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6 years in jail for texting

Wasn't there a thread awhile back by this guy who was upset that his state passed a law against texting while driving?
 
Investigators said Deborah Matis-Engle was speeding and text messaging when she slammed into the vehicles stopped at a construction zone in August 2007.
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Good lord - speeding in a construction zone to boot? Construction zones practically scream - pay attention for stopped or slowed vehicles. What an idiot
 
"Defense attorney Jeffrey Stotter said he will appeal."

Appeal what, the length of her "vacation" or that she's guilty at all? I hope the victim's family sued her for everything she had ...
 
what did she hit? A pinto or a crown vic??? wonder if the family of the car that burst into flames will sue the car maker???
 
Can't help but wonder if better driver education is needed. She's hardly the only person texting while driving, most people don't seem to realize that a 1-ton hunk of metal screaming around at 60mph is incredibly deadly - 40-45k people a year die in the US in car crashes.
 
Most phones have GPS enabled and thus can determine speed. Why not lock out certain features when the phone is traveling more than 10 mph?
 
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Most phones have GPS enabled and thus can determine speed. Why not lock out certain features when the phone is traveling more than 10 mph?
Click to expand...

What if you're a passenger?
 
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Most phones have GPS enabled and thus can determine speed. Why not lock out certain features when the phone is traveling more than 10 mph?
Click to expand...


That would limit it's use for passengers also. We just need better drivers ed in America. I can't believe the stupid shit people pull on the road, and the total lack of skill they demonstrate while driving.
 
Originally posted by: endscape
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Most phones have GPS enabled and thus can determine speed. Why not lock out certain features when the phone is traveling more than 10 mph?
Click to expand...

What if you're a passenger?
Click to expand...

Just call them and tell them you're riding?

Frankly I'm amazed at the amount of people using texting. Today at sea passing the Turks and Caicos islands we're having the most beautiful weather I'd say you'd see maybe two or three times per YEAR in the region and there are probably a few DOZEN people with cellphones typing away!

Granted it costs anywhere from $2.99 to $4.99 per MINUTE - to call - depending on your carrier to roam through the ship's cellular to satellite system where a text can be $0.29 to $0.59 to send and even less to receive using the same connection so it's a lot cheaper to check up on things. But these crackberry addicts are at it for many minutes at a time!

Different strokes for different folks I suppose.

But where there is endangerment to lives/property I'd say safety comes before "convenience". Come to think about it that engineer may not have run the signal if he was not texting his train buddies. 🙁
 
Article seems misleading, imo.

I pay all my bills via the phone, and it's in no way text messaging.
 
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Originally posted by: endscape
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Most phones have GPS enabled and thus can determine speed. Why not lock out certain features when the phone is traveling more than 10 mph?
Click to expand...

What if you're a passenger?
Click to expand...

Just call them and tell them you're riding?

Frankly I'm amazed at the amount of people using texting. Today at sea passing the Turks and Caicos islands we're having the most beautiful weather I'd say you'd see maybe two or three times per YEAR in the region and there are probably a few DOZEN people with cellphones typing away!

Granted it costs anywhere from $2.99 to $4.99 per MINUTE - to call - depending on your carrier to roam through the ship's cellular to satellite system where a text can be $0.29 to $0.59 to send and even less to receive using the same connection so it's a lot cheaper to check up on things. But these crackberry addicts are at it for many minutes at a time!

Different strokes for different folks I suppose.

But where there is endangerment to lives/property I'd say safety comes before "convenience". Come to think about it that engineer may not have run the signal if he was not texting his train buddies. 🙁
Click to expand...

It's not impossible to enjoy amazing weather and still hold conversations through texting. Enjoying the weather doesn't require dropping everything, unless you just want to escape.

I'm one of the most fanatic about just taking in great weather. Just standing there, breathing in the warm air, enjoying a light breeze while looking out at everything. But I can't do that all day, and I can sit there and text or be on my phone and in-between moments just take it all in.
I do that because I get into a different mindset when enjoying beautiful scenery. One that I can't let myself get into for extended periods of time - I could go insane and run off on a solo adventure. 😛
 
Originally posted by: endscape
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Most phones have GPS enabled and thus can determine speed. Why not lock out certain features when the phone is traveling more than 10 mph?
Click to expand...

What if you're a passenger?
Click to expand...

Only allow incoming calls or texts if the GPS detects a speed > 10mph.
 
Wow some people are stupid. Also I never really understood the big fascination with texting, especially on small mobile devices where it's harder to type. I rather just call the person and talk if I really need to say something. While I don't agree with driving while on a cell, it's MUCH safer then texting LOL.
 
Originally posted by: ChaoZ
What the shit is this? She killed someone and only got 6 years?
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I think 6 years is more than enough to teach someone not to use their phone while they drive. Remember, prison is best as a correctional institute, and if you can "fix" someone, why make a sentence excessive? She didn't mean to kill anyone, nor did she apparently think what she was doing was dangerous.

Negligent, sure. Stupid, sure. But she's not a person with malicious intent.
 
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