cell phone ban

quote:

Originally posted by tbritnel:
I support a ban on anything that endangers life.

According to democrats, everything endangers life.

Does a cell phone endanger life? Why heck no. Using a cell phone when driving, most likley.

tbritnel, you better stock up on food and stay in your house, oh and make sure you follow food safety rules. Good thing the Vikings and Columbus didn't follow your small narrow minded ideas.

quote:

Originally posted by tbritnel:
I support a ban on anything that endangers life.

Jeez...Waking up in the morning endangers life...So does going to sleep at night, for that matter. OH! The horrors!

Using a cell phone while driving should be banned unless it is a hands-free device.

Might as well ban thinking while driving. Most of my near misses while driving have been because my mind was somewhere else. The government should just put some kind of antennae on top of our cars that can detect when we are thinking about something other than the road, and issue us a citation justly.

I am amazed at how many folks out there don't get it. Driving is serious business. You are responsible for your own life, and the lives of everyone on or near the road with you when you are in control of a vehicle. It should be common sense that your undivided attention is required. When you are on the road death can be inches away. That eighteen wheeler thats passing you, all it takes is an instant of distraction on his part or yours to make you a memory. Hell, lets go driving and call somebody.

quote:

Originally posted by Mrs. Carl Brutananadilewski:
Might as well ban thinking while driving. Most of my near misses while driving have been because my mind was somewhere else.

Then please...Stay off the road until you can devote your full attention to your surroundings.

No need to ban thinking while driving...many people around here have already adopted that behavior on their own.

quote:

Originally posted by Road Puppy:

quote:

Originally posted by Mrs. Carl Brutananadilewski:
Might as well ban thinking while driving. Most of my near misses while driving have been because my mind was somewhere else.

Then please...Stay off the road until you can devote your full attention to your surroundings.

No need to ban thinking while driving...many people around here have already adopted that behavior on their own.

That was sarcasm. I have been driving for 19 years and have had no wrecks other than being rear-ended in a funeral procession, thank you very much.

quote:

Originally posted by Mrs. Carl Brutananadilewski:

That was sarcasm. I have been driving for 19 years and have had no wrecks other than being rear-ended in a funeral procession, thank you very much.

Its so late I first read this as 'being rear ended by a funeral procession,' I thought now Ive heard it all ;o)

quote:

Originally posted by leo:
I am amazed at how many folks out there don't get it. Driving is serious business. You are responsible for your own life, and the lives of everyone on or near the road with you when you are in control of a vehicle. It should be common sense that your undivided attention is required. When you are on the road death can be inches away. That eighteen wheeler thats passing you, all it takes is an instant of distraction on his part or yours to make you a memory. Hell, lets go driving and call somebody.

You do NOT get it. It is not about whether or not we should give our undivided attention. It is about passing a city ordinance banning such behavior in order to increase revenue. Why don't they ban drive thrus so people will stop eating while driving? Ban car stereos because someone may adjust a station or insert a cd, etc. Ban coffee in vehicles, etc.

come on. you don't really believe that talking or texting is not a distraction do you?

quote:

Originally posted by leo:
come on. you don't really believe that talking or texting is not a distraction do you?

A lot of people are using the word "distaraction" which is really to light a word for what it really is. Talking on a phone without hands free equipment or typing/reading text messages and emails while driving just straight out hinders your ability to operate the vehicle safely.

A person talking or texting while driveing is just as dangerous as a alcohol or drug impaired driver.

quote:

Originally posted by mad American:
A person talking or texting while driveing is just as dangerous as a alcohol or drug impaired driver.

Thank you. DWI Driving While Impared.

According to Chief Singleton; there have been ZERO deadly crashes in Florence within the last 5 years that were caused by cell phone usage. Also according to Chief Singleton; there were 119 crashes in 2009 due to "Driver Distraction" which is defined as cell phone use, passenger distraction, object falling in car, fatigue/asleep, insect/reptile. That's an average of 10 per month (hardly an epidemic). Also according to Chief Singleton, so far in 2010 there have been only 33 crashes caused by "Driver Distraction"; again, hardly an epidemic. Do the math; there has been 50% less wrecks so far in 2010 as compared to 2009. It seems we the citizens of Florence are policing ourselves; hardly any justification here for a City Council power grab.

If the accidents that you are refering to involved drunks it would be considered an epidemic. If it were just for revenue, the police could write enough speeding tickets in a week to pay their salary for a month or longer. It is a problem and needs to be addressed.

I can see it now, a policeman follows a speeding weving vehicle, pulls up beside the vehicle and sees that the driver is only texting so they are not a danger to other drivers.

What age-group would text the most? What age-group already has a higher accident ratio? Teenagers-teenage girls to be exact..They have no idea about the 3,000 lb. explosive device they are driving...and lastly, which age-group will be most inclined to pay no attention to the law, when and if, passed? u got it..

quote:

Originally posted by mike.wilson:
there has been 50% less wrecks so far in 2010 as compared to 2009.

That's because that 50% either can't afford new cars yet or they've succeeded in removing themselves from the shallow end of the gene pool 'cause they weren't looking where they were going.

quote:

Originally posted by mamyliga:
What age-group would text the most? What age-group already has a higher accident ratio? Teenagers-teenage girls to be exact..They have no idea about the 3,000 lb. explosive device they are driving...and lastly, which age-group will be most inclined to pay no attention to the law, when and if, passed? u got it..

And they're the ones the ordinance is most likely aimed at.
The hypocrisy of people around here amazes me. "Oh! It's all about the CHILDREN!" Riiiiiight. Unless they're talking about making YOU set an example for them by requiring YOU to behave in a safe, courteous manner. THEN it's an infringement on your rights to be a flippin' road hazard.

You can't drive safely if you're NOT LOOKING WHERE YOU'RE GOING, DUMMY. HANG UP AND DRIVE!

Thanks Mike.Wilson for the facts from your research. It's just as I suspected there is no justification from this knee jerk reaction to national news fad.

I can just see ole Andy the Nanny watching Oprah wiping tears from his eyes.

Ok, EvilGenius, do you think we should repeal the drunk driving laws currently on the books?

Always be suspicious when a politician says he is doing something for YOUR own good. I'm amazed how some people are willing to give up all their rights when an idiot politician says he knows what's best for everyone else.

Before we know it, there will be a law against picking your nose while driving. Ha! It is getting a little ridiculous. Our country will eventually wind up as a comunist country. However, I partially agree that texting while driving is a major distraction, but so is putting on your make-up while driving, eating while driving and talking to a passengar while driving. Do we really want to ban everything?

I was almost hit head on by a woman today in a Yukon. She was using her visor mirror to put on eye liner. I saw her coming, thought 'man, look at this idiot' then almost messed myself when she swerved into my lane just before going by me.

And they are worried about cell phones. Its not the phones, its the stupidity of the operator....

Jeepin'

Jeepin, I'm totally against texting while driving, but I'll wager there have been about as many accidents caused by applying Lipstick for females and checking hairstyle by males. You know you want to LOOK GOOD when you have your wreck!!!!!

Yep, thats why there are laws against distracted driving. Sure, I can go along with a texting ban, but they can already pull people over for distracted driving. Enforce that law equally and you'll get the same results.....

I agree!

The solution is simple. Just disable texting on all cellpnones.