Texas Bans Cell Phone Use While Driving - Sorta
 

But what good is it? Half-assed.
.
"That includes texting and emailing. It does not include dialing a number to call someone, setting a GPS device or surfing the Internet."
.
LOL...a ban on cell phone use while driving but you can surf the internet. :eek:
.
Two causes the I would support and become involved...in AZ...and nation wide:
.
1) PAS, Physician Assisted Suicide
2) Ban all cell phone use while driving.
.
~~~~~~~~~~
Texting while driving ban becomes law in Texas | News | starlocalmedia.com

Don,
That bill is just a minor example of the moronic bills passsed (or not passed) by the confederacy of dunces which run things here in the great state of TX.

Property taxes are are out of sight, public school funding is grossly inadequate and so complex no one even understands it, Child Protective Service and the Foster Care System were deemed cruel and unusual punishment they are so underfunded... and on and on an nauseum.

yet...

the Lt. gov. here sets the legislative agenda and his #1 priority this session which just ended was passing a bathroom bill re: N. Carolinas... he continually stated the overwhelming majority of Texans want this bill passed but all the polls say no we don't, it isn't even on most peoples radar. It didn't pass but the gov. has called for a special session in which they will try again.

I could rant on forever about our current state government but the issue that is really disconcerting is the laws they passed this session which eliminate local control of issues. They ***** constantly about the feds interfering with the state but think nothing of the state interfering with local gov. issues (particularly when lobbyists can throw enough money at them).. end of semi-rant.

Texting and driving is illegal here in Tempe. We're also the densest city in the state and a major transportation bottleneck. Still, pull up to a stop light and at least half of the drivers are on their phones. I don't think it's an enforcement-only kind of problem.

Was that a "Jack For Governor" poster on the wall at Dozier's that I saw the other day?

It's a start.

Governor Abbot would not even consider it in years past.

But full on bans have been popping up at the local County level the last couple of years.

Abbot is not a fan of local government and is known to look for state laws that effectively neuters any stricter local legislation.

No texting in Ohio. $125 Your on-phone percentages are the same as here.

Older dudes are the only ones I see, per my sperience, that have more favorable percentages. Middle aged wimmins, cell phone miscreants.

Jolly,

I have been known to stop in at Dozier's and partake in a generous helping of their BBQ Brisket and some sides.... but definitely no "Jack for Governor" posters :rolleyes:

I must assume you also familiar with Doziers ??

SM, you may recall the legislature passed a no-texting bill a couple of years ago but Rick Perry vetoed it as just another unnecessary government infringement on our rights.

but as you state, Abbot has no problem with telling local governments what they can and can't do.

Many years ago, when I used to hunt, I would take my deer there to be processed. Still drop in for BBQ.

It's amazing just how distracting it can be to try and drive a car while engaged in important activities such as texting or surfing the web.

This is a major pet peeve of mine. I admit it. As a motorcyclist who has damn near been hit countless times by texting, surfing, yammering idiots, I have had enough. I think it should be a custody offense, with the car impounded and the device confiscated as evidence until the trial date. That, and I think it should be counted as a legal, righteous kill if the bullet hole goes through the phone and and at least one ear...

Twice last month I was cut off in traffic by women on the phone.
Once on the freeway in my car and once in town on my Hyper.
Frightening.
Both times I sped up next to them and waved...they both looked over and then looked ahead. No knowledge of what they just did.
I say ban all cell phones in vehicles.
.
Apparently no politician in this country has lost a loved one due to a cell phone user.

Illegal to text or talk on a phone unless hands free is CA. I'm fine with that. CA banned calls and then a few months later passed another bill on texting.

^^^
I'm fine with that...as long as one is allowed to be on the phone while taking a DMV driver's test.

People talking hands free while driving STILL don't pay attention to their surroundings. Seen people I'm riding with do it. My brother has Siri read his texts to him, then Also has Siri reply. He also answers and talks hands free. I seldom ride with him that he doesn't take or make a call.

I refuse. If someone calls or texts while I'm driving I don't answer or even look to see who it is. I either pull over or wait until I reach my destination and return the call depending on how far my destination is.

My mobile phone is for MY convenience NOT other people's. Even more so with emails. I don't check my emails until I have time to answer them.

Hands free only in MaryLand but that doesn't stop anyone. Around the DC beltway, it is the norm to watch people checking phones as they drive.

I've taken to honking to see if they will look up. My life (and that of my family) is far more important than their text, email, porn, Effen Facebook, or whatever...

Yes I recall.

Perry had an interesting POV on rights.

How about my right not to be killed by a texting driver.

Had this discussion with a friend a few days ago.

Apparently he was unaware that Argyle recently enacted a ban and he got pulled over.

His position was the ban unduly punished responsible drivers.

My response was responsible drivers don't pick up the phone.

Then he got into "liberties" which is a non starter for me.

One can easily argue that any legislation / regulation whose purpose is to make driving safer, traffic signals, stop signs, using turn signals, tail gating, driving while impaired,...... unduly punish "responsible" drivers and deprive us of "liberties" but we all see the benefit in them so why is this any different.

That's crazy "According to state officials, in 2015 more than 105,000 traffic crashes in Texas involved distracted driving, leading to at least 476 fatalities."

The law is stupid though. How is it going to be enforced... "Sorry officer, I was on Facebook, not texting, so bite me!". What will happen then? I agree distracted driving needs to be reduced and I guess this law is better than no law, but it sounds half assed.

Couple of questions, can you text while at a red light? If you have a car that has auto-pilot, can text and ride while in AP mode?

City of Denton ran into the same issue with their 1st pass at a ban a couple of years ago.

They realized it was barely enforceable as written and this year amended for a full on ban.

Basically if you pick up the phone, it's a ticket.

You can still use hands free, as long as you don't touch the phone.

It's on the books now and may take some time to fix the enforcement issue but it is a start.

Speeding laws aren't enforced if no LEO present and don't see it.

That should go for all distractions, shaving, eating, general spacing out...

And that had zero effect! Every other car has a driver doing everything EXCEPT paying attention to driving.
Not to profile anyone....but it's usually a teen-early 20s and more female than male.

Hey Stick

You folks south of the line have no exclusivity when it comes to morons at the wheel whilst dicking about with their personal electronic devices. We have laws here against this sort of conduct but they (the laws) seem largely unenforceable to a vast majority of offenders as the practice still borderlines on epidemic proportions. I fear it will be a long time before this dangerous habit is eliminated from the driving public's standard operative procedure. I guess a cure to this might be more campaigns to raise public awareness, something along the lines of the anti-drunk driving adverts. It just isn't that safe on the roads with all the distracted driving going on at present. As far as the Texas legislation banning cell phone use - if nothing else, it is a start.

Cheers
JB

There is already an enforceable law. It's called...Failure to devote full time and attention.

Got a ticket for that when 16 and hit a parked car across the street from a nice looking young lady dancing naked on her front porch. Good thing I had slowed way down.

Yep, I commute the L.A. freeways five days a week and hardly a day goes by I don't see someone playing with their phone... roll up on someone in the left lane doing five MPH under the speed limit... I pass on the right... sure enough, cell phone pressed to the side of their head.

And yes, I have heard from a few LEO's that we don't need laws prohibiting cell phone use (texting or talking) because that cam be interpreted as reckless driving which has been on the books for years.

This

Jack, if you think you have it bad in Texas, try living in Kalifornia. I go down and talk to my legislative representatives about once a year. So far it has had no discernible impact, other than a nice postcard from my Senator. Oh, and the legislative assistant women recognize me when I come in to see their bosses.

They need to make the fines higher and confiscate the phone. I see someone on their phone behind the wheel every single day. Last night was going in to do a free consult on a couple Medi-Cal patients and the gal in front of me almost hit the cement barrier between the East and West bound trying to negotiate a curve on the interstate.

I stay as far from people as possible on the road.

Triggers a memory of passing a new beetle on I-5. Young driver, maybe 5 feet behind the semi trailer he was following, texting away. Remember thinking I was happy to be ahead and wouldn't see the very possible carnage.

I only have a "dumb" trac phone. $100 worth of minutes lasts us more than a year. I laugh at the phone ads on TV, call ours the $8.33 per month plan. Wouldn't have bought it except there are no more pay phones. When I drive alone, it's off. Cindy has made a few calls from the passenger seat when we're together.

Yo, Toby..

We can debate who has the worst state government til the cows come home as they are polar opposites. however, what is the heat index in Kalifornia today? at 3 PM it was 106 here and not even summer yet. Do you even have heat indexes in KA ??

Used to be that when you saw drivers going to slow or swerving in their lane you assumed they were DUI... now ?? I just assume they are on their cell phones. and stay as far away as possible also.

You are correct of course but the problem with that is you are leaving it up to the driver to determine whether or not they are devoting full time and attention.

It's like my friend last week. "...but the ban unfairly punishes responsible drivers..."

To reiterate, my reply to that was responsible drivers don't pick up their phones.

In his mind, and the minds of far too many, they THINK they can text and still drive responsibly so they do.

There is no ambiguity in "Don't touch the phone while you are in the drivers seat."