If you text and drive, this ban's for you

You see the driver in front of you doing 20 MPH under the speed limit, veering all over the roadway. Is it a drunk? Is it someone with a medical issue? No it is some frickin idiot that thinks they are so important that they need to be on the cell phone yakking or texting instead of driving.

I agree...these people are dangerous on the road.
I have seen so many near hit's due to cell phones.
Amazing we have a seat belt law but not cell phone law...
Speaking of seat belts, why are our precious children allowed to ride on busses w / no seat belts? And MTC too for that matter...
Just griping.

Good luck proving someone was texting...I'll just hold it in my lap and type away

Frank wrote:

Good luck proving someone was texting...I'll just hold it in my lap and type away

You do that Frank. They'll never find that information on your cell phone, don't worry.

Non cell phone owner wrote:

You see the driver in front of you doing 20 MPH under the speed limit, veering all over the roadway. Is it a drunk? Is it someone with a medical issue? No it is some frickin idiot that thinks they are so important that they need to be on the cell phone yakking or texting instead of driving.

I agree with everything you said except the "thinking they are so important" part. I don't think that it's arrogance; it has nothing to do with thinking you're important. I think it's just not knowing one's boundaries. People often think they're being safe while not realizing that they're actually swerving like a lunatic.

Finally.

Frank wrote:

Good luck proving someone was texting...I'll just hold it in my lap and type away

LOL. That's right Frank, the cell phone companies can't keep track of your usage at all.

FINALLY! Last August my 2 daughters, my neice and my nephew were all in seperate accidents, within two days, due to texting. They are all teenagers and nobody was seriously injured. It still cost alot of money with property damage and insurance rates going up. Cell phones, either talking or texting, are dangerous while driving.

If you are going to do it, then I hope that the little kid you kill is yours or a member of your family - and not someone else's. Feel free to do what you want as long as you can confine all the negative consequences to yourself. Once you make a stoopid move, you can not always take it back or undo the damage you have done.
Why is it that people have so little respect for the tons of equipment they are operating on the road? And more importantly - human life?

Thanks for another pointless law, legislators!

I guess we all misunderstood the meaning behind careless or inattentive driving misdemeanors. Thanks for clearing that all up. I for one will feel so much safer on the road now, knowing that there's another petty misdemeanor on the books stopping these distracted drivers.

You need to park your phone booth before you talk. Statistics show that all you important people that can't be out of touch for 10 seconds are as dangerous on the road as the drunks. Texting? Why don't you read a book while you are at it!!!

Erik wrote:

Thanks for another pointless law, legislators!
I guess we all misunderstood the meaning behind careless or inattentive driving misdemeanors. Thanks for clearing that all up. I for one will feel so much safer on the road now, knowing that there's another petty misdemeanor on the books stopping these distracted drivers.

Kind of like adding yet another gun control law to stop criminals. They already broke 10 existing laws, so let's pass one more they can break. That will stop them.

I agree, throw out a few careless driving citations. It would be best, then they can pay risk insurance for a few years to reward them for the risk behavior they seem to exhibit. Good point.

Frank wrote:

Good luck proving someone was texting...I'll just hold it in my lap and type away

Good for you Frank. I hope that your phone is still in your lap when your head goes through the windshield. You really are an idiot!

Gianni wrote:

<quoted text>
Good for you Frank. I hope that your phone is still in your lap when your head goes through the windshield. You really are an idiot!

Who cares if his head goes through the windshield since he's such an idiot? I'm worried about the other people he may kill because he's such an idiot.

Any chance they'll add an "Eddie Griffin Provision" on this bill to help discourage any activity that may result from watching porno while you drive?

Just like a lib, pass BS laws on activities that do not need the legislation. The article says "There are no solid Minnesota statistics on how often people read or send messages while they drive, but anecdotal evidence and surveys say: Yes, people do "

Our nanny state is now passing laws to correct problems we may not have. Good work out there Frank we all feel much safer.

This law is absolutely pointless. It's not going to have any significant impact on reducing accidents or raising awareness whatsoever. It's feel good legislation through and through.

For one thing, it's completely uninforcable. For another, laws already exist to punish careless and inattentive driving. Lastly, you just can't legislate stupidity.

We're all guilty of some form of inattentive driving. Fiddling with the radio, eating, drinking, gawking at wrecks, gawking at billboards, driving while tired, etc...unless your head is on a swivel, you're stoically focused, and your hands are glued to 10 and 2, you're guilty of being distracted on the road in some way, shape, or form.

Josh V made a good point earlier about knowing your boundries. Know your abilities and limitations behind the wheel. We all might have licenses, but that doesn't mean we're all good drivers.

this sucks, i text and drive all the time and i've never caused an accident.

I believe that ALL use of a cell phones while driving a vehicle should become against the law, Except in an emergency situation. And the fines should be substantial, not the 25 buck type, but something that makes it worth the time of the cops to enforce. 100-250.
Put more guts into it then they did with the seat belt laws.
Two weeks ago I sat behind a person (adult) that was in the left turn lane and talked without turning through 3 light changes. She was totally absorbed in her conversation and unaware of what else was going on around her.. This is only one example, and I'm sure anyone who drives has many of their own.

SWEET! I love new laws.