Texting banned while driving

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has started to sign bills now that the budget standoff is over. The big one today is a bill that -- gasp! -- makes it illegal to text-message while driving in the Golden State.

The two laws that banned holding a cellphone to your ear and driving overlooked text messaging because the cellphone part was hard enough to get through a Legislature that has fattened itself on campaign donations from cellphone providers over the years. The public reaction to that lapse helped spur this bill, which some folk may suggest is pure common sense.

The bill was written by State Sen. Joe Simitian, who also authored the cellphone ban. First offense is $76. Schwarzenegger's comment, via press release: "Banning electronic text messaging while driving will keep drivers' hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road, making our roadways a safer place for all Californians."

-- Steve Hymon

Comments

[Tom Cross]

California banned READING text messages while stopped at a read light?? Will they also ban READING maps while stopped at a red light? What about GPS units? Should those also be banned?

[Adam]

This is a complete joke of a law. Let's just ban every possible thing that is dangerous to do while driving! Eating while driving? Forget it! Drive-thru fast food gone forever! Maybe we should outlaw closing your eyes while driving - I mean, who knows what those teenagers will be up to next! How about we ban car makers from putting in radios and navigation systems into cars - god forbid someone gets into an accident while futzing with those.

Is texting while driving stupid? Absolutely, and we have laws on the books already that punish those who irresponsibly cause an accident or are swerving around and such. We need to understand a couple concepts of liberty and freedom here. What people do in the privacy of their own home (or car) is their own business. Only once it affects me is it any of my business - NOT a second before.

This just reeks of big-brother nanny-state taking over. Doesn't this bother anyone else? We truly are a nation of sheep.

[Mike]

Currently you are allowed to use push to talk phones while driving. How can law enforcement tell the difference if you are talking on push to talk vs. texting??

[Douglas]

You cannot legislate the "stupid" out of the general public. Not that you shouldn't try, of course, otherwise how would the nominally stupid know what is right and wrong?

It does not take a law to know that texting while driving is unsafe. It takes common sense. Unfortunately, that seems to be being bred out of the human race.

[craftluv]

Now, gee, what about banning texting while 'driving' a train? I hear that engineer who ran the lights on that accident that killed many in Cal recently was texting at the time.. that caused lots of lives lost at one time.. ban it on TRAINS with engineers!. And I agree, a $75 fine is a joke, people will listen to $300 better... the idea is not the hands on the wheel, it's the eyes on the road that is the issue... you have to LOOK at the device to text, and while you do, AND your hands are involved, you are NOT looking at the road or train tracks.. duh, it's a no brainer.. do you read a book while driving.. or SHOULD you, if you do?

[amazedin LA]

it is amazing that we live in a society so ignorant that you'd actually need to ban this. LA people are particularly homicidally self absorbed. It's amazing that you get points on your license for speeding, but a pidly little fine for using a phone while driving. Thanks Mobilephone lobiests and idiot citizens!

And wouldn't you know it, half the comments actually support texting while driving.

I'd say fine, there should be a special, cemented off, separated lane for you retards and your phone and your texting--that way you asume the risk and slowly kill each other off like Darwinian bumper cars.

The icing on the cake is that it was banned by Arnold S., the Terminator. 20 years ago, if you'd told me this scenario would come to pass , I'd of died laughing. Now I just get to look forward to one of you morons killing me with your car. If only I loved irony as much as my life.

[Frank]

I know it's wrong, but I find myself doing it sometimes. I image search for porn while I'm driving. Technology is a double edged sword. Maybe if they made it so the phones did not function over 10 MPH or something. Stupid monkeys.

[john]

I'm glad that they've finally banned it in CA. Here in NY four teenagers died in a head on collision with a semi when they drifted across the center line because the dumb bimbo driving was texting and not paying any attention to driving.

I'm a pilot and the FAA has banned cellphone usage in small planes by pilots for the same reason they're banning it in california. It's just plain common sense that you need to be in control of your vehicle at all times an not being preoccupied with playing with a phone.

If they stopped selling automatic transmission cars and made it mandatory for all licensed drivers to become proficient at driving stick, people will stop talking on their phones and they'd get better gas millage too:)

[Ian]

This is ridiculous!

Next they'll ban drinking and driving!

[KYJurisDoctor]

That actually makes sense. Why would ANYONE text while driving (TWD)? OsiSpeaks.com

[pj]

what next?breathing while driving?#### you arnold!

[John Connor]

To stillkicking,

A: They have not determined the cause of that train crash.
B: The crash occurred because they did not want to spend money on an automated safety system.

[Phone Engineer]

Matt,
It is easy to tell a texter from outside the car, it is the car that looks like the driver is 4x the legal limit of alcohol or has smoked 10 joints. Texters have a 35% increase in reaction times vs 21% for drunks and 12% for stoners.
Add to that the texters are much more likely to drift around in lanes and follow too closely.

Enforcement will work itself out.

[Neo]

Well I work for a cellphone provider I can tell you whe I'm helping a customer fix their phone common sense doesn't apply. Try pulling out a battery and SIM card putting it back in and powering on the phone and looking for error messages while going down the road. I get this call about 80% of my calls. Doctors, Lawyers, judges, working man, ect. noone seems to be above this. I think it would be simpler if everyone just put their phone in their trunk when getting in the car. Got it out when at a destination. Problem fixed.

[tom]

This wont keep peoples hands on the wheel. As it is I keep one hand on the wheel and the other resting on my arm rest whether I'm texting or not. I would also like to echo these sentiments:

"And while they are at it how about banning putting makeup on while driving (far more dangerous!), eating while driving, reading while driving, finding your position on a map while driving, and a dozen other common yet distracting activities."

add taking one hand off the wheel to shift gears to that list.

[J Bryan]

Yes and this whole cell phone ban is really working out. Cops were looking for it for the first few days, and now back to the normal typical bad drivers, talking on their cells, while texting, while eating and in-and-out burger and steering with the knee at 105 mph.

Thanks for making me feel soooooooo much safer.

[stillkicking]

I still see far too many people holding a cell phone in their hand and driving. Most of them are women but we're not suppose to say that because that sounds sexist. Forget the monetary fine. How about actual real jail time? If you are really serious about stopping a problem then you need to get serious about letting people know the consequences for their actions. And before the whiners start in about my "fascist" comments remember the dead from the tragic train crash just recently.

[hated]

to dale moore---
how many people have been killed because of texting?

and to BV---
you're right on the money!

[Holger]

Now, how much did that cost to first put out a little law and then add on? What could have possibly been the argument to keep it out of the first version? Money from the lobbying phone comapnies, maybe?

[Dale Moore]

After all the deaths that have taken place because of people text messaging when they should bhe paying attention, it is time someone showed some common sense.

Unfortunately the fine isn't enough, it should be $500, then it will grab peoples attention.

[James]

Governor's secret meeting " Hey guys I know that we just got done banning cell phone use while driving purely for cash to help out our lobbyists goals of spending all the taxpayers money, but I have a great Idea!!! Lets ban texting too so we can STEAL even more money! Can anyone else think of any other laws that infringe on our ability to operate as humans?"

[Dale Moore]

After all the deaths that have taken place because of people text messaging when they should bhe paying attention, it is time someone showed some common sense.

Unfortunately the fine isn't enough, it should be $500, then it will grab peoples attention.

[Matt]

If we criminalize banning texting while driving, then only criminals will ban texting while driving.

[BV]

Common sense yes, but how can this be enforced??? From outside the car there is no way to tell if someone is texting or adjusting their radio.

And while they are at it how about banning putting makeup on while driving (far more dangerous!), eating while driving, reading while driving, finding your position on a map while driving, and a dozen other common yet distracting activities.

Then when everyone is stuck bored to death with an hour long commute not being able to multi-task, people will move closer to their jobs or LA might finally get a comprehensive subway system.

[Irma]

It's about time! Wish this law existed in Florida!