Nov 29 2009
North Carolina Texting Ban Starts Tuesday
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Finally, something the stuffed shirts have done something right. Most of the time when I am behind someone driving too slow on the highway or generally just encounter someone on the road not paying attention it’s because they are yapping away on a cell phone. That’s just talking on it; their eyes are still on the road. It blows my mind that people actually take it to the next level and try to send text messages while driving. How stupid can you be? You’re going to kill somebody. I wish they’d pass the same law in South Carolina, but for now, at least when I go to work there will be less nincompoops engaging in recklessness on the road. So if you’re one of these texting and driving assclowns, because God knows that you can’t wait a few minutes until you stop to text Heather about Emily breaking up with Jason, you better get your fill tomorrow because after that the 5-0 is coming to get you.
Looks like you beat me to posting about this, Bane. I’m kind of surprised by your enthusiasm for this latest intrusion into our lives by government though. Do you really believe that the number of people who choose to text while driving is going to be reduced simply because a law is passed? Texting while driving is stupid and possibly dangerous, agreed, but couldn’t a similar argument be made for changing radio stations while driving, applying makeup while driving, eating or drinking while driving, just to name a few other distractions?
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Yes, I think the number of people engaging in this will be reduced. To what extent, who knows? To your point, there are a lot of bad habits and frankly most of them could just fall under reckless driving, but I find this one to be particularly dangerous compared to others.
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Logic:
Missing the point is part of not thinking about the whole.
In and of itself, texting while driving is as dangerous as drinking and driving. What don’t you get? This is not a government ‘intrusion’ against a ‘right’. It’s like putting up a guard rail or installing a traffic light at an intersection where many accidents have occurred and, statistically, will occur again, and is intended to prevent needless accidents due to a very bad and well-known habit. It’s a preventative measure. The other acts you mention are irrelevant as the legislation was about texting and driving. They are points of interest but not the end-goal of the legislation.
Cell phones are a fairly useless luxury. We accord them too much of our time and our interest for our own good, and to our detriment, at times.
You cannot idiot-proof the world but we can hold people responsible for their actions. This legislation does that.
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