Reading the riot act has very little is any effect..The ticket will hurt more because it will hit them in the wallet..
Cellphone use while driving...grrrr
- Thread starter Lynne
- Start date
Reading the riot act has very little is any effect..The ticket will hurt more because it will hit them in the wallet..
When I was in patrol -- if I lectured, you were almost certainly not getting a ticket. Alternatively... If I didn't have much to say to you, odds were really good that you'd be given the opportunity to attend court and argue your point in front of a judge.
I just see no point in adding insult to injury...
It is different....perhaps not the way you were thinking of.
Up here at least, a slight swerve can attract a cruiser. Pulling the car over to make a call will attract two or three cruisers.
Up here at least, a slight swerve can attract a cruiser. Pulling the car over to make a call will attract two or three cruisers.
A slight swerve??? Those guys MUST be bored..As far as the 1 cruiser attracting more, that's just S.O.P especially at night unless the first cruiser radios that he'll be ok here..
LawDog
Master Black Belt
For the past few years over half of the vehicles that I have stopped for violations or were involved in accidents that I have investigated for the following reasons,
* going threw a red light,
* bouncing from the fog line and back over to the oncoming lane,
* rear ending another car in a line of traffic,
* T boned another car at an intersection,
* driving very slow with a large line of cars behind it,
where either,
* on a cell phone,
* working an on board computor,
* reading the paper,
* playing with the car's sterio,
* watching the game on the cell phone,
* watching a mobile tv.
:rules:
* going threw a red light,
* bouncing from the fog line and back over to the oncoming lane,
* rear ending another car in a line of traffic,
* T boned another car at an intersection,
* driving very slow with a large line of cars behind it,
where either,
* on a cell phone,
* working an on board computor,
* reading the paper,
* playing with the car's sterio,
* watching the game on the cell phone,
* watching a mobile tv.
:rules:
Its illegal to drive while talking on one in CT. as well. I believe the fine is $100, but there was talk of raising it. This can be tossed out in court if you bring proof that you purchased a hands-free device.
When the law was first passed, it was enforced, but now it seems like its a bit more relaxed. Not saying that the cops dont ticket, because I know there are quite a few where I work that do pull people over for that. I'm just saying it may not be as high a priority as it once was.
My wife and I both have had some close calls (no pun intended
) with people who are on cells and we've both seen some close calls that didn't involve us.And, sometimes, even if the first cruiser says he's OK. Better to be safe than sorry...
As to swerves... I stopped so many for weaving who were either yakking on a cell phone, or tired, or otherwise not drunk that it took some pretty serious weaving or swerving for me to stop a car.
Using cell phones can be bad, but so can putting on makeup, reading (yes, seen that), loud kids in the back, eating/drinking normal foods while driving, driving w/out enough sleep... while I understand your angst about this, its not the only problem that exists!
I've got an even better solution.
Stop. Use your cell phone to tell someone that you'll be late. Set the phone's alarm for 20 to 30 minutes. Take a nap. (I'm assuming you're sleepy because your tired...)
Then continue on, rested and refreshed.
Driving while sleepy is more dangerous and more prevalent than DUI. At least a conscious drunk has a chance to react to the road; a sleeping driver has no chance. And I can take a drunk off the road... I can't take a sleepy-head to jail.
If you're getting sleepy because you're bored/dazed/hypnotized by the road... Stop, take a break. Move around. Walk through a kata. Do some stretches. Break the spell... Before it gets broken in a loud, dramatic way involving bent metal and tire scuff.
Great suggestions! When I get sleepy while driving, I find that getting out of the car is the best thing I can do.
BrandiJo
Master of Arts
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Its the bored dazed thing... getting out and moving, iv actuly found that stopping even for a RR break does help.. streaching and other stuff might be even better. Ill try that next time im facing a long sleepy ride, rather then calling up a friend to talk the hour or so away
When I've got a long drive, I generally stop every two hours or so. I find that's about when I need to get off my butt, walk around, and just generally do something else for a few minutes. I'll often target meal stops and fuel stops, as well. I avoid grabbing a burger and driving while eating, especially if I'm alone in the car; that 20 or 30 minute break while you eat is well worth the minor delay in that it helps keep you alert.
Eating while driving is something I learned to do back in the day when I traveled the U.S. giving shows, now I too get out and stretch and have a smoke ( no lectures please)..Plus I always have a CB radio with me and the chatter helps keep me awake, and it helps to avoid the Statties who don't seem to honor any badge...LOL...
Oh... I've eaten behind the wheel plenty. Sometimes, it's the only choice. But, especially when I'm driving, I prefer to sit down for at least a few minutes in something that ain't moving at a speed I won't mention, if y'know what I mean...
Oh how well I know what you mean...
That would be a lesser evil to what I've seen..Some yuppie idiot drinking coffee, using an electric razor WHILE talking on his cell phone and doing about 70 MPH....
