This editorial first appeared in the Anchorage Daily News:
The late Jim Morrison of The Doors had the best sponsor statement for this legislation in just 11 words:
“Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel.”
Gov. Sean Parnell signed House Bill 255 last Thursday, a bill that made explicit what lawmakers thought they had done in 2008 — banning texting while driving.
A Kenai magistrate cast doubt on the first effort in 2011, so Reps. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, and Bill Thomas, R-Haines, led a bipartisan effort to remove all doubt.
The bill bans reading or typing messages on a cellphone, computer or any other screen while operating a motor vehicle in motion.
Is it necessary to say that this is a commonsense rule of the road for the sake of everyone’s safety?
Evidently, because the Legislature had to spell it out in law.
So, as of Thursday, you text at the wheel, you’re breaking the law. Otherwise, text at will.
And try to get “Roadhouse Blues” out of your head.
Turn on the ignition, turn off the screen.
Comments (19)
Add commentCan't do it
"And try to get “Roadhouse Blues” out of your head."
Now I've got Jim singing in my head. Great song, great musician.
Guess that means JPD can no
Guess that means JPD can no longer use their computers while driving...
Woohoo! Now how about drivers who are on their cell phone
OK this is good news for texters now how about drivers who are constantly on their cell phones chatting away while they almost hit a pedestrian or a park car?
I know we have been witness to such stupidity of drivers who think they can chat on their cell phone and drive at the same time.
People are strange
People are strange, when they are texting,
Faces look ugly, when you're on your phone,
Teen girls seem wicked, when they are swerving,
Streets are now lethal, they type "lol!!!!!! :) ;) :) ;) "
When you text,
Accidents come in the rain,
When you text,
Cops will remember your name,
When you text,
When you text,
When you text.
(cool piano solo here)
Jo - fantastic!
Loved the Doors reference. And glad this is law. It takes about 8 minutes to drive from one destination to another in Juneau. Pick up the phone when you arrive, not while you drive.
Same as DUI
Texting is every bit as dangerous as driving drunk.
As an old guy
I have had a driver's license for over sixty years, and realize that at my age I have to be extremely cautious in driving, pulling out of parking space and moving in a flow of traffic, and that driving at 50-60 mph requires my full attention.
At the same time, I can't imagine why a phone call that I could wait to answer in a few minutes, has to divert my attention and be answered immediately.
If I tried to "text" or type something while driving, I would be a danger on the road. But perhaps at 50 -60 mph others feel they have a skill that I can't even imagine.
As swimmergirl mentioned the driving time from say Auke Bay to downtown Juneau takes about 15 minutes even in heavy traffic. Now, what message could be so important that I had to answer immediately and possibly lose my main focus on driving safely??
As a non-old guy...
I have no problem answering a call or placing a call to someone. I have voice activated dialing. Been talking on the phone and driving for 10 years without a problem.
But that's not to say that SOME people WOULD have difficulty with that. But that doesn't mean we should pass a law banning cell phone use while driving (although I would support a law prohibiting teens from doing so because teens are stupid).
Texting and driving is an altogether different thing. I think this is something we can all agree on. It's dangerous. This is a good law.
I hope it's enforced.
Uh Jo...
That version of People Are Strange was absolutely brilliant!! Inspired!
I, had it dawned on me first, would have opted for this far less creative selection:
Drivers on the phone.
Drivers on the phone.
Into this car we're born.
Behind this wheel we're thrown.
With no thumbs on our iPhone.
Drivers on the phone
There's a killer on the road
Her thumb is squirmin' like a toad
Take a texting holiday
Put your bluetooth away
While you give that thought a tweet
A child your bumper will meet
Killer on the road, yeah
Clever post Jo Mac Namara
perhaps you can get the http://www.adcouncil.org/ to buy the lyrics. I'd much rather listen to that than the non-locally made "look local first" jingles. Have you heard the new one? It sounds like the Beach Boys of Nebraska.
This is the end, my only friend, the...end.
Throwing roses
Thank you, thank you to all my adoring fans (throwing roses) on behalf of Jim and I.
Glad you liked the poem.
Look for more in the future.
Mama SEZ
No phones while driving. No matter how good you think you are....you're NOT and I don't want to be on the road with you.
Then stay off the road
Well then (raspberry noise) I don't want to be on the road with people who don't want me to use my phone while I'm driving.
And I don't want to be on the road with people who don't want to be on the road with me.
So there! (supplemental raspberry noise here).
Neener neener.
(Two armpit phart noises here).
Grim
By your logic, drunk driving laws are part of the nanny state, because "everyone knows that driving drunk is a bad idea".
Heck, speed limits and stop signs too...how dare the government tell us what to do.
Agree with all but Jo and kp
Hang up and drive already, please! It's just a common courtesy, like using your actual turn signal indicators, instead of just the brakes lights when turning.
I'm sure you are special drivers, but methinks most of that is in your head.
People were too stupid to wear seatbelts too.
I'm surprised there are even people against this. Many states have had no cell phone use at all while driving in place for years. Including here in CA. Cell phone texting AND talking causes accidents...and if people are too stupid to not do it...then make it a rule and give out tickets. it WILL work. People were [filtered word] off about seatbelt laws too...but they save lives and we all got used to it.
"Nanny State"
An incredibly over-regurgitated buzz phrase of Rush Limbaugh by his lemmings.
Do you people ever have an original idea?
@Jo
Just a question for you....
What would happen if you answered your phone during the road test with an examiner?
We are sacrificing safety for selfish convienence
What happend to 'both hands on the wheel' or 'eyes on the road?'
I have a good friend that uses her phone behind the wheel often....she fails to notice her speed drops about 7-8MPH every time she 'chats'. She thinks she's highly experienced and doing fine too. She's not! She's distracted and a few weeks ago ran smack off the road and into the trees