Rod ;
That, right there, is why there are no stats. The close calls and near misses don’t become stats. AND of the collisions that are stats, more than half of those lie about the use of a consiousness altering device.
Yet…the laws already exist to be used in those cases, reckless and careless driving . What gets my goat is…why don’t they use THOSE ? we don’t need new laws…we need to use the ones we have already.
I have about been smashed riding my bike (the pedal kind, not motorcycle) a few times. For this reason, I no longer ride much on public roads. There were a couple times I came within inches of the car or should I say the car came within inches of me. They were completely unaware of their near miss and I wished I could have avoided the wreck AND quickly removed the large steel U-shaped lock I have on my bike and used it to bash whatever part of their vehicle was in range. Luckily I was able to avoid getting hit but I couldn’t get to the lock at the same time as these things happen so fast.
I was about to buy a dash cam a few months back and then a few unexpected expenses came up. I still plan to do this and will re-evaluate my options and see what newer models are out or if ones I couldn’t afford in the past have come down in price. Too many close calls and I want them documented if something happens. This, and the fact that there is a meth and heroin problem around here. I had some guy hopped up on meth all threatening me in a parking lot for not speeding and was afraid I was going to have to make use of my CCW.
As for the phones, I would seek a court order releasing phone records in the event I suspected this played a role in the wreck.
As for the person who has hit all the animals, they are getting what they deserve for messing with the stupid phone.
Yet...the laws already exist to be used in those cases, reckless and careless driving . What gets my goat is...why don't they use THOSE ? we don't need new laws...we need to use the ones we have already.
Yup I agree.
Massachusetts created a new law for cell-phone use. Driving without having your wipers on when it’s raining has a higher fine then cell-phone use.
I wonder if lobbyists made the laws for phone use less strict. I remember when I used to see someone weaving around, I would think they were drunk. Now I don’t even think about a drunk driver. I figure it is just someone texting. Stats also seem to back this up. Texting and driving is now killing more than drunk driving.
I wonder if lobbyists made the laws for phone use less strict.
More and likely legislators use their cell phones regularly when driving.
Another sad story on the local news this evening. A bicycle club doing a cross country ride for charity purposes stopped in Tulsa to help with a Habitat for Humanity project.
Out west of OK City some lady plowed into a couple of them; killing one man and badly injuring a woman who is now in the hospital.
She admitted to law enforcement that she was looking down at her cell phone instead of at the road.
Info has been turned over to the DA for possible prosecution after her blood test comes back.
A female in a new Jeep was using half our lane this evening,while we were headed home from work,looked like she was fiddling with a cell phone(why dont they graft those things unto people,so at least their hands would be free,I admit despite a pretty good record,I’m not that good a driver(I try to be extra careful and usually if the phone rings I ignore it or pull off the road.(they’ll call back if it was important)
MoDOT now has signs up saying “Get your head out of your Apps!” I think that is a pretty good one. Even many of the cell phone companies are putting out ads showing wrecks from cell phone use saying it can wait. It it like beer companies putting out the ones saying to use a designated driver as both products get abused.
Here is an interesting news story. http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/police-dress-construction-workers-catch-distracted/nm8jk/
Obviously Georgia is taking this seriously. The one cops says it is the DUI of the future and kills just as many people.
Kudos to Georgia.
We just had another accident because of texting. Fortunately the driver is OK. He was driving a pickup on a two lane road, the road turned - he did not. Distracted by texting. He rode up on the guide rail, hit a phone pole and busted it. The pole and transformer were hanging above the pickup. Live wires laying on the truck. EMS and Fire could not do anything until the utility company came out to kill the power, they were out quickly, less than 20 minutes, but that is a long 20 minutes. Once power was killed we just needed to get a small ladder to get EMS in to check him out and he climbed out on his own. Road closed for several hours. Power, phone and cable company had to re string wires once the new pole was set up. If he would not have been texting his truck would be OK (it is totaled) would not have gotten a ticket and lots of people would not have been without power for several hours. He was also very very lucky this was not more serious.
Drunk drivers are not even on my radar anymore. The odds of getting whacked by someone poking in a bunch of LOLs or OMGs on their phone are a lot higher.
Road closed for several hours. Power, phone and cable company had to re string wires once the new pole was set up. If he would not have been texting his truck would be OK (it is totaled) would not have gotten a ticket and lots of people would not have been without power for several hours. He was also very very lucky this was not more serious.
Did they find out he was actually on his phone at the time? If so, he should be on the hook for the expenses he caused from his wreck. Pay the power company to have to rewire the poles, compensate the residents for lack of electricity, pay the town for having to redirect traffic., etc.
Yes, he got a ticket for it. I can’t imagine the cost - pole, power line,phone, cable, guide rail and a neighbors fence. PD and Fire Dept are ‘overhead’ we do not bill for our services, don’t want to discourage people from calling for help, but sometimes I wish we had a dumb s**t surcharge
Drivers have to be hit in the pocketbook as well as get demerit points on their license. The city of Toronto, Canada, has just raised the fine to $490 since the lower previous fines were not effective.
However demerit points like 3 per offence and at 15 you lose your license for 3 months would be very effective.
See the post…’‘I rear ended a boat.’'
He says he was sleepy.
maybe.
But it reeks of texting to me.