As soon as so many people started making such a stink about cell phone usage being such a distraction while driving, and crying "there outta' be a law!", I knew that other in-car activities would be next on the hit-list, and I posted about it here, which led to much debate.

And surprise, surprise! It's coming from legislators in Kalifornia! Imagine that!

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LOS ANGELES — Limiting cell phone usage is a common goal of many legislatures, but California’s lawmakers want to up the ante, adding more than that to the list of what motorists can and can’t do behind the wheel.

A bill passed by the California state Senate would subject drivers who talk on the phone, put on makeup, drink, eat, smoke, interact with pets or kids, read, write, tune the radio or program hand-held devices like Blackberries to fines of $35 for the first offense and $150 for the second.

The bill is currently under review in the state House of Representatives. Not all senators are in favor of it, with state Sen. Tom McClintock saying it’s simply a cash cow to fill California’s lean piggy bank.

"We already have a very good law on the books against reckless driving whatever is the distraction, what this measure does is give an officer the ability to add an extra ticket to any moving violation," McClintock said.

But others, like the bill’s author state Sen. Kevin Murray, say thousands of crashes each year are caused by distracted drivers and such laws are necessary.

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Anyone surprised? I'm certainly not.

I just hope that common sense prevails, and this nonsense doesn't catch on in other states.

Mike

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1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
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1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
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1985 300TD
270,000 miles
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1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
www.myspace.com/openskystudio
www.myspace.com/speedxband
www.myspace.com/openskyseparators
www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic

At least there's no mention of oral sex....

"Garp"

B

Mike...Common Sense in California? The People's Republik of Kalifornia? Are you ok?

Its called the "Left Coast" for a reason Mike.

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http://comp.uark.edu/~dmgill/signature.jpg

That bill can't be comprehensive enough. Someone can do none of the above and still be distracted. Or will the CHP have the tools and training to administer a field stress level test?

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

oh yeah? well ellen james will have plenty to say about that!

Why on earth would there be??? What's wrong with talking about sex while you drive??

I wish they'd pass a law in the Miami area to nail some of these *******s here who talk on the phone AND watch the dvd player.

IT will take a politician or a very influential person, or their family member to get maimed or killed before anything happens here.

Thanks

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Enough about me, how are you doing?

Hope springs eternal.

Thrown in jail for slowing down? That's a little harsh. It would be nice, though, if people would just pay attention and drive.

The biggest problem I have with a law like this is that it gives the police more reasons to pull people over just to see what else they can find.

"That's violating MY RIGHTS when they swerve into me or slow down because their reception is waning!"

Huh, I've never seen that happen from poor reception. I can see it now, "Buy a Nextel phone so you can drive safer and not swerve all over the road trying to get better reception." That makes no sense at all.

Me too. Most everytime there's a car pulled-over on I-10 its for either DWB or DWH.

B

I don't worry about the cops in Florida so much as they are usually on their cell phones also.

In fact, I have a cousin who is a cop and he tells me that in addition to them using their two-way police radios, most of them have Nextel also. They use these sometimes to call each other and skirt certain regulations. If they use their 2 ways, their superiors know everything that happens. If they use Nextel, they can keep things quiet if need be.

Have a beautiful day.

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Enough about me, how are you doing?

Do you have a stereo in your car, Spock? Better get rid of it.... Do you ever hit the drive-thru and eat in your car.... then you should be on your way to jail too, right? Do you talk to the passengers in your car?....

Calm down dude. Think about the stupidity and impracticality of such laws.

Teaching people to drive safely and responsibly will get us a LOT farther than outlawing everything other than BREATHING while driving a car.

Mike

__________________
_____
1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
_____
1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
_____
1985 300TD
270,000 miles
_____
1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
www.myspace.com/openskystudio
www.myspace.com/speedxband
www.myspace.com/openskyseparators
www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic

Yeah Spock, that's the rub. I hate the idea of yet another freakin' law on the books. We don't have enough laws yet?

But the other day I nearly creamed a doofus who was yakkin' on the phone in a driving rain. We were stopped at a 4-way and I got there first. I looked right at doofus and started forward. Doofus didn't even look at me he just lurched forward. Had I not been looking right at him, I'd have plowed my blotch-faded 1989 626 right into the front 1/4 of his new, generic Chrysler product.

Wish I had carried a loaded photon torpedo.

B