Use bluetooth in your car, get a level 5 felony

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  • HubertGummer

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    State Senator's Bill Would Make It Illegal To Use "Hands Free" Device While Driving | 93.1 WIBC

    Heard about this wonderful bill being proposed this year. It states that you can't use a mobile phone while driving including a hands free bluetooth device or GPS units. You will earn a level 5 felony if caught, punishable by 1-6 years in jail.

    Seems like a pretty harsh punishment for using a cell phone. I'm all for not texting, but using a hands free bluetooth device is no different than having a conversation with people riding in your car with you. As a field service tech who gets dispatched from job to job (by a cell phone), this bill would make it impossible for me to go where I need to. BS.

    And I suppose a level 5 felony would strip a person of their right to vote and 2A rights...
     

    churchmouse

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    There is immense pressure to limit the use of mobile devices while driving. Every day I am run out of my lane or near hit from a red light runner that is on the damn phone. People have enough issue with just driving. Throw in a relationship argument on the cell and things get dicey.
    My favorite. 4 stop lights in a row today front car (I am second in line) sits through half the green light on her damned phone. Blew the horn every time to get her to move. No clue.
    I am cool with about anything they do to get this in line. I am not sure the blue tooth hands off thing is an issue but that damned phone sure is.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    using a hands free bluetooth device is no different than having a conversation with people riding in your car with you.

    It actually isn't, and for a few reasons. One is how our brain works when we're dealing with someone in person vs remotely. The other is passengers are aware of the situation around you and tend to shut up when things get more challenging. Cell phone conversations obviously can't see traffic getting heavier, the drunk weaving up ahead, etc.

    https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/204502 as an example.
     

    HubertGummer

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    Maybe we shouldn't let just anyone get a license then. Some people just cannot drive, cell phone or not. I have no problems with laws that limit the use of phones that cause eyes to leave the road, but banning all calls when they can be answered with minimal distraction is ridiculous.

    And the proposed penalty is even more ridiculous.
     

    1911ly

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    I ignore calls when I am driving. That has been my rule for many years.

    Several times a week some idiot driving while on a cell ph will change lanes. swerve, sit threw a stop light or pull some other stupid move on me. Multitasking is cool, unless you are behind the wheel. Then you need to STFU and pay attention to what is around you. Period.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    Maybe we shouldn't let just anyone get a license then. Some people just cannot drive, cell phone or not. I have no problems with laws that limit the use of phones that cause eyes to leave the road, but banning all calls when they can be answered with minimal distraction is ridiculous.

    And the proposed penalty is even more ridiculous.

    Oh, I agree the penalty is too severe. Self driving cars will make it moot, though, eventually.
     

    rkwhyte2

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    I use a bluetooth headset when I'm in the car and find that I don't have any problems driving and talking. If I have the phone up to my ear I lose track of what is going on around me.
     

    churchmouse

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    Maybe we shouldn't let just anyone get a license then. Some people just cannot drive, cell phone or not. I have no problems with laws that limit the use of phones that cause eyes to leave the road, but banning all calls when they can be answered with minimal distraction is ridiculous.

    And the proposed penalty is even more ridiculous.

    I said the blue tooth thing might be a bit much. But I do agree that to many people can not drive past the end of there hood. Put a cell in hand and they are locked up behind the wheel. No idea what is going on around them.
     

    GodFearinGunTotin

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    Like many other things, the ones that misuse/abuse something causes the powers that be to make it illegal for everybody to use the thing. It's already illegal to change lanes recklessly, disregard traffic control devices, speed, restrict traffic, etc. but if only we make something illegaller, that ought to do it.
     

    miguel

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    Why don't they just outlaw cars?

    Then, we'd have no car accidents, a profound reduction in our carbon footprint, remove our dependence on oil from overseas, which in turn untangles us from the Middle East's horse ****, millennial-age conflict that is the source of so many of our problems.
     

    HubertGummer

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    I ignore calls when I am driving. That has been my rule for many years.

    Several times a week some idiot driving while on a cell ph will change lanes. swerve, sit threw a stop light or pull some other stupid move on me. Multitasking is cool, unless you are behind the wheel. Then you need to STFU and pay attention to what is around you. Period.

    Thats all well and good if you are simply going from point a to a pre determined point b. My point b changes depending on what service calls come in, where they are located and if they are considered an emergency.

    In a world where communication is so expected, its unreasonable to not have any.
     

    ChristianPatriot

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    And what about the hundreds of thousands of billboards and advertisements plastered near every major roadway? Ban those?
    Most newer cars have big gaudy Sat. Nav. screens. Ban those?
    Eating a triple-chalupa-burrito-nacho has to be majorly distracting. Ban all drive thru’s?
    If you’re going to ban hands free blue tooth than there’s no logical reason to not also ban any conversation of any kind.
    A distraction is a distraction. If it saves one child.....
     

    HubertGummer

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    Like many other things, the ones that misuse/abuse something causes the powers that be to make it illegal for everybody to use the thing. It's already illegal to change lanes recklessly, disregard traffic control devices, speed, restrict traffic, etc. but if only we make something illegaller, that ought to do it.

    Hmmm. Sounds a lot like the gun control logic eh.
     

    HubertGummer

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    And what about the hundreds of thousands of billboards and advertisements plastered near every major roadway? Ban those?
    Most newer cars have big gaudy Sat. Nav. screens. Ban those?
    Eating a triple-chalupa-burrito-nacho has to be majorly distracting. Ban all drive thru’s?
    If you’re going to ban hands free blue tooth than there’s no logical reason to not also ban any conversation of any kind.
    A distraction is a distraction. If it saves one child.....

    Well if we're doing that, might as well ban the radio. Gotta keep people from singing along to their favorite song.

    Better ban driving your kids around too, they can be very distracting.
     

    ChristianPatriot

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    Well if we're doing that, might as well ban the radio. Gotta keep people from singing along to their favorite song.

    Better ban driving your kids around too, they can be very distracting.

    Yep.

    I’m not calling for anarchy on the road, but like GFGT said, it’s already illegal to drive recklessly, swerve into lanes, etc. Making it more illegaler won’t change a darn thing. It’ll just be a campaign talking point. “We tried to save people’s lives, but they don’t care.”
     

    churchmouse

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    Yes it does.
    So in light of the damage done by distracted driving what do we do. I really see no issues with the blue tooth thing but BBI is correct. Phone use is not the same as FTF conversation in the vehicle.
    What do we do. I am really tired of all the idiocy that ties to these devices.
    I will not text while rolling. I am smart enough to know I am not that good at it.
     
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