I don’t know what to think of this. I mean it sounds great and all, but I’m one of the assholes who text messages while driving. And not just texting, I read and write email, I use Google Maps, pull up websites, and even chat on an IM. I know, it sounds horrible, but it’s not that bad since I drive almost all freeway where ever I go. Right?
So what does the ban in tale you ask? well this from a local news site:
Through Oct. 20, drivers pulled over for texting will receive a warning. After that, they can be cited $100 for the act, or $250 if an accident is involved. With surcharges, the $100 fine comes to $202.40, and the $250 fine will cost $478.40.
So how does this make me feel? Don’t know really. Not excited about it that’s for sure. Will I stop texting while I drive? Probably not. But I might be a bit more cautious when driving in Phoenix, kinda like I am when I speed.
Photo courtesy of irockupthejoint
Any use of phone while driving is fined $100 in Croatia and they consider banning free-hands as well. I guess they need more money because there’s, obviously, not too many drunk drivers to be fined, so they move to phones
The “freeway” logic holds no water to me. Yes, there may be fewer stops and no cross traffic, but you are traveling many times faster, requiring much more time and distance to come to a complete stop, or avoid a dangerous situation. Furthermore, the chances for a fatal or serious injury accident are much greater at 70mph than at 30 or 40.
It’s unfortunate that you’re so addicted to text communication that you can’t let it go, even when it’s impacting your safety, and more importantly the safety of the others in your vehicle, or those sharing the road with you. Yes, you may be an asshole for texting while you drive and potentially injuring yourself, but you’d be a stretched out, goatsed, prolapsed anus if you caused injury to your own children, or another driver and their passengers.
Trust me, it can happen. i should know -and it shouldn’t have to take a law for people to realize it but obviously we don’t realize how much attention it really requires to text while you’re driving. I still feel horrible for hurting my baby -and I’m just talking about my pretty yellow Neon.