Updated - Exonerated!! Man Gets Ticket for Driving While Eating a Cheeseburger

[Londo_Jowo]

Adjusting the AC, playing with the GPS, talking to a passenger, looking out the window at a pretty girl, etc. are all distractions. There needs to be specific laws on what you can and cannot do. 'Distracted driving' is too broad.

You are required to maintain proper control of your vehicle while on public roads and private property (parking lots). If you fail to maintain control of your vehicle due to a distraction you can be cited for a Distracted Driving violation.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Is that really the whole story?

From this guy -- yeah!! What proof do you have to support the cop having a slow day writing ..oopps I mean harassing innocent people?

 

[OutHouse]

You are required to maintain proper control of your vehicle while on public roads and private property (parking lots). If you fail to maintain control of your vehicle due to a distraction you can be cited for a Distracted Driving violation.

Every time I see a cop on the road he either is on his cell phone or looking at his laptop.

 

[bradley]

I'm sorry,
http://www.hybridcars.com/eating-while-driving-riskier-being-legally-impaired-or-texting-45569/

Eating causes a greater delay in reaction time than texting; more than 4 times as much as being impaired by alcohol? Sounds more like you had one set of data from one group of underclassmen at a university that was an outlier, and someone saw an opportunity to create a sensationalized story about it. I hope people are at least a bit skeptical about sensationalized stories like this, rather than accepting them at face value with no other research to confirm their validity.

Driving with precision requires two hands on the steering wheel at all times. Anything that distracts the driver, but especially removes one hand off the wheel places the driver and especially the public at greater risk. Don't drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, or while texting, eating, using your cellphone or anything else that slows reaction time for prolonged periods. I don't need a study to tell me what common sense already does.

 

[brycejones]

Every time I see a cop on the road he either is on his cell phone or looking at his laptop.

I've seen the laptop bit as well. Drives me nuts the cops in the city I live in do that all the time but also wait to bust people who look a their cell phones while stopped at stop lights.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Every time I see a cop on the road he either is on his cell phone or looking at his laptop.

I drive 48 miles round trip a day and occasionally as much as 250 miles in a day. All the people I see that are driving slow and/or erratically are doing something distracting (messing with hair/makeup, passing/receiving something with a back seat passenger, talking on the phone, checking email/surfing the web, eating, busy looking at something on the side of the road.....etc). I would say this is close to 10%-15% of the people I see on the road. Yes, some police are guilty of doing the same thing though it doesn't excuse the others that are doing so. If they fail to maintain proper control of their vehicle due to any distractions I have no issues with them being cited for such as they could potentially create an issue that results in an injury or death of one or more persons.

 

[trenchfoot]

In an nutshell, the problem I see with distracted driving laws is that some of us can safely multi-task and some of us just can't. Where the trouble lies is in those folks who think they can but can't and then kill/maim other people to prove it, sometimes by the busload or trainloads for that matter.

So like the kid in the class who ends up punishing everyone else for his behavior, we all must suffer (be safe) for those that cannot do what others can, relative to the task at hand.

It's why public gun ranges and traffic cops must be so strict with their policies: to save the many from the few.

 

[Bman123]

If you can't drive safe and eat a burger you shouldn't be on the fucking road.
Instead of implementing this kind of dumb shit they need to do other stuff.
Like make people redo their drivers test every 4 years. I'm sorry but so many people cannot drive worth a shit and there is no way to stop them

 

[MrPickins]

In an nutshell, the problem I see with distracted driving laws is that some of us can safely multi-task and some of us just can't.

You just think you can multitask.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/creativity-without-borders/201405/the-myth-multitasking

 

[JEDIYoda]

I drive 48 miles round trip a day and occasionally as much as 250 miles in a day. All the people I see that are driving slow and/or erratically are doing something distracting (messing with hair/makeup, passing/receiving something with a back seat passenger, talking on the phone, checking email/surfing the web, eating, busy looking at something on the side of the road.....etc). I would say this is close to 10%-15% of the people I see on the road. Yes, some police are guilty of doing the same thing though it doesn't excuse the others that are doing so. If they fail to maintain proper control of their vehicle due to any distractions I have no issues with them being cited for such as they could potentially create an issue that results in an injury or death of one or more persons.

I will say that I would rather you be driving while eating a hamburger with fries...than trying to shave your face or put your makeup on.....

Bottom line -- the guy will fight the ticket and win!!

 

[Londo_Jowo]

I suspect you're wrong. Even should he get the ticket thrown out, he will lose big time as he will still spend far more fighting the case (lawyer fees) rather than paying the fine and moving on.

 

[bshole]

Driving with precision requires two hands on the steering wheel at all times. Anything that distracts the driver, but especially removes one hand off the wheel places the driver and especially the public at greater risk. Don't drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, or while texting, eating, using your cellphone or anything else that slows reaction time for prolonged periods. I don't need a study to tell me what common sense already does.

You would have a heart attack if you saw me driving. I FREQUENTLY drive on cruise control with one KNEE on the wheel and my hands behind my head. I have eaten while driving on perhaps 1000+ occasions, many of those times I was listening to books on tape as well...... o my fucking god...... imma gonna die in fiery crash now......

 

[TreVader]

If you can't drive safe and eat a burger you shouldn't be on the fucking road.
Instead of implementing this kind of dumb shit they need to do other stuff.
Like make people redo their drivers test every 4 years. I'm sorry but so many people cannot drive worth a shit and there is no way to stop them

So much this.


Why the hell are people allowed to drive in this country without learning how to park? And I'm from CA, the best drivers in the nation. Our roads are still full of crazy idiots.

The Midwest has by far the worst drivers. You have people there who have been driving for years and never been on a 6 lane highway, let alone the 10 lane insanity that the 405 can become. Then they vacation out here, and drive 55 on the highway and 55 on surface streets because their corn filled heads can't read the signs or something.


I HATE out of state drivers here.

 

[Zodiark1593]

Driving with precision requires two hands on the steering wheel at all times. Anything that distracts the driver, but especially removes one hand off the wheel places the driver and especially the public at greater risk. Don't drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, or while texting, eating, using your cellphone or anything else that slows reaction time for prolonged periods. I don't need a study to tell me what common sense already does.

Come to think of it, I almost never drive with both hands on the wheel. And I drive some pretty windy roads without issue during my commute. Suppose I'm a horrible driver then.

 

[IronWing]

So much this.


Why the hell are people allowed to drive in this country without learning how to park? And I'm from CA, the best drivers in the nation. Our roads are still full of crazy idiots.

The Midwest has by far the worst drivers. You have people there who have been driving for years and never been on a 6 lane highway, let alone the 10 lane insanity that the 405 can become. Then they vacation out here, and drive 55 on the highway and 55 on surface streets because their corn filled heads can't read the signs or something.


I HATE out of state drivers here.

I anticipated your post and have already provided a rebuttal (language inappropriate for tender eyes).

 

[OutHouse]

Come to think of it, I almost never drive with both hands on the wheel. And I drive some pretty windy roads without issue during my commute. Suppose I'm a horrible driver then.

Same here, but my commute is pretty much 65 miles round trip and straight as an arrow.

 

[gordon.hillier1]

That law is in Newfoundland but I don't think it's enforced

 

[Zodiark1593]

Same here, but my commute is pretty much 65 miles round trip and straight as an arrow.

I'm just a laid back driver myself. If I have to rush so much that I'm pushing the speed limit, something's gone wrong.

 

[Darwin333]

Do people really believe they are able to stuff their face with a burger and maintain the proper attention one should have while driving a vehicle? Let me guess, you can text and drive just fine too right? Or, you drive better after a few beers?

I've been feeding myself for a very long time. Yes, I can put a burger in my mouth without taking my eyes off the road, take a bite and chew while maintaining complete control of the vehicle.

I can also chew bubble gum and walk, imagine that.

 

[Darwin333]

If you can't drive safe and eat a burger you shouldn't be on the fucking road.
Instead of implementing this kind of dumb shit they need to do other stuff.
Like make people redo their drivers test every 4 years. I'm sorry but so many people cannot drive worth a shit and there is no way to stop them

Sooo this. I drive to Baton Rouge (and north) at least 4 times a week, putting well over 60K miles a year on my work truck alone. I-10 has some seriously long and straight stretches and I always time my drive to avoid the traffic. I put the cruise control on, an estimating pad in my lap, a pencil in one hand and a calculator in the hand thats on the wheel. Often I need two hands so I'll drive 5 or 6 miles easy with my damn knee and I've never been in an accident.

Two hands my ass, if you require two hands to be a safe driver I don't want to share the road with you because you really suck at driving. Seriously, is one hand overriding the others hand dumb ass decisions or something? There is only so far you can yank the steering wheel and maintain control while doing 75 down the interstate and I can promise you that empirical scientific testing will prove that my single hand can yank/move/turn that steering wheel as much as safely possible with a huge margin of error added in. I can flip my truck with one hand going down the interstate FFS.

 

[Darwin333]

How is it any different than smoking while driving?

So if I see a cop eating a donut can I pull him over and make a citizens arrest?

Please give this a shot and record video while doing it.

Then again, wasn't there a cop in CA that killed a guy while he was using his laptop while driving and cleared of any wrong doing? So.... you might want to rethink that lest you have a similar "accident".

 

[Pipeline 1010]

Driving with precision requires two hands on the steering wheel at all times. Anything that distracts the driver, but especially removes one hand off the wheel places the driver and especially the public at greater risk.

What about manual transmission automobiles? You can't have 2 hands on the steering wheel while shifting.

 

[bradly1101]

Haven't we all eaten while driving?

 

[Fern]

You really think the majority of people can't wait to get back to their home or office and just eat on the road? :hmm:

Ever notice how all Interstate exits are crammed with fast food joints?

Those customers coming off the Interstate aren't going back to work/home.
________________

I don't see how people think chewing takes up so much concentration a person can't drive responsibly. Now if he was using two hands to eat, that's another matter.

I'm pretty old and drove cars back when they didn't (all) have power steering. The 'Two Hands' rule was a good idea then. The wheel was much harder to turn and the turn ration was much higher. With today's power steering and low ration you can practically do a U turn with a flick of the wrist.

Fern

 

[DrPizza]

Ever notice how all Interstate exits are crammed with fast food joints?

Those customers coming off the Interstate aren't going back to work/home.
________________

I don't see how people think chewing takes up so much concentration a person can't drive responsibly. Now if he was using two hands to eat, that's another matter.

Fern

I you walk along any main road within a few miles of fast food places, the main component of litter along the road is fast food wrappers. So, logically, the people are unwrapping their food from the paper wrappers and rewrapping it in aluminum foil to keep it warm til they get home, right?

And, back to that study - there have been all sorts of unexpected conclusions from people whose research sets out to have a particular conclusion. E.g., omg, plants growing in a room with a wifi router die, and plants in rooms without wifi routers thrive.