Posted on 09/07/2011 12:26:01 PM PDT by SmithL
Gov. Jerry Brown has nixed a proposal that would have made penalties more pricey for California motorists caught using cell phones behind the wheel.
Senate Bill 28, by Democratic Sen. Joe Simitian, proposed upping the fine for drivers caught texting or talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device from $20 to $50 for the first offense. The final tab with local and state assessments could be up to $328 for fist-time offenders. A second ticket could have cost has much as $528 under the under the Palo Alto Democrat's proposal, which also called for new penalties for using cell phones while riding a bicycle.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.sacbee.com ...
I’ve heard of red light camera tickets in Kalifornia can easily exceed $400 with an itemized breakdown including all sorts of penalties and fees. And that’s for making a “california stop” before a legal right turn on red.
This article explains it.
What a state. A very nice place to avoid at so many levels.
I guess California doesn’t need any money.
Idiots driving while yakking on a phone are my favorite pet peeve. I have had several near-accidents with these idiots. Occasionally, I get the urge to yell, “Hang up and drive!”
“I certainly support discouraging cell phone use while driving a car, but not ratcheting up the penalties as prescribed by this bill,” he wrote. “For people of ordinary means, current fines and penalty assessments should be sufficient.”
In non-political language:
We want to fleece ‘em, not break ‘em.
I nearly got to see an idiot in a panel van sideswipe a moving truck because he was texting while driving. The moving truck was in the lane to the guy’s right, and slightly ahead of him. No easy task to visually miss such a large truck next to and ahead of you. On another occasion I nearly watched a driver in a small car collide with a bridge while texting.
I can tell you as a mother of 4 kids the kids in the backseat are far more distracting than a cell phone is. If CA wants to outlaw distractions in the car, it should be kids.
Moreover, now when the cell rings (usually my husband saying “come pick up this kid or that kid at this location; the plans changed”), I’m far more distracted trying to get the hands-free, speakerphone stuff going—or trying to quickly pull over in heavy traffic and answer it—than I was before this law, when I could just quickly and smoothly answer without looking at the phone.
I’d say. . .unintended consequences strike again, from my perspective.
“$328 for fist-time “
Only in California!
I have a cell phone for only one reason, I’m on 24 hour emergency call. I will answer it while driving! Conversations usually last only a few seconds.
I guess this is a dead ringer.
Good one! But I like the typo better! This one is great! See my #7.
Only in California!
There may be more truth to this than one would first think
I rarely am on the phone - more-so now that I have a girlfriend - but still rare enough.
As such I never got around to getting a hands free headset.
On my way to bank during lunch (walked home and got my truck) I got a call from my brother. We are getting together this weekend so I answered it.
Got a ticket for cell phone driving!
The LEO asked me if I knew why I was pulled over.
I said “Because I was yakking on my cell phone instead of driving - a law I supported and voted for - so I definitely deserve a ticket!”.
He laughed his ass off! He said that nobody else seems to think the law should apply to them!
Luckily, despite the confusing way the article is written - it looks like a $75 ticket for a first time offense.
If you’re getting off for ONLY $75, consider yourself lucky.
The fine is only a small part of the total cost. They can add a lot of state and local “fees” onto the fine, and in some areas, the total is about $400 for a cell phone violation.
I watched a woman in her vehicle today just yacking away on her cell phone, who slammed into the waiting line of cars at the Sam Cooper off-ramp onto 240, in Memphis. It was like I watched it take place over the last quarter mile or so. She didn’t even apply brakes. She slammed into the line at 60MPH. Best I could tell, she slammed about a dozen cars into each other from behind.
Ah, well I have not yet actually seen the fine - so I will have to be on the lookout.
$75 to the State. $75 to the county. $75 to the district. $75 for the municipality. $75 because.
Yikes!
I gotta hang up now,something just came up.
I gotta hang up now,something just came up.
Can you hear me now?
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