[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Virginia HB181
KA4GFY
ka4gfy at cox.net
Thu Mar 8 08:18:28 EST 2018
We do have distracted driving laws in place, but unless its really blatant, I doubt law enforcement officers are worried because they have far more important things to worry about.
The phone companies could easily put an end to texting and driving. Hit people where it hurts, their bank accounts.
The premise is simple. Phone companies track your phones. As you pass from one cell to another and text messaging is going on, or Candy Crush or Angry Birds, and the messages (keystrokes) are within a prescribed period of time, impose a cost to send text messages or transmissions sent while moving and make each successive text message exponentially more expense than the last one. When some of the worst offenders get their $5,000 bill, they will stop.
As for passengers who are texting, the phone companies can send them a code they have to put in to continue. A driver wouldn't be able to memorize the code and send it but a passenger could.
As for the Commonwealth's laws, $125 for the first offense is a joke. Let's make it $1,000 for the first, $2,500 for the second, $7,500 for the third and $10,000 and lose your license if you are stupid enough to do it four times.
Rich
>
> On March 7, 2018 at 5:13 PM "Leon S.Ciereszko III" <n4tcw at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Sounds like current distracted driving laws would be sufficient then....
>
> Lee N4TCW
>
> Where's Lee?
> http://map.findu.com/n4tcw
> -----Original Message-----
> From: alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of KA4GFY
> Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2018 12:57 PM
> To: k3wry--- via AlexandriaRadioClub; ki4d at arrl.net; k3wry at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Virginia HB181
>
> If I have this right, the bill isn't necessarily outlawing use of your
> cellphone or radio, but the onus is on you to drive without being distracted
> from the activity.
>
> Rich, KA4GFY
>
> > >
> > On March 7, 2018 at 1:23 PM k3wry--- via AlexandriaRadioClub
> > <alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> >
> > We have been watching and meeting with committee members. It was agreed to
> > let certain wording to go forward. The reason behind this is the General
> > Assembly is determined to get some kind of biil out with reference to
> > distracted drivers.
> > The wording is such that an officer must actually witness distracted
> > driving in progress. The distraction could while texting, talking on a
> > phone, eating a burger, drinking a soda, or possibly using a microphone
> > regardless of delivery driver, contractor or ham operator.
> > The bill wording is not perfect, but if we pushed to include the words
> > Amateur Radio exception, the committee would have been overwhelmed with
> > lobbyist for construction companies, delivery services, etc.ccc which would
> > have created a bigger problem and could have hurt ham radio more than
> > helped.
> >
> > Best Regards, 73's
> >
> > Dr Joe Palsa
> > ARRL Virginia Section Manager
> > State Government Liaison
> > K3WRY at ARRL.ORG.
> > 804-350-2665
> >
> > In a message dated 3/7/2018 11:16:33 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> > ka4gfy at cox.net writes:
> >
> > I have been watching this one.
> > It was stuck in committee for quite some time. The one saving grace is
> > this year's General Assembly session is over on Saturday. Thank goodness!
> > Rich
> > On March 7, 2018 at 9:48 AM KI4D <ki4d at arrl.net> wrote:
> > Rich - thanks for being so alert. This bill looks worse than the
> > original SB74. Looks like we have work to do. I am wondering if Dr.
> > Joe Palsa, K3WRY, Virginia Section Manager, knows about this one.
> > Don, KI4D
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> > [mailto:alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
> > KA4GFY
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 7, 2018 9:14 AM
> > To: Alexandria Radio Club
> > Subject: [Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] News Reporting at its "Best"
> > I spotted a news article on WTOP's website this morning while riding
> > the train to work concerning using "Handheld Personal Communications
> > Devices"
> > while driving.
> > I thought this monster had been put to bed this session.
> > So, I did some digging on the VA General Assembly's website on the
> > bills related to to "Handheld Personal Communications Devices" while
> > driving.
> > The text in the news article obviously had not been updated since the
> > original SB74, because article mentions exempting CB operators. Huh??
> > The ONLY bill I saw that is still active that talks about handheld
> > communications devices is HB181. If you read the text of the bill, it
> > spends more time time talking about work zones and most importantly,
> > if use of the communications device diverts attention from the
> > operation of the vehicle, its a traffic infraction. It also talks
> > about "certain" vehicles, but in true politician form, does not define
> > "certain vehicles." It DOES say something about using a handheld radio
> >
> > * based device while participating in a disaster relief situation, but
> > NOTHING about exempting CB operators.
> > HB181 has passed the Senate and is headed back to the House.
> > And the news media wonders why nobody believes anything they say? They
> > need to get their facts straight before publishing.
> > 73,
> > Rich, KA4GFY
> >
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