OMG! Washington first state to ban text messaging while driving
If you're travelling down I-90 in Washington State and texting your BFF on a CrackBerry, then you might want to put it down. Washington has become the first U.S. state in the union to ban text messaging while driving. The legislation against driving while texting (henceforth to be known as the dreaded DWT) was rolled into a similar measure against talking on one's cell phone without using a hands-free device, a regulation many cities and states have already adopted. Washington Gov. Christine Gegoire signed the measures into Washington state law last Friday (she was reportedly flanked by children injured from car accidents involving cell phone distractions). Like many laws of this sort, the po-po can't pull you over if they spot you Twittering away in the driver's seat. You need to be caught doing something worse, like swerving across the center line, to get pulled over. If Officer Roscoe P. Coltrain spots a warm Qwerty riding shotgun though, you'll likely be nailed with a $124 fine. If that happens, you won't be LOL.
[Source: Seattle Times]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
mike 9:48PM (6/04/2008)
Don't dictate the cell phone law and cram it down my throat when there are more dangerous acts while driving, like spilling your hot coffee/latte, or dropping your lit cigarette, sorting CD's, eating, driving with your dog in your lap, reading maps/news paper/books, and the list goes on.
This law is about revenue, not safety. If it was about safety, these other issues would be addressed
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Andy 4:05PM (5/14/2007)
The governor of Washington State is Christine Gregoire, a "she".
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TSW 4:07PM (5/14/2007)
Fantastic!
Time to start shopping in Seattle for a new place.
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Chris 4:10PM (5/14/2007)
I'm surprised this had to be made a law, some things are just common sense... or so I thought. I guess some peoples "bffl cant w8 LOLz" or however it goes.
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Bill Hancock 4:13PM (5/14/2007)
say you get pulled over for "swerving across the center lane" when you stop if you quietly put you texting device in your pocket, how will they know?
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mike 4:21PM (5/14/2007)
from the bus to seattle, i see many things. today on I-5 southbound: a guy eating something out of a tupperware container, with a spoon. obviously liquid, because he was being very careful about spilling it.
can we have a law against this, too?
should we call it all "distracted driving" and leave it up to the officer what "distracted" is? what if i was flipping burgers on my george forman grill...
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ViktorVaughan 4:21PM (5/14/2007)
2> Go away, we don't want you here.
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ruggels 4:22PM (5/14/2007)
#4, some people just, you know, abide by laws. Odd I know.
This is pretty entertaining, I'm sure they'll write a crap load of these, i've never been in a state with a larger more agressive fleet of undercover cars in every form imaginable from volvo wagons to 17 passanger vans to impallas emblazzened with dale #3 stickers.
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adelossa 4:41PM (5/14/2007)
Mobile devices is costing us our safe driving. The only time I speak on my phone while in a moving vehicle, is when I'm not the driver. I have a hard time changing the radio station while driving - and that's while using the steering wheel mounted controls!
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Alex 4:43PM (5/14/2007)
Wise move. I hope they bring the same law over here to the UK (though I'm not sure if the current mobile law over here covers this).
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spencer 4:56PM (5/14/2007)
Don't know what I think of this, but it's a better idea than her previous ones...
Tried to ban "specialty" vehicles from being registered in Washington.
Let local governments add a fee to license tabs. Voters approved a $30 across the board fee. The bill was overturned in court, but for fear of backlash they adjusted the rates anyways. Guess they got tired of letting the people have their way.
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Bill Hancock 5:12PM (5/14/2007)
#7 im not saying i do it, but i just would like to know how the Washington police plan on enforcing this?
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Cly 5:15PM (5/14/2007)
It's about damn time.
I was nailed by a guy that ran a red light because he was texting and didn't see the light had turned red. Thank god I was the second car that he hit.
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JD 6:04PM (5/14/2007)
Yeah, this is good. As a Washington resident, I appreciate this law. Texting while driving is a dangerous distraction.
And honestly, Autoblog: Do you no work before posting articles? "Chris" is short for Christine. That is not a guy, just do a touch of work first. Please. And the article says it's a $101 fine, not $124. Come on, at least READ the article you cite. :)
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dosguy 6:30PM (5/14/2007)
I first heard about texting while driving when my state (NJ) made it known that they were trying to pass a law against it. I thought it was a joke! Who on earth would type messages while operating a motor vehicle? Talking on the phone is bad enough, but typing??? Now that's just plain ridiculous! It is obvious now that it is no joke, since your state is outlawing it too. Really unbelievable.
We have truly become a nation of idiots when we need laws to stop people from being so blatently stupid. I think anyone caught texting while driving should have their car confiscated. The car could then be sold at auction and the proceeds could go towards helping those injured in accidents caused by people who text while driving. Same thing for cell phones and DWI.
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Joe Alger 7:06PM (5/14/2007)
It goes to show how ignorant the average American driver is that legislation is needed to let people know that texting while operating a moving vehicle is unsafe and stupid.
I can't wait for the day we have laws making us wash our hands after using the bathroom and reminding us that after you inhale, you exhale.
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iQuack 7:56PM (5/14/2007)
Would be great if it were possible to put all the obnoxious cell phone blabbers and texters on one highway and let them smash into one other.
Proves that there are too many assholes diddling with their phones when they should be concentrating on driving.
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Stoneman 8:23PM (5/14/2007)
I can't imagine trying to text a phone message while driving. I find it next to impossible to do with my current phone. I never understood the attraction to text messages, then again, my computer golden age was in the mid-1980's, so if you remember a Commodore 64 or Amiga, smile in knowing I had a kick ass BBS too.
Stoneman
http://www.stonemanautoreview.com
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FC RX7 Driver 9:08PM (5/14/2007)
Thanks God! Hopefully the other 49 of us will soon follow. I ONLY speak on the phone IF I'm wearing the head set; and even then I don't even use the voice command button to make phone calls just answer.
Unfortunately for us/Darwin the IDIOTS texting, take the rest of us with them when natural selection catches up with them. The jerks yaking away with on a cell phone while driving piss me off to. We really need to ban cell phones here in MA while driving IF the user doesn't have a earpiece!
I've had to dodge waaaay too many drivers who can't put down the Damn phone. Don't get me wrong I appreciate the technology, just not the idiots using it. Use a damn earpiece! Well done Washington.
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philly_breakz 4:06AM (5/15/2007)
Well, Over here (Britain) It's Illegal to use your mobile phone whilst driving (unless using hands free) if caught, you have to pay a £60 fine and get 3 points on your license... considering you only have 12 points before you get banned thats quite a hefty price to pay for: "u ok? btw r u out 2nyt? x"
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