CALIFORNIAN's just do not get caught.......

[Forevryoung]

NY has the same law except it's a $250 fine.

And people still talk with the phone up to their ear

 

[Mickey&Donald]

It ALL needs to be illegal, with way higher fines than are already there. And studies have proven that a hands-free device actually causes no reduction in accidents -- because the driver is just as distracted by the conversation itself.

Following that logic, cars shouldn't be manufactured with more than one seat in them. Carrying even a single passenger should be just as distracting as carrying on a conversation on a hands-free device, right?

 

[yeartolate]

Following that logic, cars shouldn't be manufactured with more than one seat in them. Carrying even a single passenger should be just as distracting as carrying on a conversation on a hands-free device, right?

Well, unless you are holding that passenger up to your ear or pressing their body parts to dial them, it is not the same thing.

The two MAJOR times I was hit, there was cell phone use involved.

To be certain, there are other things that distract, but my experience points to cell phones being pretty high on the list.

 

[Mickey&Donald]

Well, unless you are holding that passenger up to your ear or pressing their body parts to dial them, it is not the same thing.

The two MAJOR times I was hit, there was cell phone use involved.

To be certain, there are other things that distract, but my experience points to cell phones being pretty high on the list.

Note I mentioned hands-free cell phone use. If one is using a Bluetooth or speaker phone along with voice commands instead of pressing buttons, then there should be no difference between that and conversing with a passenger in the car, or being distracted by ones unruly children or crying baby in the backseat, or a dog in the car, or anything else.

 

[yeartolate]

Note I mentioned hands-free cell phone use. If one is using a Bluetooth or speaker phone along with voice commands instead of pressing buttons, then there should be no difference between that and conversing with a passenger in the car, or being distracted by ones unruly children or crying baby in the backseat, or a dog in the car, or anything else.

Whoops. Sorry.

I am a little more than sensitive on this suject.

 

[MoniqueU]

I don't drive anymore but my 3 kids talking and more all at once was far more distracting then one phone call ever was.

 

[cruellababy]

Well all I can say is it's about time! NY has had that law for a long time; not that it has helped- I always see people talking on their phones while driving.

 

[Mrs. Chamberlain]

You shouldn't be worried. As of about two months ago, only one person in the enire state of California had recieved a ticket for this violation. Since then, there can't have been many more.

 

[monkey68]

I live in NY, and we've had that law for a while. Don't think it helped any. I never hold my phone while I'm driving, but I hate using those ear pieces because they don't stay in and I can never hear anything, so I just end up using speaker phone. Then everyone in the car hears my conversation, but it's not a huge deal.

 

[kgle]

I guess I will be the odd one out. I disagree with the law. I think that if they outlaw cell phone use, they need to outlaw shaving, eating, putting on makeup etc while you are driving. I mean...it makes sense- it really does, and it sucks that the idiots in the world ruin it for everyone else who acts cautiously about talking and driving. In the 7 years I have been driving (got my license late ) I have never once been in an accident, especially not while talking on my phone. Granted I don't do it often, but sometimes it is just not feasible to pull over and call someone when I need directions, etc. The only close calls I have had have been because I was careless and glanced off to the side and someone in front of me stopped suddenly, and these are times when I have not been on the phone. As someone else said, I am more distracted by my chattering toddler than talking on my cell phone.

But, Indiana doesn't have this law and they are also pretty good about giving complete costs on tickets.

 

[Gina]

Following that logic, cars shouldn't be manufactured with more than one seat in them. Carrying even a single passenger should be just as distracting as carrying on a conversation on a hands-free device, right?

"Psychological research is showing that when drivers use cell phones, whether hand-held or hands-off, their attention to the road drops and driving skills become even worse than if they had too much to drink. Epidemiological research has found that cell-phone use is associated with a four-fold increase in the odds of getting into an accident – a risk comparable to that of driving with blood alcohol at the legal limit."

http://www.psychologymatters.org/driverdistract.html



You can tune out kids, passengers, whatever. But a conversation in your ear, in your head, basically, is way more distracting. Even when you're talking about a conversation with someone else in the car, you naturally pause when you need to focus on an environmental factor, because you know the other person can see you and know that you will pick the conversation back up when you're able to. On a phone conversation, you stay involved. Other studies have shown that you develop this kind of "tunnel vision" -- tuning out all the other stuff you're *supposed* to be paying attention to.

 

[C.Ann]

I wasn't saying I had a problem with it, I'm just trying to figure out why everyone is so shocked this ticket is just like every other ticket out there?

---------------

I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to sound like I was "attacking" you.. It's just that my DD is totally disabled right now due to an accident involving a cell phone user and it tends to make me cranky when I look at her being pushed around in a wheelchair by my son-in-law or my DGD.. (Hopefully the wheelchair won't be a permanent part of her life, but disabilities and daily pain will be..

To be honest, I've never had any kind of ticket - not even a parking ticket - so I don't know an awful lot about the "add-ons"..

It was a knee-jerk response to the cell phone thing.. Sorry..

 

[Piecey]

---------------

I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to sound like I was "attacking" you.. It's just that my DD is totally disabled right now due to an accident involving a cell phone user and it tends to make me cranky when I look at her being pushed around in a wheelchair by my son-in-law or my DGD.. (Hopefully the wheelchair won't be a permanent part of her life, but disabilities and daily pain will be..

To be honest, I've never had any kind of ticket - not even a parking ticket - so I don't know an awful lot about the "add-ons"..

It was a knee-jerk response to the cell phone thing.. Sorry..

It's okay, It's easy to take things the wrong way on here!

I received my ticket about two months after I got my license. I was young, stupid and I learned my lesson. I was trying to find a hospital, ironically.

I've never been in an accident, never caused an accident and hope that I never am.

Hugs your DD gets out of her wheelchair soon.

 

[MM27]

The fine in NJ is $100 and I am more than okay with it. I commute an hour each way to work and I have seen some very dangerous situations on the road that could have been avoided if people were not distracted by the phone.

 

[momrek06]

Yeah, I got hit with that $90!!!!

You shouldn't be worried. As of about two months ago, only one person in the enire state of California had recieved a ticket for this violation. Since then, there can't have been many more.

How do you have this information, just curious??? And are you saying our very own DIVA here on the DIS was the only one in CA that received that ticket???

 

[Diva of Dragons]

How do you have this information, just curious??? And are you saying our very own DIVA here on the DIS was the only one in CA that received that ticket???

LOL!!! I was the first or second girl in CA to play boys little league, waaaay back in the '70! Once a trailblazer, always a trailblazer? But seriously, my Mom's friend has had the ticket too, so there are at least 2 of us.

The frustrating thing about mine is that it was just after the law went in to affect...........I was pulling out of a parking lot and just hanging up. The cop saw the phone go from my shoulder to my lap as I pulled onto the street. It was really dumb. This happened near Angel Stadium, in Anaheim, and he was posted there to do traffic control before a game started. Guess he was bored & got really excited about the new law. LOL!!

 

[Charade]

"Psychological research is showing that when drivers use cell phones, whether hand-held or hands-off, their attention to the road drops and driving skills become even worse than if they had too much to drink. Epidemiological research has found that cell-phone use is associated with a four-fold increase in the odds of getting into an accident – a risk comparable to that of driving with blood alcohol at the legal limit."

http://www.psychologymatters.org/driverdistract.html



You can tune out kids, passengers, whatever. But a conversation in your ear, in your head, basically, is way more distracting. Even when you're talking about a conversation with someone else in the car, you naturally pause when you need to focus on an environmental factor, because you know the other person can see you and know that you will pick the conversation back up when you're able to. On a phone conversation, you stay involved. Other studies have shown that you develop this kind of "tunnel vision" -- tuning out all the other stuff you're *supposed* to be paying attention to.

I agree.

 

[momrek06]

I think my whole point with this thread was WHY doesn't CA just state that the FINE is $90.00!!!!

I truly think that we would see less and less cell phone usage by drivers IF they really knew exactly what it was going to cost them if they were cited!!

JMHO!!

 

[grumpy donald]

For the record, I agree with you. It makes sense to give the full amt.