Texting while driving

[rjstew317]

no law ever written will completely prevent something from happening, but that doesn't mean we should toss then out.

 

[jd4320t]

this is the flaw in your logic. talking to someone is not the same as taking your eye's off the road. you can speak to someone while looking at the road and watching your surrounding, you cant look at your phone while typing and watch the road safely. this is something that is being proven day after day. if it was not an issue then no one would be calling for new laws to deter it. the point is not to punish you if you hurt someone while doing it, it to possibly prevent the accidents caused by the action in the first place. it's simple really, if you don't want new laws to ban texting while driving, then don't text while driving.

Flawed logic is thinking a multi million dollar piece of paper sitting somewhere will stop things from happening. Drunk driving is illegal. However, countless people are doing it right now because they know they will only get in trouble if they get pulled over or have an accident.


So, the only distracting thing you do while driving is talking? If this is true then you are the ONLY person I know who doesn't let other things distract them while driving, myself included. Let's use talking while driving as an example. I know that I've had near misses because I was talking and not fully paying attention. First one happened when I was 16 and had two girls in my truck. This isn't any different then texting. We are responsible for what distracts us while driving.

 

[jd4320t]

no law ever written will completely prevent something from happening, but that doesn't mean we should toss then out.

You're right. I'm saying NO NEW LAWS! Everything is covered somewhere.

 

[.40caltrucker]

You're right. I'm saying NO NEW LAWS! Everything is covered somewhere.

Instead of passing a law banning texting we should be allowed to self patrol. If someone passes my 80,000 truck then slows down because their responding to a text I should be allowed to ram or pit them

I am a truck driver and it is illegal for a truck driver to text, $2,500 fine if caught. Drivers of automobiles should be held to the same standard!

 

[Gabriel]

Hell, 80% of my posts on INGO are typed while driving.

 

[jd4320t]

Instead of passing a law banning texting we should be allowed to self patrol. If someone passes my 80,000 truck then slows down because their responding to a text I should be allowed to ram or pit them

I am a truck driver and it is illegal for a truck driver to text, $2,500 fine if caught. Drivers of automobiles should be held to the same standard!

I was unaware of this law and I disagree with it. Truck drivers often get the shaft and most people don't realize what they do.

 

[hornadylnl]

no, I'm not missing the point, if you read my earlier post i laid out a simple solution. if you don't want a new law, then don't engage in the behavior. that's really all we have to do. and i lived in a state where they have this law, and it does deter a lot of people from doing it.

If you don't want guns banned then don't own them.

Seriously, most of us here are intelligent enough to know that people cause cause crimes and not guns. We ask for punishment for criminals instead if banning guns. Now how do you square that logic with banning texting while driving instead of punishing those who cause accidents by texting?

 

[rambone]

Others' poor decisions such as:

• Driving with distracting passengers (drunks, kids, etc.)
• Driving with a loose animal in the vehicle
• Driving with unsecured internal or external cargo
• Driving at night
• Driving at dusk
• Driving during rush hour
• Driving with the sun at your back
• Driving without sunglasses
• Driving with sunglasses which block peripheral view
• Driving without prescription glasses
• Driving in the rain
• Driving in the snow
• Driving on ice
• Driving on bald tires
• Driving with inadequate brakes
• Driving with poor suspension
• Driving with a misfiring engine
• Driving with a cheeseburger
• Driving with hot coffee
• Driving with a lit cigarette
• Driving while shaving
• Driving while putting on makeup
• Driving while fixing hair
• Driving while tired
• Driving while intoxicated
• Driving while affected by allergies
• Driving while on medication
• Driving with a stiff/sore neck
• Driving with poor eyesight
• Driving with slow reflexes
• Driving a vehicle you're unfamiliar/uncomfortable with
• Driving a trailer without training
• Driving with fogged/frosted windows
• Driving with lights off
• Driving with a cracked windshield
• Driving while adjusting radio/heat/seat/mirror
• Driving while concentrating on a conversation (passenger/bluetooth/phone/CB radio)
• Driving while singing along with radio
• Driving while reading a map
• Driving while using GPS
• Driving in an unfamiliar city
• And finally...Driving while reading/sending text messages

Now, can you tell us all why we need a special law against just texting?

Paco gave a good list of distracting behavior in another discussion of this. I'm going to quote him from an old thread.

 

[.40caltrucker]

I was unaware of this law and I disagree with it.

I don't disagree with it at all. In fact if there was a way to disable cell phones while in motion I would be ok with that also. (except for 911 & passengers) I CAN'T text and drive, I CAN'T hold a cell phone to my head and drive safely. I admit I can't do it, so I don't. It would be nice if others on the road would come to this realization. It would take a lot of stress out of my day for sure.

Just out of curiosity how many people on here that don't think it should be banned drive less than 30 miles a day?

I have averaged 603 miles per day this year (not counting home time days) I see this behavior every day.

Truck drivers often get the shaft and most people don't realize what they do.

Definitely agree with that!

 

[jd4320t]

Paco gave a good list of distracting behavior in another discussion of this. I'm going to quote him from an old thread.

That's a great list and exactly my point.

 

[rambone]

I don't disagree with it at all. In fact if there was a way to disable cell phones while in motion I would be ok with that also. (except for 911 & passengers)

Don't worry, you and Obama are on the same page with the behavior control.

Ministry of Transportation looks to install cell-phone scramblers in cars

 

[.40caltrucker]

Don't worry, you and Obama are on the same page with the behavior control.

Ministry of Transportation looks to install cell-phone scramblers in cars

Figures I would get lumped in with Obama for not wanting people drifting across median and hitting me head on. Driving is a privilege plain and simple, it comes with a responsibility. A huge one that includes paying attention while driving. Maybe I'm biased because I see this crap everyday or maybe I want to make sure I get home after every trip. Either way I see it way more than the average car on the road and as a result I also see the effects way more than others. If I only drove 30 miles a day then I would be on your side because I wouldn't see it so much. But I don't, I see this everyday my job literally revolves around avoiding all the stupid decisions made by others on the road EVERY DAY.

 

[ghostinthewood]

Don't you know? [insert-current-president-here] is the root cause of everything and all evil?!!?!?!one11 You disagree with me therefore you must be one of his goons!!!capslock!

 

[rambone]

Figures I would get lumped in with Obama for not wanting people drifting across median and hitting me head on. Driving is a privilege plain and simple, it comes with a responsibility. A huge one that includes paying attention while driving. Maybe I'm biased because I see this crap everyday or maybe I want to make sure I get home after every trip. Either way I see it way more than the average car on the road and as a result I also see the effects way more than others. If I only drove 30 miles a day then I would be on your side because I wouldn't see it so much. But I don't, I see this everyday my job literally revolves around avoiding all the stupid decisions made by others on the road EVERY DAY.

Nobody wants to get into an accident. But driving in a semi, its a little bit like a person being afraid of a spider.

"They are more afraid of you, than you are of them."

 

[.40caltrucker]

Nobody wants to get into an accident. But driving in a semi, its a little bit like a person being afraid of a spider.

"They are more afraid of you, than you are of them."

A semi is 20 times heavier then the average car, true. A car is 20 times heavier then the average deer, you still worry about that deer don't you? Even thought your in something 20 times it's size it can still kill you.

 

[Cemetery-man]

No sympathy from me. I was recently in an accident because of some A-hole that ran a stop sign while texting. Ban it and make the highways a little safer.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

I would be happier if rather than making more infractions there was an enhanced sentence if you were involved in an accident while distracted. Text, put on makeup, turn around and scream at your kids and get in a fender bender and it's minimum class C misdemeanor. Cause bodily injury minimum D felony. Guarantee some jail time. That should satisfy everybody, right?

 

[ghostinthewood]

I would be happier if rather than making more infractions there was an enhanced sentence if you were involved in an accident while distracted. Text, put on makeup, turn around and scream at your kids and get in a fender bender and it's minimum class C misdemeanor. Cause bodily injury minimum D felony. Guarantee some jail time. That should satisfy everybody, right?

Thats basically what I said earlier. It shouldnt be the crime but it could make it worse.

 

[PatriotPride]

It always amuses and then irritates me when people clamor for more laws and more restrictions, ESPECIALLY over stupid things like texting.

 

[jbombelli]

I only have two hands. It's hard enough to eat, comb my hair, shave, drink, read the newspaper, post updates to facebook, program my GPS and post on INGO while I'm driving, without adding texting to the list of tasks.