Letters: Feb. 3, 2012
Texting law takes away rights
Editor:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Once again our Legislature is bowing to pressure from the federal government to enact legislation banning the use of handheld communication devices while operating a vehicle. This pressure is applied by threatening to withhold future federal funds if we choose not to comply.
This tactic has worked in the past, i.e. the seat-belt law. And, if passed, will be no more effective than the seat-belt law, which is ignored by thousands of West Virginians every day. People feel that it is their personal safety at risk and therefore their decision to make, not the state's.
Common sense tells us that anything which distracts one while driving can be dangerous. So where does it end? Do we next ban radios and dashboard clocks, rearview mirrors and road signs? Reading and driving is too dangerous so road signs have to go? Does anyone really believe that someone who regularly texts while driving will simply quit when the law goes into effect? Please!
So do we really need a new law that strips us of yet another freedom? It is interesting that the same government that deems you capable of operating a vehicle, and subsequently issues you a license to do so, one day decides that you are not smart enough to decide if you should wear a seat belt or a motorcycle helmet or use your cell phone while driving. Rubbish! Such decisions should be individual choices, each person having the freedom to choose. Our legislators should be protecting our rights and liberties rather than abetting the federal government in stripping them away.
One article in this newspaper cited the National Insurance Institute saying they found no appreciable decline in the number of accidents related to cell phone usage under such a law. In some states the rate for accidents of this type actually increased. History teaches us that trying to police people's actions does not work. Prohibition proved this, as does our current "war on drugs".
The technological wonders at the center of this issue are capable of informing police if the device was being used at the time an accident occurred, literally within minutes. Some will argue that a law could prevent such accidents in the first place. They will argue that the minor inconvenience imposed on all citizens is for the greater good of the few. Our Legislature could propose a bill that would impose a criminal penalty for those whose own device proved them guilty. Such a law would punish only the guilty and not make common criminals out of common citizens.
Texting law takes away rights
Editor:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Once again our Legislature is bowing to pressure from the federal government to enact legislation banning the use of handheld communication devices while operating a vehicle. This pressure is applied by threatening to withhold future federal funds if we choose not to comply.
This tactic has worked in the past, i.e. the seat-belt law. And, if passed, will be no more effective than the seat-belt law, which is ignored by thousands of West Virginians every day. People feel that it is their personal safety at risk and therefore their decision to make, not the state's.
Common sense tells us that anything which distracts one while driving can be dangerous. So where does it end? Do we next ban radios and dashboard clocks, rearview mirrors and road signs? Reading and driving is too dangerous so road signs have to go? Does anyone really believe that someone who regularly texts while driving will simply quit when the law goes into effect? Please!
So do we really need a new law that strips us of yet another freedom? It is interesting that the same government that deems you capable of operating a vehicle, and subsequently issues you a license to do so, one day decides that you are not smart enough to decide if you should wear a seat belt or a motorcycle helmet or use your cell phone while driving. Rubbish! Such decisions should be individual choices, each person having the freedom to choose. Our legislators should be protecting our rights and liberties rather than abetting the federal government in stripping them away.
One article in this newspaper cited the National Insurance Institute saying they found no appreciable decline in the number of accidents related to cell phone usage under such a law. In some states the rate for accidents of this type actually increased. History teaches us that trying to police people's actions does not work. Prohibition proved this, as does our current "war on drugs".
The technological wonders at the center of this issue are capable of informing police if the device was being used at the time an accident occurred, literally within minutes. Some will argue that a law could prevent such accidents in the first place. They will argue that the minor inconvenience imposed on all citizens is for the greater good of the few. Our Legislature could propose a bill that would impose a criminal penalty for those whose own device proved them guilty. Such a law would punish only the guilty and not make common criminals out of common citizens.
Walt Lindsay
Madison
Ban all distractions when driving
It seems a little short-sighted to focus a piece of legislation on banning text messages from being sent by a driver. Sure, text messages can be a distraction, but so can eating in the car, putting on makeup, or changing the radio station. All of these actions take some amount of attention off the task of driving, and increase the risk of an accident. It sounds like the Legislature is making a law for the sake of making a law. Advocates for a texting ban cite studies that compare the dangers of distracted driving to driving under the influence. If this law passes and someone is injured because of a texting driver, will the driver face the same punishment of a person who causes a wreck under the influence of alcohol? I ask that the Legislature be consistent in their concern of distracted drivers. This piece of legislation needs to ban all possible distractions, or none at all.
Paul McClanahan
Nitro
