I like the idea of a public awareness campaign. I've seen a few of the ads mentioned on here and I think they could be quite effective if they were run as often as the FreeCreditReport.com pirate ad, for example.

I understand the emotion behind calls for federal bans on cell phones, but there are a couple of points that need to be made. First, bans at the federal level should scare the squeeze out of you. That's why we have state and local governments. I don't want to get into a civics lesson here, but it is not the role of the federal government to address these issues. How many folks would be in favor of a federal helmet law or federal body armor law? It would save lives, to be sure, but we all understand the consequences of federal legislation when it's put into that context. The loss of freedom would be profound. Second, we need to look at how effective bans really are. War on drugs, anyone? Gun-free school zones? Alcohol prohibition? Not exactly a sterling track record of success. Third, banning cell phones in cars could very well be the start of a very slippery slope because sooner or later other targets will be identified. Radios, DVD players, iPods, CBs (a BIG issue for the truckers), GPS systems, bike intercoms, and the list goes on.

I agree that fiddling around with this stuff poses a real danger to everyone else on the road, but a ban will a) be ineffective, and b) have all sorts of unintended consequences, especially if it comes from the federal level. Try as we might, we cannot legislate intelligence. Stupid people are dangerous to everybody and they drive cars, trucks, vans, Harleys, crotch rockets, etc. It sucks, but it's up to US to watch out for THEM because they don't have the intelligence capacity to recognize how dangerous they are. If I see somebody on the road that is driving recklessly, I get the he** away from them if at all possible. If I can't, I increase my awareness (and space) until I can get away. The fact is riding bikes has a certain amount of risk inherent in it. Presumably we all recognized and accepted that risk the first time we rode. At the risk of sounding "insensitive", stupid people are no different than deer. One is about as smart as the other and no matter how many laws are passed or how many bans are imposed, neither will ever be able to recognize what a menace they are to others on the road.

Of course, we could always euthanize the idiots and make the whole world safer...

 

If I see a driver with the "Right Arm glued to the Ear" I steer clear of them, even when I'm in the car. Sometimes I see the driver flapping the arms, and you know they are using some "hands free" device.

In Chicago and some suburbs, driving while on the cell phone is illegal, but hands free is OK. Sometimes I think if the driver is talking to the passenger, or talking on the phone its basically the same thing, BUT when they have that arm locked to thier ear, I notice they aren't looking over their shoulder and I think thats the biggest problem. I heard that texting while driving is illegal now, but I'm not sure if thats chicago, statewide illinois or just inaccurate.

I worked for Ameritech Celluar before SBC bought them, and there were spots of the country that identified driving with a cell phone is dangerous, and they lobbied hard to reverse those laws and many they did.

I think the insurance lobby is bigger than the telcom lobby and I have a feeling the insurance companies arent too happy picking up these bills and I'd expect them to be pushing to have the laws changed in thier favor.

 

Personnally, I don't think any government mandated laws will ever do the trick of getting everyone off of cell phones while driving. Here's what is eventually going to do the trick. The insurance companies are going to modify policies on how they pay and don't pay if a cell phone was involved/related to the accident. JMHO.

 

some comercials I want to see nation wide...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFXlOKcu2wM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLakK...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6J5g...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nsHu...eature=related

 

Good Post! Below is a link to the AMA Response Center.....AMA is currently trying to get stiffer penalties forcagers who kill motorcycle riders....Our "slap on the wrist and $20 fine" judicial system for killing bike riders is now being fought in Washington.

http://www.amadirectlink.com/legisltn/rapidresponse.asp