Felony texting while driving

[mkwerx]

So Oregon isn't the only one where the retardation is strong in the legislature - was listening to Lars (yuk) yesterday and he was talking about Washington state seeking to make tougher cell phone laws - going so far as to name specific apps or types of apps - and they are seeking to include navigation apps in that nonsense. WTF. Lets keep people from getting where they are going effectively and safely. It's MUCH safer to have people who don't know the area constantly looking about, driving slow, or cutting people off because they realize they just missed their exit, because we're the nanny government and we're getting kickbacks from Garmin for banning cell phone navigation... heh.

I *almost* hope this crap passes, with an emergency clause, because it *might* wake up the idiot voter base to see how bad the politicians are. If nothing else, it'll hack off a huge chunk of voters on both sides of the isle because they'll all be felons and thus ineligible to vote

 

[transittech]

I think we should keep it simple: you get caught on your phone while driving and the cop can confiscate it on the spot. You can pick it up in a week from the precinct.

For somebody who can't be without their phone for more than 5 minutes, that'll hurt waaaayyyy worse than a fine would.

 

[Mikej]

What if we changed that statement a little bit - If gun makers installed devices that would block use and people could not use them except while at a sanctioned range and while pointing downrange, THAT would eliminate deaths because of people pointing guns at other people.

Unfortunately, it's not the thing causing the problem, it's the irresponsible actions of people. We already have the laws, and more laws won't make any difference. The only thing that will have any affect, is people acting responsibly. We can help influence that by awareness campaigns and increased fines for violations, but in the end, it's about the actions of people, and not passing more laws so legislators can thump their chests and crow about how much they care about people.

i wasn't suggesting the device to block all cell phone use from a vehicle, I was saying IF that was the way we went that WOULD actually stop cell phone use from causing accidents....Unlike all the silly/stupid laws they put on firearms, that DON'T do anything but make it more difficult/expensive for the law abiding.

Stiff penalties for people having/causing an accident while texting! Absolutely!

 

[Diamondback]

No, we don't need a NEW law, we just need to use the Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Negligence and Distracted Driving statutes we ALREADY HAVE.

Sh*t like this is WHY we get legal codes that fill entire bookcases and only Ambulance Chasing P*ssbuckets can understand the convoluted wording of...

 

[etrain16]

....And staring straight ahead at one place ALL the time is a sure way to get in trouble. One of the ways to ease driver fatigue is to look around, stretch your neck/arms/ move your legs.

If I'm in traffic I pay extra close attention to everything around me, I'm intently watching everything. The heavier traffic, the more intense I am. When I'm driving between The Dalles and Boise on dry roads in daylight I can relax some and look around.

When I used to fly, almost 30 years ago now, we were taught to always be scanning the sky and the instrument panel, head always on a swivel - it was the best way to 'see' what you needed to see in the sky around you. Twice, I caught planes coming right at me, one of which never saw me at all and flew right through my path - if I hadn't done an evasive maneuver, we would have collided in mid-air - that pilot continued on without ever changing course - he never even knew I was there.

To this day, when driving, my head is always on a swivel, instruments, front, side, rear view, back to instruments - it was programmed in to me and I do it to this day. Thankfully I've never had an accident in all that time, but have avoided several when I saw trouble coming my way.

 

[mkwerx]

We further don't need cell blocker technology built into phones/cars - the driver isn't the only one in a vehicle, and further, there are times when a driver needs to be on the phone.

Enforce the laws on the books, and use cops with common sense to do it. Politicians answer to any problem? More laws. Never mind we have laws that could cover the actions. We need more, and more specific laws. How about a law against picking your belly button lint while sitting on a park bench on a Sunday morning between 9AM and Noon? And then one that covers Noon to 3PM, and so forth?

We could eliminate 95% of the laws on the books, crafting a select handful that would cover most situations where there is a loss of life, personal injury, or damage to property. We don't need artificial speed limits - we could simply go back to the Basic Rule - but that would cost the government a lot in lost ticket revenue. AS for DUII, Cell phone use, or other distracted driving - enforce careless/reckless laws and be done with it. But then the police and the DA would have to actually come up with a good articulate reason for a conviction, and not point to a very specific law.

They would have to convince a jury - or at least a judge - instead of getting a default guilty-until-proven innocent verdict. Traffic "crimes" and violations - you are guilty unless you prove yourself innocent. To that end - I have had a couple friends who were cops tell me that in their city, the code required the muni court judge to find guilty or not guilty - allegedly they couldn't toss the ticket. And if the police provided something like radar or laser speed readings, the court had to accept that as gospel that the person was indeed violating speed. It's BS.

I doubt that the felony bit will wind up passing - but I have no doubt that they will at least get it to become a B misdemeanor, which means that if you have a carry permit that goes by by for a while. And you wind up on probation, which could possibly include a prohibition from owning firearms or participating in certain activities. It gets you into the system. A 2nd or 3rd conviction could bump into a C felony. Complete BS.

 

[uncle mike]

LOL. We don't need more laws, just more pissed off motorcycle guys to "enforce" good driving habits.

YES! Uncle Mike wishes he had an Ingram to use one handed when he's on the Triumph, to enforce anti-sociopath driver laws. Take some of these turds out of the gene pool.

 

[uncle mike]

What I often wonder about is the broad latitudes I read about in sentencing, wherein guilty means "up to" $5000 fine, "2-7 years" or merely probation.

I would encourage all prosecutors, judges and juries to seek the maximum possible consequence allowable by law for any actual mishap involving others if cellphone negligence was a proven contributing factor. Something that was completely avoidable, senseless - and illegal in the first place.

And I'd better not end up caught in any accident where the "motorist" who caused it was plainly playing with a phone. It would suck to go to jail for putting a divot in someone's kharma (20-30 times) with a 4-cell Maglite.

Uncle Mike says, " I can't argue with you when you're right! "

 

[teflon6string]

No prison.....
Very heavy 1st offense fines MANDATORY.

A large jump for 2nd offense double the 1st one.

But no prison... unless a fatality.

So an injury resulting in a lifelong disability for an innocent recipient would not rise to the level of prison time?

 

[Diamondback]

So an injury resulting in a lifelong disability for an innocent recipient would not rise to the level of prison time?

This is why I say treat as existing Criminal Negligence. Make DWT a Civil Infraction, and get 'em with RE, CN or similar criminal charges for injuries or property damage. Maybe misdemeanor for property, felony only for bodily harm.

 

[Member 5605]

So you were the guy in front of me 'listening' to 'The Notebook' the other day

You were just jealous I wouldn't tell you what station I had my FM Modulator tuned to.



Want a tissue?

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

 

[PaulB47]

Needless to say, there will be unofficial exceptions for politicians.

 

[Mikej]

Wadda' you wanna bet the Portland city council brings up the possibility of penalties for putting metal/recyclables in you garbage can? Doubt it would be put in place at this time here in PDX. The way we're going, it's coming down the pike though!

 

[K-22]

Sadly, I only have room to carry "driving instructional tools" in my car and truck, not on the motorcycle.

Just curious, if they sent you to prison for texting while driving, which gang would you join? The Special Snowflake Syndicate?

The men incarcerated for texting, would most likely wind up, on the," Every Hole Is A Goal", team.
BOHICA

 

[theshake420]

I am training to be a police officer and as a police officer I can say this, it largely depends on the kind of person we are dealing with here. A 20 year old, disrespectful hipster yuppie who is texting is a threat and danger to society. There is no way they will stop after a warning. If you give them a warning, they will just post on Facebook that cops are evil. Prison for a couple weeks, is the only way to make them wise up. It will actually save their life. Now if we are talking about a 50 year old man who is an expert driver, who only texts at stop signs or red-lights, we give him only a warning, not a ticket.

 

[that guy]

a 50 year old man who is an expert driver,

Is there an in-the-field test for this? How do you determine who is an "expert" driver?

 

[theshake420]

Is there an in-the-field test for this? How do you determine who is an "expert" driver?

A general sense. As police officers, we are not the law-makers, it is our job to judge character and infer whether or not someone should be punished to the full extent of the law.

 

[PiratePast40]

Interesting that you mentioned using a phone while sitting at a light or stop sign. I do that quite often to unlock the phone for voice to text, voice calling, or giving voice commands to the GPS. So you're saying that opening apps and unlocking the phone while sitting still is a crime? That doesn't sound right to me.

 

[WasrNwarpaint]

Wrecked Texters, FoNe Boyz, Cell-Blocker Boyz, or the Democrat National Party Might get a presidential pardon for the last one.

dont be blaming the democrats Im tired of seeing selective threads dissapear