Federal Ban on All Cell Phone Use While Driving Proposed For US

[UrbanBounca]

I think hands free (including bluetooth) is no worse than having other people in the car talking to you really...and i think it should be a non-hands free talking/texting ban not a complete cell phone use ban since smartphones have essentially replaced gps navigation devices and mp3 players...

Actually, the statistics show that when you actually have a passenger, you are less likely to end up in a wreck. However, simply talking to someone on the phone, you are more likely to end up in a wreck.

You are right to a point...but I can argue so can listening to music and driving. Yeah I think long conversations should be avoided. If its more than "You need me to pick up what... ok bye" .. , "I am driving is it an emergency", or "Dont for get to pick up ______ from _____ its already 5 mins until (activity) is over".

So yes there are times when you need to talk and drive and it can be done with out the need to pull over. Now if you need to do a business deal or something drawn out then I agree pull over or tell the person you will call them back.

There is really no way to make rules and regulations based on how long or in-depth your phone conversation can be.

 

[Jungle King 76]

The "empty road" doesn't always STAY empty. I remember driving down a country road one night many years ago, late at night when you wouldn't expect anyone else around, and for a long time, there wasn't. At one point, I passed a junction and, just as I crossed it, some hooligans ran their stop sign and almost nailed me! Fortunately, because I wasn't distracted, I was able to react in a way which allowed me to avoid the collision, but just barely. If I'd been distracted WITH ANYTHING at that point, I'd have gotten nailed (and probably killed). I don't think your assumption is a safe one. Just something to think about...

This goes along with knowing your surroundings and being smart. If I was on a country road that I am familiar with, I know every drive way, intersection, road that comes so obviously I would be prepared for anything. Trust me, my assumption is very safe. Again, it goes to me being responsible for myself. In your example, they ran a stop sign so I would not feel guilty about what happens to them, if I get hurt, again it goes back to my life, my responsibility, my choice.

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[colorfulbliss]

I cannot believe the number of posters here that are ok with a "Federal" law concerning a driving issue. Although I am not opposed to laws regulating cell phone usage while driving, they should be State/Local laws and not Federal laws. This is nothing more than an attempt at further loss of state's rights. It saddens me that most of the debate in this thread is over the law itself rather than who is legislating away state's rights (as guaranteed by the Constitution). Folks, please don't take your eyes off the ball here.

 

[aaf709]

I was handsfree long before it was mandatory in California. I'm amazed at all the drivers I see with one hand stuck to their ear.

When it became the law in California The Reader (a free paper in San Diego) did an editorial about the law. It had two pictures, showing what was Illegal and what was Legal. The "Illegal" picture had a driver with a cell phone to his ear, eyes straight ahead and talking. The "Legal" picture had a driver (with a BT device on his ear) with the cell phone next to him. He's looking down and trying to dial a number. Not really accurate as how did the driver in the "Illegal" picture dial?

 

[Narsil]

The Federal Government has absolutely no Constitutional Jurisdiction to dictate driving laws. None.

It is not "commerce" so they cannot even use the massively over-abused "Interstate Commerce Act" to justify it.

The 10th Amendment, however, precludes Congress from making this law. Sadly, the 10th Amendment might as well not exist as few states seem to even remember it through the flood of "shut up and suckle" money flowing from the Fed.

 

[bsmith0731]

What about all the women who change clothes put on makeup and whatever else they do while they drive. I don't see a band on this.

 

[bsmith0731]

I can understand a band on having a cell phone in your hand but that's what bluetooth devices are for

 

[floyddrose1]

are we going to ban law enforcement and truck drivers

Give me a break, if you cant use a cell phone, you cant use a cb. you cant read a map, you cant look in the mirror to see if you have something on your face. you must drink coffee so your not sleepy,you cant roll your windows down the air might distract you. You have to drive alone,conversation may distract you, you definately cant drive with kids,all bus drivers must give up their jobs now. kids will have to walk to school. Taxi drivers are not allowed, a person in the back making them constantly look in the rear view mirror has to be distracting especially if there hot . Cops cant call in back up,like I said what's the difference between a cb ,thats been around for years,and a cell phone,oh wait its mounted on the dash, you actually have to look down and take your eyes off the road to use it. Thanks government for taking care of me even though Im sure that every politician that votes for this law will be exempt from it. As they are from forced health care.

 

[UrbanBounca]

Give me a break, if you cant use a cell phone, you cant use a cb. you cant read a map, you cant look in the mirror to see if you have something on your face. you must drink coffee so your not sleepy,you cant roll your windows down the air might distract you. You have to drive alone,conversation may distract you, you definately cant drive with kids,all bus drivers must give up their jobs now. kids will have to walk to school. Taxi drivers are not allowed, a person in the back making them constantly look in the rear view mirror has to be distracting especially if there hot . Cops cant call in back up,like I said what's the difference between a cb ,thats been around for years,and a cell phone,oh wait its mounted on the dash, you actually have to look down and take your eyes off the road to use it. Thanks government for taking care of me even though Im sure that every politician that votes for this law will be exempt from it. As they are from forced health care.

Oranges to apples, friend.

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[Ziggie]

Whoever said that the posters are missing the point when they are discussing the merits of the law itself instead of whether the feds should allowed to do it versus the states is themselves missing the point. The point is that someone should pass the law.

I honestly don't think anyone here can make the claim that they are more focused and less distracted while driving and talking on their cellphone than when they are driving and not talking on their cellphone.

Driving while talking on a cellphone is more dangerous than driving without talking on a cellphone.

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[Jungle King 76]

Whoever said that the posters are missing the point when they are discussing the merits of the law itself instead of whether the feds should allowed to do it versus the states is themselves missing the point. The point is that someone should pass the law.

I honestly don't think anyone here can make the claim that they are more focused and less distracted while driving and talking on their cellphone than when they are driving and not talking on their cellphone.

Driving while talking on a cellphone is more dangerous than driving without talking on a cellphone.

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Actually, I can say for sure that when i drive while using my cell, i absolutely pay more attention to the road because I am aware that the phone "could" distract me and it forces me to be more aware. When i am in the car driving with no "distractions" I tend to get comfortable and almost complacent. Turn the radio up and sing along, chatting it up with the wife, laughing along with my kids, etc. But if I am on the phone, I am no longer complacent, the music is turned off, the wife and/or kids are quiet.

Bottom line, when i am on the phone, I am far less distracted.

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[Ziggie]

Actually, I can say for sure that when i drive while using my cell, i absolutely pay more attention to the road because I am aware that the phone "could" distract me and it forces me to be more aware. When i am in the car driving with no "distractions" I tend to get comfortable and almost complacent. Turn the radio up and sing along, chatting it up with the wife, laughing along with my kids, etc. But if I am on the phone, I am no longer complacent, the music is turned off, the wife and/or kids are quiet.

Bottom line, when i am on the phone, I am far less distracted.

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"I'm more focused when I'm drunk because I know I'm drunk."

Further, remove all of your other distractions and then add a cellphone. You are more distracted while driving while talking on a cellphone than you are than if you're driving without.

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[Jungle King 76]

"I'm more focused when I'm drunk because I know I'm drunk."

Further, remove all of your other distractions and then add a cellphone. You are more distracted while driving while talking on a cellphone than you are than if you're driving without.

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Apparently you did not read my post. I can absolutely guarantee that I am less distracted with a cell phone than without. This is not opinion or up for you to tell me differently. Have you been in a car with me? If not,how can you say what does or does not distract me? If you want to argue that people in general are more distracted on the phone, that i can agree with but my post was simply stating that I personally am more focused on the road on a phone than without.

The drunk thing is just ridiculous and a poor attempt to make a point.

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[RUSHgsxr]

This is absolutely a state issue and not a federal one. As someone stated earlier, it's sad no one cares about that. Govt just keeps getting bigger and bigger and if no one cares to stand up against them it's just going to get worse.

It's also rather sad that we're at the point where they're trying to make laws as to when we can use our freakin cell phones...

 

[aaf709]

As I said before, in California it's the law to be handsfree when using a cell and even so I see many people still holding a cell next to their ear. If the Federal Government passed a law, I probably wouldn't see a difference.

I saw a 1950's Popular Science (or maybe Mechanic's Illustrated) that showed a prototype of a safe car. The driver sat in the middle in a raised area sticking their head out of a dome. They had no access to the radio as that was for the passengers.

While we're talking about rights, there was a woman on talk radio a few years ago that said she had the right to drive in the carpool lane by herself because she was pregnant and the fetus counted as the second person. Kinda funny as if that's true, all pregnant women drivers are guilty every time they get behind the wheel as it is against the law (in California) for 2 people to wear the same seat belt and to have 2 people behind the wheel.

Yeah one of the major reasons for accidents is the loose nut behind the wheel, whatever the reason.

I was rear ended in 2010 and one of the first questions the insurance person asked was, "Were they using a cell phone?" It's easy when there's an accident as it appears that if you're involved in an accident, and using a cell phone, you're guilty.