Breakin’ the law
Posted by: Maya on: January 29, 2009
As of January 1, 2009 texting while driving has been illegal in California. But what does that really mean?
Are you allowed to text while you’re at a dead standstill in traffic?
How about when you’re in a parked car with the engine running?
What about if you’re stopped at a red light?
This law does not prohibit reading, entering or selecting a phone number. How does law enforcement determine if you were texting or typing in a phone number?
Is sending e-mails from your blackberry or i-phone illegal?
If texting while driving is illegal, shouldn’t inputting directions into your GPS be also?
If you’re pulled over and charged the fine is only $20-$50. I still see people talking on their cell phones while driving all the time. This is such an important law but difficult to enforce. They might as well just make doing anything while driving illegal. But where do we draw the line? No putting on makeup, no talking on the phone, no talking at all!!!
3 Responses to "Breakin’ the law"
February 9, 2009 at 11:11 pm
The law has its limitations!
But think from the side of the law enforcement agencies, they discovered that texting while driving is a major cause for accidents and so they want to control it. You dont want to be hit by another car on your way to automatic.. do you..? ( oops, it just came out, dont even think of that.. 
I think the intention of every law is to generate some awareness so that people are extra cautious. Everytime you text while driving, you have to have an inner call that tells you that you are still driving.
I think FBI can relax the putting-up-make-up part.. Even the FBI love to see beautiful women I guess !!!
February 22, 2009 at 6:23 pm
On my country (Spain) is illegal even to touch the mobile phone. You can’t text, can’t talk with it on your hands (you need a handsfree, and they’re legit to use only those that have not any cable), even write a number on it is illegal. To input direcctions on the GPS is illegal too.
However, you can do all of this when you are not driving, on our loyal terms, you’re driving when you are stoped on a red light, but not when you are parked with the engine on.
Here, if you are pulled over the fine is from 100 to 200€ (125$ – 250$) and you loss 3 points from your license (like on The 5th Element!). A drive license has only 12 points, so, is better not to use the phone while driving! 
PS.
Sorry for all the mistakes on my bad english.
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February 5, 2009 at 1:51 am
I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking about things like this. I wish there was more clarity in a wide range of laws – but the fact that this is such a loose law, it is totally open to interpretation – and they are driving right at me while they interpret.