Cell phones and driving?

[cyphur]

IIRC there was a bill last session regarding this and it died at Perry. Any chance this will be filed again and not get mindlessly vetoed?

Most of my close calls and near-incidents come from individuals texting or chatting away on their phone. I would love to see that become a violation on par with a DUI.

[Songbird]

It's been made law in Amarillo. Signs are up and they will begin issuing citations in January. No handheld devices at all allowed.

[Oldgringo]

Suits me!

If they're talking/texting on the cell phone when driving AND smoking at the same time, they should have their licenses revoked....for openers.

[sjfcontrol]

How is a cell-phone ban any different from a weapons ban? Both punish the innocent, while there are already laws on the books to punish the guilty.

We need to be repealing "nanny laws", not making more of them.

[jmra]

How is a cell-phone ban any different from a weapons ban? Both punish the innocent, while there are already laws on the books to punish the guilty.

We need to be repealing "nanny laws", not making more of them.

[Beiruty]

It is like drunk driving. A law to punish killers on wheels.

[Oldgringo]

How is a cell-phone ban any different from a weapons ban? Both punish the innocent, while there are already laws on the books to punish the guilty.

We need to be repealing "nanny laws", not making more of them.

I don't think anyone is talking about banning cell phones. My thoughts are banning hand held cell phones AND/WHILE driving. It's kinda' like banning shooting in public places. Both of these practices can hurt/maim/kill innocent bystanders and.....that's not good.

[Thomas]

Galveston banned texting while driving. When most people text, they look down at their cell phone which is usually in their lap. When I text, I hold my cell phone up in the air so I can still use my peripheral vision to see what's going on, and I never text in stop-and-go traffic.

[cyphur]

How is a cell-phone ban any different from a weapons ban? Both punish the innocent, while there are already laws on the books to punish the guilty.

We need to be repealing "nanny laws", not making more of them.

Most people do not clean their firearms while driving in busy traffic.

Studies already show using a cell phone while texting is worse than drunk driving. Please show me the laws on the book that treats driving with a cell phone the same as a DUI.

If everyone is up in arms about saving lives, especially those of innocents and children, this is the law that would do the most good. Opposing good laws just for the sake of it is absurd. The stats support this one, unlike any potential additional gun control measures. Please do not clump the issues together as a type of red herring effort.


I am in near total opposition to more gun control, for the record. I am also against a large Federal govt, hence why I put this in the Texas forum. It is a states matter.

[sjfcontrol]

Then we also need to ban...

Eating while driving
Smoking while driving (my son rear ended a car when the 'cherry' fell off his cigarette into his lap.)
Primping/applying makeup while driving
Reading while driving (I've seen this actually being done)
Tuning radios.
Adjusting GPS systems
Reading maps
Arguing with wife/children

We already have laws regarding distracted/careless driving, and that should be enough. It is impossible to outlaw all possible activities that distract drivers.

(McKinney has banned ALL cellphone use (even hands-free) in active school zones.)

[Thomas]

Reading while driving (I've seen this actually being done)

So have I. A full newspaper opened in front of the driver. The person was going on the entrance ramp of 290 in Houston.

On a busy intersection with 1960, I've seen a taxi car from the left turn lane, make a right across the 3 lanes all full of cars going straight when the light turned green.

But back to the subject, I believe texting while driving is bad, talking on the cell phone - not so much.

[tomtexan]

Then we also need to ban...

Eating while driving
Smoking while driving (my son rear ended a car when the 'cherry' fell off his cigarette into his lap.)
Primping/applying makeup while driving
Reading while driving (I've seen this actually being done)
Tuning radios.
Adjusting GPS systems
Reading maps
Arguing with wife/children

We already have laws regarding distracted/careless driving, and that should be enough. It is impossible to outlaw all possible activities that distract drivers.

(McKinney has banned ALL cellphone use (even hands-free) in active school zones.)

Even if there are laws against all of that, people are still going to do it. The same goes with guns. The govt. can ban all of them, but people are still going to commit crimes with them.

As far as the cell phones in school zones, I thought the state had already implemented that rule, hands free or not.

[jmra]

How is a cell-phone ban any different from a weapons ban? Both punish the innocent, while there are already laws on the books to punish the guilty.

We need to be repealing "nanny laws", not making more of them.

Most people do not clean their firearms while driving in busy traffic.

Studies already show using a cell phone while texting is worse than drunk driving. Please show me the laws on the book that treats driving with a cell phone the same as a DUI.

If everyone is up in arms about saving lives, especially those of innocents and children, this is the law that would do the most good. Opposing good laws just for the sake of it is absurd. The stats support this one, unlike any potential additional gun control measures. Please do not clump the issues together as a type of red herring effort.


I am in near total opposition to more gun control, for the record. I am also against a large Federal govt, hence why I put this in the Texas forum. It is a states matter.

You can find studies that say whatever you want them to say. Many "studies" suggest that banning firearms would save lives. Chuckled when I saw the "studies" argument.

[Abraham]

I see both sides.

All I can say is not that long ago a woman almost killed me when she blithely went through a stop sign while blabbing on a cell phone, causing me (on a bicycle) to run into a ditch.

Had she been paying attention to her driving and not talking on a cell phone it most probably wouldn't have happened.

Yes, you can rationalize all you care to about other activities that distract while driving, but the insanity of texting and to a lesser degree talking on a cell phone while driving is one of a very high number of causes of car accidents.

The rationale of texting on a cell phone and driving reminds of those who insist they can drive drunk just fine...never had a problem.

Should there be new laws?

No - However, if you cause a vehicle accident due to cell phone usage and driving, the villagers should handle you like Frankenstein with chanting, pitchforks and lit torches at your home...

[jmra]

I see both sides.

All I can say is not that long ago a woman almost killed me when she blithely went through a stop sign while blabbing on a cell phone, causing me (on a bicycle) to run into a ditch.

Had she been paying attention to her driving and not talking on a cell phone it most probably wouldn't have happened.

Yes, you can rationalize all you care to about other activities that distract while driving, but the insanity of texting and to a lesser degree talking on a cell phone while driving is one of a very high number of causes of car accidents.

The rationale of texting on a cell phone and driving reminds of those who insist they can drive drunk just fine...never had a problem.

Should there be new laws?

No - However, if you cause a vehicle accident due to cell phone usage and driving, the villagers should handle you like Frankenstein with chanting, pitchforks and lit torches at your home...

The key phrase here is "paying attention to her driving". Just like guns are not the problem, cell phones are not the problem. I firmly believe that anyone who is distracted by a holding a conversation on a cell phone would be distracted if they weren't on the cell phone.
Some people can't chew gum and walk at the same time. The majority of us can. So, should we ban chewing gum while walking just because a few can't? Or should those who can't, refrain from exceeding their capabilities? I believe this is called personal responsibility.