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Cell phone ban may be extended to bicyclists

April 10, 2010

California’s tough cell phone regulations currently applied to drivers may be extended to bicyclists across the state. [KTVU]

Legislation being introduced in Sacramento would ban bicyclists from talking on a cell phone without a headset, or texting while riding. A first offense ticket would cost $100.

State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) authored the bill, which has already been endorsed by Bay Area bike advocates. The bill has already cleared the Senate Transportation Committee and will soon come up for a vote. Simitian said he is optimistic about the proposed law being passed.

Simitian’s bill also has implications for drivers. Fines for moving violations would almost double and further penalize car drivers by adding a point to the DMV driving record for the same behavior.


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To all City Counsel Members

To all Assemblymen and Senators


Why stop there!

Expand the ordinance to parks and parking lots, include the same administrative fee tack on.

You’ll make millions!

Give yourselves and the cops another raise!

While your at it, your justified to hire more cops.

On top of that buys more new computers and police cars, it all “justifies itself endlessly”.

And if we don’t like it, we should whine to our elected officials again till we’re exhausted.


No, don’t point fingers

No, don’t share the problem

It is your mess and you pay for it!

It is NOT the taxpayer’s responsibility!


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FYI

Study shows cell phone bans may not prevent crashes

By Casey Johnston Last updated February 1, 2010 2:46 PM

Legislation banning cell phone use while driving a car was intended to reduce the number of crashes on the roads, but a new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute indicates that the laws may not be fulfilling their purpose. When comparing the frequency of collision insurance claims made in states that enacted a ban against cell phone use to those that didn’t, a study shows that claim rates remain similar.


About two months ago, there was an article in the front page of the Los angeles Times saying something simular.


The more laws, the more revenue, the more probable cause to stop/ detain anyone.


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After the recent ordinance the SLO CC passed forbidding children (and everyone) from feeding the ducks because they poop in the water, nothing surprises me.

I am the last person that can appreciate all these gov intrusions into our lives (be it at the State or local level) and I do consider this latest bill another gov intrusion. On the other hand it would be nice if people would just use their heads a little more. Unfortunately we all did need protection from the many many idiots that were driving while distracted on their cell phones, the law initially forgot to include texting which was ten times more distracting than talking and what did people do, they started texting. I don’t know how dangerous riding a bike and using a hand held cell phone is but I imagine since bicyclist drive along side traffic and two hands on the handle bars are necessary for control of a bicycle then maybe it’s become a problem for us. If someone falls off their bike I have no doubt that I’ll be over correcting to avoid them and will even intentionally hit another car rather than a bicyclist.


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Do you think we really need this new extra law?

Will there be additional administrative fees added???


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Do you think we really need this new extra law?


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This is laughable. If the state wasn’t in so much financial trouble, I could understand our legislators being bored and throwing some bills against the wall to see which would stick – but c’mon! Do we really need the government to get this involved with the everyday trappings of living our lives?


I fully expect – rather than focusing on budgetary matters and the declining credit rating of our fair state – that the Hon. Senator from Palo Alto will next introduce a bill banning the practice of simultaneously walking in public and chewing gum. Or, perhaps, outlaw all forms of footwear other than Birkenstocks on public sidewalks. Those are, after all, a burden on society at large and need to be curtailed for public safety.


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“I fully expect – rather than focusing on budgetary matters and the declining credit rating of our fair state – that the Hon. Senator from Palo Alto will next introduce a bill banning the practice of simultaneously walking in public and chewing gum.”


You don’t get it, all of this does have to do with budgetary matters, his job security, law enforcement job security, and more revenue!


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Willie your funny but you do have a point here. I wonder how many people know that it is legal to use your (not a hands free) cell phone to call the police while your driving and tell them that you think you see an intoxicated driver. That’s a fact.


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