Governor reaches out to drivers — by texting
January 31, 2010
Props to Gov. M. Jodi Rell for her plan to toughen Connecticut’s existing ban on driving and talking on handheld cell phones. She’s pushing for a text messaging ban, too.
No doubt Rell is one of the good guys on this issue.
But, get a load of the unfortunate wording in this invitation from the gov’s official web site:
Dear Friends:
If you are like me, there are days when you are on the road all day, away from your computer and with limited access to e-mail. However, you want to be the first to know of the important news … from my office. Now you can.Sign up today to get text messages from my office sent to your cell phone. After all, keeping you up-to-date on what we are doing in Hartford is one of my top priorities. (Our italics)
Let’s hope no one who is “on the road all day” with a cell phone causes a wreck while reading Rell’s text message — regarding her text-messaging ban.
‘Name and shame’ cell phone violators
January 8, 2010
Steady, cell phone chatterers. The Essex Chronicle in England has decided to “name and shame” drivers who are violating traffic laws by using mobile phones behind the wheel.
A reporter accompanied local police as they cited drivers for chatting and texting while motoring. The newspaper then printed the perps’ names and photos.
The unusual tactic sometimes is used by the media to humiliate prostitutes’ johns, but the cell phone suspects didn’t seem all that repentant.
“I don’t like people telling me how to live my life,” said second-time offender Gemma Dean. When asked if she felt like she was endangering others by cell phoning while behind the wheel, she replied: “I don’t really care.”
At least one fellow caught one-handed admitted: “I feel a bit stupid now.”
An online commenter pointed out that these are alleged offenses. “The Essex Chronicle are NOT the police or a magistrates court!”
In any event the cell phone chronicles could be good for circulation. “Buy this week’s Chronicle for more on the issue and to see if you were pictured on the phone behind the wheel by our photographers,” the paper’s web site urged.
Distracted driving progress cited by NYT
January 4, 2010
“I’m on a rampage about this, and I’m not going to let up,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says of the dangerous practice of text messaging while driving.
Rampage on, Ray.
LaHood’s comments were reported Jan. 3 in a New York Times article, “Bills to Curb Distracted Driving Gain Momentum.” The article adds nothing new to the conversation about distracted driving, but contains a few items of interest.
- “Proposals (to curb distracted driving) are being met with less resistance than in years past from legislators, and are enjoying newfound industry support,” the article says. Reporter Matt Richtel says 200 bills have been filed regarding distracted driving, but doesn’t specify a time frame.
- “People are starting to see it like drunk driving, and that’s the comparison we need to continue to make,” said Steve Farley, an Arizona state representative from Tucson.
- Of critics of distracted driving legislation, Farley said: “They will always believe this is an issue of personal freedom. They don’t take into account the loss of freedom when a texting driver runs into someone and kills them.”
The New York Times deserves credit for the distracted driving stories it has been cranking out over the past year. At least in bulk, the Times clearly is in the lead in mainstream media coverage of the issue — even if the stories are mostly recycled news.
‘Cellphone Madness’: Dumb but fun
December 6, 2009
These college kids from Toronto are clever enough to make this video but dumb enough to think cell phone driving laws don’t work. Pretty funny, though. (Hat tip to reader James for finding this.)
Fla. no longer distracted on texting, driving
November 19, 2009
Florida, one of the stumblebum states when it comes to distracted driving laws, finally appears to be waking up to the dangers of cell phoning and text messaging behind the wheel.
Republican Gov. Charlie Crist signaled the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to get behind legislation that would rein in drivers’ texting and mobile phone chatting.
“I think it would provide some safety for our people,” Crist told highway department chief Julie Jones, in a classic of understatement (according to the News Service of Florida).
The Legislature rejected or ignored all 2009 bills that would limit drivers’ use of mobile phones and text messaging devices.
“It looks to me like the state Legislature is more concerned with a healthy bottom line for cell phone companies than it is with people dying on our roads,” said a student involved in a “Stop Texting and Telephoning in Cars” campaign.
As lawmakers across the nation were acting on the menace of texing and driving, legislation seeking to save lives in Florida couldn’t get arrested — couldn’t even get a committee hearing — as the lawmakers spent their days mudwrestling over the budget.
“It’s slowly been building,” Sen. Carey Baker, another Sunshine State understater, says of distracted driving legislation. “But I think this year (2010), something’s going to pass.”
The 2010 session begins March 2. This time around, there are more than a dozen distracted driving bills and more sure to come from lawmakers seeking a free ride on the bandwagon.
One reason: Three of the bills come from candidates for statewide office, the news service points out: “Sens. Carey Baker and Paula Dockery, Republican contenders for agriculture commissioner and governor, respectively, and Sen. Dan Gelber, a Democratic candidate for attorney general.”
Crist himself is seeking a Senate seat and can use all the crossover support he can get, based on recent GOP satisfaction with the governor.
Go Gators … and go get a clue, legislators.
Read more about Florida text messaging and handheld cell phone legislation.