Texting While Driving: Banned Jan 1st, 09

[BarTopDancer]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill Wednesday that will prohibit California drivers from text messaging beginning Jan. 1.

Link (http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2008/09/22/daily39.html)

[Chernabog]

Oh come on now how exactly are they gonna enforce that one. All anyone would have to do is say that they were dialing a number, which is not illegal. And how are you going to keep people from reading text messages while they are driving. Really.... I mean, I think it is good as a *symbolic* message that texting while driving is dangerous but that's about it.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yeah, short of subpoenaing cell records and correlating them to the time of the ticket, which no one is going to waste time and money doing, it sounds neigh unenforceable.

[innerSpaceman]

Sigh, I love zapppop's new car that reads his incoming text messages to him.

[BarTopDancer]

I'm not surprised that it has been enacted but I agree. I suppose if the accident was bad enough they'd pull cell phone records (incoming and outgoing texts are recorded).

But it'll be easy to get around. I generally don't text and drive. If I have to read/reply I'll do it at a red light.

[scaeagles]

I would guess 90% of the laws on the books aren't enforcable.

Passage of a law requires that the citizenry be willing to abide, and I think it is more of a "we think strongly enough as a society that you shouldn't do this, and if you do it, you'll probably get away with it, but if something happens and we know you've been doing this, you're busted" kind of thing.

[CoasterMatt]

They still won't let me smash the side windows in of cars that nearly run me over in the intersection when drivers aren't paying attention, though :(

[Strangler Lewis]

I assume they'll enforce it the way they enforce a lot of traffic laws: write citations that people will pay rather than take the time to contest.

[Kevy Baby]

They still won't let me smash the side windows in of cars that nearly run me over in the intersection when drivers aren't paying attention, though :(You must learn my motto: it isn't illegal if you don't get caught.

[madmonkeygirl]

What about those who apply makeup and drive? or those who shave and drive?or those who read the newspaper or map and drive. yes i've seen drivers doing this not to mention eating and drinking and driving. So just cuz they ban texting doesn't mean that people's eyes aren't averted from the road.What about those obnoxious billboards that are illuminated showing different things? Those are distracting. Seems a bit silly to me to ban texting yet all the other things people can do and get away with.

Coming home a driver behind me was on her cell phone. I was like damn no cop around to bust her.

[Gemini Cricket]

It's funny. By the looks of it, it seems that everyone in West Hollywood missed the first announcement about the hands-free cellphone use. I'm thinking they won't care about the texting behind the wheel law.
:D

Did the Chatsworth accident have anything to do with them pushing this law through, I wonder?

[madmonkeygirl]

Probablly GC who knows. Funny though when nothing is in place and something happens like that then all laws change. Which sorry in my opinion should have been there to begin with. Nuf said.

[Gemini Cricket]

Probablly GC who knows.

Ha ha! You're right. I almost forgot about Crashman on his brand new iPhone... with a drink in the other hand... driving with his thighs...
:D

[BarTopDancer]

This was in the works right after the hands free device law was implemented. That law was written vaguely so they could add to it as time went on. The text ban bill was completed before the train wreck but the Governator refused to sign new legislation until the budget was passed. Since the budget has been passed, it was signed.

[€uroMeinke]

Damn, and I getting much better at it too

[RStar]

What about those who apply makeup and drive? or those who shave and drive?or those who read the newspaper or map and drive. yes i've seen drivers doing this not to mention eating and drinking and driving. So just cuz they ban texting doesn't mean that people's eyes aren't averted from the road.What about those obnoxious billboards that are illuminated showing different things? Those are distracting. Seems a bit silly to me to ban texting yet all the other things people can do and get away with.

Coming home a driver behind me was on her cell phone. I was like damn no cop around to bust her.

That falls under the blanket of "Unsafe Driving". Technally, it is illegal to drive while distracted by anything, including texting. The main purpose of this blanket law is that if you cause an accident while doing this type of thing the reprocusions are that you are 100% at fault. If, however, you are swerving all over the road crossing into other lanes and back because of texting, an officer could stop you and give you a ticket.

I think part of making the texting and phone laws specific are the repeate offender fine increase scale.