Speak Out: Texting while driving one step closer to passage

Posted by swampeastmissouri on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 7:04 AM:

I'm glad to see the bill regarding "texting while driving" is one step closer to passage. The bill has been passed in the State house and moved to the Senate for further consideration. This bill would prohibit any one from texting while operating a motor vehicle in the State of Missouri. Texting while driving is just like a drunk driver these people are all over the road and some times come right at you. If the bill is passed in to law it must be strictly enforced. This bill could save many lives and should be passed and signed by the governor in to law.

Replies (14)

  • yeah , what Spaniard said...

    -- Posted by Smoke. on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 7:20 AM
  • There is no need for more ridiculous ordinances and laws! If your texting while driving a motor vehicle on public streets and highways you are driving carelessly and imprudently. This law already exist and the penalty is quite severe.

    As Spaniard said, " hard to enforce ".

    -- Posted by GREYWOLF on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 7:46 AM
  • No texting while driving is so vague. You can do many other things with your phone which is distracting and not considered texting. Playing a game, reading a book, watching a moving, messing with a playlist, managing your GPS software, utilizing applications to find things around you (nearest store or restaurant).... the list goes on and on.

    I also agree with the others, how do you enforce it? Is typing in a number to dial or selecting a contact to call considered texting?

    If you try to ban phone usage while driving what about complex OEM computer systems installed in car now days with touch screen radios which give diagnostics of the car, GPS or allow control of the car climate, that is very distracting while driving.

    Not sure 'no texting while driving' is the magic bullet. People will find other ways to be distracted while driving.

    I have seen people putting on makeup while driving, reading the newspaper, eating ice cream from a cone and many other things in my day.

    -- Posted by NetBoy on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 7:59 AM
  • Officer Chase initiated a traffic stop on suspicion of texting while driving. He asked the driver if he could look inside the car and reminded him it was routine and a Canine unit was nearby.

    Taken in evidence was a recently lit cigar.

    Mr. Goodbody faces pending charges of endangering the welfare of a child via second hand smoke.

    No texting device was found in the car but a passenger was found to have over $300 cash on his person and is being questioned why he was transporting such an amount of cash.

    M.E. Ketchum, DA, refused comment pending an ongoing investigation. :)?

    -- Posted by Old John on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 8:21 AM
  • Old Ian

    i wonder if it was a recently lit cigar or a blunt ..i didn't know smoking tobacco in a personal vehicle was against the law .

    i would have told them i was on my way to pay my taxes and that's what the $300 was for .

    telling LEOs no , they can not search your vehicle is legal , they can't by law per the US Supreme Court ruling last year.

    -- Posted by Smoke. on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 8:47 AM
  • Stupid is as stupid does. There seems to be more stupid lately.

    -- Posted by voyager on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 2:43 PM
  • passenger was found to have over $300 cash on his person and is being questioned why he was transporting such an amount of cash.

    -- Posted by Old John on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 8:21 AM

    $300 in cash? Boy that guy must be a underworld kingpin. Legal tender. They could tear up just hanging out at the check cashing places on Friday.

    Back to the subject.... If someone kills a motorcycle rider while texting it should be manslaughter. Those people scare the bejesus out of me.

    -- Posted by We Regret To Inform U on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 5:19 PM
  • If someone kills ANYONE while texting it should be manslaughter.

    -- Posted by Smoke. on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 6:00 PM
  • Yep

    -- Posted by We Regret To Inform U on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 7:05 PM
  • Does it not say a great deal concerning society when people are unable or unwilling to voluntarily regulate their own behavior concerning such obvious dangers?

    Concerning the question of carrying cash. I went through a similar situation in the great town of Chaffee 39 years ago. I was riding with a friend who was pulled over on suspicion because he had been seen talking to a 'known drug dealer'. Being eighteen years old and entirely ignorant of worldly ways, I allowed the locals to search me. (I had just gathered up all my cash to purchase a car the next day; about $1000.00) They decided I must also be a drug dealer. Was not released and allowed to go home until about three o'clock in the morning!

    -- Posted by Robert* on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 8:24 PM
  • stnmsn8, If I correctly recall, the late 60's and early 70s was a time when many of the small towns seemed to be trying to out do one another in traffic stops. Of course there were some real baddies menacing law enforcement in those days too. Some I know had cut-outs on exaust pipes and many were known to squeal tires when police were not looking. Most of the drag racing was out of town, but the occasional major crime of stealing the donuts off the top of the soda machine at 4AM or leaving a beer can in the city park did occur.

    The point of my imaginary story is that we have plenty of reasons to be of suspicion now and we don't need any more cause to be stopped and given the third degree.

    -- Posted by Old John on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 9:42 PM
  • OJ,

    Then again I knew of some who stacked their beer inside the glass doors of the Coke machine during late nights.

    And 57 Chevrolets, as I recall, had a large space between the grill and the radiator where a cooler could be concealed. Yes, there were some really bad characters in those days.

    There was also the time I was innocently driving through Chaffee on Sunday afternoon on my way to a softball game at New Hamburg. The constabulary stopped me because a brake light on my 66 Chevelle SS was out. Again, I was so ignorant that I let them open my trunk to see if the bulb was blown. They found that cooler full of 5% beer which I had stocked up on Saturday night. Got my cooler back a week later. It came out of the trunk of one of the local cops! And it was empty! Another lesson learned the hard way.

    -- Posted by Robert* on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 10:00 PM
  • I was stopped because the light over the liscense plate was out and a disagreement followed. I held a Mo State Inspector liscense and pointed out it was not a requirement regarding a saftey inspection. He claimed all factory lighting was required to work. I agreed to fix it and he never noticed the head light out. :)

    -- Posted by Old John on Sun, May 8, 2011, at 10:36 PM
  • Like I have said so many times. The police have too much power! This is not to say its their fault in all cases. We have stood by and watched civil liberties erode the last 40 years. Since when did we allow the police to have cause to search our vehicles due to a equipment failures and nervousness. Civil liberties stand at the forefront of our Democracy and it sickens me to see what has happened to them the last several decades. JMO

    -- Posted by GREYWOLF on Mon, May 9, 2011, at 7:48 AM

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