IN considering ban on hand-held phones while driving.

[zippy23]

With this logic, doing anything in a car except concentrating fully on driving should be illegal......looking back at your child when they start screaming, changing the radio station while looking at the radio, sneezing, blinking, yawning, scratching your butt, farting, just about anything can be a "distraction." Just more laws that make these people in power feel like they are doing something worth while. there are so many ridiculous laws already on the books that are not being enforced, we should just add more, then enforce whatever makes sense at the time. its out of control

 

[jamil]

I drove while distracted all the way home. A bird **** on my winshield right about eye level. It was so distracting I didn't even yell obscenities at one other driver the whole way home.

 

[Denny347]

With this logic, doing anything in a car except concentrating fully on driving should be illegal......looking back at your child when they start screaming, changing the radio station while looking at the radio, sneezing, blinking, yawning, scratching your butt, farting, just about anything can be a "distraction." Just more laws that make these people in power feel like they are doing something worth while. there are so many ridiculous laws already on the books that are not being enforced, we should just add more, then enforce whatever makes sense at the time. its out of control

When I patrol, I drive distracted. I HAVE to see what is going on around me, outside of the car, it's kind of the point to patrolling. That is very distracting. My work radio, my lights and sirens, my laptop, are all distractions. They can me managed if used correctly.

 

[SSGSAD]

When I patrol, I drive distracted. I HAVE to see what is going on around me, outside of the car, it's kind of the point to patrolling. That is very distracting. My work radio, my lights and sirens, my laptop, are all distractions. They can me managed if used correctly.

I thought that was SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ?????

 

[jamil]

I thought that was SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ?????

How can you be aware of the situation without being aware?

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

those slow moving cars that are going so slow that it is dangerous. A car going 30 is 55 for example.

Or......a car going 70 on I-69 during the morning commute.

 

[Bfish]

We don't not need more laws or restrictions. I understand it is in the best interest and safety of other due to the fact people on phones are not simply endangering themselves. But come on. I don't think we need to continue being told what we can and cannot do.

 

[Bfish]

*Edit* I was being an A-hole and decided what I had written didn't need to be said after I posted it... I will just leave what is above and carry on.

Oh and it doubled... I must be new?

 

[spaniel]

I do know my limitations, I was at one time a professional driver. Depending on the conversation I will pull over or call back. I still don't think it is any business of the state.

I've heard that from many people involved in cell phone related crashes and DUIs. Unimpressed.

FWIW I had to work my way past two people all over the freeway holding erratic speed on my way home today. Upon passing, both had a cell phone glued to their ear.

 

[jamil]

I've heard that from many people involved in cell phone related crashes and DUIs. Unimpressed.

FWIW I had to work my way past two people all over the freeway holding erratic speed on my way home today. Upon passing, both had a cell phone glued to their ear.

Did you yell obscenities at them? I find that helps.

 

[bwframe]

We wouldn't have to consider any laws regarding distracted driving or drivers pacing others if manners and common courtesy were followed.

 

[funeralweb]

Usually I'd say let the Darwin awards sort these idiots out... but sometimes they kill others too.

No matter how hard they try our elected officials will never be able to legislate common sense.

 

[CindyE]

And just for the laugh of it I'll share a story of doing the speed limit and pissing off a hundred cars behind me.

10-12 years ago I served on SWAT and was representing the northern district at a state meeting of SWAT teams. The meeting was in Columbus. I am from Gary police. Instead of taking my clunky jeep cherokee that I was assigned the motor pool gave me a brand new marked crown vic with new LED's on top. They wanted me to evaluate it on a highway trip and let them know how the sound was with LED's versus regular lights up top.
So on Friday morning I took off and drove rather quickly to Columbus for my meeting. It was a quick trip. While I was in Columbus my wife called and said hey why don't i bring the daughters down and we catch the Purdue vs iu Football game on Saturday in Bloomington. So she did and we left the squad in Columbus and went to the game.

Afterwards we went back to Columbus to pick up the squad. Two of my daughters (both in elementary school at this time) loudly proclaimed that they wanted to ride with me because I can speed really fast and not ride with their mother in the old van. Talk about making me feel a bit bad. I thought oh crap........hmmmm........well this is a time to be the Dad that sets a good example.

I got in the squad car with two of the duaghters in back and then explained that just because I was a police officer in a squad car did not mean I could speed. Back then limit was 65 mph on I65. So here I drove a marked Gary Police squad car 65 mph all the way home. I stayed in the right lane 99% of the time because I was never passing anyone. But every car that came speeding up to pass would hit their brakes and fall in behind me.

I must have had a convoy of 100 cars. I even tried waving people around me to no avail. I guess all the drivers would not challenge me even though the car said Gary on the side and we were no where near Gary and the fact the I was in a Purdue Hoodie with a baseball cap on. When we got home my wife, who always drove 65 mph in her green Astro van, stated that was the most pleasant trip she had had with no one ever passing her. But my daughters got the message. And it was probably the only time I ever truly stayed at the speed limit on I65 in my life.

LOL. Reminds me of a story when my daughter was around 3. Whenever we were driving around town, my husband and I would often say to each other, "Slow down, there's a cop." Living in a small town, we'd usually spot them watching for speeders. I never really thought my daughter was paying much attention until one day when we were driving to the grocery store. There were 2 squad cars sitting in the parking lot, and she said. "We don't want to go there Mom, cops are there." So of course, that lead to a discussion about how the police are there to help us, etc. To further drive that point home, not long after that, we were involved in an accident (other driver's fault). The car we were in wasn't drivable, and this was before the days of cellphones. We didn't even have a landline at our house at the time. So the police took us home in a squad car. That got some strange looks from the neighbors, and my husband kinda freaked out.

 

[dusty88]

Did you yell obscenities at them? I find that helps.

I gave that up when one of my kids was about 3 years old. I was pushing him through the grocery store and he says to the lady whose cart was in the middle of the aisle: "pick a lane dumb***".

 

[spec4]

What is the possibility of a consensus here that since the advent of cell phones driving has become more of a challenge? I certainly notice a lot of brake pedal tapping when clearly there is no need. Or the always popular hitting the direction signal when you are already well into your turn. Then we all love the guy who gets in the left lane a mile before making his left turn, and dropping his speed 10 mph below the limit to prepare for the turn.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I've heard that from many people involved in cell phone related crashes and DUIs.

How many? You must run with an interesting crowd.

 

[olhorseman]

I gave that up when one of my kids was about 3 years old. I was pushing him through the grocery store and he says to the lady whose cart was in the middle of the aisle: "pick a lane dumb***".

Thank you

 

[ghunter]

Pointless law. I remember driving when only 1/100 people had cell phones. There were plenty of inept drivers back then, and there always will be.

 

[jamil]

I gave that up when one of my kids was about 3 years old. I was pushing him through the grocery store and he says to the lady whose cart was in the middle of the aisle: "pick a lane dumb***".

I know it couldn't have been funny for you then. But in this context...this is soda up the nose kind of funny. Yeah, I have to watch it when kids are in the car. I haven't let a barrage slip yet.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Pointless law. I remember driving when only 1/100 people had cell phones. There were plenty of inept drivers back then, and there always will be.

Way more inept drivers today. The driving behavior of someone using a phone, is damn near the same as a drunk.... speed up, slow down, rolling through lights/stop signs, weaving in and out of lanes, abrupt stops.
I support this law because it allows LE to stop people and tell them to knock it off. One of the worst accidents I ever worked was related to someone being distracted by their cell phone.