Now if we could just work on the people who chew gum while walking.

From the linked article In 2006, police reported 1,246 drivers whose cell phone use contributed to a collision, including 27 fatal or serious collisions.

Last year there were 827 cases, 13 fatal or serious.

Does this mean the that actual number of accidents has gone down by 419? Why didn't they mention that?

Same for fatalities. Did they decrease by 14? Why didn't they mention that?

I remember herring that it is talking that is the real distraction, whether on the phone or to a companion. As well as fiddling with the radio, heat, and children.

Thanks
JK

The report on OPB yesterday regarding the effectiveness of the WA law was quite negative. The 1600 tickets written statewide for handheld cellphone usage were contrasted with the 300K speeding citations. That is, the WA law is thought to be rather toothless.

Since OR's version makes use of a handheld while driving a primary offense, it is thought there will be substantially more tickets written.

Nevertheless, I cannot foresee the OSP focussing on cellphones along I-5 and I-84 when there are so many other offensively eccentric maneuvers in evidence. Perhaps the law will prove most effective in reducing the carelessness on city streets.

It remains a serious error not to have included prohibition of use of a handheld while bicycling, unicycling, rollerblading, or skateboarding on a public thoroughfare. Then again, there are not enough policemen to enforce such an interdiction.

Since OR's version makes use of a handheld while driving a primary offense, it is thought there will be substantially more tickets written.

Showing the obvious reason for the law...revenue generation. They know it will take forever for people to stop doing this, if they do at all. They dont care about lives. The government class in Oregon is all about revenue generation, and keeping themselves relevant. Why else would there be thousands of new state jobs with the economy in the toilet? Its good to be the king.

Poppycock.

There will probably be a net loss of revenue in order to enforce it. The time and energy the officer must put into it will be compensated at levels far beyond the inadequate fines.

Plus, I suspect it will be increasingly toothless as more idiot switch over to 'hands-free' units, WHICH ACCORDING TO ALMOST ALL LEGITIMATE RESEARCH ARE JUST AS DANGEROUS, IF NOT MORE SO, WHEN DRIVERS USE THEM. The Oregon Legislature steadfastly ignored all the evidence which has been collected since the last decade and decided to help the cellphone manufacturers and chain retailers pimp their hands-free units.

Idiots. My representative will hear about my disgust at their buckling to sleazy out-of-state economic interests and basically ignoring the safety concerns which directed affected Oregonians.

All I can say is that this is the first step...hands-free AND IN-DASH VIDEO UNITS VISIBLE TO THE DRIVER should be next. In ALL states.

JK -

Probably because they figure most people have basic arithmetic skills.

A friend of mine was just telling me that he had heard that a group was going to be collecting signatures to put this on the ballot here in Oregon. I hope they can get it on the ballot so the voters can tell the idiots in Salem that we don't want to be a nanny state any longer!

They shouldn't waste their time. The ban will pass by a healthy margin.

The "nanny state" also sets speed limits. Somehow that horrible breach of your civil liberties has worked out o.k.

WestsideGuy -
I only wish that we (the state of Oregon) could be like we use to be. That is, we all were rather self reliant and we believed that personal responsibility was, not just important, it was the way it was. No more, between people who were coddled in their youth and outsiders who moved here, the old values have disappeared. Now we have the nanny state. Witness Godfry's statement, he's certainly entitled to it, but I'm certainly entitled to disagree with it.

To really scare Godfry - for the record. At one point, I had a job that required so much driving that I would be listening to the radio, talking on the cell phone and punching in addresses on a computer mounted in my pickup truck all while driving. Oh, and I've not had an accident or ticket in over 30 years.

Yes, I've seen the idiots who can't handle a cell phone (or even sing with the radio) and drive at the same time. But they should be ticketed for whatever stupid behavior they are doing, speeding, illegal turns or lane changes, rather than ticketed for using a cell phone.

For Jack - I have a hard time doing a direct cause and effect on the Washington state law.

Posted by godfry
JK -

Probably because they figure most people have basic arithmetic skills.
JK
Ha! Ha! Ha!

I can hear the lobbyists screaming now. "But...but...what about doctors? What if someone's trying to reach them, and they can't pick up the phone? It's just like banning cell phone use in movie theaters and restaurants and libraries and other places where arrogant blowhards like to share their conversations with their proctologists at 130 decibels. Won't somebody PLEASE think of the doctors?"

As for banning cell phone use among skaters and bicyclists, I'm not that worried. Having watched yet another idiot so busy yakking on her cell phone while biking that she ran right into a telephone pole, I figure that another law will take effect. That's the one where God slams His mighty fist into the back of the idiot's head and yells "The power of Darwin compels you!"

Oh Goody

More Nanny State Laws

I feel so much safer now that Big Brother is looking out for me !

The cell phone /driving ban is a joke here in WA. it worked for about 6 months and now it's worse then before the law!