Legislative Chicanery
A step forward, “A House committee on Monday refused to vote on a bill to ban the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving, effectively killing the proposal.”
This follows some clear thinking by Rep. Cleo Duncan, R-Greensburg, the committee’s chairwoman, who, “said she did not want to single out phone users unfairly. Mobile phones, she said, are simply part of a broader problem: distracted driving.” Indeed, if we really wanted to ban driver distraction, we’d make people drive alone, without a sound system or climate control. Cell phones are just an easy target for populist legislators.
And a step back, “If it were up to the people who testified at an Indiana House committee Monday, Indiana would observe daylight-saving time.”
There is some hope from obstructionist Democrats, “‘This is normally a totally nonpartisan issue,’ [Rep. Jerry] Torr [R-Carmel] said. ‘If it becomes a partisan issue, it is probably dead.’”
While I’m sure the lack of DST may be annoying for some businesses, I really can’t offer them much sympathy, especially not when they make statements like these:
Every time most other states change their clocks but Indiana doesn’t, it creates confusion, [Steve Russell] said, as he has to explain why it takes five hours to deliver something to Detroit half the year, but six hours the rest of the year.
Uh . . . tailwinds? Normally, I’d assume it would take the same amount of time regardless of the time zone. Unless it takes longer in the winter due to icy roads.
Only seven people — mostly theater owners — testified against the change.
Zach, I half thought you would have been there to voice your opinion.
>>“Mobile phones, she said, are simply part of a broader problem: distracted driving.” Indeed, if we really wanted to ban driver distraction, we’d make people drive alone, without a sound system or climate control. Cell phones are just an easy target for populist legislators.”
Those other things might provide some distraction, but they don’t involve making use of a hand for extended periods or (in the case of making a call) looking at a screen. I think there are good reasons for imposing a ban on hand-held phones while driving. I just wish the ban we have in this country were enforced.
Actually Mr. Hall, almost all the data I’ve seen has pegged cell phone use as a relatively minor distraction compared to the other activities I listed. Even distractions outside the car may be more dangerous than cell phones. And this doesn’t even get into the economics of the bans.
My sister-in-law and her grandmother were killed in a head-on collision several years ago. The driver of the car that veered into her lane was also killed. Found on the floor of the other driver’s car….a cell phone with half a number dialed into it. Oh yeh, my niece was also injured in the accident…a bright,happy 14 year old, now severely brain-damaged, unable to walk or talk.