Monday, November 2, 2009

Letter to me from Jim T: "How do we deal with texting, Jim?"

How will we deal with texting? The same way we SHOULD have dealt with drunk drivers, but never did.

Take a note from the Europeans -- I've NEVER seen anyone on a cell phone (or, heaven forbid, texting) in France or Germany. The only on-site phones are used by taxi drivers and they're hands-free. Otherwise, people actually DRIVE.

Personally I think that for a first offense the driver will face a 30 day AUTOMATIC suspension and a $500 fine.

Second offense, LOSE the car (seriously) and a one year suspension.

Third offense . . . hmmmm, do you smell prison?

As for drunks, I've had my attitude about drunks ever since taking a dead child out of a car, hit by a drunk driver, who was so drunk he didn't even know he had been in an accident. I got pretty good at catching drunks after that . . . but my feeling is that:

a) First Offense -- six weeks in a Marine Corps operated Boot Camp (located, naturally, in South Texas) - three year suspension (if you're caught driving on a license suspended due to DUI you spend the remainder of the three years in a State Prison) and loss of the car.

b) Second Offense -- permanent suspension of license (forever and ever, thank you very much) and three years imprisonment (mandatory).

It would be pretty brutal for the first few months and then NOBODY would do it, TOO risky.

more later.... your friend, Jim

1 comment:

David S said...

For as many that do it now, I have this really bad feeling that we have yet to see the explosion in people driving and texting. Technology is adapting and evolving to cater to mobile device use. For as many people that have joined the driving while texting parade, magnitudes more have yet to join the ranks.
In addition to more people texting, using twitter while driving will be the next tidal wave of mobile device use.
The magnetic force of twitter, a positive force in so many ways, when combined with driving will be deadly.
Even more deadly, I believe, than driving drunk.
It will be years before this prophecy comes true but I believe it will unless the hammer comes down hard and fast, now.
The forces of commerce lobbying to promote access and use of technology will be difficult to compete with. I have little faith the political will to resist the commercial forces exists in this country.
I vote for Jim T. for Attorney General/Sheriff/Judge/Jury/Executioner.