I agree with the sentiment that texters should be shot on sight. Every day more of them sit next to me in the right or left lane looking down. If cops got on bikes and just concentrated on texting as a behaviour they would fill the coffers of the local municipality and have a far greater effect on safety than if they pulled everyone who was more than 3 over the limit over. If they added in the Left Lane bandits they would indeed fill the coffers.

I can voice text on the bike just with commands. Interrupts my Mike and Mike time but when the hospital needs an answer during my 35 minute drive it is easier for me toanswer a text than to try and wend my way through the prompts of the phone system to get them an answer.

Simple enforcement would be ....if the phone is in your hand YOU GET A TICKET. How freeking hard is that? Works alll over Europe. I looked and looked every time I was over there and NO one had a phone in their hand that I saw. The motor police said the only ones they usually catch and ticket are Americans in rental cars.

My kid starts driving in a year. He already knows his car will be equipped with a handsfree mount and may well have his key converted if the anti texting tech http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/12/cellphone-jammer-crammed-into-key-fob-ends-texting-talking-wh/ is available

I'd like to read that article - where'd the quote come from?   I can't find it - Google only pulls this post when searched...

Jamie

I didn't have a tape recorder in my pocket when he told me this. He was in my house investigating a fraudulent cheque that was processed at my store.

In my state, texting and driving is illegal. In my city, talking and driving is illegal. Why aren't there more citations? Well, for one, all the police drive around texting and driving themselves. Can't very well stop a person and cite them for the same thing you are doing. Its a joke. The law is a joke. Everyone is doing it and theres no way you are going to stop it. Somebody here said recently when talking about something similar, if roadside summary executions for texting and driving were in place, you still would have texting and driving. Until someone invents something that will disconnect the phone or black it out while in or near a car, nothing will ever be done, of course as soon as its released, work would begin on how to disconnect that. A radar gun is not the answer.

Dave, the Ohio law is a joke.  It's a secondary offense, which means they have to pull you over for something else before they can cite you for the texting, just like the worthless seat belt law.  But, it shouldn't be hard to find another offense to pull these idiots over for, i.e., turn signal violation, speeding (if you see them texting, pull them over if they even go 1 mph over), tailgating, failure to maintain lane.  The other part of the law that's a joke is that it's a primary offense for anyone under 18.  So, if you are under 18, you can be pulled over for texting.  How does the cop know they are under 18?  Also, why can't they use the existing distracted operation law?  I believe there is also a loophole for LEOs and emergency use.  I think I've heard of situations where they pull people over for speeding, give them a warning on the speeding, but cite them for the seat belt violation.  So they don't even have to cite them for the primary offense to cite them for the secondary, just have another reason to pull them over.
 
I have to believe, though, that a hands-free only, primary offense law works (provided it's enforced).  Last year I was in Chicago, riding the rapid transit train that is in the median of the expressway and noticed no one was talking on the phone. They have a hands-free only, primary offense law.

Coat the inside of the car and the windows with RF blocking coating. That way, you have to stop the car and step outside to either talk or text.