National cell phone ban

[Forever_frost]

This may be a good idea if you can get police off their cell phones and laptops and out of the tops of telephone poles

[BERNIE MOSFET]

Most people are very dumb. They are broke too. In an ideal world the bank and the city would go after the individual for everything if negligence was involved. The problem is that a lot of people really have no assets to go after. What I am saying is that the purpose of insurance is to pay out in these exact situations (negligence) so that if you allowed them to not do so, you might as well remove insurance from the equation.

Oh, I am definitely spouting off ideas without having fleshed out the practicality of them. Thanks for pointing out the flaws!

[Baba Ganoush]

Were this done on a state level, I'd have no problem. The federal government simply has no power over this issue. And yes, I belong to the VFW, DAV, MOH and so forth.

I think this is the federal government's attempt at pushing the states to get more strict on it. If the state doesn't follow through, then they might threaten to withhold funding, although they admit this is not a planned tactic, it has happened in the past.



As for the "privilege" or "right" to drive, our state law specifically defines it as a "privilege", and correctly so. I can't find the specific reference right now but here is a tidbit from DMV.org...

While some motorists regard driving as a basic right, the fact is that operating a motor vehicle is a privilege that must be earned and maintained by demonstrating safe and lawful driving. Under certain circumstances, an individual's Texas driver's license may be suspended or revoked for a specific length of time, depending on the person's driving record or history, and the particular violation(s).

[Treasure Chest]

I guess we need to legislate walking, too.

Walking while drunk can lead to deadly accidents

http://www.kltv.com/story/16323971/walking-while-drunk-can-lead-to-deadly-accidents-expert

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Most everyone knows the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol. With the holidays approaching, an expert warns that walking under the influence of alcohol can also have deadly consequences.

"Every movement ranging from driving a car to simply walking to the bathroom is compromised," Dr. Thomas Esposito, a trauma surgeon at Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill., said in a university news release. "Alcohol impairs your judgment, reflexes and coordination."

Over the past 25 years, Esposito has seen firsthand the adverse effects of "drunk walking." From July 2009 to June 2010, 55 people who'd been struck by a car had their blood-alcohol content checked. Of those, "24 percent had blood-alcohol concentrations at or above 0.08 percent, the accepted level for intoxication," he said.

Although alcohol is involved in many pedestrian deaths throughout the year, alcohol-related pedestrian deaths reportedly peak on New Year's Day. Esposito noted that in addition to these cases, many people are injured at home after drinking too much.

"It's not just walking outside. We often see people who have been drinking that have fallen down the stairs or tripped at home and injured themselves," Esposito said. "Others have unwisely chosen to 'get into it' with guns, knives, bottles and fists."

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides additional holiday health and safety tips.

[stevo]

The next thing on the list will be Fucking While Intoxicated, considering I think I pulled a muscle last night in an attempted drunken sport-fuck session, it may need to be implemented.

Stevo

[racrguy]

I think this is the federal government's attempt at pushing the states to get more strict on it. If the state doesn't follow through, then they might threaten to withhold funding, although they admit this is not a planned tactic, it has happened in the past.



As for the "privilege" or "right" to drive, our state law specifically defines it as a "privilege", and correctly so. I can't find the specific reference right now but here is a tidbit from DMV.org...

State law also violates your 4th amendment rights. Your argument is invalid.

[Baba Ganoush]

State law also violates your 4th amendment rights. Your argument is invalid.

I'm not arguing, I'm stating the facts, so your argument is........potato.

[kingjason]

It is crazy to think this is a money grab. This is one law that is all about peoples safety. I could care less if it was a 35.00 fine it is a law that needs to be in place. I do not talk on the phone in my squad unless I am stopped. Yes I have a couple of fancy driving certificates that really mean nothing. Just like anything else we still have plenty of officers that can not drive. From experience I can tell you the radio in the cars is not a distraction. It is a needed method of communication for public safety and just takes a second to use and you can still look around while using it. The laptops are the same thing. It is very easy to use the laptops in our cars and drive. There is no looking around for it, holding it with two hands etc etc. Now could they pull the message feature off for fellow officers? Sure and I would be fine with that.

Just like I said before, hands free is fine. No need to stop that.

Also what is funny about national statistics is they are so messed up. Do you really think that when I ask a driver what happened they are going to tell me they were on the phone. Hell no. I bet the numbers are at least 50 percent off. Hell to be honest I would be glad to trade 10 other laws to see this one passed.

[Baba Ganoush]

Hell to be honest I would be glad to trade 10 other laws to see this one passed.

I'm for this if it includes bs like the front plate law. PC stops for cell phone use would more than compensate for those bullshit laws anyway.

[SS Junk]

Also what is funny about national statistics is they are so messed up. Do you really think that when I ask a driver what happened they are going to tell me they were on the phone. Hell no. I bet the numbers are at least 50 percent off. Hell to be honest I would be glad to trade 10 other laws to see this one passed.

While digging around a few days ago I found a link that I can no longer find surveying the accidents of a certain state, which I cannot remember. It categorized all types of different crashes. What stood out is the second highest stat showed distracted driving. The leading cause, which lead by a long shot in injuries/fatalities of drivers, passengers, pedestrians was "unknown." I'll see if I can find the link.

[The King]

I would be exempted from this cell phone ban because I am quite capable of driving and texting simultaneously. Neither one is rocket science.

[Baba Ganoush]

I would be exempted from this cell phone ban because I am quite capable of driving and texting simultaneously. Neither one is rocket science.

Driving in texting is for teen aged girls. Congrats.

[Forever_frost]

Driving in texting is for teen aged girls. Congrats.

And there's programs in the Sync system that does voice text

[CJ]

Where are all those douchebags that said it would end with a texting ban? This is EXACTLY what I said would happen.

[sig239]

God damm sounds like a bunch of teen age girls in here. We could be took over by the Chinese and there wouldn't be this much crying.