFENSE.

STOP and THINK about that for a change.
 
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