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Everyone knows by now that talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving in the District is illegal -- even if it is a poorly enforced and largely ignored law. But given the increasing popularity of SMS (and really, who actually talks on the phone anymore? I recently found myself incredibly frustrated that a close friend left me a voicemail. Who leaves garbled voicemail when you can shoot a quick, clear text? You want me to call who? Just send me a text, ZOMG!!1!), what's the rule on the arguably more dangerous practice of texting while driving? Turns out, there is none, and in Virginia at least, some legislators would like to change that.
WTOP says that Virginia Delegate James Scott (D-Falls Church) has introduced legislation that would make it illegal to send, receive or read text messages while driving an automobile, riding a bike, using an electric wheelchair or riding a scooter.
Does Del. Scott's legislation go too far? If actually trying to type while driving isn't more dangerous than just holding a phone to your ear, we don't know what is. But an electric wheelchair? We dunno 'bout that.
Should the legislation pass the General Assembly, don't be too surprised to see similar legislation introduced in the D.C. Council.
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...hmm... what about while stopped at red lights? I get so booooored!
Texting while driving is "arguably" more dangerous than talking??!!?
Great solar cracking melon-maggots batman, it would seem to be INTENSELY more dangerous. Like driving while playing Battleship on the middle-seat console thing with a demented caveman in the back seat... and we're not talking about the electronic version of Battleship, brother, hell no. It's gotta be the old peggy plastic battleship. Crankin' it oldschool with the demented caveman. And he goes CRAZY when you sink his aircraft carrier: peeing against the windows and bashing that gazelle's jawbone around, croaking his foul breath...
....while driving, is the point.
Should it be specifically illegal? Maybe. Maybe not. It would be like passing a law SPECIFICALLY prohibiting the whole caveman battleship scenario. Do we really need to legislate against suicidal foolishness? Evidently....
Disco Stu: If you're bored at those red lights, just run them. God knows, metrobus does.
My buddy actually wrecked his car while Blackberrying. Der.
I understand the sending and reading of text messages while driving but RECEIVING text messages? So I should turn off my phone every time I get in the car so I don't receive messages and inadvertently break the law?
I would have thought since DC bans cell phones without using a handheld device, this would mean no text-messaging while driving (which would include no Blackberrying). But maybe not. Not that the current DC law is really having that much effect on drivers.
I say up the fine to $250 and make it mandatory OR give out a few points on the driver's license for violations. You'd be amazed how quickly drivers would get the message.
I've said it before, I'll say it again. Laws banning any specific activity while driving are useless. There are at least 79 stupid things that I've seen people do while driving that are not covered by specific laws that are far more dangerous than texting while driving.
I find that most drivers in this city are a menace while doing nothing but driving. People don't use their turn signals, they can't stay in their lane, they make erratic stops, they run red lights. Basically, most drivers don't take driving seriously or consider that there are other people on the road. Ever.
Instead of enacting a billion dumb laws that are impossible to enforce, just start enforcing the ACTUAL laws of the road.
Bottom line is, anyone who gives a crap about driving is perfectly capable of talking on a cell phone -- or even to someone else in the car-- while driving. The whole hands free thing is crap. Isn't driving a stick shift car legal and not considered a safety hazard? That takes up one hand too.
Those people in wheelchairs will just have to stop being in a wheelchair if they want to text. Seems reasonable to me.
I agree that it's potentially dangerous to read a text message while driving, but is texting while driving any worse than programming your GPS system while driving? How about choosing a song on your iPod? Should these also be illegal? What about eating while driving? That's potentially dangerous, too!
I guess I'll just take Metro.
Nonsense, lemonlaug. They just have to transfer their paralyzed patooties onto a nearby park bench in order to read their text messages. It's perfectly reasonable.
Isn't texting basically covered by existing "driving while distracted" laws that aren't being enforced anyway? Am I supposed to stop my electric wheelchair and pull over every time I need to text my bitches? Am I supposed to make my helper monkey do it for me? Because after mixing us a few gin rickeys, little Diderot has a nasty habit of drunk texting that's gotten him in hot water more than once. Besides, he's always throwing poo at Segway drivers and making the keypad all stinky.
An example of the danger from my hometown in MA - Distraction by Texting killed a 13 year old kid!
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/29/fatal_hit_run_driver_was_texting_da_says/
Driving without a seatbelt is illegal as well, but kids still manage to find a way to get that done. Unfortunately, all over the pavement.
Ahhhhhhhh. Those were the days when I could drink a beer, light a cigarette, change an 8-track tape AND put on lipstick while cruising down Route 5. Those were the days my friends ...
I promise I have no affiliation to this company and make no money on this, so:
I hate voicemails too. For the past year I've been using a website called CallWave for my cell voicemail that e-mails me the voicemails and sends my cell phone a voice to text translation of all my new voicemails. It's not a perfect translation (by far) but I can usually decipher the message pretty well.
The problem isn't that they're distracted while texting, it's that they're driving way the hell under the speed limit while they're doing it. I have yet to see anyone using their cellphone while driving and doing anywhere near the speed limit. They're always babbling away, looking for an address, arguing about something, and crawling along at 10 mph slower than everybody else.
Why don't we also make it illegal to change CDs while driving.
It's also illegal to change lanes without using your signal, but try enforcing that on Route 1 on a Friday night.
Oddly enough, it is completely legal in Virginia to drive a vehicle while operating a penis enlarger. And those nannys in Richmond need to think twice before they ban that Constitutionally protected right. To paraphrase National Penis Enlarger Organization spokesman Charleton Heston, as he raised his John Holmes Personal Enlarger over his head, "From my cold, dead penis!"
Hold on. That wasn't the NPEO speech. That was from Omegaman. Or Planet of the Apes maybe? Waitaminit...that was OUR PLANET! [pounds fists against ground] YOU BLEW IT UP! YOU MANIACS! GODDAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!
FYI, here's a nice map showing US driving while using a cellphone laws. Make that next crosscountry killing spree a safe one!