Police presence

[DickR]

Originally Posted by jeffk

...... I DID pick up a piece of paper (to do list) to glance at it..

.... and I do look at the screen to see how far to the next turn, whether it is a left or right, etc. I also look to see WHO sent me a text message and a quick glance to see the beginning of the message.....

But that's the point of the law. Those "eyes off the road" distractions are the problem. But as others have noted, even glancing at the radio can take too long, and I've been guilty of that (and I don't even have a cell phone). The distractions are endless, and in the end, individual discipline has to rule.

As for encouraging compliance with the cell phone/texting law, perhaps it just needs more teeth. The fine for being caught shouldn't be so cheap that people weigh the cost vs the chance of being caught. It ought to hurt, really hurt, be a real attention-getter, so that you just don't want to risk it. A very costly insurance surcharge on the first infraction and an even more costly second offense might make a dent in the problem. Or maybe not. Some folks just don't "get it." This isn't just a matter of "personal freedom." Your "eyes off the road" tendency might cost me my life. And I should be looking in the mirror when I say this, too.