by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 02/17/2017 at 10:01
by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 02/17/2017 at 10:01
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STARS: 1
Austin Police are staking out street corners downtown today to nab drivers on their cell phones. Not quite as dramatic as the day they borrowed a Cap Metro bus and drove down the interstate, looking into cars and radioing to motor officers stationed along the highway, but arguably more effective. While tickets don’t necessarily discourage people from breaking the law on handhelds, one aspect of the law actually encourages compliance.
During their enforcement Friday, officers on bicycle and motorcycle will be at a location in downtown Austin from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. They did this enforcement for the first time in downtown last Friday and wrote 99 citations. That citation costs $220, but there is a first-time violators program and drivers can get out of paying that ticket with the purchase of a hands-free device.
“If they purchase that blue tooth device after receiving that citation they bring that device in along with the receipt to talk to one of the prosecuting attorneys they will dismiss the ticket on what’s called deferred disposition,” says Michael Barger, Austin Police Department Highway Enforcement Unit.
Violators still have to pay court costs but APD says it amounts to less than the full citation.
It should be noted, though, that you must spend a minimum of $150 on the hands free device.
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"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
02/17/2017 at 10:04, STARS: 1
"Tripper" (tripe46)
02/17/2017 at 10:05, STARS: 2
I’m good with this. I think even first time offenders should get slapped with a huge ticket, like more than $500.
"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
02/17/2017 at 10:08, STARS: 1
*yuge
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
02/17/2017 at 10:10, STARS: 0
I think first time offenders should be given electroshock therapy until they have a permanent twitch any time they think about using a phone while driving. But I am also for cell jammers installed in all cars. Honestly seems like a bigger problem than drunk driving almost.
"haveacarortwoorthree2" (haveacarortwoorthree2)
02/17/2017 at 10:11, STARS: 4
I’d much rather have them doing this than running speed traps!
"Tripper" (tripe46)
02/17/2017 at 10:13, STARS: 1
Totally agree, the officer should even get the satisfaction of smashing an offenders phone! I also agree that driving tired or distracted is just as bad as driving while impaired.
"GV_Goat" (gv_goat)
02/17/2017 at 10:14, STARS: 2
And if you already had a hands free device but were busted because of texting or fucking with your nav? Austin, you are f’n ridiculous. As much as I loved living there 20 years ago, not sure if i could stomach it today.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/17/2017 at 10:15, STARS: 3
Don’t forget, APD and all other peace officers are exempt from the ban. There have been at least two crashes that I know of where cops were driving while typing on their laptop.
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
02/17/2017 at 10:19, STARS: 1
That deferred disposition offer is pretty cool. It proves that they’re more interested in safety than revenue.
I don’t like that it excludes cheaper units, but I guess I can appreciate that it forces you to invest in something that you’re going to want to get your money’s worth from using. It discourages people from buying a $12 earpiece and never even taking it out of the box.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/17/2017 at 10:22, STARS: 2
I’m good with this. The only thing. I see wrong is i think the cops should be under the same prohibition.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/17/2017 at 10:27, STARS: 2
Agreed. With the state of technology today, there’s no reason why they can’t be using hands free as well. But it’s their laptops that have caused them to crash into people.
"Nothing" (nothingatalluseful)
02/17/2017 at 10:31, STARS: 1
A year or two ago, Denver police stood on street corners at busy intersections, appearing to be homeless to write citations for the same thing.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
02/17/2017 at 11:01, STARS: 0
I just don’t understand how people even manage to use their phones while driving. The few times I have actually tried doing that, it just becomes so frustrating to type out coherent words or understand what is incoming so I ended up pulling over anyways. Sure autocorrect and predictive text makes it possible but it’s so not worth the hassle. And that is before it even starts making you drive like shit. That just compounds the problem and makes me just shove the phone between the seats someplace because I dont want any access to it, regardless of what “important” crap comes in.
"Sam" (samwellington)
02/17/2017 at 11:03, STARS: 1
Good. Texting and driving is stupid.
I have to admit that I do it, though when I’m in traffic or driving on the highway I always use voice-to-text. Shit happens a lot faster at 65 than at 45, so looking down at all doesn’t really work there.
"Sam" (samwellington)
02/17/2017 at 11:05, STARS: 0
That’s exactly what they’re trying to avoid. Someone will actually get a nice device to use, so it will help a bit. Though to be honest, I text because I don’t WANT to call people. So a headset would do nothing for me.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/17/2017 at 11:35, STARS: 3
That’s even worse. I’d want any peace officer dumb enough to be typing on a computer while in gear to be suspended until such time as they successfully remediated kindergarten.
"uofime-2" (uofime-2)
02/17/2017 at 12:50, STARS: 0
That’s kind of useless though, I could care less if you look at your phone while stopped at an intersection that’s like saying that doing it while parked is illegal too. It’s doing it while moving that bugs me
"Scott" (merl3noir)
02/19/2017 at 17:22, STARS: 1
And just a few days ago a police officer in a community near where I live was involved in an accident. He is still unconscious in the Hospital. From his dash cam State Police determined he had his lights on, but not his sirens. He was driving a low profile (black on black) marked patrol car. He had turned on his siren at an intersection a block prior to the accident but did not have it on at the intersection where the accident happened. They confirmed he had a red light but did not slow down for it or turn on his siren. The cars he hit confirmed they saw him and his lights just prior to the accident but had no time to react and did not hear any sirens. They State Police believe he was distracted by use of his laptop, but until they are able to speak to him they do not know for certain why he did not have on his siren as he went through the intersection, or why he did not attempt to slow down.
http://news10.com/2017/02/17/crash-involving-police-officer-under-investigation/