A senator from Palo Alto is introducing legislation that would add text-messaging to the cell phone ban on motorists in California. The bill’s author Senator Joe Simitian states, “Texting while driving is so obviously unsafe that it’s hard to believe anyone would attempt it, yet every-day observation suggests there are an awful lot of folks who do.”
He has a point. Kind of. While I agree texting while driving is dangerous for those who lack good judgment (which appears to be about 15% of the population, according to my friend, Jeff), I question the value of this legislation considering California’s ridiculously cavalier treatment of reckless drivers.
If we are going to start banning people for being irresponsible while at the wheel, I propose we add the following offenses to the good senator’s Texting While Driving (”TWD”) new bill:
- SWD - Spanking kid While Driving
- MWD- Applying Makeup While Driving
- EWD- Eating while driving (In and Out drive thru: “will you be eating in your car?”)
- RWD-Reading while driving
- WWD- Working while driving (using cell phone speaker, but taking notes on steering wheel)
- OMWD- Off meds while driving
- WMWD - Watching movies while driving (in dash screens are easily hacked to play movies)
- BSWD- Being senile while driving (an oldie but a goody)
- SWD- Shooting while driving (check youtube.com for all kinds of amazing behind-the-wheel videos)
- IWD- Ipod’ing while driving (I see more people playing with their ipods than texting)
- PWD- Programming while driving (nav screens are easily hack to function while vehicle is moving)
- AWD-Angry while driving
Personally senator, I find it “hard to believe anyone would attempt” to do ANY of these things while driving.
But seriously, here. Come on senator, if you REALLY care about our safety so much, how about going all the way with a comprehensive bill that penalizes DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL/DRUGS and STREET RACING and RECKLESS DRIVING as true felony crimes? After all, aren’t THESE the people who are the biggest threat to our safety and quality of life?
Here is what I propose:
- First DUI/Reckless/Street Racer offense: $20,000 fine, mandatory Community Service assisting paraplegics, 3 year driver’s license suspension. Fine payable at prime rate plus 1.5% over 5, 10, or 20 years
- Second DUI/Reckless/Street Racer offense: $40,000 fine, mandatory 1 year house arrest, 5 year driver’s license suspension. Fine payable at prime rate plus 1.5% over 5, 10, or 20 years.
- Third DUI/Reckless/Street Racer offense: $100,000 fine, 3 years house arrest, 8 year driver’s license suspension. Fine payable at prime rate plus 1.5% over 5, 10, or 30 years.
You ready to get serious about our safety, senator? We are.
-Joe
Updated: 11:54am PST
Joe,
This is oh, so true! I have seen people speeding down the road, weaving in and out of cars, reading papers, magazines, books; applying makeup while holding their cell phone in one hand and balancing a copy of coffee on the steering wheel.
Impaired driving is impaired driving - no matter the impairment. It’s a 4,000 pound lethal weapon, for gracious sake! Start taking the responsibility of driving seriously. It is not a right… it is a privilege. Those who abuse it should lose it. Those who cause injury while impaired should suffer some serious consequences. A slap on the wrist and a ‘don’t do it again’ are completely insufficient. Just ask the folks over at M.A.D.D. — or our good friend whose 2-year-old was recently killed by some partiers on an otherwise beautiful mid-afternoon. (You can see the story at venturacountystar.com - and search for Charles Goodrich) Kathi is a dear friend — to me and so many others. When will the driving public ever wake up and take the “job” of piloting a car down the road seriously?
Thank you for your post to Kathi’s blog!
Carey
Agree with you 100% on this, Joe.
Remember when driver’s ed stressed the fact that driving is a privilege, not a right? Whatever happened to that? It seems like knowledge of even the basics (like right of way, yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks) is missing–even before you address the completely outrageous driving behaviors you mention–DUIs, street racing, and reckless driving. I think the penalties you suggest are completely appropriate.
There are other benefits to making it more difficult for irresponsible drivers to get/keep licenses: For example, there will be fewer cars on the road, reduced gas consumption, more demand for effective public transit (which Sacto is in dire need of), less pollution, and safer roads. Huh. What a concept.
I suggest an income-based fine that is determined the SAME EXACT WAY banks approve car loans. Run the perp’s credit, set up a payment plan just like a car payment, with interest and the whole nine yards. I don’t care if it takes them 30 years to pay it off, we will get our money PLUS interest. One of two things will happen: the government will never have another budget shortfall OR our road abusers will disappear completely. It is a no-lose proposition. Stop over-taxing utilities and cigarettes and snacks, and start taxing people who are destroying our quality of life! Why are we tolerating this form of terrorism, California?! This topic gets me SUPER heated.
Honestly, WHO would be against a min $20,000 fine for first DUI offense, $40,000 for second and $100,000 for third?? WHO would be against this? Think about it, ONLY those who drink and drive, and frankly I don’t give a shit about their opinion. Grrr
I agree completely with you Joe but I’d rather see the “legal” limit be 0. People are too tempted to try to figure out if they can or can’t drive. How come SOME alcohol is safe but not a tiny bit more? You shouldn’t be drinking and driving at all. Just one is still one too many in my book.
By the way, I’d be for a “no license again ever” policy after the 3rd DUI. If you’re that dumb, you should not be driving again. Who cares about rehabilitation at that point? And if you did get your license back it should only be with a mandatory retrofit of your car with a breathalizer to start the engine.
As for street racing, we spent our first 2 years in Natomas trying to get the city police dispatchers to understand where North Market drive was. It wasn’t until someone had to die at Gateway Park and North Market (now Arena) before they finally figured it out. We called every single Saturday to report that people were racing there. We tried everything we knew but the dispatchers would say either “that’s not in the City, call the sheriff” or “those streets don’t cross” or my personal favorite “there is no old Arco Arena, the only one is on Truxel”. What a bunch of crap. Don’t these people have maps?