Tuesday, June 17, 2008
UPDATED: Garland to host public hearing over cell phones in school zones
Updated 09:42 a.m., June 19, 2008
Email
|
Print
|
Tell us your story
|
Comments (28)
|
At its upcoming meeting at 7 p.m. on June 17, the Garland City Council will look into the following:
Pegasus News staffer J. Alex Bentley was once caught talking on his phone in a banned school zone. Somehow he was not fired.
Cell phones & school zones
The council will hold a public hearing at the request of Mayor Ronald Jones regarding the use of cell phones by drivers in school zones. With cities such as Flower Mound, University Park, Highland Park and others banning the phones around schools, one can assume the Garland council is hoping to get a feel of citizens' feelings.
DART doings
In more transportationish news, the council will consider a resolution supporting the Dallas Area Rapid Transit's Service Plan amendments within Garland.
At the June 3, 2008 Work Session, DART representatives made a presentation to Council on the proposed extension of light rail from Garland to Rowlett. Since then, DART officials have requested a resolution from the city supporting the DART Service Plan amendments necessary to construct the extension. The amendments to the Service Plan add the route, Rowlett Station, and grade separation at the KCS Railway and First Street. State Law requires that cities along a rail route concur with the alignment and features before DART may revise its Service Plan.
Garland City Council Meeting
- When: Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 7 p.m.
- Where: Garland City Hall, 200 North 5th Street, Garland
- Cost: Free
- Age limit: All ages
And the Garland council will also consider two resolutions regarding its representatives to the DART Board of Directors.
The terms of current reps Ms. Angie Chen Button and Mr. Mark Enoch will expire on July 1, 2008, and while Mr. Enoch has indicated his desire to be reappointed, Ms. Button has declined. The council will consider reappointing Enoch and finding someone to fill the new gap.
UPDATE: The Garland City Secretary says two or three residents spoke at the hearing, with the council not really moving in either direction on the issue as of yet.
See more stories in:
Find...
Today
Presidential Debate Watch Why experience the democratic process in a lonely, isolated funk when you can stew in an auditorium-ful of like-minded miscreants? After the debate, there'll be a Q&A -- the perfect opportunity to ask a pompous windbag question that makes you look super-smart! More info
Blogs
- This American
Lifeeconomic disaster
Square Pegs - A haunting preview
Square Pegs - UnContest / Favoriting contest: Magnetic Fields at the Majestic
Square Pegs
Latest comments
- Clay213 on Dallas-based Southwest Airlines introducing priority security lane access for high-roller travelers: That’ll show those poor terrorists! They’ll have to wait in line with the rest of the cattle....
- Clay213 on Austin-American Statesman trades on dated cliches in its "20 Reasons to Visit Dallas-Fort Worth" piece: So what are YOUR suggestions?...
- Jason Rice on Austin-American Statesman trades on dated cliches in its "20 Reasons to Visit Dallas-Fort Worth" piece: Ok, I vote “Austin == Semi-Local”...
- Scott Doyle on AC/DC coming to American Airlines Center on January 23: Due diligence post. The following is an accurate portrayal of Miko’s future self if he allows the di...
Latest reviews
- Alex Bentley on Mama's Daughter's Diner (Dallas / Irving Blvd.): Just got introduced to this place by my brother-in-law and was very impressed with the food. Chicken...
- Liles on Twisted Root Burger Company: Love this place....
- dallasiphoney on Fox Sports Grill: ![Posted from Cool place. Rude Management....
Things you can't miss
Latest stories
- Teatro Dallas begins Don Juan the Vampire this weekend
- 23 attorneys from Dallas firm Gardere Wynne Sewell honored as ‘The Best Lawyers In America’
- Celebrity Cafe & Bakery opens branch in Allen, its tenth
- Dallas-based Southwest Airlines introducing priority security lane access for high-roller travelers
- Close Cowboys game holds onto another massive audience
Comments
AnnMarie Wilson Verified
What a waste of time! Does anyone actually think banning cell phone use (let's see that enforced shall we) is going to make any difference?
Okay if we ban cell phone use in school zones lets also ban: talking, listening to the radio, stopping your kids from fighting in the backseat, petting the dog... et cetera.
And then don't forget to take into account as someone pulls out - grabbing the phone to finish that call and 1. rushing, 2. not paying attention, 3. oops.
You know with all the truly important issues we could be looking at, pandering to the regulate-within-an-inch-of-your-life crowd does the rest of us a major disservice.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Pavel Lishin Verified
Read a science, AnnMarie - talking on the cellphone significantly decreases the amount of attention you're paying to the road.
And this includes wireless headsets.
Besides, once you're out the school zone, hit whoever you want - odds are they won't be kids!
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AnnMarie Wilson Verified
Bunk Pavel - EVERYTHING decreases attention!
As to hitting anything, kids can dart out of anywhere, anytime not ONLY in school zones.
Tell you what, let's regulate our lives like in Thomas Moore's Utopia; that should take care of everyones need for more control.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
rhia Anonymous
I'll take the opposite view. Why stop at school zones? I'm tired of being nearly side swiped, having to slam on brakes due to someone crossing three lanes of traffic (with no signals), and/or having vehicles stuck on my quarter panels no matter how much I signal and vary speed to change lanes - all because the dangerous drivers in question simply HAVE to be chatting on the phone instead of actually driving that large chunk of metal and glass conveying them along at 40+mph.
http://www.psych.utah.edu/AppliedCogn... Why do cell phone conversations interfere with driving?
http://www.ergoweb.com/news/detail.cf... New Research Shows Why Cell Phones and Driving a Dangerous Mix
Pull over, go home, or find a coffee shop or something if you have to talk on the phone. Behind the wheel: Hang up and DRIVE.
And while we're at it, if you have to put on your makeup or eat breakfast or finish that presentation on the way to the office, either take public transit or, hey, set the alarm to go off 30 minutes earlier.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
I'm with AnnMarie on this. What exactly is the difference in talking to a headset or the person sitting next to you? Not much, me thinks.
Also, if you don't mind AnnMarie, I want to steal your line - Bunk Pavel - As I feel this will be useful in many posts to come.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
xdavidwattsx Anonymous
Hang up and drive you lazy slugs. Your conversations aren't that important.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
rhia Anonymous
Numerous studies have shown that talking on the phone impairs a driver's ability about as much as alcohol does. Even the MythBuster's tests (episode 33) showed the same. I doubt the same arguments would be used that drunk driving should be allowed.
As far as talking to someone in the car with you, at least they are aware of the surroundings and can warn of impending danger or shut up for a few seconds if circumstances require more attention, the other end of the phone call - not so much.
A Cooper Mini going 30 mph can inflict quite a lot of damage. An SUV going 60 mph exponentially more so. Vehicles are all potentially very dangerous masses moving at rates of speed higher than a human can run (rush hour tie-ups aside) and should be driven with attention and respect. Despite attitudes to the contrary, driving is a privilege, not a right.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Pavel Lishin Verified
jtmbls: It seems intuitive that there would be no difference, right? But it seems intuitive that the sun goes around the earth. Sorry, but I'll believe scientific research over a layman's opinion.
As for everyone else - I like how you're treating driving as an inalienable right, that god forbid someone might restrict in some small way.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
Bunk Pavel!
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Pavel Lishin Verified
How's your soma this morning?
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Rick Yost Verified
I try not to use my cell while driving. Why? Because I've experienced how a cell phone does take so much of a my attention- especially if I have to dial a number.
I'm using my common sense about it because I don't want to die.
I'm sure there are many folks out there texting while driving.
However, I must say I appreciate Ann Marie's 'Thomas Moore' reference and point. We can't really make people do everything the way we want them to. We have to learn to tolerate certain behaviors- it's one of the more irritating aspects of living with other humans. With cell phone drivers, you have to just be careful around them and hope they run into a wall somewhere and don't hurt anyone else.
I actually saw two guys in a car the other day, (yes one was driving) with their seats reclined almost all the way down, watching the television hanging from the roof in the back seat.
Natural selection doing it's thing.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Pavel Lishin Verified
The problem is that nature might select me right along with them because I dare go through a green light, while they don't see their red.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
What's a soma? Is that a tasty alcoholic beverage I have yet to try???
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Pavel Lishin Verified
Ask your local librarian, she'll hook you up with the good stuff.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
huh? I can't tell if your insulting me or trying to get me high - happy hour over - time for bed.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AnnMarie Wilson Verified
I've found myself referencing Thomas Moore and Utopia quite a lot in the past several years. What's so unnerving is that few people even have a clue as to who Thomas Moore is, what the book is about, much less when it was written.
Pretty darn pathetic and speaks volumes about our literature courses and education requirements. (I'd love go on about the misguided emphasis on sports instead...)
Back to cell phones. I get annoyed when people are on them driving too, but to say it's a distraction that need to be legislated out is just plain wrong for all the reasons I posted previously and many others.
Anyone get caught behind someone putting on makeup while driving lately? I did, just yesterday. Has a law been passed against that yet?
And feel free to use my "Bunk Pavel" comment as much as necessary!
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
xdavidwattsx Anonymous
AnnMarie - if I cop was behind a person putting on makeup they would be well within the law to write them a ticket for inattentive driving.
So yeah, technically there is a law. There's also a law against speeding in school zones. That doesn't stop people either.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
AnnMarie, what the hell do you care to begin with? It's just a school zone. To say it's plain wrong that people address a safety concern for the chilluns is a bit extreme - let 'em draft their laws.
Arguing that there are other distractions in the world doesn't mean squat, imo. Cell phones are obviously a highly common one.
My issue is that they only ban handheld devices. Obviously it's tough to enforce if you don't see a phone, but it's the conversation doing the distracting - not the physical act of holding a phone to your ear.
So, I concur it's a waste of time...but I'd rather people waste time trying to protect chilluns than waste time coming up with crap like RPO's.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Mike Orren Staff
Does this cover using the super-cool new PegNews mobile edition to figure out where to go drink? ;-)
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
xdavidwattsx Anonymous
ScoDo is fired up!
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AnnMarie Wilson Verified
What the hell do I care? Jeez, sounds like a neo-con here. I care.
But I don't want more unenforceable laws where common sense and education are the preferred method, thank you very much.
If my tax dollars are going to be spent, lets do for something that can't be effected: homeowners insurance that isn't the highest in the land, affordable medical insurance in this state (I can't even get approved for any!), quality education for all.
But no, you want to put forth a law - that will be basically impossible to enforce - to stop people on their cell phones in school zones. We can't even stop people SPEEDING in school zones for heaven sake!
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AnnMarie Wilson Verified
Sorry - typo in the above comment!
It says: lets do something that can't be effected.
It should say: lets do something that CAN be effected.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
Hey now, I'm not the one wanting to put it forth - I've simply accepted that more often than not, city clowns work on laughable laws. The fact that we've already wasted this much space on Miko's servers discussing it disgusts me, tbh.
But in the spirit of arguing on the internet...
If we'd just stop people from hitting chilluns while driving and chatting, health insurance may not be so high! The corresponding ease on auto liability rates would free up monies for the inflated homeowners premiums!! Can't you see it's a vicious cycle?!?
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
Cripe Doyle...did your duck wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? She can care if she wants to.
I couldn't agree with you more AnnMarie. Passing yet another law isn't going to do much in the way of prevention and will only serve as a placebo to the citizens and a pat on the back for low functioning politicians. It's not like you can't already be pulled over for a multitude of reasons if you are not minding your vehicle.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AnnMarie Wilson Verified
Thanks JTMBLS - it's nice not feeling completely out-in-left field.
And the placebo effect is the PERFECT analogy for it too.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
Not much of a pat on the back, imo. Had they pioneered the idea, sure - following the footsteps of park cities and FM ain't much of an accomplishment in my eyes.
If we relied on people to use their common sense, we wouldn't have much of a legal system to begin with.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
xdavidwattsx Anonymous
People said the same things about making seat belts mandatory.
Just come to terms with the fact that we have to protect people from themselves. Saves us money in the long wrong even though it may seem frivolous in the short term.
And I just noticed the brilliant picture of Mr. bentley posted in the article.
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Pavel Lishin Verified
Not entirely sure how this is "unenforcable". I mean, sure, you're not going to catch everyone - but that's true of speeding, not wearing your seatbelt, cheating on your taxes, and murdering a hooker in the desert.
Plant a few police officers in school zones, and pull over ever soccer mom that absolutely needs to tell her friends about that purse she saw. Do this for a few weeks, and they will learn.
And it's not a waste of police resources, no more so than police waiting behind a curve, radar-gunning passers-by - the risk of getting caught is what deters most people, and if they realize the risk is there, they'll stop.
Talking on your cellphone while driving is comparable to speeding - it's dangerous, and I'm all for outlawing it in school zones, as much as I am for outlawing going above the speed limit (nevermind the fact that I frequently speed myself.)
3 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Post a comment
(Requires free PegasusNews.com account.)