January, 2021...Really?

Discussion in 'Non Sun City Related Discussions' started by BPearson, Apr 19, 2019.

  1. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Kudos to the legislators for passing the no texting bill. Gov Ducey just needs to sign it and it's a done deal. Well, kind of.

    Seems some of the boys didn't want to pass it. We know there were 16 no votes; hopefully someone can dig up those names and post them. But, it gets worse. This law, unlike the distracted driver bills they were trying to pass, allows for an officer to stop you if he sees a cell phone in your hand. And it comes with fines of $75 to $250.

    Here's the rub; the fining portion of this bill doesn't begin until January of 2021. One can argue they were giving people an opportunity for some grow in time. But let's be a little skeptical. What they are hoping for is folks will be over Officer Townsend's death and next year replace this with one of the crappy distracted driver bills they were trying to sell this year.

    I could have seen them, if they needed to give drivers a phase in period, starting the penalties on January 1, 2020. But, let's be a bit more objective, with the 2021 date they will have another legislative session to "fix" this.

    God, i hate politics.
     
    Kim-Sandy Kline likes this.
  2. Kim-Sandy Kline

    Kim-Sandy Kline New Member

    We have a no texting law in Alaska. The driver that hit my husband and crushed his leg was doing just that... I have been called out on two Employer Critical Incidences where young people were texting and drove through stop signs. Both of these folks were hit by trucks. One a loaded gravel truck the other a half full septic pump truck. The trucks survived, the drivers did not.
    One of the police officers said a problem with charging texting drivers is once pulled over how do you prove they had there phone in there hand? He said it is a law but very difficult to enforce. Also, on base where it is a big taboo I have seen texting while driving. This whole electronic phone addiction is problematic in several facets of life. I see and hear some pretty outrageous problems folks are having.
    I don’t get a phase in period. It is not as though you need to restructure or build. It seems it is pretty simple... “Put your electronics down or get a ticket.” But, that is just my opinion.
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2019
  3. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    It is that simple Kim. The truth is a good number of our friends on the right hated to pass this bill but were shamed into it by a massive wave of support when an officer was killed by a guy texting in January. The family became pit bulls and the pictures of the officer who left behind a wife and children prevented them from escaping the vote.

    The governor signed the bill yesterday, but watch at next year’s legislative session as they try and replace this bill with a distracted driver bill where it will be watered down and meaningless. They wanted another bite of the apple before any of their constituents were fines. Lord forbid we should expect people to follow the laws.
     
  4. SCR

    SCR Active Member

    It took an officers death to get politicians to act on a distracted driving law. It's like they said we really don't care about our constituents, but we do value the lives of our officers.

    I've been using a cell phone since the very early 90's and I have never answered a call while I was driving. If I received a call while driving, I would pull over, put the vehicle in park and answer the call. As for texting, I have probably texted the equivalent of the text in this entire thread in all the years I've used a cell phone. As far as I'm concerned, a phone is for making and getting calls and nothing more. And there is no phone call so important that it must be answered or made while driving.
     
  5. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    As it should be SCR. Leave the damn phone down and pay attention to your driving. Watch next year when the repub’s try and dilute the bill and take away the fines. When we first moved here there were speed camera’s all over the freeway. They slowed drivers down but Gov Jan Brewer and the goofy politician’s in Scottsdale felt they were an infringement on their right to drive as fast as they wanted.
     
  6. aggie

    aggie Well-Known Member

    Yet Scottsdale currently has 11 fixed red light/speed cameras which generate plenty of income for that already wealthy city.

    Another thing to raise the blood pressure is the fact the budget was approved with the $32 Highway Safety Fee intact($5 for golf carts) but it will be phased out in 2 years??? Huh??? Exempt from this tax are charitable organization owned vehicles, government vehicles and 100% disabled Veterans. Once a tax is in place it is very unlikely it will be phased out.
     

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