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Today's Poll: Should texting while driving be outlawed?
Submitted by Howard Owens on July 17, 2009 - 8:55am
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July 17, 2009 - 9:21am
#2
I understand the dangers of doing anything with your cell phone while driving. I actually think though that texting is probably more dangerous then talking on the phone. But at the same time, do we all not do things in the car just as distracting as this? I have a Sirius/XM Satellite Radio in my car and that distracts me when I channel surf. When you have kids and they are in the back seat and they need something, I'm sure I'm not the only one who reaches behind to give them what they need. When I used to drive to Rochester to work everyday on the 90, I saw people shaving, reading, putting on makeup. People eat when they drive, I mean we have drive thru windows at restaurants. I have never heard of anyone being pulled over for eating. I think if someone is driving erraticly, that is when they should be pulled over, regardless of what they are doing. So I guess my vote is no, becuase if you outlaw that, you basically have to outlaw everything that takes your hands off the wheel.
Just my 2 cents.......
July 17, 2009 - 9:44am
#3
How are they going to stop me? I do it below the steering wheel and now all I have to do is get a map out and say I was looking at that. Or better yet, turn on the GPS system on my phone.
July 17, 2009 - 9:59am
#4
The knowledge I have is that they will fine you if they see you texting or on the phone right now. I have been told by a friend cop that if they can't see it, you can't be ticketed. Though, if they do see you on your phone - making a call, on a call, texting, dialing a number, adjusting settings, manipulating your phone GPS, etc. - you will get a ticket... just for handling your phone.
No matter what they do, there will always be accidents. Everyone makes stupid mistakes, and unfortunately sometimes they are fatal mistakes. You can't just take every right a person has away from them and think that you aren't going to still have mistakes, accidents and/or fatalities. People just need to be more responsible and aware of their surroundings. I think that would help fix the problem.
Though, I honestly ponder the question of 'What's next?' You can't have a conversation in your vehicle while driving...?
Ha! Now we are up to $.06 cents... LOL! :)
July 17, 2009 - 9:59am
#5
shouldn't common sense tell you not to do something that distracts you that much? Why do we need laws to tell people what they should allready know? Pay attention to the machine you are operating.
July 17, 2009 - 10:01am
#6
No one said you were smart. You put other lives at risk.
July 17, 2009 - 10:02am
#7
Go ahead and text. They can't stop YOU. But, a tree or a truck bumper might.
July 17, 2009 - 10:05am
#8
Hasn't yet. As a matter of fact all 3 of my accidents occurred when I was paying attention.
July 17, 2009 - 10:08am
#9
As long as we're banning distractions in cars, let's ban passengers. They can be terribly distracting.
July 17, 2009 - 10:22am
#10
Peter should be banned from everything for being so annoying. I don't think he was born that way but he sure seems to work really hard at it.
July 17, 2009 - 10:42am
#11
Good one Howard! I have personally banned many friends from my car because of that exact reason! :-)
Why is it an issue for me to look or use my phone while I'm stopped at a light or something similar? I get the whole focus on the road while you DRIVING, but to regulate what I'm doing while I'm sitting still is just silly.
Not that I even care mind you, I don't text and drive, but I have looked or sent a text while waiting. Have any of you drove down Main St. at 5pm...That's all I do is sit at red lights!!! ;-)
July 17, 2009 - 11:01am
#12
I say yes! It has nothing to do with banning doing things in the car. Some people are really addicted to texting and it takes your eyes off of the road a whole lot longer than anything else that I can think of.
I wont let my 19 year old drive her sister anywhere because my oldest daughter textes constantly. Day and night, in the car and out. She doesn't live at home any more. Thank God, because I couldn't stand all the texting. I text once in a while, and it's usually back to her when she sends me a message. Sometimes, I just call her back instead.
I do agree Phil... I have CHECKED my phone while waiting... say at a RR Crossing or even at a long red light.
July 17, 2009 - 11:07am
#13
Yes, In my opinion, texting is more distracting, then talking on your cell phone while driving. I cant tell you how many times I pass drivers on Main St., who's heads are down looking at their phones, not on the road. To each his own I guess, until someone gets hurt.
July 17, 2009 - 11:40am
#14
So banning me from everything is basically banning me from living which equals death. So Dick wants me to die.
July 17, 2009 - 11:49am
#15
ERRRRRRRGH See what I mean.
July 17, 2009 - 11:57am
#16
Maybe we should ask the parents of those five girls who were killed in Bloomfield. While I don't know for a fact but it was aledged that the driver was texting.Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we need more laws on the books, but there are people out there that don't have the common sense not to text while there driving, and those are the people this law would be for. And if the law saves one life its worth it.
July 17, 2009 - 11:59am
#17
I live in Kansas City (born and raised in Batavia area though) and we don't have the laws about cell phones that NY has and I wish we did. I hate seeing people on their cell phones as I drive down the interstate. It is very easy to tell because they are either driving too slow and cautious or they are driving erratically. There are so many rear end collisions here because of cell phones and a lot of fatalities that have been proven to be caused by the people using their cell phone. I hate talking on my cell so I refuse to answer it when I am driving and if someone asks why I tell them for safety reasons. My wife really hates this she expects to be able to reach me at all times on my cell. I wouldn't mind going back to the days before cell phones.
July 17, 2009 - 12:01pm
#18
I couldn't agree more Scott. It's silly to ban talking on the phone and not texting which is much more dangerous in my opinion.
July 17, 2009 - 1:36pm
#19
You'd find more people would talk on a phone while driving, versus texting, if talking on a phone while driving wasn't illegal.
Which is easier to hide? Talking while driving or texting while driving?
July 17, 2009 - 2:23pm
#20
Ok Scott, Revoke the second amendment right now then because someone might die from an accidental shooting.
And lets take away knives because someone might accidentally stab themselves by tripping on their cat and falling on the knife.
Lets take away automobiles since people die in accidents all the time.
But we can't switch to horses because you could fall and get trampled.
We can't walk either because we might fall off a cliff.
Lets just stay in bed all the time. Oh wait, here comes an earthquake.
Life sucks, get a helmet.
-Dennis Leary
If we are going to make laws to save lives as the sole purpose then we have lost our way as a society. Laws aren't made to dictate behavior.
July 17, 2009 - 3:42pm
#21
the law says no hand held cell phones, so no texting should already be in effect, we shouldn't have to spend thousands of dollars for a new law.
July 17, 2009 - 4:21pm
#22
No, Deb texting isn't included under current legislation.
July 17, 2009 - 6:24pm
#23
The new law they passed says the police CANNOT pull you over if they see you texting-only if they pull you over for a moving violation,then you will get a ticket for texting.If it were me,I would ban texting OUTRIGHT!!!!!!I am so sick of seeing all these young kids walking or riding their bike down the sidewalk with their faces pointed down texting away.Oh- funny story-last week I was driving down 490-a car is passing me-then I see in my drivers mirror he's getting closer and closer to me...do I dare hit my air horn and risk scaring driver,possibly startling them and they swerve into me or under my trailer? 4000lb car vs. 78000 lb tractor trailer never end up well.....luckily,he didn't sideswipe me and as he passed,I saw what was distracting him-he was SCRATCHING OFF LOTTERY TICKETS!!!!! That's the first time I've seen that.....
July 17, 2009 - 8:18pm
#24
Did you hear the recent news story about the girl who was texting walking down the street and fell in the sewer? Of course her family wants to sue.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/07/13/2009-07-13_teen_tumbles_i...
July 18, 2009 - 5:28pm
#25
I used to read books on the way to and from work. Was I wrong to do so? I think I was. Newspapers too, it's a good thing I never got one of those little TV's. Funny how it makes you sick to read while riding in a car but it works just fine, most of the time, when you are driving. I had a friend who could drive with his knees while he rolled a joint. He's dead now but his not so unique talent wasn't what killed him. He died on the job when a gas well exploded. Bummer.
July 21, 2009 - 2:10pm
#26
i watched a kid this morning on his bike...no helmet texting....it was interesting to watch him stay on the sidewalk and not go into the street.
July 21, 2009 - 3:00pm
#27
Posted by Melissa George on July 21, 2009 - 2:10pm
i watched a kid this morning on his bike...no helmet texting....it was interesting to watch him stay on the sidewalk and not go into the street.
I had a man on a bike in front of me who was texting and weaving back and forth. Scary.
July 21, 2009 - 3:18pm
#28
It happens all the time down here in Florida! You can still talk on the cell phone while driving down here!
