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* This seems like a no-brainer…
Secretary of State Jesse White said Thursday he plans to propose a ban on text messaging while driving.
* And there’s more coming down the pike…
White and the state’s Distracting Driving Task Force revealed a five-prong set of recommendations this week that would curb distracted driving in Illinois.
Suggestions include a ban on cell phones in construction and school zones, a new set of penalties for cell phone related collisions and requiring that the hazards of distracted driving be taught in commercial driving schools.
* There are some problems, however…
The catch is proving a driver was actually using a cell phone, Blackberry or other electronic device on the road or during a crash.
According to Ed Maloney, of the Illinois State Bar Association, the state can’t require cell phone companies to give up a driver’s phone records to police in the event of an accident. However, he said the bill’s language could compel drivers to produce those records to police.
* Meanwhile, a feel-good bill zoomed out of the House last week…
When parents complained to state Representative Karen May earlier this year that they missed out on tickets to the teen pop sensation’s Chicago concert, she decided to go after the culprit: online ticket hoarders.
The Illinois House voted 94-0 Friday to make it a misdemeanor for anyone to use software that gives them an edge when trying to get tickets over the Internet.
May says people used software to jam the ticket system, essentially cutting in line to grab large numbers of tickets. The concert sold out in minutes, and tickets were selling for hefty profits shortly afterward on other Web sites.
The bill would make it a misdemeanor for people to use the jamming software.
Thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:53 am
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I support the no texting, but the talking while in a construction zone is a bit shaky. Unlike school zones which are fixed constructions zones move about and have sometimes very short wanring before you are in them.
I would rather see them ban talking on handsets, require a hands free system for talking in cars. (bluetooth and whatnot)
Comment by Ghost Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:57 am
Open (non-rhetorical) question…if people will pay scalpers many times face value for a ticket, why not just set up an auction site so the same people can pay the artists the same many times face value for the same tickets? Wouldn’t that solve a lot of problems?
Comment by What planet is he from again? Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:08 am
Any truth to the rumor that Sec. White is next going to propose a “You kids damn well better stop messing around back there or else! The next one who says a word while we are driving is grounded for two weeks” law?
After that, you are going to see him propose: “Require all women walking within sight of a street to cover up completely”, as the sight of a female may well serve as a distraction to some drivers.
In all seriounsess, it is like there is some contest among Illinois lawmakers to identify each and every potential distraction to drivers, and to outlaw each potential distraction.
Comment by Skeeter Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:14 am
The problem is, at least in Chicago, they don’t enforce the hands-free law as it is. People pretty much ignore the law, so is banning text messaging going to change much?
There needs to be stricter enforcement of existing laws, until we add new ones.
The funny thing is, legislators pretty much pass anything down there…except a budget.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:15 am
The ticket issue is tough. If I get ahold of Hannah Montana tickets and decide I want to sell them on ebay and go to Disney for a week with the cash, why not. On the other hand, a few people are snagging hundreds or thousands of tickets and pricing lower and middle class people out of the market for a profit.
I kind of like letting the artist make the extra cash. Perhaps Artists should decide to either pocket the cash, or go back to the old days and just stand in line for a ticket and no more then 4 or 6 per person.
Comment by the Patriot Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:18 am
As long as I can still eat McDonald’s fries out of the container while driving it’s ok. They should also ban the use of sign language, applying makeup in the rearview mirror, looking at billboards, using a GPS system, and turning your head to look out a side window while driving.
Comment by zatoichi Monday, May 19, 08 @ 12:09 pm
Sorry Rich, I meant foreplay, got a bit frustrated!
Comment by reasonable 1 Monday, May 19, 08 @ 12:10 pm
They should just add smoking, eating, foreplay, flirting and music to the list of things you can’t do while driving!
Comment by reasonable 1 Monday, May 19, 08 @ 12:12 pm
I propose a ban on cell phone use while actively using the facilities at ballgames. Comiskey, Wrigley, United Center — it’s an epidemic. Who are these men and why do they feel the need to make calls when nature calls?
Cell phones are the most overused tool in the belt. Too much talking, not enough thinking.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 19, 08 @ 12:19 pm
So where is this going?
If I have an accident I’m going to have to come up with mobile phone bills to prove that I wasn’t using my cell phone when the accident occurred?
Another “guilty until proven innocent” moment we will have to take time out of our lives to keep ourselves from having additional fines?
I am definately opposed to any law that puts a requirement on me to prove a negative. What ever happened to being “proved guilty”?
Enough nanny-stating! Get to work!
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, May 19, 08 @ 12:35 pm
Actually, the article quoted was incomplete. The three-part negligent driving law that the task force discussed addresses all forms of negligent driving — it is NOT limited to cell phones.
The language of the preliminary recommendation is:
“Provides that a person acts negligently within the meaning of the provision if he or she fails to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death or injury to others, and that failure constitutes a substantial deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise under the circumstances then prevailing.”
So all of the newspaper reading, shaving and foreplay situations are also eligible for negligent driving charges under this proposal.
Remember that over 43,000 people die each year in vehicle crashes. Understand that Illinois is one of the few states that fails to have some sort of negligent driving law. The ‘reckless homicide’ law has been interpreted to not apply to situations where a person is killed when a driver is merely not paying attention.
This law is a good first step. However laws alone are not enough — it is the driving culture that needs to change. Vehicles are potential deadly weapons and far too many drivers don’t use the necessary care and attention when behind the wheel.
Comment by safe streets Monday, May 19, 08 @ 12:49 pm
I now know why I can’t get tickets to Swell Season on the 17th of June. Darn you, concert ticket takers!
Comment by Douglas M. Monday, May 19, 08 @ 1:00 pm
Wordslinger, I agree completely - our society overuses cell phones to an alarmingly degree. When my junior high kids act like they’re the only ones in their school without them (it’s frighteningly not that far from the truth), I tell them I didn’t have a cell phone until I was 28 years old and got one thru work. They look at me like I’m some kind of freak. It’s a sad state of affairs. That being said, I feel that distracted driving issues should be matters of common sense for each individual driver, but we all know how that works out. Personally, seeing someone applying makeup in their car bothers me much more than someone talking on a cell phone.
Comment by BigDog Monday, May 19, 08 @ 1:02 pm
Ticketmaster has a program in place to stop “ticket hoarders” from easily manipulating the system. What needs to come to a halt is legalized scalping, such as the ticket shops close to Wrigley Field and websites like StubHub.
The two best ways to get tickets - if you’re that concerned about it - is to log on the second the tickets go on sale or buy them on eBay from someone who lives in a state that bans ticket resale for a profit.
Comment by Team Sleep Monday, May 19, 08 @ 2:09 pm
Concert Tickets - The promoters should put them on ebay - best seats first. They could sell them in groups of 2-10 every few minutes and let the market determine the price. This would eliminate the scalpers and the artists will receive the proceeds.
Comment by ebay-er Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:21 pm
I just lost my son last Friday from text messaging while driving. Any parent whose child dies from a result of this type would definitely support such a law. No one should have to suffer the pain of losing a child, no matter the age of the child. I hope that those that oppose don’t ever have to feel this type of pain.
Comment by Scooney Saturday, May 24, 08 @ 12:59 am