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Oeditpus Rex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:06 PM
Original message
They can pass laws dictating where people can smoke...
but they can't pass any to make people PUT DOWN THE FUCKING PHONE AND DRIVE WITH THEIR ENTIRE BRAINS?



:popcorn:
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In_The_Wind Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:10 PM
Response to Original message
1. They tried to in NY.
No hand held phones is better than allowing full usage as they do in most states..
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bigwillq Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:10 PM
Response to Original message
2. In CT
it's a state law that while driving, you must use an ear piece device. Not everybody follows it but it seems like most people are.
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Oeditpus Rex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:13 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. Not good enough
Study after study has shown it's not the number of hands on the wheel that's the danger but the number of brain cells devoted to the task of driving.
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bigwillq Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:14 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. Which is true
but I think the hands free law is good enough. I'm all for safety but I'm also for the less people telling me what to do the better.
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:21 PM
Response to Reply #3
8. So I suppose we should all ride around in separate cars
:shrug:
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Oeditpus Rex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:55 PM
Response to Reply #8
14. I don't understand your point
:shrug:
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:57 PM
Response to Reply #14
15. Your argument seemed to be that talking hands-free or not was distracting
so I'm wondering if we should ban passenger to passenger communication as well
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Oeditpus Rex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 10:05 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. Invalid point
Passengers have the same sense of their surroundings as the driver, so the distraction is virtually nil. If you don't believe it, try it.
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 10:07 PM
Response to Reply #16
18. I don't see how your point works, either
Hands free allows people to have a normal conversation.
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Oeditpus Rex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 10:25 PM
Response to Reply #18
21. Okay, try this
Get a ball game on the teevee, then call somebody. Try to talk to them about something besides the game while you watch it. You can do one or the other well, but not both.

Now watch the game with someone sitting next to you. Talk amongst yourselves. You can do both easily because you're both doing the same things.

I don't surrender an inch of attention while I'm driving. I'd greatly appreciate it if others would return the courtesy.
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Redstone Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:34 PM
Response to Reply #2
12. Only seems like about 50% where we are. I almost get run over about
every third day by someone yacking on the goddamn phone.

Redstone
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:13 PM
Response to Original message
4. They should at least quadruple fines/punishments/sentences
for people who cause accidents while on the phone.
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greendog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 10:53 PM
Response to Reply #4
23. People who cause accidents while talking on the phone...
...should have to eat the phone.
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tjwash Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:17 PM
Response to Original message
6. Yeah, that's one of my pet peeves too.
Just makes me wonder if they ever did a study of how many accidents there were while someone was drvng while talking on their phone.
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Katherine Brengle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:19 PM
Response to Original message
7. I think it is harder bc the car is your private property--
but at the same time, we have laws regarding how you may use that property, so I think laws regarding cell-phone use while driving are perfectly reasonable--in the interest of public safety.
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SeattleGirl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 10:07 PM
Response to Reply #7
17. Cars are private property, yes, but there are movements afoot
to ban people from smoking in their cars when children are also riding along.
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LynneSin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:26 PM
Response to Original message
9. They're working on it - it's a big fine in New Jersey
if they catch you they will nail you on it.

Like the smoking ban, it's something that's going to take time. A few big states will make the jump, like New Jersey and soon we'll see it across the country
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anarch Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:30 PM
Response to Original message
10. against the law in DC
Hmmm...I wonder if I can make a citezen's arrest the next time some jackass talking on his cell phone nearly hits me in a crosswalk.
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no name no slogan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:32 PM
Response to Original message
11. There's laws against driving and talking in many states
In Minnesota it is illegal to drive and talk on your phone. The problem is enforcement.
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Oeditpus Rex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 09:46 PM
Response to Reply #11
13. According to this
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/transportation/cellphone05apdA.htm

...the only law in Minnesota forbids DWT by those under 18 who have a permit or provisional license.

Perhaps there's a new law.
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no name no slogan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 10:12 PM
Response to Reply #13
19. It was passed in 2005 as part of the transportation bill
Edited on Fri Mar-17-06 10:13 PM by no name no slogan
you are correct-- the current law bans it for under 18s, and and took effect 1/1/2006

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/sscellph.pdf (sorry, it's a PDF)

New York and Connecticut also have laws on the book regarding DWT, according to this source.
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RevCheesehead Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 10:14 PM
Response to Original message
20. Is that a new kind of phone I'm unaware of?
Granted, my social life hasn't been all that great lately, but still... I thought I'd at least have read about it. :silly:
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Oeditpus Rex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 10:27 PM
Response to Reply #20
22. You haven't heard of the Fucking Phone?
You live in a hole or somethin'? Got your own juniper bush?

:hi:
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TheBaldyMan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-17-06 11:56 PM
Response to Original message
24. or carry firearms
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bridgit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-18-06 12:02 AM
Response to Original message
25. ppfftt, you do have that just right friend, seen people all over the...
capitol today sneaking smokes like alleged criminals, while nearly crashing into dozens of shit-heads trying to drive and talk at the same time all over the landscape...i thought there was a law against that :shrug:
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