Thursday Afternoon Commute - Micromanage

I guess you can throw out your Palin 2012 bumper stickers.

• 1/3 of drivers admit to texting while they drive, and two-thirds admit to talking on the phone while driving in the last 30 days. Nonethless, most people think these activities should be illegal. In Maryland, police agencies have issued over 9,000 tickets to drivers for using handheld cellphones behind the wheel in the year since a ban took effect - despite it being only a 'secondary' offence. 

Delegate Michael D. Smigiel Sr., R-Cecil, opposed the ban on the grounds that it was too invasive.  “I abhor the fact that someone would take their eyes off the road. It’s just wrong. You should pay attention,” he said. “But it doesn’t make it right for the government to come in to dictate what we should do.”

Really? If protecting public safety doesn't give the government that right, what does? How is this different than the "right" to drive while drinking vodka? Thankfully no one running for President thinks like this.
• Meanwhile, a study shows that texting while driving is more dangerous than thought and that it doubles reaction time. 
  • "Drivers in the study were more than 11 times more likely to miss the flashing light altogether when they were texting." 
  • The study also found texting impaired the ability of drivers to maintain proper lane position and a constant speed.
  • 'The Texas Legislature approved a texting ban earlier this year, but Gov. Rick Perry vetoed the measure, calling it an “overreach” and a “government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults.”'

I take back what I said above.

• Fairfax residents want to bike to Tysons Metro stations (which have no auto parking). "More than half of those surveyed said they live or work near planned bicycle routes in Tysons and stressed the need for dedicated bike lanes."
• See battlefields by bicycle.
• According to a CDC study, bicycling and football were the leading reasons for brain injuries among children. The number of children going to the hospital with concussions is up 60% in the past decade, which they think is due to greater awareness, not more dangerous behavior. “These injuries were always there. It’s not that there are more injuries now. It’s just that now people are getting treatment that they weren’t getting before,”

Comments

[Michael H.]

I saw another survey where two-thirds of young adults (I think the age range was something like 18 to 30) admit to texting and driving.

As for reaction time, I guess that's if the driver sees anything at all. I've encountered many "texting" drivers with zero reaction time to anything. They simply are not aware of a single thing outside of their car.

[Turbineblade]

Hey Wash - this would be a good one (texting) to add to your scofflaw post. I often use that scofflaw post of yours when explaining this issue to folks.