‘zombie texting’
courtesy of ‘mattwi1s0n’
The council’s omnibus bill which I mentioned yesterday had a bit that’s likely to impact all of you drivers: a complete and total ban on texting while driving in the District. The law as it’s written defines texting to include any time you “compose, send, receive, or read a written message or image” and it includes texts, instant messages and electronic mail.
Who needs speed cameras? Fining lobbyists with their blackberries could solve all our financial woes $100 at a time.
Unlike violating the hands-free rules there’s no first offender clause here. So if your friends text you directions to their house you’d better write them down on a piece of paper and read THAT while driving.
I’m not sure why we haven’t seen any press on this. As an emergency act it’s been in effect since Oct 21 when the major signed it, so in theory it’s already operational and the cops can cite you for texting while driving till it expires in late January.
Well I used to say something in my profile about not quite being a “tinker, tailor, soldier, or spy” but Tom stole that for our about us page, so I guess I’ll have to find another way to express that I am a man of many interests.
Hmm, guess I just did.
My tastes run the gamut from sophomoric to Shakespeare and in my “professional” life I’ve sold things, served beer, written software, and carried heavy objects… sometimes at the same place. It’s that range of loves and activities that makes it so easy for me to love DC – we’ve got it all.
The question is whether the police will cite you for using a phone for directions. I use my iPhone all the time for GPS and navigating.
I do not know how it has been with Maryland’s texting-ban which might be a more accurate suggestion of DC’s, but I can say that California has had this ban for a while now and it is little enforced. To say nothing of the failure to ban using both hands to eat an organic baby greens salad with corn plastic spoon while driving – a proposal I have to make major cash for the state.