Jun 30, 2008 07:03PM GMT
Question
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Politics - United States
California and Washington ban driving under the influence of cell phones: Is the government controlling our lifestyle?
First of all, I hate Bluetooths and it seems like the government is forcing us to buy one. Second, distraction is distraction. I see no difference holding my cell phone while driving. What is this new law trying to prove? That is safer to drive with two hand instead of one? It seems that most stupid laws begin on the west coast and rapidly spreads like wildfire throughout the nation. Starting tomorrow (July 1) motorists in California and Washington will be forced to refrain from talking on their cell phones while driving, or face a fine. The two West Coast states are the latest to ban blabbing behind the wheel, joining the ranks of others like Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Utah, which already have similar laws in place.In California's case, the state is also banning 16- and 17-year olds from talking, or sending text messages, on their phones while driving, except on their own property or in an emergency. Adult drivers in California spotted spouting with a cell phone to their ear will be hit with fines of $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent tickets, plus additional fees that could more than triple the fine. California is making the hands-free cell phone law a primary offense, meaning a driver can be pulled over if seen talking with a cell phone to their ear. I feel like a hypocrite because I always mentioned to people how I hated bluetooths and the people that use them.
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Answered No. This law saves lives.
Holding a phone to your ear and talking dramatically impairs your ability to drive. I have been riding my bike to work in an effort to make me smaller. I've had a few close calls. Every one of them has been a young person (mostly girls) on cell phones. Texting a driving will kill more teen than drunk driving (my guess). Phones are coming GPS capable. I think they should quit working when they are traveling 20mph or more unless a hands free device is in use. Texting should be inoperable at 20mph or more. I HATE CELL PHONE DRIVERS!! -
Answered Yes. The government is forcing us to buy a Bluetooth, otherwise you will be fined!
they are trying to save lives i know. but i think most of us know how to drive and talk at the same time. today its practicaly one step of driving. maybe they should make it a law to practice driving w/ a cell phone. -
Answered Undecided
I meant to click "no this law saves lives"
In the case of cell phones while driving I dont think this is the government playing big brother. There are some things that should not be done while driving. It's a safety issue for other drivers on the road. Even though I have always worn my seatbelt (law or not), I think the seat belt laws are stupid and not the governments job to tell us to wear. -
Answered Undecided
the issue with cell phones and a car accidents isn't the "holding" of the cell phone alone... it is the actual conversation we are all engaged in that distracts us. although i'd like to see this law improve driving i have serious doubts that it will do much except piss people off. haha -
Answered Undecided
The law saves lives, only if it obeyed. If we don't know it's dangerous already, it's doubtful it will save lives. It does smack of government interference in our lives. Technically, just distracting the driver by talking to him/her is dangerous, so how does a bluetooth help? -
Answered Yes. The government is forcing us to buy a Bluetooth, otherwise you will be fined!
I have always hated bluetooths too! I think they look like ugly bugs sitting on someones ear!! In the case of using cell phones while driving, I am sure it is a much more lethal problem in the hands of teenagers, compared with seasoned drivers. I know that when I make a call, or receive a call on my cell phone while driving, I take a quick look around, and make sure I am not in busy traffic, before talking. With driving and holding a phone to your ear, you at least have your eyes on the road, and traffic conditions. Text messaging on the other hand, seems to be a prescription for a wreck. I guess there must be heaps of statistics proving that cell phone use while driving is killing people is great enough numbers for the Government to want to legislate against it. Just like the seat-belt law, and now been proven to save thousands of lives per year. Even if that is made into law, there is a bit of hope available for us bluetooth haters! Our youngest son, extremely tech savvy, now has a multiuse holder that sticks on his windsheild and will hold cell phones, and other devices, to allow for hands free conversations.
By the way, these laws seem to start way under the other side of the world too! New Zealand already has a law against cell phone use while driving, and it also had the seat belt law before it came to Arkansas. -
bluetooth headsets are not the only option...I hate them too, but there are also bluetooth receivers for your sun visor or your car stereo and every cell phone these days has speaker phone....with all the technology advances almost daily there are tons of options.
and its not just the talking on the phone thats a problem....your phone rings...you look away from the road...your distracted when you are dialing a number, or scrolling through contacts looking for a number, or using gps on the cell phone or texting.
and to be honest it seems to me that younger drivers are better at using their phones and driving than we are because they have grown up with this technology...every teenager I know can text without even looking -
good points, thanks for the technological updates! I am in the baby boomer generation, We are just catching up with technology by getting educated by our children, and grandchildren. I think that statistically, there must be many deaths, or very serious accidents occuring to make the government want to legislate against them. In this case, it would be a fair, and life-saving law.
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Answered No. This law saves lives.
No, i do not think the govenment is controlling our lives. By passing this law this is saving thousands of people lives that die every year because of their occupation with cell phones. Its obiviously a serious problem if they passed it. Sometimes i answer my cell phone, and i do not pay attention, and i might swerve a little. -
I wonder if they've ever done a study to find out how many crashes can be attributed to having conversations with actual passengers in the car. I don't think there have been any, but it would be interesting to see if one has more of an impact than the other. If it turned out that passengers had an effect (which we all know they do), do you think they would outlaw having passengers? Eh, probably not, since it was obviously democrats that came up with this law, but they would never outlaw passengers, because that would conflict with their environmental ideologies. If you outlaw passengers you could no longer carpool and "lower your carbon footprint," ya know?
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Answered Undecided
It's BS; I drive while talking on the phone although I'm spending half the time trying to find it in my purse, but still, I feel like the CA govt is stereotyping:" so I've seen 2 crashes by talking while driving, and now everyone is an uncoordinated driver". It just doesn't seem fair to those seasoned drivers who have learned to multitask well; same goes for any people: new or old drivers, who can successfully multitask while driving. Another multitasking driving test should be administered to be able to differentiate the multitaskers from the phone crashers. -
Answered No. This law saves lives.
its the most intellegent law i have ever heard of. if your hands and your eyes have to be doing something, chances are your brain should be in on it too. your are in control of a rolling death machine, at least make it that little bit safer.i honestly cant understand why you guys are so up in arms about this. its for your safety! you think the government is passing this law, just to benefit companies who make and distribute wireless headsets? get off the grass guys, you dont have to be on the phone every minute of every day.
this law will save lives. get over yourselves.