About Time! No more texting for drivers!

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,081
136
Ummm, I never use bluetooth anyway.

This is what their government spends money on, huh?
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
How will that affect texting if it uses audio to determine where the phone is (unless you're using speech to text)?
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
How will that affect texting if it uses audio to determine where the phone is (unless you're using speech to text)?

They could do this immediately if they wanted - gps shows movement more than 10 mph no SMS.

Of course the crybabies in the pax seat or people on buses, trains would complain. Public transit vehicles OTOH could be equipped with devices that allow bypass of this. (for everyone except the driver of course!)
 

CrackRabbit

Lifer
Mar 30, 2001
16,642
62
91
It will end up like the much ballyhooed ban of talking on your phone while driving. It will be enforced heavily for a month and then completely forgotten.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
They could do this immediately if they wanted - gps shows movement more than 10 mph no SMS.

Of course the crybabies in the pax seat or people on buses, trains would complain. Public transit vehicles OTOH could be equipped with devices that allow bypass of this. (for everyone except the driver of course!)

I'd disable GPS in my phone, then. Not being able to text as a passenger is utter BS.
 

SlitheryDee

Lifer
Feb 2, 2005
17,252
19
81
This is basically like the safety handle they put on a lawn mower that kills it when you let go. It just kills your phone when you shouldn't be using it.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
I'd disable GPS in my phone, then. Not being able to text as a passenger is utter BS.

I'm sure if this is mandated doing that would put the phone in airplane mode.
I'd have no problems with restrictions like this even though they really would hardly ever apply. I don't necessarily agree to such control "Nanny State" stuff but when people are that dumb and "driver distraction" is a factor in highway fatalities officials are going to react. As with anything else everyone has to deal with the consequences of the stupid - eventually.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
This.

Not being able to call if you see a crash while driving could be a big issue.

:biggrin:

Seriously what did people do for the last five decades before cellular communications?

And emergency services (911) would never be restricted.
Smart jammers in restaurants, theaters, school classrooms would work the same way. True emergency services ONLY would be allowed.
 

Newbian

Lifer
Aug 24, 2008
24,779
882
126
:biggrin:

Seriously what did people do for the last five decades before cellular communications?

Either stop to help the person, stop at a building along side the road and call it in or keep driving and ignore it.

No different then when a person's house was on fire and no phones were invented yet so it took that much longer to get the emergency services responded.

But so help me if I am getting a high score in a phone game and it turns my phone off when in the passengers seat as it sounds like that still happens there will be hell to pay. :p
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,864
31,359
146
Good thing my bluetooth is always disabled.

good thing you get free healthcare and pay nothing to support it, what with all the accidents you endure and will cause while driving, chatting, and texting.
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
good thing you get free healthcare and pay nothing to support it, what with all the accidents you endure and will cause while driving, chatting, and texting.

I didn't say I drive and text or phone, it would just piss me off If I was driving with my phone in my pocket and it was disabled.

Also: Love the free healthcare. Don't hate.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,134
2,450
126
Many US states have had this law on the books for years now... And it's not really enforced well enough to really matter.

I'm surprised that cash strapped states like California do not enforce it better. They need the ticket revenue!
 

yinan

Golden Member
Jan 12, 2007
1,801
2
71
Ok, what about people that have Bluetooth systems integrated into the vehicle so they can make calls completely hands free?
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
I'm sure if this is mandated doing that would put the phone in airplane mode.
I'd have no problems with restrictions like this even though they really would hardly ever apply. I don't necessarily agree to such control "Nanny State" stuff but when people are that dumb and "driver distraction" is a factor in highway fatalities officials are going to react. As with anything else everyone has to deal with the consequences of the stupid - eventually.

Shall we ban sales of alcohol because people drink and drive?

I understand the concern, but this seems like an overwhelmingly broad reaction.
 
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LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,576
126
Ok, what about people that have Bluetooth systems integrated into the vehicle so they can make calls completely hands free?

You can also text the same way in many cars. Hands free.

I'm not sure how talking to my car is different than talking to a passenger as far as distractions go.

I would think talking to a passenger may be worse, as you tend to look at the person you are talking to.
 

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,576
126
Shall we ban sales of alcohol because people drink and drive?

I understand the concern, but this seems like an overwhelmingly broad reaction.

We ban guns because people sometimes shoot people, ban lawn darts, etc.

We always need to be saved from ourselves... :biggrin: