Lounge of Tomorrow - The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

SAN ANTONIO, April 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called on Thursday for a federal law to ban talking on a cell phone or texting while driving any type of vehicle on any road in the country.

Tough federal legislation is the only way to deal with what he called a "national epidemic," he said at a distracted-driving summit in San Antonio, Texas, that drew doctors, advocates and government officials.

I think I agree with Gary Biller, president of the National Motorists Association who said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Biller

laws banning specific actions like talking on a phone or texting are not necessary because those actions are already covered by existing distracted-driving laws. It would be more productive, he said, to invest resources in campaigns that discourage inattentive driving in general.

Strangler Lewis

04-27-2012 10:51 AM

The National Motorists Association? I had a lobbyist out there, and I didn't know it.

I know nothing about them, but somehow I'm guessing that, much like the NRA, they exist in part to find legalistic, reasonable sounding cover for people to act like belligerent a**holes.

But the campaign sounds like a good idea. I envision a series of billboards featuring topless women and big letters saying "Now that we've got your attention . . . put down that phone and watch the road."

alphabassettgrrl

04-27-2012 02:36 PM

I definitely wish they'd enforce the distracted-driving laws.

BarTopDancer

04-27-2012 03:06 PM

For starters they can stop using the Amber Alert boards for anything but amber alerts and traffic updates. Everyone slows to read the long messages and/or they become just another part of the scenery losing their effectiveness.