texting ban.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 395
From: Columbus, OH
texting ban.
City council approved the texting ban in my home city of columbus ohio. Good news to me but the only problem i have is they made it a primary traffic offense. That means if an officer "thinks" you are texting he can pull you over even if you are not. $150.00 fine if caught. Its going to be tough catching people but its for the best and helps out fellow riders.
pragmatic anarchist
Superstock
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 380
From: Philadelphia, PA
Nice idea, but is talking on cell phones illegal there? How about punching in a number? So much of this stuff gets way too complex and unenforcible. Make the law such that you can't have anything but car in your hands while driving and a fine for inattentive driving is a one week loss of license. Smoking, eating, reading a map... pull the **** over to do it. We're not really a great multitasking species, we just have a short attention span.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,806
From: Atlanta, GA
I hate chronic texters as much as the next guy, but this is just an excuse for governments to extort more money out of people.
I can never figure out why people continually give government more power to **** them over.
I can never figure out why people continually give government more power to **** them over.
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
thats the problem I have with it, more loss of freedom, My former Czech republic coworker says we have less freedom here now than when he was in his country 30 yrs ago. Oregon just passed a no cell phone use while driving law, not sure if it a primary offense though. Say good bye to your control over things. Problem is people do stupid stuff... and right now the governments view on the matter is to "help" people not be stupid via regulation.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,548
From: MN
I dont' really think this is about freedom. Its driving a car. We have been way to lax in that being considered a RIGHT, not a privilege. Tweety was saying if you're caught texting in a car there you lose your license. End of story. If the laws we do have reflected that its a serious job (driving) and were enforced, we'd have less problems.
I agree, hard to enforce. BUT, if its on the books as illegal and someone has an accident, or hurts someone during it, it will be a simple matter to show they were texting from phone records while driving. When some criminal charges are brought after a few of those cases and people face serious penalties for hurting someone, then others behavior might change.
I agree, hard to enforce. BUT, if its on the books as illegal and someone has an accident, or hurts someone during it, it will be a simple matter to show they were texting from phone records while driving. When some criminal charges are brought after a few of those cases and people face serious penalties for hurting someone, then others behavior might change.
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Ok, please don't take this as anti-US debate, it's just observations based on me not being American and visiting... I have some understanding for the rather common view "don't give the government more power over me", but it also is rather alien to me... The reason is probably partly the fact that you guys have quite literally a gassilion laws, rules and what ever else names you have for it... When I visit the US I have to actively think not to break any laws in many cases... And in others I quite literally can't figure out what is and isn't legal to do as the amount of laws are confusing... I find it strange (and somewhat logical) that a country so full of people with a dislike for government interference has that many laws...
In Sweden there are a few less laws, and they are a bit more clear cut... (a bit...
) but they are also enforced to an extent that most visiting foreigners find odd (even Americans)...
And as I said, the stance you guys have about new laws are to me alien as in Sweden most laws actually rhymes with common sense, and having a little less of them we in general are a bit less "allergic" to adding new one's...
But yeah, a bit more clear cut... You get caught texting while driving in Sweden, and your license is revoked or in some cases suspended... If revoked, you need to re-take both theoretic exams and a practical test at some considerable cost... That is besides the fines... I happen to like that law as it keeps me from being run over...
In Sweden there are a few less laws, and they are a bit more clear cut... (a bit...
) but they are also enforced to an extent that most visiting foreigners find odd (even Americans)...And as I said, the stance you guys have about new laws are to me alien as in Sweden most laws actually rhymes with common sense, and having a little less of them we in general are a bit less "allergic" to adding new one's...
But yeah, a bit more clear cut... You get caught texting while driving in Sweden, and your license is revoked or in some cases suspended... If revoked, you need to re-take both theoretic exams and a practical test at some considerable cost... That is besides the fines... I happen to like that law as it keeps me from being run over...
Torque of the Devil
Squid
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4
From: Dereham, Norfolk, UK
http://www.nopenaltypoints.co.uk/The...leDriving.html
This is what happens in the UK, Using a hand held communication device for any reason whilst driving or riding a motorcycle is punishable in law.!!
This is what happens in the UK, Using a hand held communication device for any reason whilst driving or riding a motorcycle is punishable in law.!!
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 427
From: Honolulu, Hawaii USA
Yes, we in the US do have a lot of laws. Part of it is due to duplication of laws. We've become a litigious society that likes to skirt responsibility, and common sense, by blaming someone or something else: "you didn't say I had to LOOK first before making a right turn on red". So, lawmakers start to plug little loopholes and gaps with more laws. Sometimes these new laws are political responses to public outcry; a high-profile "texting-while-driving" accident catches the publics' attention and a politician looking to make a name for himself, drafts a redundant law to placate the mobs. The ban on texting should already be covered by the near universal law against inattentive driving.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,806
From: Atlanta, GA
Ok, please don't take this as anti-US debate, it's just observations based on me not being American and visiting... I have some understanding for the rather common view "don't give the government more power over me", but it also is rather alien to me... The reason is probably partly the fact that you guys have quite literally a gassilion laws, rules and what ever else names you have for it... When I visit the US I have to actively think not to break any laws in many cases... And in others I quite literally can't figure out what is and isn't legal to do as the amount of laws are confusing... I find it strange (and somewhat logical) that a country so full of people with a dislike for government interference has that many laws...
In Sweden there are a few less laws, and they are a bit more clear cut... (a bit...) but they are also enforced to an extent that most visiting foreigners find odd (even Americans)...
And as I said, the stance you guys have about new laws are to me alien as in Sweden most laws actually rhymes with common sense, and having a little less of them we in general are a bit less "allergic" to adding new one's...
But yeah, a bit more clear cut... You get caught texting while driving in Sweden, and your license is revoked or in some cases suspended... If revoked, you need to re-take both theoretic exams and a practical test at some considerable cost... That is besides the fines... I happen to like that law as it keeps me from being run over...
In Sweden there are a few less laws, and they are a bit more clear cut... (a bit...
) but they are also enforced to an extent that most visiting foreigners find odd (even Americans)...And as I said, the stance you guys have about new laws are to me alien as in Sweden most laws actually rhymes with common sense, and having a little less of them we in general are a bit less "allergic" to adding new one's...
But yeah, a bit more clear cut... You get caught texting while driving in Sweden, and your license is revoked or in some cases suspended... If revoked, you need to re-take both theoretic exams and a practical test at some considerable cost... That is besides the fines... I happen to like that law as it keeps me from being run over...
The irony is that the US is becoming the biggest police state in the history of the world, and I say that with complete knowledge of the tyrannies that have existed before, including Hitler's Germany, Lenin and Stalin's Soviet Union and Mao's China. We have only just begun to experience the tyranny that is coming to this country.
You're right though Tweety. We have far too many laws here in the US and they are selectively enforced.
Last edited by killer5280; Apr 6, 2010 at 04:48 PM.
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Actually you are right on some points, I have different views on some, and one one you have it completely backwards... 
The Swedish law isn't based on UN charter, the UN charter is however in several parts loosely based on Swedish law... Sweden have been influencing the charter over a long period of time...
The Swedish law isn't based on UN charter, the UN charter is however in several parts loosely based on Swedish law...
Sweden have been influencing the charter over a long period of time...
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,806
From: Atlanta, GA
Actually you are right on some points, I have different views on some, and one one you have it completely backwards...
The Swedish law isn't based on UN charter, the UN charter is however in several parts loosely based on Swedish law... Sweden have been influencing the charter over a long period of time...
The Swedish law isn't based on UN charter, the UN charter is however in several parts loosely based on Swedish law...
Sweden have been influencing the charter over a long period of time...Either way, they are virtually identical and they both enumerate rights and then qualify them away, which is a hallmark of a totalitarian government.
I do concede sadly that Sweden (and many other countries that on paper should not be) is in many ways more free than the US, but it's certainly not because of its form of government or its founding documents.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,548
From: MN
I must be living in a vacuum Killer. can you give some examples of the rights we are missing? or you feel you are missing specifically to make you feel that we are one of the biggest police states in history?
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,806
From: Atlanta, GA
I'll take it to PM if you would like, but I'll do it tomorrow because I'm tired and about to go to bed and the subject is one which could require volumes.
