good start: 87/93 vehicles cited for cell phone use!

[jimcav]

just heard on my local news that a traffic checkpoint in Chula Vista (near san diego) stopped 93 cars and cited 87 for use of cell phone while driving. hope those were expensive tickets and more of the same occurs!

[Louis]

If strict enforcement managed to get people to wear seatbelts and not drive after drinking alcohol, I see no reason why it shouldn't be able to prevent people from using cell phones while driving.

It's merely a question of will on the part of lawmakers and those who enforce those laws.

[Fatty]

I live in the most broken and broke state in the country. Tickets and fines for cell phone use while driving could clean up our budget issues in a month if the cop and courts would get at it.

[ptourkin]

Originally Posted by jimcav

just heard on my local news that a traffic checkpoint in Chula Vista (near san diego) stopped 93 cars and cited 87 for use of cell phone while driving. hope those were expensive tickets and more of the same occurs!

Nice! Chula Vista and the South Bay are rapidly becoming the most cycling friendly parts of San Diego. There is a new Wednesday night crit series near the former OTC which is in contrast to the rest of SD where permitting a race has become nearly impossible. They are also doing Ciclavista soon, maybe this weekend. Lots of good infrastructure being built down there too. I'll happily ride through on my way to Honey Springs Saturday.

[ftf]

Originally Posted by jimcav

just heard on my local news that a traffic checkpoint in Chula Vista (near san diego) stopped 93 cars and cited 87 for use of cell phone while driving. hope those were expensive tickets and more of the same occurs!

While this is fine, and they should be getting tickets, I think the real question is, does punishment work? Personally I don't think it does, otherwise people wouldn't speed or break any law as our society is very punishment oriented.

Really, ask yourself and honestly answer, do you do what you do for fear of punishment, or another reason?

I don't think strict enforcement changed seat belts and drinking while driving, societal norms and values changed, people stopped accepting it as normal or ok to drink and drive.

[merlinmurph]

Originally Posted by ftf

Really, ask yourself and honestly answer, do you do what you do for fear of punishment, or another reason?

I think it does when it hits the pocketbook.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by merlinmurph

I think it does when it hits the pocketbook.

Yeah, but that's going to need to be a $500+ ticket. $50, $100? In the noise & quickly forgotten.

[bpm]

I live in a small town and my town PD does distracted driving enforcement aggressively. In a 4 hour span they stopped about 80 or 90 vehicles. They typically will let people off with a written warning for a first offense, unless the driver seems belligerent about it. Fines in MA are $100 for first offense, then $250 and $500 for subsequent offenses. As much as you'd like to think the penalty is going to stop people from doing it, it doesn't. Many people have been caught multiple times, with one guy caught 3 times in the same day!

I spend a lot of time in my car driving to see clients and I'm always amazed at how many people are looking down at their phones while driving. Texting, watching movies, reading something, it's all the same.

If you want to really make people think twice about texting and driving, the fines need to be more substantial. Make them moving violations so they have an impact on your safe driver points, which directly impacts how much you pay for car insurance. Offer drivers an opportunity to attend some sort of awareness training in lieu of paying the fine and waive the points for a first offense.

[GonaSovereign]

Here's a solution: second violation, $10,000 fine with no opportunity for reduction.

I'm confident the risk of financial amputation would stop 99% of people.

That might sound extreme, but the problem is extreme.

[ftf]

Originally Posted by GonaSovereign

Here's a solution: second violation, $10,000 fine with no opportunity for reduction.

I'm confident the risk of financial amputation would stop 99% of people.

That might sound extreme, but the problem is extreme.

I doubt it, even now when drunk driving will cost you around 20k in fines and other costs, people do it, a lot.

In 2014, over 1.1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.3 That's one percent of the 121 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.4

https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafe...factsheet.html

[kookmyers]

THIS:

Originally Posted by bpm

If you want to really make people think twice about texting and driving, the fines need to be more substantial. Make them moving violations so they have an impact on your safe driver points, which directly impacts how much you pay for car insurance.

Also, make it much much worse for the assailant when an "accident" involving a cell phone occurs. Not only for vehicle/pedestrian/cyclist "accidents" but vehicle/vehicle and vehicle/infrastructure as well.

[Idris Icabod]

My town passed a hands free cell phone law last year. Last week whilst waiting at a light on my bike I found myself next to the mayor driving his car who was using his cell phone! I'd estimate about 30% of people in cars are on their phones and this in an area known for high traffic enforcement. It's probably 70% of car drivers in school zones!

[nesteel]

How many of you people eat while driving? Change radio stations? Adjust your heater/ac controls................

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by nesteel

How many of you people eat while driving? Change radio stations? Adjust your heater/ac controls................

There is a big difference between taking your hands off the wheel for a moment and being distracted whilst in the middle of a phone conversation behind the wheel.

I remember there was a study done showing it was very close in impairment to being under the influence. I'll google it. I think I'm right. I may be distracted though......at least I'm not driving now ( or am I? )

It was proven on Mythbusters, so it must be true.

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/my...ving-minimyth/

[Seramount]

Originally Posted by makoti

Yeah, but that's going to need to be a $500+ ticket. $50, $100? In the noise & quickly forgotten.

depends on the person...

a $218 citation for making an illegal right turn on red (and hassle of taking a DD course to keep it off my record) made a sufficient impression on me.

haven't committed that move since.