(OT?) Myron's Law -- what should it cover?

WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE LAWS...

The laws we HAVE already cover accidents while being distracted.

I understand the urge to create more laws in the face of tragedy but our criminal system is pretty tight right now, we just need to elect Judges willing to enforce the law and educate Jurys about the extent of the law... And maybe let some non-violent drug offenders go free so there's room to house the people we arrest.

Do a poll... Right now, how many people would be willing to send someone to jail for a significant ammount of time for talking on a cell-phone while driving, resulting in an accident?

Those are the people responsible for enforcing any law.

 

The fact of the matter is that some people can do more than one thing at a time, others NOT! Maybe we should be tested, then have a little code on our license, P would be for phone, R for radio, M for weed, L for acid, you get the idea.

 

This is what we have in the UK....
http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/advice/mobilephones.htm

You can get up to 12 points on your licence and then you're banned for 12 months (I think).
At the end of the day, careless driving costs lives, and occasionally it's one of us.
Lets be careful out there.

 

Yeah, in New York it's illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving (unless you're using a hands free device). But for some reason everytime I see a cop he's driving with no seat belt on, holding a cell phone in one hand and trying to steer the police car using the palm of his other hand, while holding a coffe at the same time.

 

Thanks for the guidelines, Curious! Agreed. The loss that distracted driving threatens each of us with, is quite significant, to understate it. After the fourth, permed blonde SUV chauffeur (forgive the stereotype) blew by as I waited to make a turn on my road bicycle, I realized the world had changed. It was now way-too-hazardous, to consider riding two wheels, or bi/cycling in moderate-traffic-count commute hour traffic. For that matter, would you want to risk the labor-of-love vintage rod in this arena? Why not suggest/legislate if necessary, that messages be left on the phone, and switch to that mode, when you start the car? The phone jamming device has an attractive element to it, but I'd easily be lead astray, (a menu of outrageously bad tunes to select from, to overpower their precious chat...) pooling these minds, I'd bet we can come up with a useful practice here.

 

There have been credible studies showing that holding a conversation on the phone involves more attention that carrying on a conversation with someone in the car or listening to the radio.
Some of those same studies have shown that men are more successful at talking on a phone and driving than women are, due to the different ways men and women compartmentalize activities while multi-tasking.

That being said, I'm all for running into people or running them off the road if they're yapping on a phone. And if you cause injury or death because you were distracted with a phone (subponea the phone records to show time), there should be special circumstances and some mandatory, EXTREMELY punative fines and/or some jail time.

The thing about punishment is that it's purpose is two-fold: punish the offender, and set an example to the rest. If Georgia passed a low tomorrow that said no talking on cell phones in vehicles, because you'll be fined $10,000 and 6 months in jail for causing a cell phone related injury or death, I'd support the law and never even think about talking on the phone in my car again.

I'm ashamed to say I do spend too much time talking on the phone in the vehicle.

-Brad

 

Funny how this conversation always comes up and gets so heated. Personally I think everyone here has a valid point of view and technically most are right. My view is based on a societal perception or mis-perception as the case may be.

Seems that every time an "accident" happens, driving or otherwise, there is always an excuse. Moms and dads teach their kids that they are wonderful people and to always look out for the "bad" people out there (all true, or mostly true I hope). But what is no longer a part of our society is respect and personal responsibility. That's honestly all it comes back to. I don't give a flying f*ck what you do as long as you take responsibility for what you do, think about it in the perspective of how it will affect other people and then take responsibility for your actions if you screw up.

I don't want to tell you that you have to wear a helmet, can't chew gum while driving or have to use a car seat. If you screw up, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

It's simple. Respect + Responsibility = Good for all of us.

I'll get off of my soapbox now...

 

New laws are not the answer-we have laws against drinking and driving, (or pick your least favorite anti-social activity),and it doesn't deter those who are going to do it for whatever reason they choose. I think it's like Tingler said-it's about attitude toward the value of the life of some one you don't know, and your willingness to put their life at risk for the sake of your convinience. Driving takes more concentration and brain-power than we think. Doing anything else in a car seriously diminishes the quality of our driving. My cell phone is for MY convinience, and the only time it's on is if I want to talk to some one, and that is never while I'm driving.

 

I haven't seen any of these studies, but I'll believe what you say to be true. But I think that most anyone would agree that carrying on any conversation, or switching stations on the radio, involves more attention than doing neither. You are more distracted with both activities than without, so they do pose a threat. The point being that we live and drive with accepted risks and distractions. Always have and alway will. I just don't think that a cell phone constitutes an unreasonable amount of risk.

I think the laws on the books are more than sufficient. Speeding is illegal. Doesn't matter what the distraction, or how fast the car feels like it's going, the driver is responsible for the vehicle. If the driver breaks the law, they should be punished accordingly. Some of the very same people that are very anti cell phones in cars are also drivers that go above the speed limit every day. Just because that has become acceptable, doesn't make it less dangerous.

 

Need to enforce the laws we have,instead of letting
weasel lawyers ruin the system chasing a buck.

 

I have been a cel phone hater for years. I finally broke down and got one and within a week of owning it I found myself doing the very same things that made me want to kill cel phone owners.

I was driving and talking (real shitty too, especially when dialing or looking at the menu of the phone), standing in the center of the isle in the grocery store yapping and not letting others pass, stopping in the middle of a conversation and answering the phone while the person I was speaking to waits and the hyperobnoxious "yea, I'm on the plane - it just landed".

Now I just turn the damn thing off most of the time except when I want to make a call. I also ask people I call if they are driving and don't call from the car unless it's parked.

Change starts at home with yourself. Clean up your own house first is a good way to start. Turn them off except when you need them.

If that just doesn't work then cel phones should be banned from places where they can harm / annoy others just like cigarettes.

 

Hate the dam things, need one for buisness..try not to use it driving..and definetly not in congested areas. I have voice mail on mine just as all of them do..I let it answer my phone for me..than later when i have the time to dedicate my attention to it..like when im sitting still, parked or at my office thats when i go thru the calls i've recieved..people who know me and deal with me understand that they could get my voice mail, and they also know that I will call them back..I refuse to let a phone dictate to me when or if i talk to someone and i do the same at home..I dont drop everything to answer a dam phone..i see it as an interruption to my everyday life not the reason for it.
Hate phones in general. got answer machines that do my job for me and when i feel like dealing with it and can turn my attention to it..thats when i will deal with it..and thats just the way it should be, as far as im concerned.

 

after hearing the news about Myron. today as I was driving I decided to look and see how many people are using there cell phone when they are driving.

It looks like about 30 %of men I seen driving were using there phones and about 65 % of woman were.

also after reading what happen to Myron made me think of two time this year that that I had close calls when riding my chopper by people that were on there cell phone and driving.

My friend had to drop his bike to keep from hitting someone that pulled out in front of him. Guess what they were on there cell phone and did not see him. His bike was 3 weeks old.

There need to be something done about people using there cell phone when they are driving. every time you turn around you here about someone having a acc. because of a cell phone.

I can go on and on about people I know that had close calls because of this problem.

 

Somebody pulled out in front of me on my '67 Triumph a while back and I nearly had to drop it. That was a few years before cell phones.

Drivers not seeing bikes was an issue before cell phones and will be just as much an issue if they are banned. Motorcycle riding on the streets is dangerous.

 

Perhaps I missed it, but...

Why would you have your phone turned on at all while you're in the car?
Isn't it more courteous to your caller for them to get your message, than for you to have to tell them "I can't talk to you now"?

"so without a witness that says the driver was on phone the court couldn't get the phone records to prove it"

Not true.
Plaintiff's attorney asks defendant driver 'do you own or have use of a cell phone?'
If answer is yes, ask for the phone records.
If refused, attorney serves "Subpoena deces tecum" ("supply the data"), on cell carrier.
If they refuse, attorney gets Court to order same.

 

In Texas, auto fatalities has gone down steadily since 2002.

2002-- 3823
2003-- 3821
2004-- 3699
2005-- 3536
2006-- 3475

Using some of ya'lls "logic", one could say that cell phones have decreased traffic fatalities in Texas. I don't think that to be true. But I don't think banning them is going to help either. People will get distracted, speed, ignore traffic laws, etc. regardless of wether they are holding something to their ear.

I know it seems like I'm a huge proponent for cell phones. I'm not. I'm a opponent to the government creating laws that infringe my freedoms.

 

How many of us have taken additional driving lessons? As a motorcyclist, I've taken a couple of training courses and definitely think that drivers can benefit from extra training, too.

I know I'm going get shit for this... I wasn't there nor seen the accident report, but Myron might be at fault for not yielding to oncoming traffic even though he had the greenlight. From what I understand he was sitting at a green light, if he would have just sat still and let the SUV run the red light, he'd still be here today. That's the way the law thinks at least here in California. What if the SUV brakes had failed? and not some dumb bitch on a cell phone. Honestly, 65 in a 35?! At that speed, I wouldn't have seen her coming.

 

This one has a real easy answer.

Allow cell phones on the road. But anytime there's an accident, officers have the right to confiscate both parties phones & pull records to figure out if it was in use at the time of the accident.

Either phone is live, that person is automatically at fault and guilty of a ticketable offense, regardless of all other circumstances or severity.

Both phones live, then it's no-fault regardless and entirely on your own insurance with no claim to the other party. Tickets issued to both parties.

Sure wonder how many conversations I've honked my way into over the years..........

 

I don't know if it should be a situation where it's automatic guilt, but a phone being on should definately be factored into the equation of determining guilt.

 

So, how do you determine the time of the accident on cars without tattle-tale boxes?

 

More laws is not the answer.
Enforcing the ones already on the books and possibly making the fines and punishment less bearable seems more prudent.
In Myron's case there are enough laws broken already for me to consider a maximum penalty. Especially if it results in a death.

Most of us drive over the speed limit at times and most of us probably use a cell phone when driving. But knowing when and where to do such is a matter of good judgement. Heavy traffic or city limits are not good places to be distracted or stretching the speed limit. Also traffic lights are timed for the speed limit at that light. If you are exceeding the limit you will have a very difficult time reacting to it properly if at all.

Basically it is like "SltyDog" stated. People need to take responsibility for themselves. It seems that there are more and more people that are self absorbed and got their head so far up their own ass that they don't have any consideration for anyone else, which ultimately ends up with no consideration for their own well being.
People need to pay attention. They need to understand that driving is a privelige and not a right. Driving requires responsibilty and maturity.
They need to understand that driving a motor vehicle is basically piloting a very large bullet.
I could go on and on, but I think I covered my basic thoughts on the matter

 

Amen Brother !
Well stated. I'm right there with ya. That is my view on phones and how I do it myself.