Political Scene: Assembly may take another look at cell phone ban
9:24 AM Mon, Apr 28, 2008 | Permalink
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Remember the plan to ban drivers from talking on hand-held cell phones? It may be ringing again. Lawmakers did not include the proposal in their midyear budget revision last week, prompting some to pronounce the line dead. But House leaders tell Political Scene they’re in the midst of reviving the plan with an eye toward passing it through the House Finance Committee in the coming weeks, possibly as part of the 2009 budget. If approved, the law would require drivers to purchase and use hands-free ear pieces to conduct on-the-road conversations, or face a $50 fine. The proposal ran into trouble last winter when Governor Carcieri predicted that fining chatty drivers could generate almost $5 million in ticket revenue next year. House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox, D-Providence, and others balked at that estimate and state budget officials later revised it downward. No word yet on when the law would take effect, but legislators say if they approve the measure, they’ll give Rhode Island drivers plenty of time to purchase the necessary accessories. -- 
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I urge our legislators to pass the cell phone bill. I sat at a red light while an indiidual was to busy on their cell to pay attention on the light. Please pass this bill.
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Lucky you. How many times have I nearly been blasted by someone driving along, too engaged in an animated conversation on his cell phone to notice that the light isn't green anymore. So now I'm the one that people behind me beep at because I don't rush right out into the intersection just because my light turned green. I give it a few seconds (a thousand one, a thousand two, ...) to let the mobile freaks fly through.
Cell phones should be banned altogether while driving. If a call is so all-fired important that you have to attend to it NOW, then it is taking up too much of your attention, so do yourself (and us) a favor and PULL OVER.
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