Comments on: Do as We Say, Not as We Say

By: Pablo

Pablo — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:37:10 +0000

I’ll buy that. Makes about as much sense as the govt. subsidizing tobacco farmers while suing tobacco companies and paying for smoking related illnesses. Also subsidizing corn farmers while taxing foods high in HFCS and paying to treat the medical consequences of obesity.

By: Xenocles

Xenocles — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:26:19 +0000

Don’t worry – after they require everyone to carpool the contradiction will go away.

By: MattF

MattF — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:10:30 +0000

a) They’re not encouraging 511 while driving.
2) Hands free, anyone?
iii) @#2, 911 calls are legal while driving

By: Pi Guy

Pi Guy — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:32:42 +0000

I’ve noticed a few of these the last few weeks on I-95 in MD – where it’s illegal to do anything w/ a handheld cell phone!

I wanted to take a pic just to send here but haven’t had a chance yet and was, in fact, just telling the future Mrs. Pi about it this morning.

By: perlhaqr

perlhaqr — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:35:28 +0000

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20685560/denver-appeals-reinstatement-drunk-off-duty-cop-143

By: Brandon

Brandon — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:15:56 +0000

#3, did you actually read this post? The DOT is pushing states to pass laws banning cell phones while at the same time pushing states to implement the 511 programs. Saying “we encourage it only when it’s safe to do so” is meaningless, and pushing legislation onto smaller entities is exactly a Big Brother approach. “Cell phone use” is not the same as “texting,” either.

By: Mr Lizard

Mr Lizard — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:14:22 +0000

Thankfully the Florida house and senate members rely to much on driving and talking to ever outlaw it. Coincidentally the governor revoked all their state funded flying privileges the year before. The end result is that reps from ft Lauderdale do a lot of business on their 10 hour drive from Tallahassee.

By: Bad Medicine

Bad Medicine — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:00:30 +0000

So, no problem! Pass a law that makes it illegal for the driver to communicate information to anyone else (except 911, which would be a defense) but not to take in information via cell phone. Then you just need a big LED display on the side of your car that shows whether or not you are talking into the phone or if it is just talking to you, like the 511 traffic line would be. Come to think of it, then you could just force the car to stop dead if you tried to send any communication to any outside party, and wait until a police officer came to ticket you and authorize the car to drive again.

Now we just have to figure out the difference between talking to a passenger while listening to a traffic report and talking to an outside party on the phone…

See how government drives innovation and technology? There’s a HUGE market just waiting to pop up and fill this heretofore unknown need!

By: Bruce H

Bruce H — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:59:13 +0000

As usual, a pithy headline does not an article make. The US government is not encouraging citizens to text while driving. From the DOT's Implementation and Operational Guidelines for 511 Services:

How can I market 511 for drivers in light of safety concerns about driving while using a cell phone or when my state / city has hands-free legislation? Marketing materials and calls to action should make clear that the implementing agency encourages callers to use 511 only when they can do so safely.

Furthermore, implementation of this service is left up to the states, with monetary and technical assistance available from the federal government. That's hardly a big brother approach to governance. P.S. -- I apologize if the HTML didn't come through; I can't preview my comment before submitting.

By: freedomfan

freedomfan — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:55:38 +0000

We had this same sort of nonsense in California a year or so ago, during the annual holiday season drinking-and-driving hysteria. There were billboards up urging people to call 911 (or maybe 311?) if they spotted a drunk driver. Of course, this was the same year the highway patrol had initiated a “crackdown” on people using their cell phones while driving. I guess it’s a good way to get two arrests/citations out of one phone call…

By: a leap at the wheel

a leap at the wheel — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:37:55 +0000

The left hand doesn’t know that there is a right hand.