Texting While Driving And The Law

Keith Browning · April 28, 2014

Driving home from work I was passing the Morris County Fire Fighters and Police Training Academy and I get collected behind a State Trooper Crown Vic. If you have ever driven a police vehicle you quickly realize that no matter where you are people in front of you slow down and become perfect little drivers. 5 MPH below the limit too... just to be safe! ;)Any way, in the afternoon commuter traffic we slowly meandered through the winding roads of Randolph with a bit of stop and go and before long I realize this young looking officer is constantly looking down. This goes on for at least 10 minutes. Then he makes a cell phone call. Apparently the young officer did not get to the chapter in his training manual about texting and driving or about using a cell phone while driving... makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to see this kind of shit going on before my very eyes. :thumbup: Especially because these are the very people who see the effects of accidents caused by this kind of behavior and who are responsible for protecting us from ourselves and doing stupid things like that.

I wish I could have issued him a summons.

Brad Clayton · April 29, 2014

It's funny you mention this, I was going to put something similar up. However the latest trend around here is to get caught up on all your texting whilst sitting at red lights. Greenville NC has more than its fair share of red lights and the turn arrows are the ones that you must almost hitch your bumper to the car's bumper in front of you in order to get a decent amount of cars through the intersection before the light turns red again and you miss a birthday while sitting at it. These are the ones that idiots are looking in there lap while the light turned green 4 seconds ago, which is at least 3 missed cars making the light. What happens if you lay on the horn? There is a good chance you may get shot.

PEOPLE ARE AWESOME!!!!!

Bruce Amacker · April 29, 2014

In Cleveland, a cop gave some guy a lift for some reason last year, the cop was texting while driving 60mph on the highway while the citizen was in the back seat. The guy snapped a photo of it, speedometer needle and all, and sent it to the TV stations. I bet that cop's ass is still hurting.....

Another thing that drives me crazy- people who stop dead in their tracks in a busy airport hallway loaded with people to text or use their phone. This is the pedestrian equivalent of parking in the middle lane on the highway.

Brother...... :facepalm:

DieselD · April 29, 2014

I particularly like to pass the police cars on the freeway, Not at blazing speed but typically the normal 5mph over posted. This is always fun with the looks you get from the other idiot drivers that refuse to pass them and do under the posted limit just because there is a cop on the road.

More annoying is the cop that is jacking with traffic and doing 10mph less then posted clogging up traffic. However I cant bitch too much because if I was one I would probably do that myself :haha2:

Aaron · April 29, 2014

I skimmed the posts in the thread cause my break is mostly over at work - but it's against the law to use a handheld device while driving here. A friend of mine got a ticket for eating a peach while driving because it was not hands free.

However - police and emergency workers are exempt for this law.

mchan68 · April 29, 2014

However - police and emergency workers are exempt for this law.

Do as they enforce, NOT as they do???

forddieseldoctor · April 29, 2014

I skimmed the posts in the thread cause my break is mostly over at work - but it's against the law to use a handheld device while driving here. A friend of mine got a ticket for eating a peach while driving because it was not hands free. However - police and emergency workers are exempt for this law.

Thats really gonna put a hurt on the drivethroughs if you can't get a hands free burger.

Fredsvt · April 29, 2014

Keith,

You then discreetly take out your phone, and video the trooper in front of you, making sure you show the plate. Post it on youtube for all to see.

Problem will be taken care of.

The commander of his unit will not tolerate that stuff.

I had an issue with a trooper who pulled me over, for going around an imaginary "roadblock". As he was trying to help remove a small fallen tree on one side of the road.

His unmarked car was in a person's front yard with NO lights on. he was so pissed, and screaming curse words and shaking. I thought, seriously, that he would shoot me, since one hand was on the gun in his open holster. He took my stuff, after screaming at me for 15 minutes. The people in the houses nearby came out and watched.

He handed me 3 tickets totaling 13 points. I went to my lawyer's office the next day, relaying the entire story. I also spoke to a family friend (retired commander of Parkway Troop E) and told him what language and attitude he used. Some phone calls ensued.

In court, everything was dropped and the trooper HAD to issue a written and recorded apology to ME and the public for his inappropriate behavior. He was forbidden by his direct commander to appear in court.

Of course, I still had to pay the cash cow, court costs.

mchan68 · April 30, 2014

Fredsvt, it's funny you mention the Youtube thing. I was just going to suggest the very same idea. Video DOES NOT LIE. As a matter of fact, there happens to be a very controversial case that is pending in our neck of the woods. A while back, there was an 18 year old mentally disturbed youth who boarded a streetcar and ordered all the passengers to exit, while brandishing a knife. At no time during this event did he ever threaten to cause bodily harm to any of them. Shortly after, police closed in on him in a standoff where they ordered him to drop the knife. Of course, he didn't. The only thing he did was egg them on, calling them a [censored] and so on. Those were the only acts of aggression against the officers (I believe 23 of them if I recall correctly). Shortly after, the lead officer fired NINE shots killing the subject instantly. And to add insult to injury, another officer approached from behind and tasered him, AFTER the nine shots were fired. The point of all this? There were several cellphones that video recorded the event, which resulted in the officer in question, charged with second degree murder. He is currently suspended WITH pay until the matter before the courts is dealt with. Had it not been for the existence of cellphones that are capable of taking pictures and video, the officer would likely not have been charged. Sorry for the hijack, but it does strike a nerve with me that those we entrust to serve and protect us, are able to break the very laws that they are sworn to enforce.