OT has to happen all the time. I guess

Tim J. wrote:
Frank Church typed:

"Gordon MacPherson" wrote in
:


Just announced in the UK that using the phone while driving, in some
circumstances could lead to imprisonment - reckoned to be as
dangerous as drunk driving

... it'll make it to this side of the pond eventually, and not a
minute too soon.


Frank, you liberal weenie (who loves ya?). ;-) The problem is not the
phones or most of the people using them. The problem are the idiots who
can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I'll assume that the "some
circumstances" clause in Gordon's note refers to someone getting injured or
killed by the offender. In that case, personal injury or negligent homicide
should kick in anyway, regardless if they were distracted by talking on
their cell phone, texting somone (yes, I've seen drivers text while
driving), or wiping their ass (no, I haven't seen this. . . yet.) Any laws
regarding cell phone usage while driving don't take into account the myriad
other distractions that now exist or will exist in the future. The only
mandate that should be put into effect is "while driving, get yer head out
of yer ass and drive!" Just my lil ol' opinion.

OBROFF Law: While driving past rivers, fly fishers must not turn their heads
and stare at the water.

I think talking on a cell phone while driving is qualitatively different
from most other distractions. People get so involved in their
conversations, often (as I observe) getting angry, that they lose track
of the fact that they're driving.

I suppose the same thing is possible with a conversation with a
passenger, but there's nothing a law can do about that. A law can do
something about the cell-phone distraction, though.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On Dec 20, 6:28 am, "Peter A. Collin"
wrote:
Larry L wrote:

I got a very seriously irritated look from "Mr Big Business" ... BUT ....
he was off the phone very soon after that and down at the creek. I like
to think I did him a favor, by ****ing him off. G

This is a little tangential, but your story reminds me about some things.

It might be my catholic upbringing, but I really hate when merchants and
moneylenders set up their tables in my temple. I have been annoyed on
the stream when acquaintances hawk me to buy bamboo rods or books. The
ultimate was one time when I was on a great big trip to the far north,
going after giant brook trout.

I was swept up in the romantic notion of being miles and miles from any
human settlement, being guided by cree indians, watching the northern
lights, and all that. The trip delivered on all of my expectations,
save one incident. We ran into a bunch of loudmouth Texans.

The group were businessmen celebrating some recent success. One of
their group was an inventor, and they patented whatever product they
were selling. they were, they assured us, on their way to fantastic
wealth. Upon learning that one of the members in my group lived in a
foreign country, they immediately began "networking" him to help get
their business set up abroad. We were implored to join their group for
the rest of our stay. I cringed at the thought of tenting with pushy
guys who would spend all of their time telling us how rich they would
make us if we would do some favors for them. A wilderness trip is
supposed to get you away from all that! It was like telemarketers
showing up at your door - while you were in the middle of having sex.

Anyway, we parted company after an hour or two. We were left in peace
until the indians tried to snooker us out of more money.

I guess as long as there are even a few people around, you will have to
tolerate bull****.

Pete Collin
On behalf of the great majority of Texans who are not *those guys*,
let me assure you that we are not all boors and yahoos. It has been
my experience that *those guys* tend to be immigrants from other
quarters where they could not make a legitimate living. I won't say
where those other precincts are so as not to offend anybody on this
forum, but they are definitely not from here.

On Dec 20, 9:27 am, "Tim J."
wrote:
The problem is not the
phones or most of the people using them. The problem are the idiots who
can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

I gotta say, the vast majority of phone users I've seen who have
****ed me off are the ones who get so engrossed in their phone
conversation that they slooooow dooooown to the point of being an
obstruction. Can't tell you how many times I've been caught behind
one of those rolling backups to finally get to the front & find some
idiot (yes, usually female) chatting away while doing 5 miles under
the limit in the fast lane.

This isn't limited to cell phone use, of course. The majority of
drivers who royally **** me off are the ones who seem oblivious to the
fact they're part of a larger conglomeration of fellow humans on the
road and have no apparent recognition of their responsibilities
outside their own cocoon.

rw typed:
Tim J. wrote:
Frank Church typed:
"Gordon MacPherson" wrote in
:

Just announced in the UK that using the phone while driving, in
some circumstances could lead to imprisonment - reckoned to be as
dangerous as drunk driving

... it'll make it to this side of the pond eventually, and not a
minute too soon.

Frank, you liberal weenie (who loves ya?). ;-) The problem is not
the phones or most of the people using them. The problem are the
idiots who can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I'll assume
that the "some circumstances" clause in Gordon's note refers to
someone getting injured or killed by the offender. In that case,
personal injury or negligent homicide should kick in anyway,
regardless if they were distracted by talking on their cell phone,
texting somone (yes, I've seen drivers text while driving), or
wiping their ass (no, I haven't seen this. . . yet.) Any laws
regarding cell phone usage while driving don't take into account the
myriad other distractions that now exist or will exist in the
future. The only mandate that should be put into effect is "while
driving, get yer head out of yer ass and drive!" Just my lil ol'
opinion. OBROFF Law: While driving past rivers, fly fishers must not
turn
their heads and stare at the water.

I think talking on a cell phone while driving is qualitatively
different from most other distractions. People get so involved in
their conversations, often (as I observe) getting angry, that they
lose track of the fact that they're driving.

I suppose the same thing is possible with a conversation with a
passenger, but there's nothing a law can do about that.

Why not? We could enact a "lip movement" law that restricts conversation of
any sort. Of course, that won't fix the "wiping their ass" thing, but we
could just pass a law per day until we've hit all the possibilities.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Wolfgang typed:
"Tim J." wrote in message
...

Any laws regarding cell phone usage while driving don't take into
account the myriad other distractions that now exist or will exist
in the future. The only mandate that should be put into effect is
"while driving, get yer head out of yer ass and drive!"

I sweartagod this is true! Last Sunday, while on my way home from a
short road trip, I glanced at a billboard on a section of freeway
under construction on the south side of downtown Milwaukee that
showed a picture of someone using a cell phone while driving and said
"Inclement weather doesn't cause accidents; distractions do!"

There was also a note indicating that this message was brought to us
by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and some fine print
that I couldn't quite make out 50+ miles per hour.

Wolfgang
um......did i mention that this was on a billboard......on the
freeway.....in a highly congested area with a heavy traffic
flow....in a construction zone?

DAMMIT! There should be a law. . . ;-)
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

"Tim J." wrote in message
...
Wolfgang typed:
"Tim J." wrote in message
...

Any laws regarding cell phone usage while driving don't take into
account the myriad other distractions that now exist or will exist
in the future. The only mandate that should be put into effect is
"while driving, get yer head out of yer ass and drive!"

I sweartagod this is true! Last Sunday, while on my way home from a
short road trip, I glanced at a billboard on a section of freeway
under construction on the south side of downtown Milwaukee that
showed a picture of someone using a cell phone while driving and said
"Inclement weather doesn't cause accidents; distractions do!"

There was also a note indicating that this message was brought to us
by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and some fine print
that I couldn't quite make out 50+ miles per hour.

Wolfgang
um......did i mention that this was on a billboard......on the
freeway.....in a highly congested area with a heavy traffic
flow....in a construction zone?

DAMMIT! There should be a law. . . ;-)

Wouldn't do any good. Those at the helm would just wipe their asses with
it.

Wolfgang

"Frank Church" wrote in message
96...
"Gordon MacPherson" wrote in
:


Just announced in the UK that using the phone while driving, in some
circumstances could lead to imprisonment - reckoned to be as dangerous
as drunk driving

... it'll make it to this side of the pond eventually, and not a minute
too
soon.

It's starting the 1st of the year hear in Washington. I drive 50 - 60
minutes each way to work. I would guess 60 +% of the people I see or pass in
the morning have cell phones stuck to their head and probably more than that
on the drive home

Washington state law:
Drivers may not send, read or write a text message while driving (eff.
1/1/2008) unless operating an emergency vehicle or reporting an emergency or
illegal activity.
Hands free cell phone devices are required while operating a vehicle (eff.
7/1/2008). Exempts drivers of emergency vehicles and tow trucks, drivers who
have hearing aids and drivers reporting emergencies or illegal activities.
Secondary enforcement.

JT

"JT" wrote in message
...

It's starting the 1st of the year hear in Washington. I drive 50 - 60
minutes each way to work. I would guess 60 +% of the people I see or pass
in the morning have cell phones stuck to their head and probably more than
that on the drive home

Washington state law:
Drivers may not send, read or write a text message while driving (eff.
1/1/2008) unless operating an emergency vehicle or reporting an emergency
or illegal activity.
Hands free cell phone devices are required while operating a vehicle (eff.
7/1/2008). Exempts drivers of emergency vehicles and tow trucks, drivers
who have hearing aids and drivers reporting emergencies or illegal
activities. Secondary enforcement.

JT

DoH!

here, not hear...

JT
who should probably read what I write before posting...

On Dec 20, 10:43 am, "Peter A. Collin"
wrote:

"LAHT ONNA RAFSUM FONNA YEW GUNNA TRAH SOOKLES RAHT!"

Wayne? Wayne Knight? Is that you?

:-)

Bill
(I know I left that decoder ring around here somewhere....)

On Dec 20, 12:00 pm, "JT" wrote:
here, not hear...

Here here!

Joe F.