Good

I just read this: in Utah, if you have an accident because you were texting behind the wheel, it is classified as negligence and you get up to 15 years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/te...pagewanted=all

For once, a piece of legislation that both parties can (probably) agree on as a good idea. If someone kills a family because he was busy texting at 50 mph instead of paying attention, he deserves more than just a fine and a suspension of his drivers license.

It is already illegal here, but I don't know how severly it influences the decisino of the judge.

I knew a guy whose cousin was drunk driving the wrong way on a highway in the wee hours of the morning. He hit a car head on killing a 32 year old mother of 2 and her 28 year old boyfriend. He got 15 years for vehicular homicide.

I think texting or talking on a cell phone ought to be against a strictly enforced law. If you hurt someone as a result you damn sure should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Finally, now hope other states will follow suit.
I live in a college town and its really scary to see countless students drive and text/talk on the phone/make up etc..

The one thing that scares me about all of this is the fact that it may spill over to ham radio operators. Don't get me wrong, I think texting and (sometimes talking) is bad, I don't talk on a cell whilst driving, but if it spills over to ham radio,then the influence will be felt by the general public. Why? Because many ham radio operators are Skywarn or Emergency Management volunteers who use their "hobby" to aide the National Weather Service in storm spotting. The radar does see what "could be" or "possibly is" a tornado,a hook echo.It takes eyes, ham radio operators who volunteer, emergency management volunteers, paid spotters etc to tell the NWS what is actually there. People dont hear about the guys who put their lives (and equipment) on the line just to keep them safe, but they are there, I know, I used to be one of them.

I've never been too excited about the "if you have an accident" clause associated with these laws.

How about some enforcement for simply texting while driving . . .

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Originally Posted by freebird

The one thing that scares me about all of this is the fact that it may spill over to ham radio operators. Don't get me wrong, I think texting and (sometimes talking) is bad, I don't talk on a cell whilst driving, but if it spills over to ham radio,then the influence will be felt by the general public. Why? Because many ham radio operators are Skywarn or Emergency Management volunteers who use their "hobby" to aide the National Weather Service in storm spotting. The radar does see what "could be" or "possibly is" a tornado,a hook echo.It takes eyes, ham radio operators who volunteer, emergency management volunteers, paid spotters etc to tell the NWS what is actually there. People dont hear about the guys who put their lives (and equipment) on the line just to keep them safe, but they are there, I know, I used to be one of them.

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I don't think that will happen. Hams are still protected fairly well for their public service. KD4GTG General Class:)
M

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Originally Posted by Kingfish

I don't think that will happen. Hams are still protected fairly well for their public service. KD4GTG General Class:)
M

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I sure hope you're right, but I don't trust politicians lol.
KD5AFE, also General Class :)

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Originally Posted by freebird

I sure hope you're right, but I don't trust politicians lol.
KD5AFE, also General Class :)

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KD5AFE,
Don't want to hijack thread, but the biggest threat to our control of the Air Waves is going to end up being all the "Silent Keys" not being replaced. I had a radio club at my high school about 20 yrs ago, and the demise of interest was basically the rise of other modes like the one being discussed. You are right, look how hard Ham's have had to fight off special interests from taking away huge parts of our frequencies. We are victims of our own success, as much of the tech people take for granted started in Amateur Radio.
KD4GTG (Go Teacher GO)