Texting (and Twittering) While Driving Made Illegal in California
Posted 09/26/08 at 04:11:15 PM by Paul Lilly
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California residents are already banned from holding cell phones while driving, and starting January 1, 2009, sunny state motorists will officially be disallowed to text message while driving. A first violation will result in a $20 fine, with each subsequent offense costing $50.
"Banning electronic text messaging while driving will keep drivers' hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road, making our roadways a safer place for all Californians," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It remains to be seen how much effect the new ban will have on text messaging motorists, but it should come as no surprise if a high number tickets get written. According to Tom Marshall, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol, there have already been 19,753 citations issued for holding cell phones since the law went into effect on July 1, 2008, less than three months ago.
Do you agree with the ban?
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Update!
Submitted by Shalbatana on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 10:37am
Texting and twittering while driving now considered balatantly idiotic in human society. Making laws about it considered futile, just like making laws about cell phones and driving...as...as we've seen...idiots will be idiots, even if it's illegal.
_______________________________
"There's no time like the future."
Here in the Bay Area, I see
Submitted by horzo on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 10:07am
Here in the Bay Area, I see many people still using their cells in the car without hands-free. And, yep, I'm one of them. Why?
1) I don't use my cell in the car enough to bother with a headset.
2) I've tried 3 headsets in the $35-$50 dollar range, and they all sucked.
3) I'm not paying $120 for a freakin headset,
Texting is a somewhat different matter. I can barely text with both hands while standing still. I wouldn't even attempt it in a car...but then I'm not 17.
Slippery Slope
Submitted by weaslem32 on Sat, 09/27/2008 - 5:19am
I for one believe that people should not text while driving and should, at the very least use a hands free device while driving. However, this new law is just a slippery slope of whats yet to come. In Texas, they have passed similar bans in "School" zones. The problem that this creates is that it criminalizes our rights as citizens. If they are going to ban cell phones, since they are a distraction to driving, then they might as well ban Drive Through Restaurants, eating in the car, putting on makeup in the car, turning your head to talk to passengers in the car, and adjusting the radio in the car. Let's face it, everything in the car is a distraction and lets not forget about on-the-road distractions such as flashy billboards, construction, and highway accidents. This is a result of someone who doesn't like cell phone use, or someone had a family member killed or injured by someone using a phone and they pushed lobbyist to get this passed on the state level. Really people, what has our society come to? Get a life and worry about real issues. Besides, I would rather have my local law enforcement do something more productive like going after "Real" criminals.
Metropolis has you.
Submitted by MaxFan on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 9:32am
In every state I have been in while driving (used to be a long haul truck driver so I have been to all of them except Montana, Hawaii, Alaska, and Rhode Island) Driving is a privilege not a right. As a citizen you are not garaunteed a right to drive a multi ton vehicle down a thoroughfare to interact with other citizens. Newton's laws tend to make an unholy mess out of the laws of man and tend not to give a shit about anyones rights. In the state I live in it is currently against the law to operate a moter vehicle on a public highway or thoroughfare under any restriction that would prevent the operator from maintaining their attention on the safe operation of the motor vehicle or obeying all other traffic ordinances or directions from a duly authorized public safety officer. That law covers cell phones makeup reading the newspaper or just about any other activity other than driving and paying attention.
Newtons law describes the force of an impact very well. F (force of impact) = M (mass) * V (velocity)
Most passenger vehicles weigh between 1 and 3 tons thats between 2000 and 6000 pounds so lets do a little math.
Given a vehicle weighing 2 tons or 4000 lbs including fuel oil and operator and let us assume 35 mph as the velocity. 35 mph = 88 feet per second now let us convert those values to metric. 88 feet per second is just under 30 meters per second. Every 2.2 pounds of mass = 1 kilogram therfore 4000 pounds ~ 1800 kg
1800kg*30= 54000kg/s/m now describing that amount of force over an area roughly 1 meters square (front bumper/grill area of a car) and lets double the figures cause the object we just hit is another car going 35mph in the opposite direction for a combined velocity at impact of 70mph and his vehicle weighs the same the crushing force value is now 54000*2 or 108000kg/s/m most heavy payload rockets develop about 500000kg/m/s worth of thrust so that 35 mph head on collision you just had developed 1/5th the thrust value of an atlas rocket in its first second of flight.
Now how expensive did that text message or twitter get? You have many many rights as a citizen. So do I. One of the rights you do NOT have is to violate MY rights. My right to continue breathing I take very seriously. So if I see you not paying attention to the highway while operating your motor vehicle or if I see you operating your motor vehicle in an unsafe manner dont be surprised when I pull you over and issue you a citation for reckless driving, or driving while impaired. I would MUCH rather issue you a citation for you failing to do your job as a driver than I would to have to inform your family or someone elses family that their loved one was blotted off the highway with a sponge.
If you endager recklessly someone elses life (this includes driving while impaired see above for a description of the statute) You are a criminal. A potentially violent criminal. If you injure someone with your vehicle through negligence you are guilty of the crime of reckless endagerment a class b felony. minimum time in prison from a class b in my state is 2 years in prison 25000 dollar fine or both.
We do have lives and this IS a real issue. And belive me when I say it will be my pleasure should you ever decide to come to my state and drive while impaired to take you off the highway. Just pray that I take you off the highway before Newton does. I hate like hell to look through a blood smeared window or windshield of a car to see if anyone inside the vehicle is still alive and the smell of singed human flesh mixed with gasoline is nauseating.
I rather think that my slipery slope is a little more urgent than your slippery slope. At the bottom of your slippery slope lies tyranny and revolution things that can be dealt with. At the bottom of mine lies hell itself. I can help you if you get to the bottom of your slope Im trained to deal with that situation. I cannot help you if you get to the bottom of my slope, no one can.
Thank You!
Submitted by Quertior on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 5:38pm
I'm glad someone has the clear sight to seel theough all the bullshit and lies.
The fine isn't enough.
Submitted by Tekzel on Sat, 09/27/2008 - 3:06pm
Personally, I think the cops should yank the jackass out of his car, have it towed and beat them down. Anyone caught texting while driving is a danger to society and should lose their license. I love it when people start yapping about rights when something like this happens. Your rights are only valid as far as they don't hurt me. And let me tell you, some dipshit teen so busy texting whatever unimportant shit that slams into me because they can't be bothed to pay attention to the freaking road definitely violated MY rights. Go get beat by the common sense stick some.
Submitted by Vegan on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 4:52pm
This won't stop anyone. I see people still holding phones up to their ears while driving every day. Maybe it's effective outside the city, but in L.A. everyone thinks they're the most important person in the world.
Submitted by Quertior on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 3:51pm
I say fuck off, California! they have no right to meddle in our business so blatantly.
if you personally are offended by people cellphoning while driving, then
DON'T DRIVE WITH THEM. There are two paths to
almost every place. And no, I am not drunk.
Submitted by Quertior on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 3:41pm
First of all, I never said that I personally text/call/twitter while driving, but I am not offended by people doing it. I just pass them and get on with my day.
Submitted by streetking on Sun, 10/05/2008 - 10:49pm
You never said you didn't either. If someone is texting and sideswipes you because they're distracted, leaving you paralyzed for life, wouldn't that make you wish that person wasn't texting? That's what these laws are for, to protect the other innocent bystanders that make the right decisions. A person can have rights as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others.
Submitted by streetking on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 4:39am
Jesus what an idiot. "if you personally are offended by people cellphoning while driving, then
DON'T DRIVE WITH THEM"??? That suggests not driving at all. Even though I am not in the same damn car as someone who is texting, that doesn't mean that their decision won't affect ME on the road. You can go ahead and kill yourself, but don't take innocent people with you; do it in a fashion that will not harm anyone else, ok?
Submitted by Tekzel on Sat, 09/27/2008 - 3:00pm
If Quertior could possibly be that stupid? Hell, maybe he is 12 and has yet to get a license. Lets all hope he grows up just a smidge before he gets on the road and kills a family.
Submitted by Mjolnir on Sat, 09/27/2008 - 9:09am
I agree, you do have the right to do stuff in the car that totaly distracts you from your enviorment. Seriously, who cares that you are driving a 2 ton hunk of metal that can kill a person. Sending a text message is so much more important then stoping the car and taking a minute out of my life and making sure that I don't kill someone or seriously hurt them. I also think we should lift the ban on drinking and driving, everyone knows you drive safer when you are drunk anyway.
$20, $50 fine? Not enough of a deterent!
Submitted by DDTechGuy on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 1:56pm
I'm here in Sunny Southern California and I can tell you that there are plenty of 'rich kids' who wouldn't give a darn about paying a small fine as long verses yappin'/textin' on their phones while they drive.
I need to find the 'survey' that was posted (AP? Reuters?) recently citing that texting while driving related accidents and DEATHS among teens/young people has exceeded the stats for driving under the influence!
$50 first time, $1000 second, fine + jail time for third offense...and straight to jail if you hurt or kill another person because you were texting. That sounds better to me!
Your Thoughts?
Submitted by DDTechGuy on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 3:00pm
Reuters link to follow:
Submitted by DDTechGuy on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 3:04pm
http://www.wkrg.com/consumer/article/texting_drivers_more_dangerous_than_drunk_drivers/18203/
Submitted by DDTechGuy on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 3:03pm
Submitted by sdcat on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 2:24pm
survey??? and why just teens?
The rich kids? When their parents saw 10k and beyond fines each month, they would think twice.
The law is for everyone, every driver.
Submitted by Mikhial66 on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 1:52pm
I think talking on your phone at all should be illegal- hands free or not. I'm sick and tired of people not paying attention because they're on the cell phone.
Submitted by metric_inch on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 1:52pm
If it is already illegal to hold a cellphone in your hand, how can you currently send a text message without breaking the law?
Submitted by neo1piv14 on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 1:30pm
I think laws like this are good for people's safety. I see just as many people texting as I do talking and I'm sure that doing something that requires you to look down is far more unsafe than talking. Sure talking's distracting, but you're at least looking forward at the road while you do it. I'll be glad when that law finally makes its way over to my state.
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