We Didn't Vote for This!

[Sowser]

The brillient voters in California passed ban on driving while using a cell phone a few years back with the first offense being a $20 fine for the infraction. I got pulled over while exercising some civil disobedience and thought, "No big deal it's just $20." Boy was I wrong! Our wonderful legislators have attached the following "fees" to the origional fine that was approved by the voters.

–$20 is the base fine for using that cell phone illegally.

Then there are the fees, all approved by the Legislature:
–A 20 percent surcharge: Add $4. (what the hell is a surcharge?)
–State and county penalty assessments at $17 for every $10 of the base fine ($10 for the state, $7 for the county). Add $34.
–Court facilities construction fund at $3 for every $10 of the base fine. Add $6.
–State court construction penalty at $2 for every $10. Add $4.
–State DNA program assessment at $1 for every $10. Add $2.
–Additional DNA assessment at $1 for every $10. Add $2.
–Night court fee at $1 per ticket. Add $1. (I did enjoy watching Harry, Bull, and the gang and their wacky antics so I don't mind paying this)
–Emergency medical services assessment at $2 for every $10. Add $4.
–Courthouse security fee at $30 per ticket. Add $30. (I guess my envelope is going to be delivered via a briefcase handcuffed to a gaurd's wrist)
–Criminal conviction assessment of $30 for a felony or misdemeanor and $35 for an infraction, which the cell phone violation is. Add $35. (that's right, it would have been cheaper if I killed a guy)
Total cost of my ticket: $142

[JMMD]

Damn, that's crazy. Can you use a hands free phone or is that not even allowed?

[Velo:Sity]

That is just ridiculous!

[Major_A]

There's a reason the Governator sent people to Texas. He wants to know how to successfully run a state. With Hollywood making billions and the CA tourism industry making billions I don't understand how the state is doing so bad.

[DragonFury]

nice it is about time someone does something to the "cell phone" users while they drive, now they need to implament that here in Utah. not to be the a$$ of the bunch but I have been cut off, damn near in multiple accidents, and had to deal with people that drive significantly slower then the posted speed limit I mean driving @ 20MPH in a 75/80, all because these people were on a damn cell phone. I own a cell phone myself, and if I need to make a call while I am on the road I pull over and stop then make my call.

[skier]

im guilty, but I see soo many people that drive terribly while on the phone, when I call on the road(which is rare to begin with) I still drive 6mph over the speed limit, don't tailgate(never get closer than 60ft if we are both moving), and don't always stop at yield-only rotaries

in general my ability to drive is unaffected by a cell phone, but thats because i'm always extremely aware of my surroundings- I lose focus on the calls, not driving

the road would be better off with 'cell phone while driving' bans though because the majority of drivers are always on the phone, and that is scary to me because people on cell phones always tailgate

[Apoptosis]

glad it's not banned here!

[Sowser]

Damn, that's crazy. Can you use a hands free phone or is that not even allowed?

That's one of the most ridiculous thing about this law; you can talk on a hands' free phone while holding a cup of coffee or doing your make-up (I see it all the time on the freeway!) but if you have your cell phone in your hand, even if it's turned off, you get a ticket!

nice it is about time someone does something to the "cell phone" users while they drive, now they need to implement that here in Utah. not to be the a$$ of the bunch but I have been cut off, damn near in multiple accidents, and had to deal with people that drive significantly slower then the posted speed limit I mean driving @ 20MPH in a 75/80, all because these people were on a damn cell phone. I own a cell phone myself, and if I need to make a call while I am on the road I pull over and stop then make my call.

It's not the cell phone law itself that particularly bothers me it's the fact that the California Legislature tacked on fees to the original fine that make the ticket x7 more expensive then what we voted on. Though it is a slippery nanny state slope to ban cell phones. Are you not going to be able to talk to your passengers at some point? Bad driving is bad driving and a cop should pull over the people that you described whether on a cell phone or not.

[DragonFury]

I am deeply sorry for the added extras, it does suck. but answer this simple question, if it was only 20 bucks would it deter you from making cell phone calls while driving? now since CA was going to have a rough time passing a law against cell phone usage while driving putting a 1000 dollar fine would be impossible to pass among the people, stating 20 dollars gets it passed then the state gov't can tack on fees to bring up the cost to discourage people from driving while talking on a cell phone.. think of it in a political frame of mind.

now I know a lot of responsible cell phone users, but unfortunately there are even more irresponsible cell phone users that ruin it for others. I even caught myself using the cell phone while driving, I am guilty as well I am far from perfect. But it is extremely rare, out of the last year of using my cell phone I used it twice while driving, and only for 1 min.

[skier]

now I know a lot of responsible cell phone users, but unfortunately there are even more irresponsible cell phone users that ruin it for others. I even caught myself using the cell phone while driving, I am guilty as well I am far from perfect. But it is extremely rare, out of the last year of using my cell phone I used it twice while driving, and only for 1 min.

people that use it occasionally are not the problem, the problem is when 29 out of 30 people in a given section of road have a phone to their face- which is the norm, sadly.

[Sowser]

I am deeply sorry for the added extras, it does suck. but answer this simple question, if it was only 20 bucks would it deter you from making cell phone calls while driving? now since CA was going to have a rough time passing a law against cell phone usage while driving putting a 1000 dollar fine would be impossible to pass among the people, stating 20 dollars gets it passed then the state gov't can tack on fees to bring up the cost to discourage people from driving while talking on a cell phone.. think of it in a political frame of mind.

I am thinking of it in a political frame of mind, the problem is that I don't like the politics. The added fees aren't about public safety they're about generating revenue. When the law was enacted the fine was indeed $20. Then the legislature saw it as an opportunity to legally extort (oxymoron I know) money from the general population when the budget got tight. Look at it this way: a guy offers to lend you $20 and says that if you pay him back by next week then he won't charge you any interest. You need $20 to take your girlfriend to the movies tonight and you know you're getting paid on Friday so you agree. The lender has a wild night on Friday and ends up spending his rent money on women and booze so Saturday he comes up to you and says that he changed his mind and now you have to pay him $142 or he's going to break your legs. It's not the deal you signed up for but it’s the deal you're stuck with. Even if the intent WAS to make me follow the no cell phone law I would be even MORE opposed to it. I don't want my government operating like that. California is moving too close to totalitarianism for my liking.

Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a political system where the state, usually under the power of a single political person, faction, or class, recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible.

[DragonFury]

I completely understand your view point, it is the many that screw it up for the few. it is all about numbers, there are more people who talk on cell phones and drive that are directly related to causing accidents then there are those who use cell phones responsible. let me see, i am a govenor of ca, statistics tell me most accidents are directly caused by cell phone users and it is growing every year, I would enact a non cell phone usage law while driving too. call it totalitarianism if you want, my goal is for the safety of the majority of the people not for a few individuals. the need of the many out weigh the need of the few. I been in situations where I had to make those calls before. You are not looking at it as the benefit of others, you are looking at it as the benefit of one person, Yourself. so again I ask you look at it in their eyes and see what you would come up with if you were faced with that same exact choice, but look at it as your choice can and will cause loss of lives.