NC Bill Would Ban Cell Phones While Driving, Even Hands Free

WNCN ^ | 2/7/11 | Jackie Faye

[AT7Saluki]

On Monday, a bill banning talking on the phone while driving will be introduced in the North Carolina Senate. The bill would ban using hands free devices while driving as well.

Highway Patrol Trooper Beckley Vaughn said it boils down to being distracted while driving. Vaughn said at only 55 mph, a driver goes about 88 feet per second. He said the average reaction time is only .75 of a second.

[AT7Saluki]

Obligatory list of "what about's" ...
Eating while driving, reading while driving, applying makeup while driving, GPS while driving, ...

[JaneNC]

Oh please..how stupid

[SoFloFreeper]

Utter bull****. Cops have been doing it for years. So have truck drivers.

I hope Nikki Haley vetoes it if it passes.

[SamAdams76]

I have a hands-free system in my car and all the controls are right on the steering wheel. Talking on it is no more distracting than to a passenger or listening to the radio. So if they are going to ban hands-free, they might as well ban speaking to passengers and listening to radios as well!

[gunsequalfreedom]

I am able to talk on the phone and drive at the same time and it is far less of a distraction to have the phone to my ear than fumbling for hands free buttons.

...but, there are people out there that simply don’t have a clue. I saw one guy stopped at a right turn that had no stop. He was talking on the phone. Others drive gradually slow down and they get more into their phone call.

If you can’t drive and talk on the phone at the same time, don’t! You are ruining it for the rest of us that can.

[cartervt2k]

Why don’t they just ban passengers from riding in the car? Or, maybe they can implement some sort of ordinance against talking to one another while the car is in motion? Why don’t we outlaw radios, while we’re at it?

[Peter from Rutland]

These bills are ridiculous. There are already laws against distracted driving. Enforce them.

[gunsequalfreedom]

Talking on it is no more distracting than to a passenger or listening to the radio.

If there are passengers in the car, they should be the only ones allowed to talk and listen to the radio. The driver should not be able to talk to passengers or listen to the radio.

[circlecity]

This bill is aimed at revenue generation not public saftey.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

I hope Nikki Haley vetoes it if it passes.

Unfortunately, she won't get a chance to, as she is SOUTH Carolina's governour, not North Carolina's. If this bill passes, it will go to Beverly "Sweet as Sugah, Honey Chil'" Perdue's desk, and she'll sign it. She's never met an idiot bill she didn't just love.

That being said, I WISH Nikki Haley was our governour...

[BigBobber]

The bottom line is this. A lot of productive people have to drive a lot during the working day. Having to stop every time one needs to make or take a call is a productivity killer. This is an anti-economy bill.

Note the justification for the law - at 55 mph you travel so far in a second, blah, blah. Pitiful. That’s the best they have?

There is no statistical evidence to support such bills.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

God Lord! Have any of these fools seen the dashboard of newer cars? It's a friggin’ computer, complete with pull up keyboards! So many gadgets and they're worried about “hands-free” usage of a cell phone?!!!

[Moose4]

Wrong state. Our governor up here is Bev “Sugar Dumplin’” Perdue, a Democrat. Both houses of the General Assembly are run by Republicans for the first time since Reconstruction, though, so let’s hope they don’t get behind this bill and are smart enough to block it. Perdue, I expect, will sign it if it gets to her, as she’s all about the nanny state.

}:-)4

[The_Victor]

Based upon their logic, they should ban radios, eating, conversations with a passenger, children,....

[Mr. Bird]

I’ve made the choice to not talk on the phone when driving, except in very unique circumstances. I do find it distracting. I don’t necessarily support legislation against it, but I do support legislation against horrific driving (which is frequently accomplished by a driver on a phone).

[Cailleach]

Wrong Carolina. :)

[Michael Barnes]

I freely admit; I suck at driving and talking on a cell, so I DON'T!

Don't we already have enough rules and laws on the books to take care of pretty much any incident involving motor vehicles already?
It's fairly simple, you plow into someone else, you are responsible for taking care of the damages the other property owner incurs.

This "cell phone" law smells of a revenue making scheme by the state.

[HIDEK6]

I hope Nikki Haley vetoes it if it passes.

Lot of good that would do.

[abbyg55]

Obligatory list of "what about's" ... Eating while driving, reading while driving, applying makeup while driving, GPS while driving, ...

You left out watching TV while driving:

AUGUSTA, Maine Maine state police say a Kentucky motorist had an excuse when she was stopped because she watching a TV show while driving on I-95. Spokesman Steve McCausland says the motorist told a trooper that she was tired and was watching the “Gilmore Girls” on her laptop computer to stay awake.

Trooper Tim Marks was stationed at the Gardiner toll plaza making sure drivers were were wearing seat belts when he saw the motorist pass through with her laptop open over the Fourth of July weekend.

The motorist, who was not identified, did not receive a citation for her actions. Maine law prohibits motorists from watching television while driving, but the statute is vague when it comes to other electronic components like a computer.

[Klemper]

Ban Mobile-Data Terminals and two-way radio usage as well.... because we don't need distracted drivers behind the wheels of emergency vehicles driving at high rates of speed while operating flashing lights and sirens.