Legal Restrictions on Cellphone Use Gain Traction

Carl Bialik writes "The Wall Street Journal is reporting that States are scrambling to impose tougher restrictions on cell phone use by drivers, addressing what safety experts say can be a deadly distraction. From the article: 'Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia have written legislation on the issue, mostly since 2003, [...] This year, other legislatures are tackling the subject, and two states have passed laws on it. [...] While no state has banned talking on a cell phone while driving, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C., have the most restrictive laws: Except in emergencies, motorists in those states can use cell phones only with hands-free devices, such as earpieces. Restrictions vary across other states. Some prohibit teenagers, bus drivers and drivers with learning permits from using cell phones -- even with earpieces.'"

Ban annoying ring tones

[Average_Joe_Sixpack]

Anyone with a "Larry the Cableguy" ringer needs to be lynched!

Whatever

[wetfeetl33t]

I'm fine with cell phone restrictions as long as I am still allowed to read the newspaper and watch TV while I drive.

Re:try children

[Anonymous Coward]

Then we need to ban children.

Cell Phones and Drunk Driving

[zerocool^]

I'm reminded of previous stories on slashdot, fark, and others, reporting that Driving while talking on your cell phone is as dangerous as driving drunk. [allencount...ealive.org]

Of course, the first thing I thought when I saw this wasn't "Oh, wow, cell phones are dangerous". It was "Well... Driving drunk is no more dangerous than driving while talking on a cell phone, and I do that all the time!".

~Will

I know! I know!

[Vo0k]

Somebody was singing a lullaby on the phone and this catalysed the effect of the drugs and made him fall asleep! If not the phone, he wouldn't crash!

Re:try children

[Vo0k]

1) Check the rear mirror to see if nobody's tailgating you.
2) Wait up the moment they are too distracted to pay attention to you.
3) Push the brakes Really Hard.
4) Say "Shut up".

Any distraction should be illegal

[aplusjimages]

I've seen people reading newspapers while driving. That's right a newspaper. That's right driving. Not parked and reading, I said driving and reading a newspaper with both pages spread out. I don't like cell phone drivers either, but why not address all distractions in one new law.

Blackberrys

[Anonymous Coward]

I have a friend who likes to type on his Blackberry while driving. He asked if the restrictions affected him typing. My respone was, he had to use a hands-free set.

Re:try children

[ArsenneLupin]

Actually had to read this twice before I understood that the "shut up" was meant for the unruly back-seat kids, and not for the cell-phone yapping driver tailgating you ;)

After duct tape...

[Naruki]

The rest of that list was redundant.

Re:ban children

[MS-06FZ]

"Replacements"... they are not needed.

Re:try children

[saider]

1) Check the rear mirror to see if nobody's tailgating you.
2) Wait up the moment they are too distracted to pay attention to you.
3) Push the brakes Really Hard.
4) Say "Shut up".

5) Listen to the children chant "Do it again!" for the rest of the trip.

The best way to get the kids to listen is to simply enforce your threats. Mention that they get no dessert (or whatever) unless they calm down. It won't work immediately, but after a few lost treasures, they will start to figure it out. Also, reminding them of the appropriate behavior beforehand helps out too.

At least with my kids. YMMV.

Re:try children

[Cederic]

Wow! How do you drive with all that on?