yamez

or putting make up.. lol i caught that too dan but i fail so much i cant edit it

ryanmatic

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD WHEN YOUR SIG IMAGE IS SO DISTRACTING

danvuquoc

It helps, but considering how little cops there are on the road and how many people constantly get away with this crime, it hardly makes a dent in our state budget deficit. Lowering our state debt is going to take a lot more than raising the fine on a crime like this. There are other ways to reduce our deficit, this isn't one of them.

Instead, I feel like it punishes a few of us who use our cell phones safely. A person who is able to multitask who just wants to call for directions does not deserved to be categorized with the stereotypical teenage girl who wants to chat for 30 minutes in traffic. I've used my cell phone plenty of times, but never for more than a minute while in the car. I purchased a Bluetooth headset a while back, but it is such a hassle to put on and I have trouble hearing from it sometimes.
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You said it, the few of us who use our cell phones safely, for the gross majority of everyone else, how often have you gotten mad at someone driving like a total retard all over the road while on the cell phone. Wether I'm on bicycle or car, it's a daily occurrence for me. If you really only do use your cell phone so occasionally, you have much less to worry about than the typical teenage girl chatting 30 minutes in traffic who is much more likely to get nabbed by this increase in fines. Don't feel singled out -- you were just as likely to get fined as before. Just that fines went up for everyone by 61%.

ryanmatic

I sympathize, but I gotta disagree -- I'm all for punishing the shit out of bad drivers, and in my daily commuting experience, the correlation of driving poorly with using a cell phone while doing so is really, really high. Given that, the assumption should be that everyone doing it deserves a ticket. I'm not making any claims about what that ticket should cost, though.

The workaround seems pretty fair to me -- get a Bluetooth handsfree system, or a corded set of earbuds with a mic, or just wait until you aren't driving to use your phone.

rob-2

This is really easy to avoid, get a $40 Bluetooth. It's nicer and easier to talk with.

I'm happy to have people ticketed for this. Considering my last two close calls with drivers have been morons on their phones. Clearly people are getting dumber, and giving them more to do in their car is making them a bad drive. If they were good drivers we wouldn't have the law.

Way I see it, fine the stupids. The smart people won't get tickets.

dr.darkness

I've almost been hit by a few people on thier phones,so I welcome this and since most can't talk and drive at the same time I don't see it as silly. Think of those who have been killed or badly injured by some idiot who thought they could talk,text and drive at the same time.

ninjajwl

I absolutely see where you're coming from and there is no logical rebuttal for this. There is no feasible way to distinguish a driver who is capable to drive and talk on the cell phone at the same time and one who can't. However, how is talking through the speakerphone on a cell phone (yes, this seems to be what everyone's moved on to) safer than holding up the phone to your ear? In the end, it still seems like an ineffective band aid fix to a much greater problem: terrible drivers sharing the road with us. At least this law did get rid of texting while driving.

I also remember when this fine was just 20 dollars, non moving violation. .. Times sure have changed.

ryanmatic

It definitely isn't any safer.

whiteflash

You were late... I just paid my no license plate fee 2 weeks ago, it was $25 dollars.

whiteflash

Honestly. It isn't at all any safer. It's just harder to catch.