R56 :: Hatch Talk (2007+) MINI Cooper and Cooper S (R56) hatchback discussion.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

R56 Does your state ban cellphone use?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:20 PM
  #1  
TheBigNewt's Avatar
TheBigNewt
Thread Starter
|
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,602
Likes: 107
From: Arizona
Does your state ban cellphone use?

Without a handsfree unit that is. Like NY does, and I heard CA will do come June. If they do, what do you do in this regard if I may ask? We don't have that law in AZ but I'm leaning in favor of it the more I see people eating the Razor Sandwich everywhere I go. I don't know the law but if I got hit by someone I'd want a call log of their cell use to see if they were talking at the time. Now that I have BT I realize how distracting it is to look for/answer the phone in the car and to make calls. Just holding it and talking isn't so bad but if you're doing that you're also answering/calling at some time too.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:34 PM
  #2  
Oxybluecoop's Avatar
Oxybluecoop
6th Gear
15 Year Member
iTrader: (-1)
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,977
Likes: 5
From: Delaware
Here in DC it's been a law for over a year now.The police here are known to stand in the street at the city borders(especially Chevy Chase$$) and stop you crossing into the city.Fifty bucks a pop if the phone is on your ear!
 

Last edited by Oxybluecoop; Apr 17, 2008 at 08:43 PM.
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:35 PM
  #3  
steaming79's Avatar
steaming79
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by TheBigNewt
Without a handsfree unit that is. Like NY does, and I heard CA will do come June.
no. we are the 1st of JULY.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:48 PM
  #4  
RJKimbell's Avatar
RJKimbell
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,461
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver, WA
Originally Posted by steaming79
no. we are the 1st of JULY.
Same here in WA!! Glad it's FINALLY coming!! I want to know how to turn people in who are on the phone and doing 35 in a 55!!??
Tonight we saw a woman on the phone almost cause an accident, she changed lanes, no blinker, almost side swiped a vehicle while cutting another vehicle off.
WHERE WERE THE COPS THEN??
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:53 PM
  #5  
jkling17's Avatar
jkling17
4th Gear
15 Year Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: West Trenton, NJ
They did that here in NJ quite a while ago. What is NEW is the police are now allowed to pull you over if they see you on the phone w/o a hands-free set. This went into place I think 1-2 months ago.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:54 PM
  #6  
SlowGSX98's Avatar
SlowGSX98
3rd Gear
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: Mt. Holly, NJ
New Jersey just put a cell phone law in effect about a month ago
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:56 PM
  #7  
Robin Casady's Avatar
Robin Casady
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,578
Likes: 5
From: Paradise
Did you see the Mythbusters episode on the subject? They tried to navigate a course at a police training ground while talking on a cel phone. They concluded that the problem occurs when you need to think about the conversation. Seems that our minds don't multi-task well. The did almost as poorly on the course while using the cel phone as they did when drunk.

While the no-hands law may help, cel phone users will remain a danger. It will just be more difficult to identify them. Watch out for people alone in cars with their lips moving.

I have the Bluetooth option (Convenience Package) and have used it two or three times in the 11 months I've had the MCS. Mostly, I call while parked and keep the phone turned off while driving.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:56 PM
  #8  
sfomini's Avatar
sfomini
3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 209
Likes: 0
From: Palo Alto, CA
I think this is a great trend; I hope it's enforced, though!
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 08:58 PM
  #9  
TheBigNewt's Avatar
TheBigNewt
Thread Starter
|
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,602
Likes: 107
From: Arizona
Originally Posted by jkling17
They did that here in NJ quite a while ago. What is NEW is the police are now allowed to pull you over if they see you on the phone w/o a hands-free set. This went into place I think 1-2 months ago.
So most people quit with the Razr sandwich there I take it? I know I would if it cost me $50/pop. Probably more for a second offense (maybe they confiscate the phone then ).
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 09:07 PM
  #10  
Robin Casady's Avatar
Robin Casady
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,578
Likes: 5
From: Paradise
Originally Posted by TheBigNewt
I know I would if it cost me $50/pop. Probably more for a second offense (maybe they confiscate the phone then ).
No, they just run you over with the police cruiser. Then nail your hide to a highway sign, as a warning to others.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 09:40 PM
  #11  
enjoyingsilence's Avatar
enjoyingsilence
3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
No, but they should. They should also ban construction and the closing if major highways during rush hour.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 09:48 PM
  #12  
bluesmini's Avatar
bluesmini
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,127
Likes: 0
From: southeast
I have no idea about my state but..... I think that and driving in the left lane should be punishable by firing squad. not to get on my soap box but those are my pet peeves.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 09:53 PM
  #13  
enjoyingsilence's Avatar
enjoyingsilence
3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by bluesmini
I have no idea about my state but..... I think that and driving in the left lane should be punishable by firing squad. not to get on my soap box but those are my pet peeves.
ONLY while doing the speed limit in the left hand land. lol.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 09:57 PM
  #14  
Ancient Mariner's Avatar
Ancient Mariner
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 3
From: Washington. No, the other one.
I'm all for it.

I'd read that some insurance companies ran some tests that showed driving while using the phone was equivalent to driving while legally drunk (.08%).

After ducking, dodging, and dealing with idiots on the phone while driving, I'm leaning toward treating them the same as drunk drivers.

There are a lot of highway deaths that can be laid in the laps of cell phone monkeys.
-skip- (ooo, this should start some flames!)
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 10:01 PM
  #15  
Oxybluecoop's Avatar
Oxybluecoop
6th Gear
15 Year Member
iTrader: (-1)
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,977
Likes: 5
From: Delaware
Originally Posted by steaming79
no. we are the 1st of JULY.
 
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2008 | 10:09 PM
  #16  
jkling17's Avatar
jkling17
4th Gear
15 Year Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: West Trenton, NJ
Originally Posted by Robin Casady
Seems that our minds don't multi-task well. The did almost as poorly on the course while using the cel phone as they did when drunk.
I bet this test was done w/ guys only. Women can do like 3-4 things at the same time. Of course driving isn't one of them. Just kidding.
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 12:01 AM
  #17  
steaming79's Avatar
steaming79
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
nice montage, oxy. would be icing on the cake if we could find him in his hummer on the phone too.

but seriously....... its nice that conv. package has the bluetooth option. but people can just get a parrot installed or use the speakerphone on their cell. the other day i saw a cop on the phone while he was driving (non headset). i wonder if they have to follow it too? i suppose it differs from city to city, because my friend who's an officer for menlo park HAS to use a headset if he wants to be on the phone while on duty.
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 12:09 AM
  #18  
DrDiff's Avatar
DrDiff
Coordinator :: Northwest Indiana MINIacs
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 0
From: Valparaiso, IN
It is not Illinois but the City of Chicago, that has a ban on cell phone use.

I would like to see more of it, myself. But I am not much better. I lost my bluetooth headset and now I hold and talk like the other schmucks!
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 12:17 AM
  #19  
Varga Girl's Avatar
Varga Girl
1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: California
I just got a new phone, it's not a flip, but a data phone, and I had to get a silicon cover so it would sit on my shoulder while I'm driving. I've mastered driving stick and talking on a cell phone, but I keep it to low traffic times, when less people are on the road.

I live in California, and I'm definitely holding out until it's a law to get a hands free device. Most of the time I use speaker phone or just wait until I'm at my destination. I was a lot more careless when I drove an automatic, but now with a manual shift, I stay off the phone a lot more. No matter what the transmission, I still see people that shouldn't be talking and driving.
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 04:12 AM
  #20  
condor27596's Avatar
condor27596
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 4
From: Youngsville, NC, USA
I hope we get it here. I wish it would be a moving
violation though, that effected the insurance.

I've been rear ended twice in two years by cellphone
talkers. One of those times cost me a reserve
officer retirement pension, months out of work on
my day job, (no need to finish the list, but it is
extensive)....

For a while I was tooting and giving the finger to
cellphone talkers....but then i realized the only
difference it made was that my arm got REALLY tired.
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 04:32 AM
  #21  
NashvilleMiniStan's Avatar
NashvilleMiniStan
5th Gear
iTrader: (6)
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 816
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
Last year I had two people hit me on my motorcycle. One turned left in front of me and the other pulled out in front of me. Both we using their cell phones. I have sold my motorcycles and now drive a 07 MCS.
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 04:48 AM
  #22  
cristo's Avatar
cristo
Alliance Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 230
From: York, Pennsylvania
None here yet.

Maybe they should only allow people who are designated as organ donors
on their license to use cell phones while driving. Couple this with a system
that disables the driver airbags when a cell phone is being used.
Doesn't solve the problem of what happens to other poor souls they crash into, though.
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 05:07 AM
  #23  
minimarks's Avatar
minimarks
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 1
From: Winston-Salem, NC
Not in N.C. yet, but I would support it. There is not a day that goes by that I don't see at least one (usually many more) person pull a completely BONEHEAD move while their cell phone is attached to said ear....
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 05:11 AM
  #24  
tjtull's Avatar
tjtull
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 871
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis, MO
Originally Posted by Robin Casady
Did you see the Mythbusters episode on the subject? They tried to navigate a course at a police training ground while talking on a cel phone. They concluded that the problem occurs when you need to think about the conversation. Seems that our minds don't multi-task well. The did almost as poorly on the course while using the cel phone as they did when drunk.
Yep, I saw it. I can attest, first hand, that talking on the cell while driving is very dangerous. I consider myself a safe and defensive driver; however, I was talking on my cell phone one day while driving and changing lanes and nearly collided with a car in the other lane. It was in plain sight but I totally missed it!! Had the other driver not been on their horn, I'd have run right into them. I avoid talking on the phone while driving now. It's just not safe <period> and should be a ticket-able offense.
 
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2008 | 05:23 AM
  #25  
mysticturner's Avatar
mysticturner
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 412
Likes: 10
From: Dallas, Texas
Originally Posted by jkling17
I bet this test was done w/ guys only. Women can do like 3-4 things at the same time. Of course driving isn't one of them. Just kidding.
Actually it was done with one man, one woman. As alluded to earlier, the conclusion was equal to drunk when discussing things that are mentally involved. Here's the problem I had with the test. The conversation was about things like 'what is 427 times 28?'. As a result, I'm not sure it's the cell phone that's involved here. It's the conversation. I'd like to see the test re-done without the cell phone, but a passenger asking the same kinds of questions of the driver. There is the fact tho that cell phones are causing/enabling people to have involved/complex conversations all the time. If the conversation is just stuff like 'are you on your way home?' then I think we get a whole different driving performance rating.

back to the subject: Here in Texas, no state law yet and I don't expect one any time soon, but cities are starting to pass these laws. Most notably they are doing it for school zones (even though NO ONE has been injured in a school zone due to cell phone use). More attempts by the law to regulate our lives. Lawful people don't need a law to behave responsibly. Unlawful people won't care if there is a law or not. And finally, there's so few police out there that no one expects to ever get ticketed over a cell phone law. When 190 (a freeway in Dallas) was opened, you used to have to go over 100 MPH to attract enough attention just to get ticketed (now the freeway is so clogged up in rush hour you can't get up to the speed limit).
 
Reply



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:27 AM.