The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Politics & RKBA => Topic started by: tombogan03884 on July 30, 2009, 09:15:32 AM

Title: Federal blackmail
Post by: tombogan03884 on July 30, 2009, 09:15:32 AM
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_07_26-2009_08_01.shtml#1248961302
 

Senator Charles Schumer and several other Democratic Senators have
   [1]introduced federal legislation to ban texting while driving.
   Specifically, the law would require states to enact anti-texting
   legislation or forfeit 25 percent of their share of federal highway
   funds.

References

   1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/29/AR2009072902039.html?hpid=moreheadlines

2 Comments, First while I approve of forcing drivers to pay attention to what they are doing, (since I have an average of 1 incedent a week of some ass doing something stupid ) it is NOT the feds business, for that matter it is foolish to attempt to legislate common sense, as well as a comment on how pathetically stupid the sheeple are.
Secondly maybe this will piss off enough text junkies to kill Chuckies reelection.   :o   ;D
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: WatchManUSA on July 30, 2009, 09:28:04 AM
This is a States' issue.  Keep the Feds out of it especially when they use blackmail to impose their will.

BTW - If you are texting while driving, please turn off your moron chip before you kill someone!
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: tombogan03884 on July 30, 2009, 10:19:14 AM
This is a States' issue.  Keep the Feds out of it especially when they use blackmail to impose their will.

BTW - If you are texting while driving, please turn off your moron chip before you kill someone!

Yes, please do, an example that happened a couple weeks ago.
I was going to the Library to return a book ( Patriots by J. W. Rawles ) standing on the corner , traffic light turns red and the walk light goes my way, I start across , woman pulls up, stops at the light, and starts to make a right turn, She came so close to hitting me I slammed the book on her hood. she wasn't even LOOKING.   >:(
Had the same thing happen while crossing the entrance of a parking lot, idiot starts to go while I'm directly in front of her. women both times.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: Timothy on July 30, 2009, 10:21:27 AM
Got to agree with Tom on this one.

The Fed should not try and legislate common sense any more than they should tell me I should wear a seatbelt.  Leave it to the insurance companies to deal with and charge the shite out of people when they cause problems with higher premiums.  I don't text much because the mear presence of a telephone kinda pisses me off.  Passing this law will just give folks another law to ignore!

I get along fine just ignoring the ring or turning it off alltogether.  It's the greatest stupid technological invention that I COULD live without.

Train operators, bus drivers, pilots and any other "conveyance for hire" is an absolute YES but at the state or departmental level, otherwise, stay out of my business.

Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: tombogan03884 on July 30, 2009, 10:23:54 AM
Got to agree with Tom on this one.

The Fed should not try and legislate common sense any more than they should tell me I should wear a seatbelt.  Leave it to the insurance companies to deal with and charge the shite out of people when they cause problems with higher premiums.  I don't text much because the mear presence of a telephone kinda pisses me off.  Passing this law will just give folks another law to ignore!

I get along fine just ignoring the ring or turning it off alltogether.  It's the greatest stupid technological invention that I COULD live without.

Train operators, bus drivers, pilots and any other "conveyance for hire" is an absolute YES but at the state or departmental level, otherwise, stay out of my business.



I think that comes under ICC like truck drivers.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: Timothy on July 30, 2009, 10:28:28 AM
I think that comes under ICC like truck drivers.

Probably does Tom but several people died in a few incidents in Boston this year alone.  Massport is now invoking a "Mandatory Termination" sticker on all T-trains, buses and the like.  If your found to have a cell phone in your possesion while at work, your done!

Don't know about cabs, that's private.  Most of your complaints are gonna come from truckers because they've been using Citizens Band for decades and no-one really bothered to run the stats! 

Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: tombogan03884 on July 30, 2009, 10:32:58 AM
 Didn't they find out that last major T crash was because the Operator was texting instead of paying attention ?
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: fightingquaker13 on July 30, 2009, 11:23:06 AM
There was study that showed talking on a cell caused more driver error than being above .08. I can only imagine texting. ::) I was nearly T-boned by a woman (a realtor of course, this being Fl.) who was on her cell and missed that pesky red light. My favorite part of this was that she had a "choose life" license tag. When I helpfully suggested that if she was so F!@#$ pro-life she should hang up the cell and learn to drive, she was somehow not grateful for the advice. ;D
FQ13
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: tumblebug on July 30, 2009, 12:14:11 PM
Talking on cell phones is against the law while driving so all you cops    don't do it   any more OK . problem solved. 8)
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: Timothy on July 30, 2009, 12:33:11 PM
Didn't they find out that last major T crash was because the Operator was texting instead of paying attention ?

Yea and he will probably go to detention for it...big boy type!

There's a U-tube video of a bus driver texting as he runs into a line of cars at a light in Boston as well...
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: TAB on July 30, 2009, 12:43:31 PM
I've been hit 14 times in the last 5 years.  all but one of those was a women on a cell phone.

in 2000-2001  the DOT did a study, they set up a random cone corse, had several people drive it sober, drunk, tired and on the phone.  guess which one had the worst drivers?  On the phone, fallowed by drunk, then tired.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: WatchManUSA on July 30, 2009, 01:56:00 PM
Text messaging is already banned for all drivers in 15 states and the District of Columbia.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: Timothy on July 30, 2009, 02:01:10 PM
Text messaging is already banned for all drivers in 15 states and the District of Columbia.

True WatchMan but it's not working.  I've still have to verbally slap my kid for doing it, she's one of those that do the "Crackberry" thing without looking.  She's a grown woman but she's gotta deal with the old man once in a while...I still don't let her get away with being an idiot....

This is another tough topic with no easy answers.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: TAB on July 30, 2009, 02:12:54 PM
yeah make it illegal that will work.

talking on a cell has been illegal here for well over a year... it does not stop anyone.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: JC5123 on July 30, 2009, 02:19:50 PM
yeah make it illegal that will work.

talking on a cell has been illegal here for well over a year... it does not stop anyone.

Same here, and the cops are the worst about it. In the last month I bet I've seen one that WASN'T on their damn phone.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: WatchManUSA on July 30, 2009, 02:55:26 PM
True WatchMan but it's not working.  I've still have to verbally slap my kid for doing it, she's one of those that do the "Crackberry" thing without looking.  She's a grown woman but she's gotta deal with the old man once in a while...I still don't let her get away with being an idiot....

This is another tough topic with no easy answers.
I guess the point I didn't communicate very well is that states can already pass a law and probably will given that 15 states have done so already without federal coercion.  I doubt that federal involvement will do any more or less than the existing laws.

I’m having trouble understanding why otherwise reasonable people fail to understand the inherent dangers that texting and driving pose.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: tombogan03884 on July 30, 2009, 03:20:50 PM
I guess the point I didn't communicate very well is that states can already pass a law and probably will given that 15 states have done so already without federal coercion.  I doubt that federal involvement will do any more or less than the existing laws.

I’m having trouble understanding why otherwise reasonable people fail to understand the inherent dangers that texting and driving pose.


 I've seen those so called "otherwise reasonable people" not only phoning or texting, but eating cereal, applying make up, READING NEWS PAPERS, and of course the ever popular dog on the lap with his head out the window.
The fact is most people are to fu#king stupid to drive with out killing some one.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: WatchManUSA on July 30, 2009, 03:25:58 PM
That is why I suggested people turn off their moron chip!
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: Kid Shelleen on July 30, 2009, 03:36:28 PM
This is a States' issue.  Keep the Feds out of it especially when they use blackmail to impose their will.

BTW - If you are texting while driving, please turn off your moron chip before you kill someone!
+100000000000000000000000
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: tt11758 on July 30, 2009, 05:18:24 PM
I guess the point I didn't communicate very well is that states can already pass a law and probably will given that 15 states have done so already without federal coercion.  I doubt that federal involvement will do any more or less than the existing laws.

I’m having trouble understanding why otherwise reasonable people fail to understand the inherent dangers that texting and driving pose.



The problem is that bad things happen to someone else, not me.  Some of these people should have to follow the LEO's and EMT's to the crashes they respond to......most all of which have been caused by one asshat behavior or another.  It might wake them up.  On second thought, probably not.
Title: Re: Federal blackmail
Post by: Rastus on July 31, 2009, 06:07:10 AM

The problem is that bad things happen to someone else, not me.  Some of these people should have to follow the LEO's and EMT's to the crashes they respond to......most all of which have been caused by one asshat behavior or another.  It might wake them up.  On second thought, probably not.

Your first sentence had it right.