Monday, June 30, 2008

Texting and laptop use still legal

The campfire smell seems to have gone away, but there was a layer of ash on my bicycle this morning.

California's new handsfree mobile phone law goes into effect tomorrow. The law does not ban texting while driving. I even saw this last Friday in moving traffic.

Laptop while driving


The handsfree law doesn't specifically exempt bicyclists, but Mr Roadshow says it doesn't apply to cyclists. Neither he nor I are lawyers. YMMV.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The handsfree law CVC 23123, applies to motor vehicles.

On the plus side, at least it's gotten people talking about distractions of all kinds.

The consequences of distraction are still illegal. For example, unsafe lane changes, running stop signs, etc.

You don't actually have to hold a cell phone to your ear, or be drunk, to do something stupid/dangerous/illegal while driving. Even perfectly sober, alert people do stupid/dangerous/illegal things while driving.

Jennifer said...

That's a scary picture.

MarkinIL said...

A few days ago on I-55 between Chicago and St. Louis I passed a man in a convertible reading a book while driving at 70+ mph.