Mike Pirtle: Time to also ban walking, texting on The Murfreesboro Post

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Mike Pirtle: Time to also ban walking, texting

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Mike Pirtle: People suffer enough without politics

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By: MIKE PIRTLE, Post publisher

Posted: Sunday, September 20, 2009 11:27 am

State Sen. Jim Tracy pushed a law through the state legislature last session to ban texting and driving.

Basically, his bill made common sense a legal requirement.

Some folks questioned, and still do, making common sense a law. Some still question how effective it might be, given it is difficult for law enforcement officers to distinguish texting from dialing (actually pushing buttons whatever that’s called) on a cell phone.

Whatever, blah, blah, blah.

We needed the law. It’s not unlike the state seat belt law. Blah, blah, blah all over the place when the mandate to buckle up was passed but as time went on more and more people did.

That’s good unless you are selling cemetery lots and even at the emergency room where they don’t need the extra business.

The texting law at least adds a real penalty, a fine that in these days probably means more than it did a couple of years ago, that may make people pause for just a moment, and sometimes at least wait for a red light, before putting their eyes and attention on a tiny keyboard while maneuvering a thousands-pounds vehicle down busy streets.

A line has to be drawn somewhere. That’s what Tracy’s bill did.

Now, he may need another bill.

To ban walking while texting.

Really.

I counted five times in the past two weeks, well actually 11 days, when pedestrians walked right out in front of my big, ol’ SUV and put themselves at serious risk of major injury, particularly if I had been doing as them.

It’s not that they didn’t see my vehicle.

They didn’t look.

I may be a little liberal (NO, NO, No, not liberal) make that literal, when I say they were texting. The sharp businesswoman in a nice suit was talking on a cell phone.

Earnestly.

I think she was closing a deal to steal Vince from Ari Gold.

Two young teens, one punching on his iPod, his sister texting, walked right in front of me, just before dad reached out and jerked them both back.

Both the above incidents were in the middle of downtown blocks, not at intersections.

Three folks at intersections just sauntered right across the street, eyes glued to their Twittering thumbs, without a glance at wait/walk lights, traffic signals, traffic, “Russian tanks, anything.

I guess these folks assume the motorists are watching for them.

But, maybe the motorists are illegally texting.

Or, more likely talking on a cell, giving the conversation their full attention and drifting half a lane over into oncoming traffic, forcing drivers there to try to avoid them and causing them to not see the texting stroller who just took two steps off the curb.

Sure this is berating for common sense.

But, in my three score years, I have never seen common sense surrendered or ignored in so many aspects of life as now.

And, walking while texting seems averse to continuing life.
•••
Is it just me? Am I Gatorphobic? Floridafearful?

It seems like Florida, as in University of, fans are multiplying like gold into cash places.

I just keep running into new ones.

Since the traitorous Old Ball Coach moved on, I don’t dislike Florida as much anymore.

And with two national titles in football and men’s basketball in the last four or five years, if Florida fans want to act all superior, well, who else should?

I just can’t figure if the UF fans were here and staying on the downlow, are recruiting new fans with their phenomenal success or maybe more folks from Florida have come here after the hurricanes and real estate reversals of recent years.

But, I have a good feeling anyone with any affinity for Tennessee football won’t be hoping to see any Gator fans today.
•••
Now Saturday’s games may have changed everything, but as of Friday I’m beginning to suspect Middle Tennessee has the best college quarterback in the state again.

Hope I’m dead-on on that one.

Tagged under Mike Pirtle

Member Opinions:

By: mck3491 on 9/25/09
Be sure to toss into that "walking" law that pedestrians are not allowed to walk behind cars that are in the process of backing up, too. Another commom sense rule that people -- who are not even on their phone -- don't seem to know anymore!!!!

By: Duvics on 9/26/09
Or how about the MTSU students who refuse to cross the street at crosswalks? Maybe the MPD should be catching jaywalkers instead of lining up at the bottom of the Medical Center Pkwy bridge for people going 2 mph over the limit.

By: weeeezzll on 1/4/10
This law is stupid. Why ban something so specific? There are many things that can distract you that have nothing do do with a cellphone. They should create a generic law for "distracted driving" and allow police officer to make judgment calls. This way people who are distracted by looking at pictures, reading emails, and using the GPS on their phone can still be ticketed, and those that are texting but not causing problems are not burdened with unnecessary fines.

This is how we end up with stupid laws like not being able to walk down the street with an ice cream cone in your pocket on Sunday.

Duvics:
There are enough people doing 60-70 through there that they don't need to waste their time on people going 5-7 over the limit. I've driven past that trap several times doing 10 over and they didn't even seem remotely interested in me.