MSgt46270

It doesn't matter what age you are. People driving and using a cell are a problem. Driving too slow, not going on a green light, changing lanes and on the cell phone, running red lights. Face it people are stupied while driving and using a cell phone. I see it every day. The law should be for everyone and in all states. Oh, yes I use a cell phone when I drive, and I've made some mistakes.

Stoenr

Hehe yeah, when you see that person driving like that, and you say to yourself, bet there on a cell phone, you come up along them and sure enough, you're right!

Oh so many times

justgreat

a little off topic but worth noting, accident investigation studies have found that using a hands free set-up for cell phone usage in vehicles does NOT reduce the incidence of accidents. talking on the phone, while driving is not a good thing. jackg 90seville 97k

wifewantedaGT

I wish they would ban cell phones while driveing here. I can't tell you how many times I have had/seen close calls because of an unattentive driver yapping on their phone. Also on my wish list would be for the age to get a license to be raised. I got my license at 15, and it is a miracle I am still alive. Some may be responsible enough for the privaledge of driveing at that age, but most are not.

adrenalin

Personally I think that is a good law. Too many idiots chatting on the phone while driving and not paying attention. If you are going to talk on a cell phone please use a headset or handsfree. I'm tired of being cutoff by people not paying attention.

Rara

I'll throw my $0.02 in here on Cell phone usage while driving.

Personally, I don't feel cell phone usage any worse than a hundred other distraction inducing activities that your typical modern american driver engages in. Most of those that allow themselves to be that distracted by a cell phone conversation are the same type that allow themselves to be distracted by changing radio stations, or hunting for a CD, or messing with other things int he car, or a conversation with a passenger. Ultimately, the driver should responsible for not allowing any other extraneous things to distract him from driving.

Personally, as much as I hate seeing idiots on cell phones completely distracted from what is going on around them, I feel the cell phone usage bans are a perfect examples for the "slippery slope" argument. What is that Ben Franklin quote? "Those who are willing to give up freedom for a little personal safety deserve neither" (paraphrased of course). I'd like to see stiffer penalties for accidents caused by distracted drivers, rather than for activities that may or may not actually be distracting for a particular driver.

Louie

I fully agree!

blackhat

My phone has a speaker phone which I use if I have to use it while driving. I keep my phone on my passenger seat or in the cup holder and it works well. Got a stick so one hand on the wheel, one on the shifter, and one on the phone.. hey wait a minute... :scratch:

Driving is no time for making phone calls. I don't initiate calls while driving and only pick up if it's dire. I did need to pick up yesterday though. A buddy of mine with a brand new '05 got stranded in it. He was idling and the car just shut off on him! I helped him find the reset button under the dash by the hood release which got the car going again.

In NJ, using a cell phone while driving without it being "hands-free" is a secondary offense. Also this guy in New Jersey is trying to make smoking in your car illegal too.

tekman13

Personally I think the cop was wrong for pulling him over. I mean, have you ever been pulled over because a cop saw you look at your spedometer and thought you were about to speed? Personally I would have asked for his badge number and his car number and then report him.

Herknav

He was sitting in a running car, on the road, using his cell phone. Sounds to me like the officer was just making sure he was aware of the law, not harrassing him. He didn't even give him a ticket.

jsheehan

Well, by the same logic, it shouldn't be illegal to drive while under the influence of alcohol or any other number of substances, but we should only have harsh punishments for those people that cause accidents while under the influence of such people. Before you come back saying there is a huge difference between using a cell phone and being drunk realize that studies have shown that the average drive talking on a cell phone, hands free or not, is about as attentive and has about the same reaction time as someone whose blood alcohol content is right at the legal limit.

Badsnke98

Well my feelings are that there are a lot of people out there doing a of things distracting to their driving, myself included. Although, just like people that can't walk and chew gum at the same time. Lot's of people still can't drive right to began with, or want to make up their own rules. We all see it everyday.

I blame the people in charge for not posting important signs like "Slower traffic keep right" or "Keep right except for passing." That alone on Highways in the U.S. would be a huge improvement on safe traffic flow. I drove in Canada last week, it was so relaxing to see 95% of drivers useing their rearview mirrors and moving to the right lane. How many times in the U.S. they do just the opposite and cut you off.

I do not see a very quick normal phone call as being a problem during most safe driving conditions. I do feel anything more than that should be wisely not taken while driving. Why have it if you can't use it for convenice.

Is it a good idea for young drivers not to use a cell phone. I do agree, because the biggest part of their conversations are of the senseless or argumentive type. Although about 35% of drivers of any age should not use them because they can't do two things safely at one time.

tw0scoops123

Why 18 year olds? Don't people get their licenses at 16 in Illinois? I know the latest is like 17 everywhere else.

And why don't they inform people of these laws?

SaleenPowr

Does anybody not care that the cop told him, "I should take that cell phone away from you". If a cop EVER told me somehting like that, you bet your hiney I would have his badge number and will be taking this up with his CO and the county commission. I am very pro-cop, but something like this really pushes me over the edge in terms of civil rights.

Hellcat6

Hang up and drive.

New law? More like common sense to me. As a parent, these have always been our laws, we didn't need the state to tell us how to protect our kids:

No cell phones while driving. If you have to make a call, pull over, park and do it.

You no wear seatbelt, you no drive car (that includes passengers).

No more than one passenger unless you notify parental units and receive clearance.

tw0scoops123

Well now that my GT is manual, there is no way I can steer, shift and talk on the phone. Maybe they should just make all cars manual. That would solve the problem.

adrenalin

The cop was out of line with the comments he said. That I agree with. However, I also completely agree that cell phone usage while driving should be banned, and it is illegal in several states and provinces. Even with hands free, earbuds, whatever, have you ever seen a driver, in a conversation on the phone where he/she is in an argument. They pay no attention to the road or people around them. Several of my friends are police officers and they say that a high percentage of the accidents they go to were a result of someone talking on a phone while driving. I know I have done it and found it very distracting (and no, it is not the same as hunting for a cd or changing the radio station). You are distracted for a longer period of time increasing your chances to screw up the life of someone you just plowed into.

GhostTX

But only if I get to remember everything that I know now.

And I don't agree with driving and talking either. That's what voicemail is for.

As an aside, I believe in Texas if you are under 18, you're not allowed to drive after 10pm.

mustangspeeder

I think it completely depends on the person....I'm totally capable of talking on my phone and driving at the same time.

stang101

Yea the law of having only one person in the car for the first 6 months I can see is alright for new drivers and all. I have had mine for atleast 9 months.