Car phone bans not easy or popular
Laws, as we all know, are only as good as their enforcement. That's what police in Scotland are finding out in their noble effort to crack down on people talking on mobile phones while driving, which has been banned in the United Kingdom.
Despite such logistical challenges, U.S. lawmakers appear undaunted in pursuing similar laws--and their latest target is teenagers. Last month, the federal National Transportation Safety Board urged states to adopt laws restricting the use of mobile phones among the youngest drivers, and the concern apparently struck a chord. New Hampshire, Michigan and other states are considering action against yacking teen drivers.
As for the enforcement problems, the Scots might want to take some lessons from the beat cops in upstate New York, where more than half a million tickets were issued in the first seven months of this year, the fourth since the state became the first in the union to enact such a law. But many in the blogosphere apparently don't appreciate their diligence.
Blog community response:
"So far, the Dems have taken away the right to 'choose' to smoke in public places. They are trying to ban cell phone use in
cars. They are trying to tell us we shouldn't buy SUV's or vans.. It is one thing to say this, but to try and legislate it is dangerous."
--Revka's take
"I will sometimes use my cell phone in my car while I'm driving, usually to phone in logistics or updated ETAs to my husband or kid. Despite the various cell phone-hating studies, I don't think it's any more distracting than a drive-through burger or a loud sing-a-long plus one-handed air guitar with Stevie Ray Vaughn."
--Everybody Knows
"They just passed a ridiculous law that bans talking on your cell phone while driving, unless you have a headset. But this politician was just jabbering away... of all days I leave my camera at home. If I would have had it with me I would have got out of my car and ran up to his window and asked him why he thinks he can drive and talk and the rest of us cannot."
--Light Point
