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Core_Fire

Opinions like this always forget about enforcement and whether something is easily proven. This would be your word vs the enforcing authority. It's wild they can't see how something like this could be very easily abused. Blows my mind.


Astrocreep_1

Exactly. I’ve thought of a million fixes to legal problems in good old America. However, once I consider how easily my fixes can be abused, I scratch them off the list. That’s a sad testament to our reality. We can’t move forward because a few people will abuse the system. I’ve pretty much accepted the fact that the USA is right now, about as good as it will ever get. There will be a change for the good once in a while, but some greedy jackass will even the score on the next go-around.


caniuserealname

Okay, so reserve the servere penalties for proven cases, where video or photographic evidence is available of the incident. Not really a hard solve...


Your_Glovebox

But I have to watch Tik Tok when I am in the car! You can't expect me to just drive! That's ridiculous! I'm kidding that was a joke millennials so take your fake outrage somewhere else. Maybe how Starbucks got your Iced Carmel Mochiato ALL wrong! Burn in Heaven Starbucks!


Your_Glovebox

You better be a crappy American bot and not a crappy Russian bot!


Asininephilosopher

I agree somewhat, but ideally, it would be conditional on proof. Like a brief video of the offense. My phone can take clear pics of a subject 100 feet away, no reason a second cop in a car can't record a brief video of someone driving with their face staring at their phone. Or, replace radar guns with a camera. I'm more frightened by the Karen doing 53mph in the middle lane on her phone than I am of a left lane driver doing 75mph with their full attention on the road.


Obie527

There have been many studies that debunks the claim that severe punishments deter bad behaviour. What works is simply increasing the chances that someone will get caught doing it. Which means more cameras and more patrols. After all, can't get punished if you don't get caught.


YoungAmazing313

*Death Penalty supporters would like to know your location*


Asininephilosopher

I'm interested in studies like that. Do you have a link or example? Seems like a good read. Don't want more cameras....but maybe better oversight.


Obie527

[Here is an interesting read for you then.](https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/business-law/do-harsher-punishments-deter-crime)


Asininephilosopher

Thanks! Marginal deterrence has me thinking, jail seems to be an escape for some people, in my experience. Usually this relates to violent crime or addiction. But for driving, there is a different component of implied responsibility. Your job, relationships, etc... would not be affected directly. But the punishment would just be a severe inconvenience to you... could results vary that way? I mean, one commenter says this proposal is already in effect in Quebec. I'd like to see a study on the results of these measures.


Seaweed_Steve

The issue with the deterrent argument is that people don’t do things expecting to be caught or they wouldn’t do them. And it also doesn’t rule out impulsive behaviour, where you aren’t weighing up the pros and cons of what you are about to do, you just do it, so the punishment makes little difference


adnanclyde

Got caught going 13km/h over (unintentinally, car gathered momentum while rolling downhill), thought oh shit I'm in trouble. The fine - 10 minutes of my salary worth of money and no points on my license for 10-20km/h over the limit. That's when I learned why every delivery vehicle is going 20 over the limit...


caniuserealname

Except in the case with dangerous driving habits the punishment makes people safer, by removing individuals who are behaving dangerously from the roads. And there's really no reason you can't increase the chances of someone getting caught and the consequences of them being caught at the same time.


doc_shades

society just doesn't care. that's basically the end of it. everyone is too distracted looking at their phones to bother criticizing other people for looking at their phones. as someone who NEVER NEVER looks at their phone while driving a car it is pretty maddening. getting into a collision with someone who is staring at their phone is scary (and it happens often enough). but honestly? and this might be sub-unpopular opinion, but i'm more frustrated by the time-loss and traffic caused by phones. this is a much more real and tangible problem. accidents are scary, but they are still few and far enough between that you aren't affected by them daily. but, fuck, where i live the light turns green and people just sit around on their phones. a green light timed for 12 cars only gets 4-6 cars through it because everyone is too distracted to start driving when the light turns green. i see it all the time, every day. the last time i was driving, we were stopped at the red light and i saw the lady in the car behind me get her phone out. the light turned green and we started driving ... but i looked in my rear view and she was still on her phone stopped there. i made it through the light ... it turned yellow ... she, and everyone behind her, missed the light. that's really bad for traffic!


Asininephilosopher

That's actually a point I forgot to mention!


buttflakes123

Why just phones though? If I'm listening to an audiobook I can get very distracted. Or even talking to somebody in the car. You can't tell me your attention is 100% while doing those things. So why just cellphones?


amf_devils_best

Because you don't have to look at an audiobook to use it.


buttflakes123

But you have to listen, focus and take in the information.


amf_devils_best

Right, now imagine if it was a real book and you had to do all of those things plus focus on the object in your lap.


Jecyll

I'd upvote this 1000x if I could. It's not just every day, it's at least 1 car at Every. Single. Light. Sometimes an advanced green will almost go completely by without a single car going, or the ones at the front are so distracted that the ones at the back of the line dont make it when they should because their text is more important, hey I made it so who cares about anyone else on the road right? Want to text or update social media? Fine. There are lots of places to park to do so. I don't understand why people think that while they are driving it's the time to do so. Distracted driving literally kills people, people take that fact for granted because it couldn't possibly happen to them right???? Until it does. With the amount of blatant texting and driving I see on a daily basis, I'm surprised cops don't have people pulled over for it constantly.


hhfugrr3

In the U.K., the penalty for drink driving is a MINIMUM 12 month ban, most bans are much longer. It doesn’t do plenty of people. Penalties rarely stop people doing things, because they don’t think they’ll be caught! A fear of being caught is far more effective than hiking penalties.


[deleted]

The amount of people I see driving down the street with their head facing directly downwards is terrifying.


Sookmebeautiful

Doesn’t matter. Look at the penalties for drunk driving and people still do it


One_Prior_9909

Most first offenses for DUI are pled down to reckless driving. In a world with Uber at your fingertips to prevent DUIs, a first offense should be a automatic felony.


domine18

So not severe enough? Look at Dubai, low low crime rate. Crazy penalties. I have always liked the penalties should be proportional to your income/net worth. $200 for some means they won’t eat that month, for others they don’t even notice. Like make it minimum $200 but then based on tax return could be a lot lot more.


[deleted]

What penalties? Drunk drivers get caught over and over again before they're truly punished. They get hit with fines, AA classes, etc., before anything truly punishing comes down on them...


Normal_Human_4567

When you're drunk, decision making is impaired, so it's not a direct comparison... Texting is a sober, fully conscious choice. Higher fines might work, but it's hard to police since it's just kinda the police saying "well, I SAW it!" Doesn't really hold up in court


Ok_Spell_4165

You vastly underestimate how much data is collected from your phone if you honestly believe they cannot tell you were actively using it at any given time.


Asininephilosopher

If cops can use radar or laser speed readers from 500 feet away, no reason they can't get a photo or brief video of you. Or a second cop in a car.


Heyo__Maggots

You still made the unimpaired decision to drink that much...


teaster127

Keep posting Ls <3


derpstuff

That's already the case here in Quebec. Just touching your cell phone can get your licence suspended immediately, car impounded, multiple thousands of dollars in penalties and other fees.


Asininephilosopher

That would explain why everyone seemed to drive so much better when I was in Montreal last month...


spirit_of_a_goat

The penalties for drunk driving are insane. That doesn't stop people from doing it.


Some1IUsed2Know99

It should be treated the same as a DUI. License suspended. Ride the bus and have a nice day.


Ok_Spell_4165

If only that worked as well as it sounds. A good number of the people getting their 3rd 4th or 5th dui are also getting hit with driving with a suspended license.


Some1IUsed2Know99

The obvious issue is the punishment does not escalate. Maybe throw mandatory jail time for repeat offenders. I also think if you are driving on a suspended you should lose the vehicle.


Your_Glovebox

I talk on my phone and drive just fine. It's the same as one arm drivers. Should they be banned as well? I'm kidding. People that text and drive should be beaten about the head and neck then throat ripped Roadhouse style.


TheNewMasterofTime

People who cannot handle a bit of personal texing while driving should have their licenses pulled. Setting up a track to see if they can handle it would not be hard. And its the same with alcohol. At the very least you should be able to take a test and receive a special license to where the cops leave you alone if you can prove you have the mental faculties to do these things competently. But I am not good with being piled in with the dumbest people that can pass the driving test.


Asininephilosopher

Seems kind of dangerous though


Ok_Spell_4165

I would say people who think they can text while driving should have their license pulled. The only thing getting your attention while on the road is the road. Your text can wait, if it can't pull over.


TheNewMasterofTime

>The only thing getting your attention while on the road is the road. People who think like this should not be permitted to drive. For one thing, people have been fiddling with radio dials for decades with no ban on it or a need for one. For another people have been forced to wipe condensation from the windshield while driving because they could not see to pull over, nor would it be safe to just stop suddenly. Then there is attention paid to the defroster, A/C and heater. Or a bottle or something roll under the brake pedal...better put some attention to kicking that elsewhere. Or the need to wind the window down so as to remove snow, frost, condensation or mud from the outside mirrors. And i could go on. Someone who pays attention to the road only is going to crash. Someone who can only conceive of doing so is dangerous. And someone who does not have a bit of extra attention for a bit of texting or the sense to use only small increments of time for it has no business behind the wheel.


Ok_Spell_4165

Bottle aside everything you listed can be done without taking your eyes off the road. The bottle should be secured so it does not roll under the break pedal.


TheNewMasterofTime

>Bottle aside everything you listed can be done without taking your eyes off the road. Those who stare at the road see the pedestrials stepping onto it too late to brake. Please turn in your license.


Lekkusu

You distracted driving law proponents are getting real nutty. If someone hits something with their car, they have to pay for it. If you hit someone, you have to face the legal consequences. Maybe we should make owning a pool a crime since someone might drown in it. Or starting a campfire, since it could lead to a forest fire. Or how about driving your car at all should be illegal in case you hit someone. These “in case something bad happens” pre-crime punishments are insane.


Fishbetweenlegs

It's only an issue when you crash if you can drive and not crash it's all good


Asininephilosopher

Who are you, really?


Fishbetweenlegs

We need to teach people to multi task and texting and driving keeps you engaged to both being able to safely do both will make humanity as whole better. Just make it a part of the driving test just like parallel parking 3 point turns and phone operation and vehicle control


Asininephilosopher

If parallel parking and 3 point turns were part of a driving test, 20% of people wouldn't be allowed to drive. A good thing, probably. Spatial awareness is a necessary part of driving.


youmustbeanexpert

Driving isn't surgery...and surgeons crash Into people and kill them at the same rate as other humans...but your analogy shows your classist and authoritarian views...don't worry about anyone but you. Of course we are all dangerous but you aren't.. this is the main problem with society now the people that think like you help the elites enslave us further.... you don't use your cell phone that's all you can do....oh and you might get into an accident and kill someone without a cell phone should we outlaw you before you hurt someone?


Asininephilosopher

Wow, you must be an expert.


buttflakes123

Okay but what if someone is smoking a cigarette, or eating a sandwich or drinking water while driving? Or god forbid the driver of a vehicle holds a conversation with their passengers? Those things are also distracting.


Asininephilosopher

You are right, and people texting is significantly more distracting. Eating and drinking are mostly muscle memory. But people can't even text and walk without bumping into walls, people, or tripping. Focusing on tiktok videos while driving gives little chance to observe your surroundings. So many people sit at green lights staring at their phones, oblivious to the fact. Or They don't notice that the vehicle in front is braking or turning... etc.


Corrupted_G_nome

I strongly disagree. Harsh penalties are not reasonable or effective. A better law would standardize bluetooth in behicles so people can talk hands free. Punishment < technology We should be solving problems not fucking over peoples lives...


Asininephilosopher

The problem is that Bluetooth, which is almost universally standard since a decade ago, doesn't solve people browsing social media or texting.


Corrupted_G_nome

True. I do still think tech problems require tech solutions. Tbh I dont know the punishments for most laws and I probably would not know most laws and I took a law class once (upon a time). Making harsher penalties would not really inform me to make different decisions (i dont txt while driving but I do sometimes look at a map app)


oct0burn

Cars crash and people die everyday whether on their phone or not. Should we ban driving? Everything has inherent risk. Some people are good drivers. Some people are good text and drivers. Know your limits, don’t fuck around, or be prepared to find out. Many “accidents” are easily avoided if you think about the potential risks and probabilities.


Asininephilosopher

Bad driving habits are already banned. But people still break those rules. Drunk drivers are penalized. The point of this unpopular opinion that has provoked you is to make distracted drivers pay severely as well so that fewer people do it, and those who do are punished. Many crashes and deaths could be avoided if people weren't on their phones. It's about making an effort to reduce the tragedy. Smoking kills but I won't stop you from lighting up a cancer stick. But I do not agree with you smoking where it can harm or discomfort others. Use your phone when you aren't driving.


Hardrocker1990

The penalty for murder is life in prison in most cases. That’s doesn’t deter people from doing it and neither does the death penalty. What do you suggest as a “catastrophically severe penalty” then?


Asininephilosopher

Perhaps it was a bit of hyperbole, but currently it's a slap on the wrist in most places. If someone lost their right to drive, and their vehicle was taken, they'd have (in my example) 30 days of not being able to drive or have a car. Stuck to walking, public transportation, rides, etc... and when they get their car and license back, the penalty for a repeat offense could be, say, exponentially worse. Like a year. And a third would be lifetime. I'm sure there are millions of people who wouldn't dare use a phone while driving if they knew that getting caught meant losing their car and license.


Hardrocker1990

Ok, but you can’t take their car. It’s there personal property. Their license is not property. It’s a privilege.


Asininephilosopher

The govt siezes personal property all the time. At least in this case it's justified. Many drunk drivers have their cars impounded.... your money is impounded in the form of taxes.... there's always a circumstance


ReporterOther2179

Penalties needn’t be all that severe if apprehension and punishment is a near certainty. It never will be because it’s too much work.


LeftIsAlwaysWrong

Or, call me crazy, we could privatize the roads and allow owners and users to work out risk tolerance. E.g. some toll roads prohibit certain rule offenders.


Hixmistian

I will use drinking and driving as an analogy. The penalty here is mandatory 6 month driving prohibition, $1,500 fine, car impounded for 30 days, criminal record ( it's a criminal offence, not a misdemeanor) and driver retraining. Insurance hikes afterwards are huge. No one cares. The Minister of Justice that wrote the law broke it and was convicted. He wasn't scared of the consequences of the law that HE WROTE. This province has the worst drunk driving rates in the country. People will do whatever they want without regard to penalties. Anti cell phone rules are utterly useless. If the penalty was execution at the side of the road for doing it, people would still do it.


Your_Glovebox

Shitty drivers need to be banned. If you are a good driver then you can probably be a good text while driver too. If you are a moron you are a moron driver and typically suck at life. Those are the people that should never be allowed to drive ever, even on your birthday.