Should Cell phone/texting whether used by transit drivers or car owners be banned?

[Shortline Bus]

 

 

I was in the 5 boros in Queens a few days ago at a cousin house this past week and was watching the 'Call' New York One's weekday headline news call-in talk show. Quietly with little media coverage, Gov. Paterson and the NY State legislture recently passed a new law starting Nov 1, 2009 that extends the 'ban' of talking on cell phones(unless it includes hands free devices)to include texting except for life-threanting emergencies and crimes.

 

The Bill makes it clear that 'tickets' for texting or using your hands w/ cells, can be given out only to drivers who got pulled over by police for 'other suspected violations' such as speeding or not wearing a seat belt, etc.

However this new law is only for auto drivers in 'private vechiles' and according to the same show "The call' Gov Paterson and the State Assembly/State Senate is working on a separte bill that would ban all workers such as Bus Drivers and Motormen/Train Operators from texting/talking on cell phone while 'on the job. The penalties in the proposed would be steeper for Transit Workers including being 'terminated' if involved in accident.

 

This would be in reaction to prevent the fatal tragic accidents earlier this year in Boston and Southern California when Train Operators were blamed for using text message while 'driving.'

 

 

So what you guys think of this ban for drivers for cell/text usage? And assume it passes in the future for train/bus operators as well. Do anyone of you who owns a car or works for the or any other area transit agency use text or cell phone on the job? Personally i always turn off or put on 'vibrate' my cell when i drive and if an important call occurs, i pull off the road asap.

 

Lets talk and feel free to comment. Thanks:cool:

 

 

 

http://ny1.com/Default.aspx?ArID=104885

[metsfan]

I think people need to operate within their limits, and stop multi-tasking. If you're driving, drive.

 

- A

[Shortline Bus]

I think people need to operate within their limits, and stop multi-tasking. If you're driving, drive.

 

- A

 

Agreed.:tdown:

[Messino]

This is enough evidence to say so

 

 

[metsfan]

Train C/R is OK, they have a lot of down time on some lines. Fare collectors and train conductors on main line rail use phones to communicate between train and station and between trains, and sometimes to talk about something on the down low & not on the IC. Bus driver, engineer, train operator, anyone controlling the vehicle, leave the cell alone, leave it on if you need, but don't use it.

 

As for everyday automobile/truck drivers, i think speakerphone/headset only, no texting, no hands off the wheel.

 

- A

[Shortline Bus]

This is enough evidence to say so

 

 

 

 

 

I agree Mr Smurf aka Messino. Seriously they should play that clip both during drivers ed classes for 1st time drivers and also during defensive driving courses as well.

[RokuSix]

Yes... texting is such a distraction... like that girl who fell in the sewer while texting.

[FamousNYLover]

B/O, Car/Truck operators, well as Trolley operator should be banned.

I still remember there was incident Mayor was serious injured because of text while driving.

I thought NYS already enforced it right after mayor's incident in NJ?

[FamousNYLover]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rdV9ADjpcg

 

Even the cops.

 

Cell Phone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOIZ0Kx67Ig

Here is playlist that involves cell/text.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=285506833344360F&search_query=cell+phone+while+driving