THP using BIg rigs to catch texting and driving

[kckndrgn]

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/23838525/highway-patrol-officers-drive-semi-trucks-to-catch-drivers-texting#axzz2jIWuxblh

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -

Some Highway Patrol Officers in Tennessee are swapping their patrol cars for big rigs.

It's part of a sting to catch people texting and driving.

Officers say they have a better chance of spotting violators because the semi-trucks sit much higher.

 

Guess using a SUV just won't cut it, gotta burn lots of diesel to catch those bad drivers.

[luvmyberetta]

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/23838525/highway-patrol-officers-drive-semi-trucks-to-catch-drivers-texting#axzz2jIWuxblh

 

 

 

 

Guess using a SUV just won't cut it, gotta burn lots of diesel to catch those bad drivers.

 

You gotta have something taller than an SUV to see into an SUV. Makes sense. I'm all for it if it actually makes the roads safer & stops some of these jackasses from endangering the rest of us.

[GuitaRx]

ugh......... maybe they're be able to see into the big rigs now and stop the biggest offenders.. the truck drivers.

Edited October 31, 2013 by GuitaRx

[c.a.willard]

From my understanding they got the truck from a seizure and it was painted by inmates.  They expect ticket revenues to more than cover the fuel for it, and it may actually make the roads a little safer without hindering non offenders with the burden of the cost.  I'm all for it.

[RobertNashville]

Well apparently; we folks in Tennessee are pretty damn lucky. I mean, we must have solved every other criminal problem we have if we can now go out and buy a tractor so that we can concentrate on texting while driving!  I wonder what they'll do to stop distractions caused by such things as...

 

1. A heated discussion with a passenger, or

2. Fiddling with a GPS unit, or

3. Fiddling with a radio or DVD player, etc, etc.

[E4 No More]

I wasn't aware that they passed a law against texting and driving. :shrug:

[luvmyberetta]

Well apparently; we folks in Tennessee are pretty damn lucky. I mean, we must have solved every other criminal problem we have if we can now go out and buy a tractor so that we can concentrate on texting while driving!  I wonder what they'll do to stop distractions caused by such things as...

 

1. A heated discussion with a passenger, or

2. Fiddling with a GPS unit, or

3. Fiddling with a radio or DVD player, etc, etc.

 

You may enjoy your sarcasm, but a lot of accidents & deaths are caused by people texting & driving. My BIL was hospitalized back in August with a broken arm & compound fracture to his leg because an assbag texting driver ran him off the road.

[RobertNashville]

You may enjoy your sarcasm, but a lot of accidents & deaths are caused by people texting & driving. My BIL was hospitalized back in August with a broken arm & compound fracture to his leg because an assbag texting driver ran him off the road.

I'm sorry about your BIL - I'm not trivializing the harm done to innocent people by asshole drivers. However, a lot of accidents and deaths are caused by asshole drivers whether they are texting, talking on their phones (hands-free or not) or any of a few dozen other things that take their concentration away from driving OR sometimes, just by some plain ####ty driving habits.

 

In my opinion, texting while driving is just the "problem de jour"; no more or less of a problem than many others.

 

If people want to really have an effect on accidents and deaths on the road how about we start instituting some REAL requirements that a person has to meet before a person is ever given a license coupled with some real punishment when they don't follow the rules of the road! Of course, rather than make meaningful change (that would no doubt piss off a lot of people who would no longer qualify for a license) the government in its usual bureaucratic logic decides that dressing up a big rig tractor and issuing meaningless tickets is the way to combat this latest threat to driver safety.  :taser:

Edited October 31, 2013 by RobertNashville

[bersaguy]

I'm all for it. Stop and think that the job of the THP is to patrol our highways and that is their main job. They are not out there for any other reason and they didn't buy the truck. It was seized in a drug bust. Texting and driving became against the law I think back on July 1 of this year. I think it is as dangerous if not more dangerous than drunk driving because more young drivers are doing it than there are drunk drivers. My Grandson is or was a great example of texting while driving and also listening to a GPS that gives him directions verbally. Twice he wreck a car while Texting. First time he rana stop sign and t boned a pickup truck and totaled his car and thank GOD no one was hurt. 2 months later, another car and texting again and hit another car in the rear that stopped for a light and he didn't. Then a 3rd car with a verbal GPS telling him directions and he may have been texting then also but swears he was not. It's dark and GPS tells him to turn left onto barker road and he immediately turns left and drove directly in a deep ditch about 15 feet before reaching the road he was suppose to turn on. In my opinion they have put far to many toys for adults to play with in new cars and are very distracting for many drivers but that is............jmho

[RobertNashville]

I wasn't aware that they passed a law against texting and driving. :shrug:

I "sort of" knew but I really don't know when the law changed...this is what a quick search turned up...

 

Except for novice drivers, there is no prohibition on cell phone use while driving in Tennessee. However, all Tennessee drivers are prohibited from texting.

Cell Phone Use

There is no handheld cell phone prohibition for drivers except that novice drivers in Tennessee - drivers with a learner's permit or intermediate license – are prohibited from using cell phones (handheld or hands-free) while driving.

Texting

All drivers are prohibited from texting while driving. The ban on texting exempts certain officials - such as officers of the state, campus police officers and emergency medical technicians - when performing their duties.

Bus Drivers

Tennessee law prohibits school bus drivers from using cell phones while the bus is in motion and transporting children. As with all drivers, bus drivers are prohibited from texting while driving.

Enforcement

Violation of the texting law is punishable by a fine of up to $50 plus court costs not to exceed $10. Novice drivers who violate the law may be fined up to $100. Violators will also be ineligible to apply for an intermediate or unrestricted driver's license for an extra 90 days after they otherwise would have been eligible. Tennessee’s cellphone and texting laws are considered “primary” laws. A primary law means that an officer can pull you over for the offense without having to witness some other violation. That is, the officer sees you texting and issues a citation.

 

http://www.drivinglaws.org/tenn.php

[kckndrgn]

 

All drivers are prohibited from texting while driving. The ban on texting exempts certain officials - such as officers of the state, campus police officers and emergency medical technicians - when performing their duties.

So somehow officers of the state, police, etc. are better drivers than the rest of us servants and are exempt from the law.

 

I honestly don't see the need to make "texting" while driving "illegal".  It's called distracted driving, if you cause an accident while distracted your fault.

 

I don't know if it passed, but a year or so ago there was a big push to make it illegal to let your little dog ride on your lap while driving.  really?  

[gregintenn]

Wouldn't it be difficult to pull a vehicle over with a tractor trailer?

[kckndrgn]

Wouldn't it be difficult to pull a vehicle over with a tractor trailer?

well, it's the "tractor" only part and they've fitted it with lights and sirens.  My guess is if you floor to get away the'll have traditional squad cars near by to get you and tack on a few extra tickets.

[bersaguy]

well, it's the "tractor" only part and they've fitted it with lights and sirens.  My guess is if you floor to get away the'll have traditional squad cars near by to get you and tack on a few extra tickets.

I think your right on having pursuit cars close by for back up if needed. And yea their would be extra tickets plus maybe jail time in some cases....jmho

[Guest Riciticky]

I hope they catch every one of them and fine them severely. Sorry if you are one but IMO , it is worse than drunk driving. I don't know how many of these jackasses have almost killed me already.

Edited October 31, 2013 by Riciticky

[gregintenn]

I'm not a big police fan as most of you know, but I would be happy if they'd beat everyone they catch texting behind the wheel severely with a rubber hose. It is a bad problem and going to get much worse in the coming years. I'd venture to guess that drinking and driving is less of a problem.

Edited October 31, 2013 by gregintenn

[RobertNashville]

I'm not a big police fan as most of you know, but I would be happy if they'd beat everyone they catch texting behind the wheel severely with a rubber hose. It is a bad problem and going to get much worse in the coming years. I'd venture to guess that drinking and driving is less of a problem.

Maybe not worse...eventually the idiots who text while driving will likely remove themselves from the gene pool; the only problem is how many others they take with them before they are a victim of their own idiocy.

[gregintenn]

Maybe not worse...eventually the idiots who text while driving will likely remove themselves from the gene pool; the only problem is how many others they take with them before they are a victim of their own idiocy.

Yeah. Odds are high they'll remove someone innocent as well. As many as I see each day playing with a phone while driving, I'm nearly sure there can't be that many drunk drivers.

[Tncobra]

Well apparently; we folks in Tennessee are pretty damn lucky. I mean, we must have solved every other criminal problem we have if we can now go out and buy a tractor so that we can concentrate on texting while driving.

You are confusing THP with Police/Sheriff.

[gregintenn]

You are confusing THP with Police/Sheriff.

Yeah. If I'm not mistaken, the state troopers' main job is traffic law enforcement.

[RobertNashville]

You are confusing THP with Police/Sheriff.

No I'm not. They are still law enforcement officers. That aside, your statement totally misses the point I was making.

 

"Texting" is a problem as are MANY OTHER things people do that are illegal including illegal things that THP is responsible for addressing. There a PLENTY of other things that the state/THP could do to address accidents and deaths than worrying about "texting" (both doing so would require political balls which few politicians at any level have today).

[gregintenn]

 

There a PLENTY of other things that the state/THP could do to address accidents and deaths than worrying about "texting" (both doing so would require political balls which few politicians at any level have today).

I would be interested in hearing your further thoughts on this if you don't mind. I'm not picking a fight; just curious.

[R_Bert]

Old news.  They tested this out earlier this year, or late last year. 

[RobertNashville]

I would be interested in hearing your further thoughts on this if you don't mind. I'm not picking a fight; just curious.

If we really want to address avoidable traffic accidents and deaths then how about...

 

1. Requiring demonstrated competency behind the wheel of a vehicle at speed and in various emergency situations rather than just demonstrating that you can park and can memorize the basic rules for a multiple choice test?  Perhaps graduation from a major performance driving course could be used as proof of competency.  Tie insurance rates and/or allowed speed limits based on age and proven competency.  I don't know if it's still true but it used to be true that teenage drivers in Europe had more stringent speed limits (designated by a badge on the vehicle(s)) than adults and insurance companies gave favorable premium treatment to those who had passed driving courses that required real driving competency.

 

2.  Require refresher driving courses every few yeas...again, not just can I park and make a right turn but a course that actually requires demonstrated competency in an emergency situation.

 

3. Couple that with significant punishment for people who break major rules and especially those who cause accidents...if "texting" is really that dangerous, rather than a $60 fine how about a significant license suspension and a $1,000 fine?  How about a significant license suspension for anyone who causes an accident for ANY reason?  This past April I had a stupid woman turn left in front of me which totaled her POS Mercury as well as my $50K sports car; she spent three weeks in intensive care and I walked away with a couple of scratches but I could just as easily have been killed - I'm sure she is back on the road now and doing things just as stupid as what she did to me that day while in my opinion, she probably shouldn't be allowed to drive again for at least a year or more.

 

I know...I know...none of the above will ever happen...too many people would cry about the cost or about losing their "right to drive" if they actually had to prove competency in handling a vehicle at speed or in am emergency; that's why we have THPs dress up a big rig to give $60 to to people who text and drive because that's easier to deal with.

[daddyo]

What about "hands free" texting, as in using Siri on an iphone or S Voice on Android to text? Is that illegal as well?