Cell phone/driving: an officer's view

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Hey, I get distracted talking on the phone at home when I try to do something more complex than feeding the cats. If I had a cell phone, I certainly wouldn't talk on it while driving. And I'm not sure hands-free is any better.

Officers who are breaking those rules should certainly be fined or worse.
 
Going to try to stay on topic.

I do find that often if a car is going too slow, seems unaware of surroundings, is weaving, the driver is holding a phone to their head. I have fussed at my wife, seeing how her driving degrades when she's on the phone.

When they made phone use while rolling illegal in certain parts where I drive, I installed a hands-free bluetooth radio, and it really does make a big difference for me. Even if I'm in a location where phone-in-hand is still legal, I hate it, as I can tell that it puts a blanket over my awareness, compared to the BT.

It took a friend of hers fussing at her for my wife to wonder if there was some legitimacy to my concerns about her rolling phone use. After her friend got on to her, she agreed to an aftermarket stereo for hands-free.

Hands-free sort of "separates" me from the phone. I can swivel my head, crane my neck, keep two hands on the wheel. the car gets priority instead of the chorus of movements required to spin head, phone, arm-holding phone, shoulder holding arm, twisting at the back while therefore leaning forward to twist. It becomes no different than talking with a passenger. the only difference there is, if I'm about to have to do a complex merge or something, I have to say "hold on", whereas a live passenger would see it and just be quiet.

As for officers that also break the rules. We can't say, "i'm not going to do it because they don't do it either." It's not about that. It's about public safety. Do what is RIGHT for you, and don't base your own bad habits on other people around you. I've experienced good officers and unprofessional ones alike, just like you have good students and bad, good [insert religion here] and bad. They have little bearing on how I try to conduct myself.

Be safe.
 
I don't talk or text while driving....what? and spill my beer?
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It doesn't seem that pulling off the road to use the cell phone is a viable option in the city and suburbs. Could you imagine the traffic snarls and probably increased accidents if everyone did that?

I don't know how we can move backwards regarding the masses thinking they need to be constantly connected to everyone 24/7.

I dislike increased gov't. regulations, but at the same time our nation is unable to act responsibly. I don't see how the problem can be resolved without initiating laws.
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
I don't talk or text while driving....what? and spill my beer?
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Oh [heck] no! When you see someone texting while they drive, you slam your 40oz and throw it at their windshield.
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Originally Posted By: satinsilver
I hope you guys didn't scare off the OP with your remarks. I thought we would hear something back from him by now. Only 5 pages later.
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Thanks for all the replies. I have thick skin so not to worry about some negativity.

I just wanted to reiterate that the incident that I relayed to you involves a cell phone law that is enforced in my jurisdiction. This law may not apply to all.

Currently, in Ontario, police are allowed to talk on cell phones while driving as long as they are in lawful execution of their duty.

My patrol car is equipped with a mobile data terminal and GPS and yes at times my job requires me to read the screen while driving. However, if in doing so, I cause a wreck then I am inherently responsible. Everything I do is tracked.

AS one poster mentioned if I asked the driver what oil they had in their vehicle, I'm sorry to say no. But being that it was a Ford Escape, I'm hoping it was Motorcraft.
 
If I get a call while driving, I can see who it is easily enough and if I need to return the call right away, I will pull off the road. Otherwise, the call can wait until I reach my destination.

Got by without talking on the phone all the time 30 years ago so why not now? On a side note....I don't like yakking on the phone anyway.

We need better law enforcement on cell use while driving around here where I dwell.
 
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The city of Chicago is so crime ridden that you will never get pulled over for talking on a cell. Expect for Lake Shore Drive and the Skyway to IN, I don't think officers even make traffic stops anymore.
 
Originally Posted By: DAC17
This whole thread is proof that we have lost the battle against distracted driving. First, many people immediately upbraid the police for using phones during their work (which was not the original topic, and just indicates that they can do anything that certain police officers do). Second, the excuses flow like water about what calls are important to be taken (little Johnny will be left at someone's house if Mommy doesn't take the critically important call).

Another series of signs that 85% of drivers consider themselves better than average, and that the individual's rights continue to trump the good for the masses.

Ugh.


I won't say anything about the police violating cell phone laws (though I have seen it myself) as that isn't what this thread is about, but you are right in saying we've lost the battle of distracted driving. This thread is full of excuses and weak arguments in favor of doing nothing about the use of cell phones while driving, or simply lumping it in with all other types of distracted driving. They try to justify it by saying things like adjusting the radio, eating, talking to other people in the vehicle, etc., are just as distracting...well, studies have shown that cell phone use while driving is more dangerous than drunk driving...I doubt the same can be said for the other distractions...
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
It doesn't seem that pulling off the road to use the cell phone is a viable option in the city and suburbs. Could you imagine the traffic snarls and probably increased accidents if everyone did that?

I don't know how we can move backwards regarding the masses thinking they need to be constantly connected to everyone 24/7.

I dislike increased gov't. regulations, but at the same time our nation is unable to act responsibly. I don't see how the problem can be resolved without initiating laws.


Bingo! People complain about there being too much big brothering, but they continue doing stupid and dangerous things (like doing anything with cell phones while driving), then wonder why there's laws made against it...like I keep saying, as long as people continue to be too stupid to do the right things on their own, there will continue to be laws against those stupid things...
 
But my contention has always been, there have been laws on the books for decades against distracted driving. Piling on texting and cell phone bans will do nothing to curb the activity. It is only after the fact that anything can be charged. What piling on law after law does is allow the powers that be to stack charges against someone in the hopes that one will stick. And the prime interest is revenue collection. After all, even if any fine was assessed and collected, the victim, if there is one, would not get a penny of it. The almighty state or local government would pocket it. It isn't like the fines collected for these types of things are directed to improving driver education on the dangers. Nor is it earmarked for victim assistance. It is just dumped into the coffers of government to be spent on any number of little pet projects. Or better yet, to enhance LE ability to collect even more revenue.

Cynical? You bet. I question, anymore, all of these feel all warm and fuzzy things that agencies will promote. I see little evidence that government actually cares like they promote. And a lot of what is fostered in the name of public safety, has nothing to do with public safety. After all, they do not even apply laws equally. What is the fine for texting by the common motorist? Surely nothing near the fine a commercial trucker gets... $2750.00 per occurrence. Yet the government's own statistics shows that at least 80% of all accidents between auto drivers and commercial truck drivers are the direct fault of the auto driver. There is more than ample evidence of things like traffic citation cameras being used soley to fund things that have nothing to do with public safety. Cell phone laws, texting laws, seat belt laws, almost always are instituted with the same outcome in mind. A classic example is LE's DARE programs. There is reams of evidence that it does nothing to curb drug use, and the DARE letters themselves are a common joke among many young people. The like to call it Drug Availability and Resource Education.
 
It should be against the law and $500 min. fine. I live in DFW metroplex and do not use phone while driving except for GPS. In the past 3 yrs, I've had to avoid idiots driving and texting more than a dozen times. Thinking about getting a tank with huge guards front/back and not swerving to avoid them anymore! Throw their butts in jail along with fine and they'll change their habits.
 
First, there isn't enough LEO's to effectively enforce such a law, and it can only be charged after the fact like an accident. No need for such a law. Distracted driving is already on the books in almost every jurisdiction in the U.S. Maybe up the fine. Passing a new law about texting or phone use just allows LE to stack the charges. Hit the person with distracted driving charge, cell phone use while operating charge, and anything else they can dream up. let's just keep those laws coming, boys and girls, to make us safe from ourselves, which they will never do. But it makes some politician brownie points come election time that he is doing something to address the problem. Yet, after all the laws that have been passed regarding seat belts, texting, cell phone use, and even tacking on $2750 fines for commercial drivers..... it still goes on every day. I rack up an average of 2500 miles a week and see it all around me like there are no laws at all. I can see right down into those cars that pass me and see them texting away like there is no tomorrow.
 
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
First, there isn't enough LEO's to effectively enforce such a law, and it can only be charged after the fact like an accident. No need for such a law. Distracted driving is already on the books in almost every jurisdiction in the U.S. Maybe up the fine. Passing a new law about texting or phone use just allows LE to stack the charges. Hit the person with distracted driving charge, cell phone use while operating charge, and anything else they can dream up. let's just keep those laws coming, boys and girls, to make us safe from ourselves, which they will never do. But it makes some politician brownie points come election time that he is doing something to address the problem. Yet, after all the laws that have been passed regarding seat belts, texting, cell phone use, and even tacking on $2750 fines for commercial drivers..... it still goes on every day. I rack up an average of 2500 miles a week and see it all around me like there are no laws at all. I can see right down into those cars that pass me and see them texting away like there is no tomorrow.


You make some very good points, and I agree, most laws today in reality are not made with public safety in mind, they are simply there to generate revenue...so I have come up with a new idea to combat the cell phone use while driving that's taken over the country...pass a law that mandates factory installing a device on all cell phones that renders them as inoperable while in a vehicle with the ignition on...
 
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When reading threads like this, it always amazes me to see the things people want outlawed. Am I the only one that thinks it's strange that some people want pot legalized, but cell phones outlawed?
 
Originally Posted By: whip
When reading threads like this, it always amazes me to see the things people want outlawed. Am I the only one that thinks it's strange that some people want pot legalized, but cell phones outlawed?


Did you ever think that's because people using cell phones while driving is like a million times more dangerous than smoking pot is?
 
Originally Posted By: silverrat
Pretty sure you can't smoke pot while driving either?


Who said anything about smoking pot WHILE DRIVING? You ASSUMED that...you know what they say about assuming...
 
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In my jurisdiction there is a system where they track cellphone use via Teleco records when there is an accident. They have about three years of data.

For the accidents where they have confirmed data (time of call / text and time of accident vs. BAC which is tested either at the time of the accident or post-mortem) in fatal accidents, the accident rate is higher for cell use than for Impaired Driving. The stats also are consistent with ordinary accidents not involving injury (cell use more likely to be a contributing factor than impairment).

There is also a caveat that not all cell data can be cross-referenced in every case while all BAC data is confirmed, so the incidents are technically higher than the data suggests.

Texting is particularly implicated, but talking has a significant minority occurrence. There is little difference between hands-free and hand-held calls.
 
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