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

[Einsteindks]

If folks would simply drive in a normal, safe manner to begin with we wouldn't have to worry about all this. I've always always backed off a few more feet from the car in front of me when I'm using my cell phone.

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[Ziggie]

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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I'm not trying to start a quarrel here. My drunk driving point is valid. Your level of distraction while talking on a cellphone versus without is not a matter of opinion. I do not have to observe you to know that you are not as focused while talking on a cellphone than when you're not.

I'm assuming that you are in fact human and therefore possess a limited number of things you can focus on. One thing, I'd bet you're pretty darn good. Two things, not quite as good as one. Three things, and now you start missing more than you did with just two. It goes on from there...

Its just kind of silly to even make the argument that you are more focused while driving and talking on a cellphone. You're just not.

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[metalspring]

Can we please stay clear of the politics here? (state vs federal law)...not supposed to talk politics here for a good reason-it trends to turn into nasty arguments...
Just stick to whether or not the law should be passed...

 

[Narsil]

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...

Did you actually read the article?

...A federal ban on all cellphone use while operating a motor vehicle has been proposed by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The proposed ban applies to any vehicle, on any road, in any state, and covers both talking and texting with a cellphone. LaHood pointed out that 38 states already have laws on the books banning or restricting the use of cellphones while driving, but this new federal law would supersede those...

Is it that those state laws aren't good enough for you or is it that you think you or the Federal Government know so much better how those other 12 states should run their roads? Does your state already have a law banning cell phone use in some manner? If not, you should petition your state legislature to enact a law to make you feel safer, not the Federal Government who doesn't even possess the ability to enforce the law you're supporting.

 

[Ziggie]

My point concerning federal versus state is that it doesn't matter. If the states aren't getting on board then the feds should. Paranoia about federal intervention versus state intervention is diluting the core question: should we ban cellphone use while driving?

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[Jungle King 76]

I'm not trying to start a quarrel here. My drunk driving point is valid. Your level of distraction while talking on a cellphone versus without is not a matter of opinion. I do not have to observe you to know that you are not as focused while talking on a cellphone than when you're not.

I'm assuming that you are in fact human and therefore possess a limited number of things you can focus on. One thing, I'd bet you're pretty darn good. Two things, not quite as good as one. Three things, and now you start missing more than you did with just two. It goes on from there...

Its just kind of silly to even make the argument that you are more focused while driving and talking on a cellphone. You're just not.

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I agree it is not about a quarrel but you are still missing the fact that you cannot say how one person acts from the next. Is it true that your stance is true for the average person or most people? Yes, of course. But not every mind operates the same. If you keep claiming that "I" personally focus better without, and that I am silly for thinking otherwise, you are in fact stating an opinion because unless you know how I operate, you cannot say for sure.

Yes, I am human, but not all human brains work the same. If that were the case, we would not have those that see letters backwards, or those that can learn an entire language in a few days, etc. Now, I am not saying that I am special or whatever but I actually have to have more than one thing to focus on. I can not focus on just one thing. So, I say again, for me, using a cell phone in a quiet car does cause me to be more focused.

If my wife is in the car, or my kids, I cannot help but take my eyes off the road from time to time to look at who is talking to me. On the phone, my eyes never leave the road.

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[Ziggie]

I agree it is not about a quarrel but you are still missing the fact that you cannot say how one person acts from the next. Is it true that your stance is true for the average person or most people? Yes, of course. But not every mind operates the same. If you keep claiming that "I" personally focus better without, and that I am silly for thinking otherwise, you are in fact stating an opinion because unless you know how I operate, you cannot say for sure.

Yes, I am human, but not all human brains work the same. If that were the case, we would not have those that see letters backwards, or those that can learn an entire language in a few days, etc. Now, I am not saying that I am special or whatever but I actually have to have more than one thing to focus on. I can not focus on just one thing. So, I say again, for me, using a cell phone in a quiet car does cause me to be more focused.

If my wife is in the car, or my kids, I cannot help but take my eyes off the road from time to time to look at who is talking to me. On the phone, my eyes never leave the road.

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I know what you're saying about the wife and kids being in the car. It can be ridiculously distracting. I know that I have had more distracted driving problems under those conditions than when I've had while driving alone and talking on a cellphone.

My point is that adding a cellphone to driving under any conditions makes the underlying situation worse. There are days I wish I could drive without the wife and kids. That's not going to happen though.

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[LoudRam]

It has already been pointed out that most states have laws in place. Why would we want a federal law for this? It's a state issue and its up to the state and local police to enforce it. The federal government is already way to bloated. And who on the federal level is going to enforce this? The FBI? Give me a break. Bottom line... It's a state issue. And I do agree 100% with a ban on using hand held phones while driving. Bluetooth is another story. I would love to see the police crack down on ALL distracted driving whether it's talking, texting, putting on makeup, getting changed, whatever. I'm sure all of us have a ton of stories to tell about idiot distracted drivers.

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[Ziggie]

It has already been pointed out that most states have laws in place. Why would we want a federal law for this? It's a state issue and its up to the state and local police to enforce it. The federal government is already way to bloated. And who on the federal level is going to enforce this? The FBI? Give me a break. Bottom line... It's a state issue. And I do agree 100% with a ban on using hand held phones while driving. Bluetooth is another story. I would love to see the police crack down on ALL distracted driving whether it's talking, texting, putting on makeup, getting changed, whatever. I'm sure all of us have a ton of stories to tell about idiot distracted drivers.

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I agree with LoudRam's last four sentences. The beginning though is why I think the state vs fed argument doesn't matter.

If the states don't do something then the feds should. The feds would not "enforce" it, the states would. If the feds pass a law then they just tie federal highway and law enforcement funding to compliance with the federal law.

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[xsylus]

While I agree that driver's should be focused on driving and not texting I'm so dad-gum tired of the fed gov over reaching, over stepping, and abusing their power. Most issues like these can be handled on a state by state basis. The fed gov is micromanaging. Delegate authority to the states and let them figure it out. The fed gov is out of order.

 

[aaf709]

I would love to see the police crack down on ALL distracted driving whether it's talking, texting, putting on makeup, getting changed, whatever. I'm sure all of us have a ton of stories to tell about idiot distracted drivers.

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I've seen enough drivers using cell phones (without Bluetooth) while driving to realize that this kind of law will be very hard to enforce. About the only way to prove someone was using a cell phone is if there's an accident.

Speaking of which, one of the first thing I learned in Driver's Ed was that even if you are a great driver (More focused because you're using a cell phone) doesn't mean that everyone else is. And they're the ones to worry about.

 

[RUSHgsxr]

Why don't we just enforce the laws we have, like if a person is at fault for causing an accident, specifically one that caused an injury, they are dealt with appropriately with fines or jail time if someone was severely injured or killed? There's already freaking laws, why the heck do we need to keep heaping more and more on instead of enforcing what's in place? You can be injured getting out of bed in the morning, we don't need the government to try and protect us from everything we'll do in life. Cars are dangerous, get over it. If it's too d#%n scary for you to leave your house in the morning, don't. Or we can just let the gov't keep doing whatever they want and we'll see where that gets us in a few years.....

 

[Ziggie]

Speaking of which, one of the first thing I learned in Driver's Ed was that even if you are a great driver (More focused because you're using a cell phone) doesn't mean that everyone else is. And they're the ones to worry about.

Thanks aaf, that was amusing.

 

[tc1]

Texting or face booking while driving should be serious fines.

I live in a college town and the freeway runs right through the college. I have to drive past it going to work and coming home.

I get almost smashed into every single day often while my 2 year old is with me

ALWAYS it is a idiot young woman either texting or posting /checking fb while merging onto a major freeway.

 

[mysticalmalissa]

I'm 47 and have yet to lose a friend (and hope I never do) to a drunk driving accident, but have lost 2 in the last three years due to texting while driving.

I'm all for it!