Now that the Gov. signed the law against using hand held phones while driving, a lot of people will really have a puzzle to solve! "What The He** Do I Do With My Other Hand Now???":D

Put on makeup, eat a burrito, read the newspaper, lots of options.:D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/kalthoff1/dogknows1.jpg :D

I still find it amazing that bad driving is not illegal. Eating, reading the paper, shaving, putting on makeup are are fine.
Talking on a phone while driving is not.

I still find it amazing that bad driving is not illegal. Eating, reading the paper, shaving, putting on makeup are are fine.
Talking on a phone while driving is not.

NONE of it should be legal or ok in my book.

In my opinion, you get caught doing any of the above while driving, you should get an automatic inattentive driving ticket, and depending on the severity (ie. causes a wreck) a wreckless driving ticket.

Anyone that drives and reads, puts on makeup, talks on cell, etc. is not paying attention to the road or the traffic around them.

I commend California for passing the law.

Still waiting for the other shoe to drop. :D

My commute is 12 miles, half at 35mph the rest freeway. Takes 20 minutes to get there at 5am, nearly an hour to get home at 5pm. Traffic is bumper to bumper every day on the stretch of I520 that I drive. You'd be amazed at how often I see people reading the newspaper or a magazine while driving.
The State patrol never goes there at that hour because no one's going to have any chance to speed, and they don't like being stuck in traffic either.

"What The He** Do I Do With My Other Hand Now???":D

Shift:D

The worst I've seen is School Bus Drivers flappin' away on the cell.:angry:

I think semi truck driver's should be driving not talking on a cell phone while trying to steer and gear with one hand.

Cell phones are illegal, but the same two-way radio is not?
What about drinking coffee?
Putting on make-up?

Shoot, I could do a lot of things (!) but for some reason only the cell phone has been singled out...


dumb :sad:

I wish they'd pass that law in Maryland. I wish they'd pass a law that would allow me to stop the morons that are more interested in their phone than in avoiding killing me during my morning commute and stick that phone where it belongs. Not to even mention the half dozen phones that go off during class every week. I've gone as far as deducting points from students grades for cell phone interruptions.

Can't do much about it, but it seems silly. I don't make routine calls when driving, but I might take a call, which I can do without taking my eyes off the road at all. I guess I'll upgrade to a speakerphone, since I'm not going to hook up a hands free every time I get in the car.

Inattentive driving is dangerous, merely talking on a phone is not.

People smoke, eat, drink, do their hair, etc. while driving. Even listening to the radio can be distracting. What's next?

and depending on the severity (ie. causes a wreck) a wreckless driving ticket.

If they cause a wreck, it's not "wreckless". :D

Inattentive driving is dangerous, merely talking on a phone is not.

LOL, and when you get into a wreck because you were trying to hit the end button on your phone....what do you call that????:clonk: :clonk: Just an oopsie....lol


If they cause a wreck, it's not "wreckless".


LMAO.......and when a nuke goes off accidently, it's not an "accident".....

I saw a guy going down the freeway at 65 or so with his laptop setting on the steering wheel working away on it. I got away from him in a hurry.

I think its a BS law...

Don't get me wrong, I don't like people talking on cell phones while driving, BUT the "Hand-held" is not the problem... Its paying attention to the conversation on the phone, and not paying attention to the road... IMO, has very little to do with "hand-held"...

I don't think there is any data to support/disprove it, but how many accidents are due to people taking their eyes off the raod to dial, versus how many are just "on the phone"? The people I see causing problems are usually already on the phone... Holding that phone to your ear isn't much different than driving a stick-shift, etc...

So legal as long as you have a hands free, or what? I live in CA of course, and havn't seen anything about this, on the news or otherwise.

Daniel

So legal as long as you have a hands free, or what? I live in CA of course, and havn't seen anything about this, on the news or otherwise.

Daniel

Last I heard, it doesnt go into effect until 2008 and requires the use of a hands free setup to be okay. If you get caught, it starts off as a $20 fine (or was that $50?) and will increase for each additional offense, however like a fix-it ticket - it won't add points to your driving record. I could be wrong, but that's the way I understood it.

What's the first thing you do after you have an accident?

Answer: Hang up your cell phone.

I think it's a good law, hope they enforce it.

I think its a BS law...

Don't get me wrong, I don't like people talking on cell phones while driving, BUT the "Hand-held" is not the problem... Its paying attention to the conversation on the phone, and not paying attention to the road... IMO, has very little to do with "hand-held"...

I don't think there is any data to support/disprove it, but how many accidents are due to people taking their eyes off the raod to dial, versus how many are just "on the phone"? The people I see causing problems are usually already on the phone... Holding that phone to your ear isn't much different than driving a stick-shift, etc...

Well the ones just talking at one point had to answer or dial in order to be on the phone in the first place! My twin sons almost lost their lives to a lady driving a full size PU at 60-70mph blowing a stop sign in front of my sons Celica. She admitted she was on the phone only afyer the phone records were about to be obtained by the insurance company. She hit a dead spot and lost signal while talking to her husband and was attempting to redial the number! Then she tries to sue my son saying HE failed to have his vehicle under control!:mad:

When I worked as a volunteer paramedec/firefighter I answered many accident calls, some fatal and the other person was still on the other end trying to find out what was going on! Most had ran stops or missed curves or turns while talking on the phone.:sad:

We have had a cell phone law in NY for a couple years now. It really hasnt stopped much, I still see people talking with the phone to their head all day long. Lots of them are cops! But I guess they're exempt. I have gotten used to using my hands free. But I agree with the others, it's a stupid law...it's much more dangerous to dial the phone, plug in your handsfree, etc....also, eat your donut, drink coffee, read a paper!! I see some amazing things. They cant outlaw all of them. Every so often, they do a cell phone blitz, where they stop everyone and hand out tickets like crazy...then it tapers off, and no one gets busted. I cant figure it out.

Studies have shown that it's the CONVERSING that diverts attention, so hand-held or hands-free probably doesn't make much difference.

"also, eat your donut, drink coffee, read a paper!! They cant outlaw all of them."

Yes they can. I know a few states are working on all-inclusive "inattentive driving" statutes so you can be busted for anything that detracts from your ability to operate your vehicle. I say good! Because I have been nearly run over one time too many. I have looked into the eyes of motorists on cell phones and they don't even see me- they have this glassy, far away look that makes it obvious they are only slightly aware of their surroundings. :mad:

If its conversing that diverts attention, why don't we just make talking to anybody in the car illegal? And to prevent that from happening - lets make it illegal to have anybody but the driver in the car!

95% of the time I am on the phone it is with my wife. If I want to call her I don't even need to look at my phone. Pressing "end" doesn't take any longer than scanning your vehicles gauges.

Its all about the persin IMO. Some people can't walk and chew gum at the same time, and plenty can't make a phone call and process information while driving.

To all those who say it is a BS law and that you should be able talk on the phone while driving, statistics in the State of California (CHP) showed that around 50% of that accidents nowadays one driver was operating a cell phone at the time of the "accident". If you need more proof that yacking on the cell phone while driving is dangerous, watch the Mythbuster where they showed it to be as dangerous as being drunk behind the wheel! To be honest it has always been illegal in Cali to be on the phone, eatting, putting on make up, ....etc, you are required to be in complete control of your vehicle at all times. This is the attitude that sends thousands to the grave every year, my friend lost his life to an inattentative driver 5 months ago, how will you feel when you are there looking at a wreck you caused cause your wife, husband, girlfriend, ...etc was asking how your day was and what is for dinner......oh ya it was worth it :angry:

OK rant over

I believe the theory on conversing diverting too much attention, whether it's on a phone or with someone or something in the car. Just today I was a passenger and the driver who I love dearly was in the middle of yakking to me about something when we turned right in front of someone going rather fast in the opposite direction. Yes, afterwards I did say to drive the damn car first and talk to me second!

EXACTLY what Qship said!!!

I have overheard a lot of these cell phone calls, and 99.99% of them are just a bunch of inane, mindless, unimportant stupid B.S. anyway that could just as easily wait until they meet up with the person on the other end anyway! :mad:

Did you all ever wonder what your driving looks like to those around you while you have that phone glues to your ear? Worse than a .15 drunk!!!

Yea, we have the handsfree law here in NY and I'm still constantly getting run off the road because someone's phone call is more important than their driving!

Yes, Police are exempt in NY, doesn't mean they should be on theirs... Personally, I think it's disguisting when I see the local sector with the phone to his ear.... When I was at work and I'd call in it would always be through an earbud....