8mm Forum: Texting while driving

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Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 20, 2016, 07:05 PM:

Texting while driving crashes have become epidemic here in Florida, but the Florida Legislature refuses to enact any meaningful texting laws. The penalty right now is $35.00! - and you cannot be stopped for texting unless you have commited some other offence, and the officer has to be actually able to see you pushing the buttons! This is a joke!
So, I have a couple of questions for fellow forum members in other states and other countries:

Is texting while driving commonplace where you live, and what are the penalties imposed if you are caught doing it?

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on April 20, 2016, 07:19 PM:

In Belgium, the penalty is in theory 110 euros (the first time, any other offence during the three following years double the amount) but I don't know how often people get a ticket for that.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 20, 2016, 07:49 PM:

Out here in NZ you can be stopped and fined $80 plus 20 demerit points on your license.

However in my present job driving for a bus company, every day I see people texting while driving and its just not car drivers, truck drivers as well. Its pretty bad, people just don't seem to care, its almost like its become the norm.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on April 20, 2016, 08:06 PM:

true

[ July 05, 2016, 01:21 PM: Message edited by: Bill Phelps ]

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on April 21, 2016, 01:18 AM:

I dont understand while driving whilst on your phone or texting is not an offense in the states,(or is it?).
I hate seeing anyone driving while on there phones, there is no excuse for it and so many people have been killed by drivers doing so.
My own opinion is that until it becomes an instant ban for a minimum of 5 five years people will continue to risk the fine.
If they kill someone whilst on the phone it should be a life time ban as well as prison.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on April 21, 2016, 03:57 AM:

I clearly remember when on a bus in Essex a police car drawing up to the front and a policeman calling out to the driver "Don't use your phone when driving the bus." I think that was before our laws changed, it was about 15 - 20 years ago.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on April 21, 2016, 04:19 AM:

The individual states establish their own traffic laws for the most part, so what's on the books will vary from state to state. In New York State the law is no texting while driving and talking on the phone only with a headset or other non hand held device.

Of course that's the law and then there's the rule. The rule for the most part around here is mayhem!. For example in metropolitan New York there is a maximum 55MPH speed limit. Out on a highway this is kinda pokey. The drivers know it and so do the cops, so enforcement begins at 70MPH. If you get a ticket for 56MPH here, obviously you were driving in a 30MPH zone.

The cell phone law is not strictly enforced either. There's enough other wacky goings-on that the police are pretty busy.

I drive a nice little subcompact car, because I like nice little subcompact cars. Here I am out on the Long Island Expressway doing my societally acceptable 68MPH when my rear view mirror is suddenly filled with a great deal of SUV grille and bumper. Through the windshield (about 9 feet up) I see some other driver talking on the cell. The facial expression tells me their kid is on the other end saying he just spilled a pot of spaghetti sauce on the couch. The body is behind the wheel but the mind obviously someplace else.

The rumble of their tires is drowning out my radio and I'm starting to see a couple of dents on the bumper from past victims.

The question is do I change lanes or just slow down and let 'em pass overhead?

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on April 23, 2016, 11:14 AM:

I live in Washington state and this is the law:

quote:
Talking or sending text messages while holding a wireless device carries a $124 fine. If police see you holding your phone, they can pull you over and ticket you. Drivers must use hands-free devices, and new drivers with instruction permits or intermediate licenses can’t use wireless devices at all except in emergencies.

I still see people doing it, can't wait for self driving cars. In Seattle they need a law for people walking and texting. My wife works next to the Amazon.com headquarters where she gets bumped into frequently by people looking at their phones and not watching where they are going. She said the next nerd that bumps into her is going to be pushed in front of a bus.

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on April 23, 2016, 11:46 AM:

The problem is there are too few Police to enforce the offence of using a mobile phone while driving. The public know that the chance of being caught is minimal so they just do it regardless of consequence. The best deterrent would be to involve the general public in reporting offenders and use back up evidence of a photo of the offending driver. But that's pie in the sky I guess, but if it comes about I would happily be front of the queue. I hate to see this idiotic practice.

Posted by David Michael Leugers (Member # 166) on May 08, 2016, 10:50 PM:

Texting while driving is a flat out epidemic. So is running stop signs (I'm not talking a rolling stop) and even red lights. It is frankly unbelievable people can be so irresponsible. If stupid people want to kill themselves over a text message that would be one thing, but they very often take others with them. I have already been hit on my motorcycle by a texter and if it happens again and I survive it, the idiot with the cell phone will not.

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on May 09, 2016, 07:01 AM:

My Brother recently came back from the states, he could not believe how many people over there are texting while driving, as well as being on the phone.
He said he had a run in with a driver who literally stopped, he almost ran up the back, blasted his horn and was ignored, when he got out to see what was going on he said she was just texting, suffice to say my Brother did give of load of verbal s and the driver sped off. Is it that bad over there? Surly someone needs to get the law sorted out.
As i said before, in this country there should be no leniency, if your caught on the phone or texting while driving you should be banned for life. Until that threat hangs over you people will carry on killing other people.
Selfish twats is all they are.

Posted by John Hourigan (Member # 111) on May 09, 2016, 08:55 AM:

Unfortunately, rather than using it to enhance one's life, many people are so addicted to their cell phones that it has taken over their lives. Similar to some people who have allowed a simple hobby to overtake their every waking hour, so has the cell phone to some people. It's really sad as there is so much more to life.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on May 09, 2016, 09:05 AM:

Personally I think there should be a device installed in every vehicle that cuts off the cell signal as soon as the vehicle is started. If you have to make an emergency call, pull over to the side of the road, shut your vehicle off, make your call, then proceed.

What really gets me today is the new vehicles with Wi-Fi and big screens built into the dashboard. If that isn't a distraction then what is. It's like they are inviting trouble. You know that the driver is going to look at that screen when driving. No way you can convince me otherwise.

This is a very serious problem that will take a drastic and direct approach to eliminate. That won't happen because there is too much money involved. Too bad that always has to enter the equation.

PatD

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on May 09, 2016, 12:00 PM:

Texting while driving, is like chewing without swallowing ...

it's disgusting! [Smile]

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on May 09, 2016, 01:23 PM:

yep

[ July 05, 2016, 01:20 PM: Message edited by: Bill Phelps ]

Posted by David Michael Leugers (Member # 166) on May 10, 2016, 01:02 AM:

I have yet to see one texter show any remorse or even admit to any wrong doing even when their actions caused the death of others. They seem to think saying it was just an accident absolves them of any responsibility for their actions.

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on May 10, 2016, 01:34 AM:

Alright then, so who owns up to a crash?

Many years ago we had A-Z, the only way of finding routes in the UK without sat-nav.

I was very tired one day and rear-eneded a car infront (20 odd years ago).

My fault, hands up.

I was "sued" the arse off.

When I was 18, a young girl slammed into the back of my then, work car. I took the details, etc. I believe her actions have contributed to an on going neck and back problem I have.

What to do?

Life...

Any of you taken an Advanced Driver Test?

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on May 10, 2016, 01:50 AM:

I did admit once, when I bumped into the rear end of another car at the traffic lights, way back in the early 1970s. I was distracted by a certain young lady in a mini skirt [Eek!]

walking nearby [Eek!]

Four "big blokes" got out of the car I ran into, and believe me it was very advisable to say sorry.... that was "my" fault. [Wink]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on July 04, 2016, 04:57 AM:

One very effective add [Eek!]

https://youtu.be/O7Nh7IAIOVA

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on July 05, 2016, 01:09 PM:

O.K Rob, since you are asking for confessions.......

Many years ago I was driving my 1968 Chevy Impala along the main downtown road in Williamsport Pa. I suddenly noticed this really stunning girl walking along the sidewalk, and I could not take my eyes off her. Next thing I know I had run into the back of a coal truck, that happened to have its tail gate down, and about a hundred weight of coal had landed on the hood of my car! [Big Grin]

May have been the same girl that Graham saw..... [Big Grin]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 05, 2016, 01:44 PM:

Interesting...

Decades back, maybe even before my time, my extended family rode down Meadowbrook Parkway to spend some time at Jones Beach. Grandpa was driving, Dad was riding shotgun.

Grandpa saw a gull on the shoulder, veered over and clipped it. Dad yelled out "Why did you DO that?!!"

-He said "Ach! I HATE birtz!!" (-he was from the Old Country...)

An uneasy silence passed for maybe another mile, when all of a sudden a clam came sailing out of the sky and left a huge dent in Grandpa's hood!

You see it's the practice of seagulls to carry shellfish aloft, then drop them on a hard surface to break the shell.

-by design or not, they'd gotten the old bastard!

So driving while distracted, or just plain being miserable, beware: the Universe is watching!

I'm very itchy about distracted driving: If I'm watching the 'tube and a driver is talking to his passenger and he turns to face them, I've been known to yell out "Eyes on the ROAD!".

(My wife doesn't like to drive when I'm in the car!)

Posted by William Olson (Member # 2083) on July 06, 2016, 08:37 AM:

I do that, too. I always yell at the TV "Watch the road!!!" when the driver turns to face the passenger and talks. If nothing else, it sets a bad example for drivers everywhere.

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