Ban texting while driving

I especially cringe when I see a driver texting or even just talking while trying to drive a car with a standard shift.

This is far more dangerous that DUI and far more prevelent. Where are our "leaders" that we voted in to "protect" us!!!

Keep track of who votes for what and old them accountable at the ballot box.

I cringe when I see someone texting also...but what really gets me is the people who drive around with a dog on their lap.
Or shaving?(YES, shaving!) Doing make-up? Reading the paper? Lighting a cigarette?
Fixing their Dunkin coffee?
How is any of THAT not distracted driving?
If you can't handle what you're doing when you're supposed to be driving, you should get pulled over.

I'd love to see a device in cars that disables cell phones period. To use your cell phone, the car has to be in park.
I am amazed at how many people drive and talk on their cell phones. What is so important that you have to talk about.

Mom wrote:

I'd love to see a device in cars that disables cell phones period. To use your cell phone, the car has to be in park.
I am amazed at how many people drive and talk on their cell phones. What is so important that you have to talk about.

If you can to talk to the people in the car with you, why are people suddenly incapable of talking on a phone?

I agree with "mom". Some people cannot drive with their FULL concentration on the road let alone a cell phone strapped to their heads. Most people are holding cell phones, getting mentally involved in a conversation. I've seen people using the other hand that should be on the wheel to gesture while they talk! Driving a car is clearly an afterthought. Maybe ending up in a ditch is less important than asking their spouse to pick up dry cleaning?

lhs mom wrote:

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If you can to talk to the people in the car with you, why are people suddenly incapable of talking on a phone?

Many many times when I see a driver driving erratically, I say they must be on the phone, and when I pas them lo and behold they are. What is so important to talk about that it gives others the right to endanger other people.
I think if someone gets into an accident while on the phone they should have the same penalties as drinking and driving.

Having almost been hit twice now by one person on a cell phone and one texting, I am going to side with banning texting while driving. The guy texting had the absolute gall to get out of his car screaming ( I beeped when he went past a stop sign and into the intersection) . Apparently he dropped his phone when I beeped. Have to wonder what he would have told the cops if I had hit him. The guy behind me stopped to tell me that they have ways of finding out if someone was on their cell or texting .

Incredible...Scooped by N.H. again on responcible government.

I agree that texting is a huge issue. And I agree that it should be banned.

But as far as talking on the phone I would rather see police enforce the laws we have now.
Don't you think that the number of people that run the red lights n Lowell is probably just as dangerous as accidents caused by talking on the phone.
If a cop won't ticket people that run red lights etc, why should we think that one more law not being enforced will make a difference?

Im guilty as OJ.
We should bann texting god knows how many children i almost ran over.

kidding about the children part but there were times.

lhs mom wrote:

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If you can to talk to the people in the car with you, why are people suddenly incapable of talking on a phone?

To me it is the dialing and or looking up the number. I don't understand why talking is different. Actually, the states that have laws just require hands free. Talking is OK even there if both hands are free.

lhs mom wrote:

I cringe when I see someone texting also...but what really gets me is the people who drive around with a dog on their lap.
Or shaving?(YES, shaving!) Doing make-up? Reading the paper? Lighting a cigarette?
Fixing their Dunkin coffee?
How is any of THAT not distracted driving?
If you can't handle what you're doing when you're supposed to be driving, you should get pulled over.

Exactly--why aren't all of these covered under the distracted driving laws including texting? We shouldn't need more laws unless we want to strengthen existing laws since it is such a problem now.

Can anyone tell me how they will catch people texting on their phones? How do you tell if someone is texting while driving, other than they are looking down, with one hand on the steering wheel. Stupid to enforce it seeing as no one will be able to tell if the person is really texting.

Because the state of NH has a sensible PART TIME 2 party legislator. While we in Massachusetts are blessed with a corrupt FULL TIME single party graft system. Hey it works for Kim Ill...and Deval. They are even beginning to look alike!

Why is talking different, because by habit we concentrate harder to listing on a phone.

lhs mom wrote:

<quoted text>
If you can to talk to the people in the car with you, why are people suddenly incapable of talking on a phone?

It's clear that you support cell phone use while driving. When you talk to passengers in your car you can keep both hands on the wheel and you don't have to dial them up.

Phones seem to have some type of priority. I mean, have you ever been in a line waiting for your turn to be served and the phone rings? The person on the phone gets the attention effectively cutting into the line while you continue to wait.

Everyone is different. It may be no problem for some people but I think it's a huge problem for many. Each issue should be dealt with separately. Yes, people do all of the things you say while driving but only a person that supports cell phone use would use other wrongs to support a wrong. It's not a smart argument.

If I had my way this is how it would work. For talking on the phone while driving:
1st offense,$500 fine.
2nd offense,$1,000 fine.
3rd offense, permanent loss of license.
If you gotta talk, pull over and talk all you want.

In Arkansas there is already a law on the books regarding inattentive driving. It covers all distractions which would include cell phone texting, reading, applying make-up, eating, loading a CD, etc. I'm sure most other states have similar measures. There is no need to add even more laws to the books. Police just need to enforce the ones already in existence.