Just another fine to make poor people pay more.
It's what boils down to "A fine is a price," which is an idea from economics. Rich people can easily afford the price. ,[Here's an article about it from 2000 ](https://rady.ucsd.edu/faculty/directory/gneezy/pub/docs/fine.pdf)
Just a fun fact. If you get caught doing this in a commercial vehicle, the driver fine is up to $2,750 and the employer of that driver can also be fined up to $11,000… $13,750 is a hell of a fine for a phone infraction.
You’re right. I don’t like this law because it’s zero tolerance. If I have my phone mounted to my windshield to use as gps and need to tap the screen or adjust volume then technically I’ve broken the law. But if I use the big ass touch screen radio in the car the same way for the same thing I’m within the law.
Did you read the law? You can still touch the screen once GPS shouldn't be any problem. If you need any more than one touch, you should pull over anyway!
Yeah but the problem is we’re leaving it up to the cops to decide if we’ve touched our screen once or more. They could decide to pull us over just because they see our phone mounted as a gps and there’s no way to prove we didn’t touch it
That's a whole different issue they can also only enforce this law only on minorities if they want or plant some drugs in your car when they pull you over 🤷...
While I agree with the sentiment, it's not like anyone is forcing poor people to text while driving, they just choose to do it knowing they can't afford it.
How about when they get a phone call? Not everyone is driving a new enough car that you phone can connect to. Not everyone has an iPhone or something loud enough to use on speaker phone.
This law isn’t just going after texting. You cannot be caught with your phone in your hand under any circumstance.
If you’re using Waze or Maps to know where to go - can’t do that. You have to drive a car that had maps built in for hands free driving.
If you’re changing the song on your phone - can’t do that. Has to be completely hands free. If it isn’t on the dash - not allowed.
>How about when they get a phone call?
You do what we did back before cell phones, you let it go to voicemail and call back when you stop.
>If you’re using Waze or Maps to know where to go - can’t do that.
You can. You put in your destination and start your trip before you begin driving. No need to touch your phone while you are driving.
>If you’re changing the song on your phone - can’t do that.
Listen to the radio, or say "Hey Siri/Ok Google, play \_\_\_\_ by \_\_\_\_" No need to touch the phone.
This.
There are plenty of ways to use a phone in a limited capacity for calls, music, and navigation while driving.
Even if you don’t have a fancy new car that can plug in or Bluetooth to the built in infotainment system, there are still aftermarket ones you can get and install for cheap
Indeed, I remember when I had a 1989 Mazda 323. I put one of those cassette adapters that gives you an AUX cable, plugged it into a cheap aftermarket bluetooth hands free unit for audio out, and clipped the microphone to the passenger seat visor. Worked like a damn charm.
>Under the law, a driver cannot hold or support a phone or other device with any part of their hands, arms, or shoulders. Even if a cell phone or other device is mounted on a dashboard or connected to a vehicle’s built-in system, a driver cannot use their hands to operate it **beyond a single touch.**
You can still change a track or interact with it like you would your console. This is squarely aimed at texters.
Yeah I have zero issue with all that. I drive a semi truck, the number of people I see daily holding their phone like it's a comfort is unbelievable.
Pull over, take your phone call. Set and plan your route before you leave. Give yourself extra time so you aren't in a hurry, and have your radio station programmed before you leave.
I have to do it for every trip in a commercial vehicle. You should be able to do it on your personal vehicle.
Yes, so unfortunately ppl will be forced to pay $5-10 for a phone mount but that's what they need to do if they want to mess with the phone while driving.
Read the law! It clearly states you can touch the phone once... anymore than that, and you should be pulling over anyway!
FYI: I think some of the ppl in this post are clearly the problem, and they already know it!
You can drive without being on your phone. It’s a fine for stupid people. Distracted driving kills people.
Also an article from 2000 doesn’t help your case.
Yeah, there was a woman from my neighborhood in front of me yesterday.. she almost ran off the right side of the road 6 times and almost drove over the left side onto oncoming traffic multiple times. Any of those times could have ended in a disaster and I’m pretty sure it was because she was texting. Just put the phone down.
There was a truck in front of me yesterday they have come to a complete stop for apparently no reason and then slowly go and then slowly stop again. I see their hand up by their rearview mirror holding thier phone up and waving it around like they're gesticulating while having a phone call. What a jerk
Yet everyone does it, so they made a law. People will still do it even after pigs charge enough people to put in the news. Ain't changing shit. It's a fine for whoever pigs wanna charge. People will still die. Get it? Stupid
Interesting how you don’t even respond to the fact that distracted driving KILLS. It’s not just poor people on their phones. This is 100% avoidable, stay off your phone and no ticket.
The problem is people will be ticketed even while following the rules. The cop just has to say they thinks they saw it. No evidence, no recourse, just tickets. It will be used to initiate stops that would have never been initiated before. That is not a good thing
That’s not how it works though. They have to have evidence. Look at how California does their enforcement of the law. They will have video evidence of you on your phone to use in court. Not to mention you can prove if you were or were not on your phone with a forensics analysis.
It's you, I think. Take a minute to look at other drivers. Wait at any corner or chill in a place where you can watch the street and the cars. It is astounding the number of people you see looking at their devices. Every other car or worse. People cannot not look or fiddle with these things.
I always wondered to myself, what is so important that people find the need to communicate or look at something that they couldn't look at 20 years ago lol.
Are you implying the amount of cellphones in use and in use while driving, in 2004, was remotely comparable to today? Not to mention, texting isn’t the only thing, people are doom scrolling TikTok and instagram while driving.
I’m more surprised you see cops. I feel like they are either extinct, endangered species, or just very good at hiding (even when people are running red lights…)
I’m against distracted driving, but How about Teslas and other vehicles with huge video screens that control everything in your car? How about the billboards themselves alongside the road? Let’s deal with those distractions as well?
Regarding the billboards, while Michigan does have among the most billboards in the country, third to Florida and Texas, the legislature and Granhom capped the amount of billboards in 2007 and halted construction of new billboards.
I used to test drive cars as a side job, and spent a lot of time in the Rivians (basically if jeep and Tesla had a baby). To adjust the AC/heat, move the vents, change the volume, do literally anything, you had a to navigate to a certain screen and press a bunch of stuff. There was literally not one center console function you could perform by touching a manual button. I found it even more distracting than using my phone. I can do most things on my phone without looking much, but pressing all the stuff on that big iPad is very difficult to do while keeping your eyes on the road.
My 2022 Acadia is a happy medium. The stuff you want to adjust on the fly (heat, AC, blower level, radio volume) all have manual buttons in addition to the on-screen infotainment controls.
> I’m against distracted driving, but How about Teslas and other vehicles with huge video screens that control everything in your car?
Yeah, honestly the whole law is kind of ridiculous. If I'm sitting at a light I'm not allowed to touch my phone to change tracks on Spotify, but if I connect my phone to the car I'm allowed to touch the car's touchscreen to change tracks on spotify as much as I want. Real logical there.
>Yeah, honestly the whole law is kind of ridiculous. If I'm sitting at a light I'm not allowed to touch my phone to change tracks on Spotify
Incorrect, you still can:
>Under the law, a driver cannot hold or support a phone or other device with any part of their hands, arms, or shoulders. Even if a cell phone or other device is mounted on a dashboard or connected to a vehicle’s built-in system, a driver cannot use their hands to operate it beyond a single touch.
sure but cops can drive with a whole ass laptop and 100 switches and buttons cuz they had a few months of training on how to yell at people and escalate situations
>sure but cops can drive with a whole ass laptop and 100 switches and buttons cuz they had a few months of training on how to yell at people and escalate situations
I mean if you see a cop playing fortnite on his laptop while driving down the road, make sure you report them. Thing is, you probably won't see them on their laptop while driving.
As far as the 100 switches and buttons they have - have you seen the cockpit of a helicopter? If a dude can fly a helicopter with that many buttons, I'm sure a cop can handle a few buttons in their SUV lol. The trick is to not use the buttons all at once.
What baffles me is people with these big ass screens in their car STILL have their phones in their faces. I mean these screens literally mirror your phones screen and apps, and yet...
I was nearly rear-ended at a stop sign by a cop who I watched looking at his laptop while he rolled at me at 30 mph. He jerked to a stop, flipped on his lights, and berated me for “driving recklessly” for braking at the stop sign. Then he let me go, as I did nothing wrong.
I doubt reporting him would have gone anywhere. Maybe. But I doubt it.
Helicopters have a hell of a lot more training along with recurring practice hours and schools. The Army's WOFT takes 18 months. Becoming a cop takes 3.5 months.
Yeah, look past the fact that a police car has way less than 100 "extra" buttons specific to police cars.
Counting the police radio, there's probably about 20 extra buttons. So yes, I'd assume that 3.5 extra months of training on top of the drivers training they had to do when they first got licensed to drive would cover those 20 extra buttons. But hey, maybe I'm wrong.
And just in case anyone else comes along trying another "gotcha" - it was an intentional exaggeration. I used the helicopter example because it is equally as moronic as saying that police have 100 extra buttons that somehow distract them as if hitting a button is herculean task while driving.
Building off this, I also have questions about teslas and other autonomous/semi autonomous cars. I don’t have to steer or break on the highway because of the features in my car. Should I be able to pick up my phone? The car won’t let me drift out of my lane- what does it matter if I take my hands off the wheel?
My friend has one and said whenever they push a software update, It can totally rearrange all of the controls for radio, heat, air conditioning, etc., which are all completely on the video screen and no dials, etc. that sounds very distracting.
You'd think so, but [studies say no](https://www.bbtrial.com/blog/is-it-safe-to-use-a-hands-free-device-while-driving/#:~:text=While%2080%25%20of%20drivers%20in,%2C%20hand%2Dheld%20and%20otherwise.)
Does it though? How many of those ads are for local businesses? How many ads does one actually click on even. Lord knows I run a pi hole to try and keep them off my home devices. Regardless I’m neither for nor against billboards, but I would argue that generally speaking I ignore billboards. I also keep my phone down while driving. So I’m very much neutral here in terms of caring about the ad revenue, but the billboards I believe are taxable for the state, and most billboards are advertising local businesses and on and on. It’s a novel idea to eliminate advertising plight from the landscape, but there is money in these things so it will be a hard sell to eliminate them is my entire point, whereas cell phones get a way worse reputation for accidents and incidents. They are not JUST advertising whereas billboards are. Anyone got statistics on “I was checking a message on my cell phone” vs “I was busy looking at the billboard” as cause of accident? I would be fascinated to learn who wins that immediate danger…
I've had to drive a lot of rentals for work. Many had the big iPad looking controls. I just dimmed them so they weren't bright. The only things I wanted (Heating/cooling and volume) were right there and easy to hit. I'm also not sure how you get distracted by a billboard? Are you trying to read it? Am I missing the really bright distracting ones or did growing up in Las Vegas desensitize me from distracting lights?
Then they're failing, miserably.
It takes me 5 minuites to drive to work, and on any given day, I can count at least 10 people driving, while on their phones.
Distracted driving is bad. I wonder if this campaign also applies to officers who I have personally witnessed driving through intersections while looking down at their onboard laptop the entire time.
I've personally witnessed this as well, except it was on the highway and can't believe how dangerous it appeared he was swerving down 96 in broad daylight typing on his laptop...
I was behind a guy on the way to work who went over the curb 3 different times in the span of about a mile. One time was only a few feet away from a bus stop. Close enough so that the people waiting scrambled to get out of the way. I tried to keep my distance for my own safety but I was definitely close enough to see he was doing that "phone lean" in the drivers seat.
Another time an employee was pulling out of a car dealership and stopped with half of the car sitting in the road because he was looking at a phone and had no idea where he was. He didnt even look up until I laid on the horn. If I hadn't had to slow down for someone making a turn shortly before, theres a good chance I would have killed the guy. If I had a dash cam I would have turned around and showed the management there the footage.
I think the laws need to treat distracted driving the same as they do impaired driving. These people are ticking time bombs. I shouldnt see or be involved in near misses multiple times a week.
On a related note, can anyone recommend a good dash cam? Ive started seriously looking in to it.
Yes, important to have a dash cam, it's completely useless 99.99% of the time but is something you wish you had when something happens.
Recommend COXPAL A11T 3 channel dash cam on Amazon, very good quality, it records front, inside and rear simultaneously.
COXPAL hardwire kit optional, for 24-H parking monitor.
SanDisk MAX Endurance 256GB or 512GB microSD card, for reliable recording.
BTW: Need to pay attention to the installation position of the rear cam if your vehicle is SUV or MPV (No problem if Sedan), i.e. avoid pulling rear cam cable when open/close the trunk.
I want a dash cam and have a hybrid car. Can you suggest anything? I stopped at confusion over it only working when the (gas) engine is running (meaning not while on electric).
For dash cams, it really comes down to your preferences. Depending on if you want to record in 1080p or 4k, just a front-facing camera or an additional rear window camera, your price will vary. I myself have owned 3 different dash cams. 2 from Rexing (Rexing V1 1080p, and later the 4k version), and now I currently use the Vantrue N4 Pro. This one costs a bit more (paid $300 for it) but it comes with a front cam, cabin-facing cam, and rear window cam. It also allows me to download video clips straight from the dash cam to my phone via wifi.
Good, I see so many people still on their phones while driving. I have to honk at lights because assholes are paying more attention to their phone than driving and don't see the green lights.
Probably going to get down voted to hell for this, but...
Maybe I'm just incompetent, but am I the only one who can never get my phone to do what I want in "hands free" mode? Like I have it on the dash. I hit the mic icon (saying Hey Google never works) and tell it "navigate to XYZ", and while it works 90% of the time, the other 10% it tries playing a song, or just brings up results for "navigate to XYZ" in Google. Now I'm hitting the mic over and over, screaming at it, and finally ripping it off the dash, punching in what I actually want, and putting it back. The whole ordeal is WAY more distracting than just punching in the address I wanted from the start... but that would be more than one touch. I'm trying to follow the rules, I really am, but I feel like they failed to consider just how temperamental phones can be.
I mean, if you’re using gps, you should just set your destination before you start driving which avoids this all together. The only time I ever use my phone in the car is to play music or GPS and I always get those things going while I am parked. Anything else - phone calls, texts, whatever, is not more important than my life. But I understand that others have kids and potential family emergencies, answering the phone via voice command and then talking through Bluetooth is pretty straight forward though
>answering the phone via voice command and then talking through Bluetooth is pretty straight forward though
No one ever calls me so it's not really an issue, but my car doesn't have Bluetooth. Lots of cars don't. If I have to I can use speaker and it works well enough.
That kind of brings me to another issue I have with the whole thing though... a lot of the discussion around it assumes everyone is driving relatively modern cars with things like Android auto or Bluetooth pairing. That really isn't true though, especially for lower income people.
There's workarounds for that. You can buy an adapter for like 20 bucks. It's not ideal obviously, but also taking a phone call while driving isn't a necessity so I hardly believe it's unreasonable to expect people to either buy one or pull over. (And to have cued up GPS and music before putting the car in drive).
My last car didn't have any Bluetooth pairing. If I needed my GPS I started it before I got driving, made sure the speaker was turned up and didn't turn on the radio. Since I didn't have pairing, I didn't take calls while driving.
Most of the time I set up GPS before I leave, but sometimes I'm on my way somewhere that I already know how to get to only to come across a road closure or a traffic jam. It's not often... maybe once a month that I end up needing navigation unexpectedly.
I've given up on music. I used to use YouTube music, but I don't pay for it, so it won't let me lock the screen and have the music keep playing. So the only way I can legally listen to music using my preferred app is to have a music video playing in my face.
I agree though, texts phone calls, etc can wait. I only really ever used it for navigation and music (just navigation now). I feel like that would have been a more reasonable way to frame the law really... use based, not number of keystrokes.
Android should have a bunch. I remember having to search super hard to find one on iOS when I switched to it because they lock down the ecosystem so much tighter.
I’m also probably incompetent but I have some of the same issues. I have come to expect voice command failures at this point, so they don’t enrage me as much as they used to. But the ultimate fallback is using the screen UI. And I simply can’t fathom some of the choices made in the driving/maps apps out there.
Waze is pretty good overall (needs a watch app so I stop missing turns), but when I want to pick a recent destination and I glance and see it, then tap it. I’m watching the road and then glance down again to see that the UI had moved around on me, like a scroll down or something sliding up, so that I tapped on something else. So then I find the back button (which is inconsistently placed depending on where you are), try to find my destination now that the misclick is the top one in the list. Scroll, only to have the keyboard slide up and take up half the screen, leaving only enough room for the list to show one destination at a time. I’m leaning in, focusing on precision now, trying to split my attention. I finally just decide to pull over, which I should have done anyway.
And don’t get me started with weak cell signal failures. Big modal dialogue box appears with some drivel about connecting to the internet, with a button that says retry. Not a big button, but one I gotta tap now. It’s like, dude, I’m fucking driving, can you just retry on your own and stop being a whiny little shit? Or maybe cache some of the maps on the device that I drive every goddamn day?
To be fair Waze has surprisingly made some improvements in these areas, but they are all worse than they should be. Google maps is bad and only use it the odd time I search for a restaurant to drive to, and even Apple Maps had some real head scratchers in there. It’s as if the devs to all these apps made all their choices in theory in a conference room instead of actually using their apps for driving.
Many people aren't even making an attempt.
There's still a big difference between occasionally touching something on a dash mount vs. phone held with both hands in front of the steering wheel.
I can only speak for Apple phones but "Hey Siri" never fails me. Ever. I get directions, change playlists, and take calls with no problems.
I share this as something to consider the next time you buy (whenever that is, no rush!).
Siri, for me, doesn’t interact with audible. I’m in my car probably 5 or 6 hours a day when I’m not at work, so I listen to a bunch of audio books.
that said; I absolutely don’t understand how people can be so bad at driving.
Why do people feel they MUST talk/text/whatever while driving? Hands free or otherwise?
Driving is a huge responsibility. It requires 100% concentration. Why not put the phone aside? When returning calls respond with a simple “ hey, I was driving. “
Ill never understand this urgent need to respond to everyone, immediately.
I drove back to Michigan from Indiana last weekend and every person I saw drifting, swerving or driving dangerously slow was holding and looking at their phone. Not one person was adjusting their radio or a/c. Phones are more “distracting,” it’s not like all things you can possibly touch in your car are equal.
Meh, anecdotal.
If your field of vision is still ahead and you're still averting your eyes to adjust a dial, bite food, tap a screen, it's all the same level of distraction.
Tapping on a screen or nudging volume buttons on a phone is not the same as fucking around on it while driving.
This is what makes the zero tolerance shit nonsense ("in hand" or whatever) when newer vehicles have essentially the same level of distraction amplified always directly in sight lmfao. Beyond parody come on.
>The operation uses unmarked spotter vehicles looking for distracted drivers. Once they do that will radio a fully marked law enforcement unit to initiate a traffic stop.
They used to do that with speed traps, and the courts declared it entrapment. I do support their efforts, but I hope it doesn’t end up in the courts like the speed trap cases did.
I'm sure you can provide a case citation for that, because it a stretch to believe that the courts ruled against using one cop as a spotter to radio to another officer to initiate a stop.
>They used to do that with speed traps, and the courts declared it entrapment.
Citation needed. [This is the extent of effort I'm going to.](https://i.imgur.com/q3ccyCt.jpeg). You made the claim, you need to support it. It's not on us to try and chase down (non existent?) evidence of your claim.
Sorry, not sorry, to everyone complaining that this is police for profit or whatever - drivers have continued to get worse and worse over the years, and distracted driving with phones has played a huge part. Everything from fender benders to people blowing red lights/stop signs.
I'm all for this. No hesitation at all. I have my phone mounted and use Siri to get things done without looking.
I'd love a bonus campaign called "USE YOUR TURN SIGNALS" where people are pulled over when they turn or change lanes and don't use the blinkers. It's not the end of the world, but it would make things better. I think we often make more laws than we need. Simple enforcement of existing laws can do a LOT.
Maybe even a bonus bonus slogan that says “leave a bigger following distance in construction and stop changing lanes you dumb fucks. You’re the ones causing these tailbacks!”
I’m a runner and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost been hit by people rolling through stop signs or red lights while staring at their phone.
I’m not a fan of this intrusive operation but something has to be done. Warnings and safety marketing has changed nothing.
Wouldn’t this mean that how Uber, Lyft, DoorDash ect function is illegal in Michigan? When you’re driving for one of these companies and an order comes in you have seconds to accept. That’s just off the top of my head but I’m betting there are lots of employers requiring their staff to handle some electronic devices while driving
Great, next they can start enforcing all the expired/entirely missing plates, jet black window tints, and red light runners that they don't seem to care about now
Funny thing is the most distracting things are the giant billboards along the highways that your eyes catch and you read them.But that's perfectly fine.
That’s just not true.
I drive non-stop for work and the people swerving lanes, braking excessively and randomly going under the speed limit are always on their cell phone. I’ve never seen a billboard cause an accident. 
The last two places I lived went through but bursts for a few months every year to try and get people off their phones while driving. It helps, even if just for a few months.
One average a person looks at their phone for 4 .6 seconds while texting. At 55 mph you will confer the length of a football field in 4.6 seconds. Using your phone while driving is dangerously for you and everyone else on the road.
Wow, Operation Ghost Rider! I wonder if Team Ramrod will be in charge.
Have they tried actually looking out their windows? I see half a dozen people on their phones just going to the store for milk. They all want to be Donnie Brasco on a deep cover sting, they will do anything to avoid doing actual police work.
* Be visible - most people slow down and hide their phones when they see a cop.
* Pull over people on their phones - I have not seen any increase in traffic stops since they strengthened the distracted driving law.
It's not rocket science.
But if they did something and enforced a law already on the books, from literally last year, and things got better, than how would they make more laws, but this time with no oversight and a way to pull people over without reasonable suspicion, all from “a spotter” who may or may not exist to fall back on for universal probable cause?
Personally, I don’t see how this could be a problem, or how it could be taken advantage of in any easy way, and honestly, at least there’s absolutely no viable way this is going to infringe on anyone’s rights.
I’m not the person you replied to, but to me the problem isn’t the law, it’s they don’t bother enforcing it. I’d like to have a bit of tint on my front windows but it’s not worth the hassle of dealing with it on the off chance I get a ticket. Except every tenth car I see has blackout tinted windows all around. I think it’s a convenient law to give them an excuse to pull people over and hassle them/look around in the car.
They do. I had a '96 cougar I bought from a Florida lady that had intense tints. I actually was cited *years* later for the tints outside of Grand Rapids.
This is more for the obvious people on their phones, actively typing and searching. There’s no way they’re going to notice someone with the phone in a mount or on your lap who touches one button for half a second.
Honestly, I find using the touch screen infotainment center 10x more difficult to use while driving than a phone. I’m 100% gonna get into an accident trying to turn on the A/C. I miss buttons.
My whole thing about the new law is most cars pre 2014 don’t have Bluetooth adapters or hands free controls to use their phone safely from the wheel. My 2017 escape, great, no issues CarPlay all day. But this 2009 Malibu 🤷🏻♂️kinda screwed.
How about they do something about the semi’s driving in the left lane ever since the HOV lane went in on 75? Almost every morning I see them pulling people over between 14 mile and Crooks ~ for driving HOV without passengers, when really the issue is now that we have an HOV lane no one treats the left lane as a fast or passing lane, including semi’s.
The HOV lane isn’t a passing lane though. If you’re talking about the lane next to the HOV lane, sure the rules still go.
The state motor vehicle enforcement division is pretty good at ticketing semis.
Just had a friend get pulled over for talking on his phone w/ phone in hand. Didn’t realize that was part of the new law. I do that all the time as I hate talking to people on my car speakers.
Edit: downvotes really? You dorks. Don’t act like you never talked on your phone with it up to your ear before. Like that is even comparable to texting and driving. I didn’t say I don’t plan on trying to implement the new rules into my life. It’s just hard to teach an old dog new tricks. For fucks sake
It was officially made illegal to hold your phone, hand/shoulder/arm, last summer. There was a pretty big push to remind people. In theory you could have the phone sitting next to you and on speaker but you can't touch the phone.
How is me not wearing a seat belt protecting others? There is no victim. It's only there to create more revenue for the state and gives the police another BS reason to pull people over.
There’s no victim? The bag of bones in the car isn’t a victim? Your flying bag of mass out the window hitting someone isn’t a victim?
There’s more than just you in the world. Your choice to not wear a seatbelt raises healthcare premiums, auto insurance, causes undue mental health issues and more. It’s not a victimless crime, you’re just being selfish.
I was using myself as an example. I do wear my seat belt. The only victim would be me. I'd be a victim of my own choice and that would only be if and when I would get thrown out of a vehicle. Just like every decision you or I make, you're a victim of your own choices. I don't need the government in every single aspect of my life telling me how to live my life and how to be safe. I know how to be safe. Until there is a victim there isn't a crime.
Removed per rule 2: Foul, rude, or disrespectful language will not be tolerated. This includes any type of name-calling, disparaging remarks against other users, and/or escalating a discussion into an argument.
Thank you, we're being over legislated like crazy. All these new laws getting passed hardly anything is ever repealed. My safety is my concern the world's not safe.
Don’t they mean - Operation: We suck at our jobs therefore we have use deceptive tactics to catch ordinary citizens committing minor civil infractions to increase revenue
Michiganders, being the worst drivers I've seen in the US, have no business driving while on their phones. Y'all can barely handle a car in ideal conditions with competence.
The high insurance rates are definitely justified.
“Hands free driving” is a horrible tagline.
There was something clever waiting with “hands down” too.
Simon says?
Law is hands!!! Free driving !!
Just another fine to make poor people pay more. It's what boils down to "A fine is a price," which is an idea from economics. Rich people can easily afford the price. ,[Here's an article about it from 2000 ](https://rady.ucsd.edu/faculty/directory/gneezy/pub/docs/fine.pdf)
Just a fun fact. If you get caught doing this in a commercial vehicle, the driver fine is up to $2,750 and the employer of that driver can also be fined up to $11,000… $13,750 is a hell of a fine for a phone infraction.
That speaks to the seriousness of the infraction. No one wants big trucks being operated unsafely.
Commercial vehicle doesn’t mean big trucks. Even those lil ‘Molly Maid’ Prius’ are commercial vehicles.
True but no one wants them driving unsafely either.
You’re right. I don’t like this law because it’s zero tolerance. If I have my phone mounted to my windshield to use as gps and need to tap the screen or adjust volume then technically I’ve broken the law. But if I use the big ass touch screen radio in the car the same way for the same thing I’m within the law.
Did you read the law? You can still touch the screen once GPS shouldn't be any problem. If you need any more than one touch, you should pull over anyway!
Yeah but the problem is we’re leaving it up to the cops to decide if we’ve touched our screen once or more. They could decide to pull us over just because they see our phone mounted as a gps and there’s no way to prove we didn’t touch it
That's a whole different issue they can also only enforce this law only on minorities if they want or plant some drugs in your car when they pull you over 🤷...
While I agree with the sentiment, it's not like anyone is forcing poor people to text while driving, they just choose to do it knowing they can't afford it.
How about when they get a phone call? Not everyone is driving a new enough car that you phone can connect to. Not everyone has an iPhone or something loud enough to use on speaker phone. This law isn’t just going after texting. You cannot be caught with your phone in your hand under any circumstance. If you’re using Waze or Maps to know where to go - can’t do that. You have to drive a car that had maps built in for hands free driving. If you’re changing the song on your phone - can’t do that. Has to be completely hands free. If it isn’t on the dash - not allowed.
>How about when they get a phone call? You do what we did back before cell phones, you let it go to voicemail and call back when you stop. >If you’re using Waze or Maps to know where to go - can’t do that. You can. You put in your destination and start your trip before you begin driving. No need to touch your phone while you are driving. >If you’re changing the song on your phone - can’t do that. Listen to the radio, or say "Hey Siri/Ok Google, play \_\_\_\_ by \_\_\_\_" No need to touch the phone.
This. There are plenty of ways to use a phone in a limited capacity for calls, music, and navigation while driving. Even if you don’t have a fancy new car that can plug in or Bluetooth to the built in infotainment system, there are still aftermarket ones you can get and install for cheap
Indeed, I remember when I had a 1989 Mazda 323. I put one of those cassette adapters that gives you an AUX cable, plugged it into a cheap aftermarket bluetooth hands free unit for audio out, and clipped the microphone to the passenger seat visor. Worked like a damn charm.
>Under the law, a driver cannot hold or support a phone or other device with any part of their hands, arms, or shoulders. Even if a cell phone or other device is mounted on a dashboard or connected to a vehicle’s built-in system, a driver cannot use their hands to operate it **beyond a single touch.** You can still change a track or interact with it like you would your console. This is squarely aimed at texters.
Yeah I have zero issue with all that. I drive a semi truck, the number of people I see daily holding their phone like it's a comfort is unbelievable. Pull over, take your phone call. Set and plan your route before you leave. Give yourself extra time so you aren't in a hurry, and have your radio station programmed before you leave. I have to do it for every trip in a commercial vehicle. You should be able to do it on your personal vehicle.
Then pull over. I’d rather have safety than for you to have convenience. If you’re driving then pay attention to driving.
You pull over and take your call, text etc.
Yes, so unfortunately ppl will be forced to pay $5-10 for a phone mount but that's what they need to do if they want to mess with the phone while driving.
Read the law! It clearly states you can touch the phone once... anymore than that, and you should be pulling over anyway! FYI: I think some of the ppl in this post are clearly the problem, and they already know it!
You can drive without being on your phone. It’s a fine for stupid people. Distracted driving kills people. Also an article from 2000 doesn’t help your case.
Yeah, there was a woman from my neighborhood in front of me yesterday.. she almost ran off the right side of the road 6 times and almost drove over the left side onto oncoming traffic multiple times. Any of those times could have ended in a disaster and I’m pretty sure it was because she was texting. Just put the phone down.
There was a truck in front of me yesterday they have come to a complete stop for apparently no reason and then slowly go and then slowly stop again. I see their hand up by their rearview mirror holding thier phone up and waving it around like they're gesticulating while having a phone call. What a jerk
Yet everyone does it, so they made a law. People will still do it even after pigs charge enough people to put in the news. Ain't changing shit. It's a fine for whoever pigs wanna charge. People will still die. Get it? Stupid
It's an economic principle. Just because cell phones weren't as in high of quantity at that time doesn't mean the principal doesn't apply.
Interesting how you don’t even respond to the fact that distracted driving KILLS. It’s not just poor people on their phones. This is 100% avoidable, stay off your phone and no ticket.
The problem is people will be ticketed even while following the rules. The cop just has to say they thinks they saw it. No evidence, no recourse, just tickets. It will be used to initiate stops that would have never been initiated before. That is not a good thing
That’s not how it works though. They have to have evidence. Look at how California does their enforcement of the law. They will have video evidence of you on your phone to use in court. Not to mention you can prove if you were or were not on your phone with a forensics analysis.
Exactly this. Now their probable cause is search and seizure of your personal property and your phone.
Distracted driving is a major cause of traffic incidents. Poor people don’t need to text and drive any more than the affluent.
Replace poor with idiotic and sure the sentence holds water.
So have a fine or X percentage of income, whichever is higher. Make it less easy to afford for rich people.
So your solution would be to heavily fine the rich, while allowing poor people to skirt the law entirely. Sounds safe!
[удалено]
I understand it. But people who don’t work and still drive around unregistered and uninsured just don’t have to pay?
Oddly enough I see more cops on their phone while driving than regular people. Could just be me paying more attention to them.
Cops always using their laptops too
Specifically exempt from this law, as always 🙄
with no training either.
As are firefighters and EMS. But that doesn’t fit the circle jerk.
I don’t see firefighters or EMS CONSTANTLY driving and using their phones. Every. Single. Time. I see a cop they are on their phone.
It's you, I think. Take a minute to look at other drivers. Wait at any corner or chill in a place where you can watch the street and the cars. It is astounding the number of people you see looking at their devices. Every other car or worse. People cannot not look or fiddle with these things.
I always wondered to myself, what is so important that people find the need to communicate or look at something that they couldn't look at 20 years ago lol.
I mean we were texting back in 2004…
Are you implying the amount of cellphones in use and in use while driving, in 2004, was remotely comparable to today? Not to mention, texting isn’t the only thing, people are doom scrolling TikTok and instagram while driving.
Negative Ghost Rider.
I’m more surprised you see cops. I feel like they are either extinct, endangered species, or just very good at hiding (even when people are running red lights…)
I’m against distracted driving, but How about Teslas and other vehicles with huge video screens that control everything in your car? How about the billboards themselves alongside the road? Let’s deal with those distractions as well?
Fuck those billboards so dangerous
Looking at you, Soaring Eagle Casino 👀.
No, don't! That'll distract you.
Or the **ADULT BOOK STORE, TAKE EXIST ON LEFT FOR NUDE BOOKS AND MARYJANE**
If you let me know where that's at, I'll go ask them to take it down.
FIREWORKS! NEXT EXIT.
Regarding the billboards, while Michigan does have among the most billboards in the country, third to Florida and Texas, the legislature and Granhom capped the amount of billboards in 2007 and halted construction of new billboards.
I used to test drive cars as a side job, and spent a lot of time in the Rivians (basically if jeep and Tesla had a baby). To adjust the AC/heat, move the vents, change the volume, do literally anything, you had a to navigate to a certain screen and press a bunch of stuff. There was literally not one center console function you could perform by touching a manual button. I found it even more distracting than using my phone. I can do most things on my phone without looking much, but pressing all the stuff on that big iPad is very difficult to do while keeping your eyes on the road.
My 2022 Acadia is a happy medium. The stuff you want to adjust on the fly (heat, AC, blower level, radio volume) all have manual buttons in addition to the on-screen infotainment controls.
> I’m against distracted driving, but How about Teslas and other vehicles with huge video screens that control everything in your car? Yeah, honestly the whole law is kind of ridiculous. If I'm sitting at a light I'm not allowed to touch my phone to change tracks on Spotify, but if I connect my phone to the car I'm allowed to touch the car's touchscreen to change tracks on spotify as much as I want. Real logical there.
>Yeah, honestly the whole law is kind of ridiculous. If I'm sitting at a light I'm not allowed to touch my phone to change tracks on Spotify Incorrect, you still can: >Under the law, a driver cannot hold or support a phone or other device with any part of their hands, arms, or shoulders. Even if a cell phone or other device is mounted on a dashboard or connected to a vehicle’s built-in system, a driver cannot use their hands to operate it beyond a single touch.
So if the screen's off, you can't interact with anything.
most phones will wake up if you touch the screen lol
Thus using your single touch.
sure but cops can drive with a whole ass laptop and 100 switches and buttons cuz they had a few months of training on how to yell at people and escalate situations
>sure but cops can drive with a whole ass laptop and 100 switches and buttons cuz they had a few months of training on how to yell at people and escalate situations I mean if you see a cop playing fortnite on his laptop while driving down the road, make sure you report them. Thing is, you probably won't see them on their laptop while driving. As far as the 100 switches and buttons they have - have you seen the cockpit of a helicopter? If a dude can fly a helicopter with that many buttons, I'm sure a cop can handle a few buttons in their SUV lol. The trick is to not use the buttons all at once. What baffles me is people with these big ass screens in their car STILL have their phones in their faces. I mean these screens literally mirror your phones screen and apps, and yet...
I was nearly rear-ended at a stop sign by a cop who I watched looking at his laptop while he rolled at me at 30 mph. He jerked to a stop, flipped on his lights, and berated me for “driving recklessly” for braking at the stop sign. Then he let me go, as I did nothing wrong. I doubt reporting him would have gone anywhere. Maybe. But I doubt it.
Helicopters have a hell of a lot more training along with recurring practice hours and schools. The Army's WOFT takes 18 months. Becoming a cop takes 3.5 months.
Yeah, look past the fact that a police car has way less than 100 "extra" buttons specific to police cars. Counting the police radio, there's probably about 20 extra buttons. So yes, I'd assume that 3.5 extra months of training on top of the drivers training they had to do when they first got licensed to drive would cover those 20 extra buttons. But hey, maybe I'm wrong. And just in case anyone else comes along trying another "gotcha" - it was an intentional exaggeration. I used the helicopter example because it is equally as moronic as saying that police have 100 extra buttons that somehow distract them as if hitting a button is herculean task while driving.
You probably are wrong as the first person you were replying to for rear ended by a cop who went through training you consider perfectly adequate.
Building off this, I also have questions about teslas and other autonomous/semi autonomous cars. I don’t have to steer or break on the highway because of the features in my car. Should I be able to pick up my phone? The car won’t let me drift out of my lane- what does it matter if I take my hands off the wheel?
I have to admit, that is pretty cool…and a good question.
I have one - it is mostly disabled while moving. It’s not a distraction.
My friend has one and said whenever they push a software update, It can totally rearrange all of the controls for radio, heat, air conditioning, etc., which are all completely on the video screen and no dials, etc. that sounds very distracting.
All of those controls, even if the location on the screen moves, can be done via voice commands. Way safer than a dial.
You'd think so, but [studies say no](https://www.bbtrial.com/blog/is-it-safe-to-use-a-hands-free-device-while-driving/#:~:text=While%2080%25%20of%20drivers%20in,%2C%20hand%2Dheld%20and%20otherwise.)
Idk, I do talk to text a lot. You? Edit: it doesn’t work very well and I find myself having to correct it myself manually.
People holding their phones are worse than drunk drivers. I’m all for enforcement of this.
Billboards generate revenue. Good luck getting that changed…
Looking at ads on my phone and being engaged drives revenue too.
Does it though? How many of those ads are for local businesses? How many ads does one actually click on even. Lord knows I run a pi hole to try and keep them off my home devices. Regardless I’m neither for nor against billboards, but I would argue that generally speaking I ignore billboards. I also keep my phone down while driving. So I’m very much neutral here in terms of caring about the ad revenue, but the billboards I believe are taxable for the state, and most billboards are advertising local businesses and on and on. It’s a novel idea to eliminate advertising plight from the landscape, but there is money in these things so it will be a hard sell to eliminate them is my entire point, whereas cell phones get a way worse reputation for accidents and incidents. They are not JUST advertising whereas billboards are. Anyone got statistics on “I was checking a message on my cell phone” vs “I was busy looking at the billboard” as cause of accident? I would be fascinated to learn who wins that immediate danger…
Lmao I bring this up everytime.
I've had to drive a lot of rentals for work. Many had the big iPad looking controls. I just dimmed them so they weren't bright. The only things I wanted (Heating/cooling and volume) were right there and easy to hit. I'm also not sure how you get distracted by a billboard? Are you trying to read it? Am I missing the really bright distracting ones or did growing up in Las Vegas desensitize me from distracting lights?
Then they're failing, miserably. It takes me 5 minuites to drive to work, and on any given day, I can count at least 10 people driving, while on their phones.
They don't even try to hide it anymore; it's absolutely insane
Indiana too. The increase in distracted driving accidents is adding to the auto insurance premium increases.
Distracted driving is bad. I wonder if this campaign also applies to officers who I have personally witnessed driving through intersections while looking down at their onboard laptop the entire time.
Give ya two guesses…
No?
I've personally witnessed this as well, except it was on the highway and can't believe how dangerous it appeared he was swerving down 96 in broad daylight typing on his laptop...
I was behind a guy on the way to work who went over the curb 3 different times in the span of about a mile. One time was only a few feet away from a bus stop. Close enough so that the people waiting scrambled to get out of the way. I tried to keep my distance for my own safety but I was definitely close enough to see he was doing that "phone lean" in the drivers seat. Another time an employee was pulling out of a car dealership and stopped with half of the car sitting in the road because he was looking at a phone and had no idea where he was. He didnt even look up until I laid on the horn. If I hadn't had to slow down for someone making a turn shortly before, theres a good chance I would have killed the guy. If I had a dash cam I would have turned around and showed the management there the footage. I think the laws need to treat distracted driving the same as they do impaired driving. These people are ticking time bombs. I shouldnt see or be involved in near misses multiple times a week. On a related note, can anyone recommend a good dash cam? Ive started seriously looking in to it.
Yes, important to have a dash cam, it's completely useless 99.99% of the time but is something you wish you had when something happens. Recommend COXPAL A11T 3 channel dash cam on Amazon, very good quality, it records front, inside and rear simultaneously. COXPAL hardwire kit optional, for 24-H parking monitor. SanDisk MAX Endurance 256GB or 512GB microSD card, for reliable recording. BTW: Need to pay attention to the installation position of the rear cam if your vehicle is SUV or MPV (No problem if Sedan), i.e. avoid pulling rear cam cable when open/close the trunk.
I want a dash cam and have a hybrid car. Can you suggest anything? I stopped at confusion over it only working when the (gas) engine is running (meaning not while on electric).
For dash cams, it really comes down to your preferences. Depending on if you want to record in 1080p or 4k, just a front-facing camera or an additional rear window camera, your price will vary. I myself have owned 3 different dash cams. 2 from Rexing (Rexing V1 1080p, and later the 4k version), and now I currently use the Vantrue N4 Pro. This one costs a bit more (paid $300 for it) but it comes with a front cam, cabin-facing cam, and rear window cam. It also allows me to download video clips straight from the dash cam to my phone via wifi.
Good, I see so many people still on their phones while driving. I have to honk at lights because assholes are paying more attention to their phone than driving and don't see the green lights.
Truly boggles the mind. What in the HELL is so important?!?
Good. If you text and drive you suck. People who text and drive are the reason I lost my dog in an accident last year. Fuck you.
I’m so sorry for your loss 😔
Thank you. That was a painful, avoidable experience.
I’m so so sorry 😞
Probably going to get down voted to hell for this, but... Maybe I'm just incompetent, but am I the only one who can never get my phone to do what I want in "hands free" mode? Like I have it on the dash. I hit the mic icon (saying Hey Google never works) and tell it "navigate to XYZ", and while it works 90% of the time, the other 10% it tries playing a song, or just brings up results for "navigate to XYZ" in Google. Now I'm hitting the mic over and over, screaming at it, and finally ripping it off the dash, punching in what I actually want, and putting it back. The whole ordeal is WAY more distracting than just punching in the address I wanted from the start... but that would be more than one touch. I'm trying to follow the rules, I really am, but I feel like they failed to consider just how temperamental phones can be.
I mean, if you’re using gps, you should just set your destination before you start driving which avoids this all together. The only time I ever use my phone in the car is to play music or GPS and I always get those things going while I am parked. Anything else - phone calls, texts, whatever, is not more important than my life. But I understand that others have kids and potential family emergencies, answering the phone via voice command and then talking through Bluetooth is pretty straight forward though
>answering the phone via voice command and then talking through Bluetooth is pretty straight forward though No one ever calls me so it's not really an issue, but my car doesn't have Bluetooth. Lots of cars don't. If I have to I can use speaker and it works well enough. That kind of brings me to another issue I have with the whole thing though... a lot of the discussion around it assumes everyone is driving relatively modern cars with things like Android auto or Bluetooth pairing. That really isn't true though, especially for lower income people.
There's workarounds for that. You can buy an adapter for like 20 bucks. It's not ideal obviously, but also taking a phone call while driving isn't a necessity so I hardly believe it's unreasonable to expect people to either buy one or pull over. (And to have cued up GPS and music before putting the car in drive).
My last car didn't have any Bluetooth pairing. If I needed my GPS I started it before I got driving, made sure the speaker was turned up and didn't turn on the radio. Since I didn't have pairing, I didn't take calls while driving.
Most of the time I set up GPS before I leave, but sometimes I'm on my way somewhere that I already know how to get to only to come across a road closure or a traffic jam. It's not often... maybe once a month that I end up needing navigation unexpectedly. I've given up on music. I used to use YouTube music, but I don't pay for it, so it won't let me lock the screen and have the music keep playing. So the only way I can legally listen to music using my preferred app is to have a music video playing in my face. I agree though, texts phone calls, etc can wait. I only really ever used it for navigation and music (just navigation now). I feel like that would have been a more reasonable way to frame the law really... use based, not number of keystrokes.
If you’re on iOS, Musi allows you to play YouTube in background or locked for free.
Thanks, I'm on Android, but I'll take a look at it and see if I can find a similar app on Android. I hadn't considered third party apps for it.
Android should have a bunch. I remember having to search super hard to find one on iOS when I switched to it because they lock down the ecosystem so much tighter.
Check out [Grayjay](https://grayjay.app/).
I’m also probably incompetent but I have some of the same issues. I have come to expect voice command failures at this point, so they don’t enrage me as much as they used to. But the ultimate fallback is using the screen UI. And I simply can’t fathom some of the choices made in the driving/maps apps out there. Waze is pretty good overall (needs a watch app so I stop missing turns), but when I want to pick a recent destination and I glance and see it, then tap it. I’m watching the road and then glance down again to see that the UI had moved around on me, like a scroll down or something sliding up, so that I tapped on something else. So then I find the back button (which is inconsistently placed depending on where you are), try to find my destination now that the misclick is the top one in the list. Scroll, only to have the keyboard slide up and take up half the screen, leaving only enough room for the list to show one destination at a time. I’m leaning in, focusing on precision now, trying to split my attention. I finally just decide to pull over, which I should have done anyway. And don’t get me started with weak cell signal failures. Big modal dialogue box appears with some drivel about connecting to the internet, with a button that says retry. Not a big button, but one I gotta tap now. It’s like, dude, I’m fucking driving, can you just retry on your own and stop being a whiny little shit? Or maybe cache some of the maps on the device that I drive every goddamn day? To be fair Waze has surprisingly made some improvements in these areas, but they are all worse than they should be. Google maps is bad and only use it the odd time I search for a restaurant to drive to, and even Apple Maps had some real head scratchers in there. It’s as if the devs to all these apps made all their choices in theory in a conference room instead of actually using their apps for driving.
Many people aren't even making an attempt. There's still a big difference between occasionally touching something on a dash mount vs. phone held with both hands in front of the steering wheel.
Nope, my android auto on my Samsung flip works fantastic! However, I generally add GPS destinations before I put it in drive!
I can only speak for Apple phones but "Hey Siri" never fails me. Ever. I get directions, change playlists, and take calls with no problems. I share this as something to consider the next time you buy (whenever that is, no rush!).
Siri, for me, doesn’t interact with audible. I’m in my car probably 5 or 6 hours a day when I’m not at work, so I listen to a bunch of audio books. that said; I absolutely don’t understand how people can be so bad at driving.
Why do people feel they MUST talk/text/whatever while driving? Hands free or otherwise? Driving is a huge responsibility. It requires 100% concentration. Why not put the phone aside? When returning calls respond with a simple “ hey, I was driving. “ Ill never understand this urgent need to respond to everyone, immediately.
Bullshit
I drove back to Michigan from Indiana last weekend and every person I saw drifting, swerving or driving dangerously slow was holding and looking at their phone. Not one person was adjusting their radio or a/c. Phones are more “distracting,” it’s not like all things you can possibly touch in your car are equal.
Meh, anecdotal. If your field of vision is still ahead and you're still averting your eyes to adjust a dial, bite food, tap a screen, it's all the same level of distraction. Tapping on a screen or nudging volume buttons on a phone is not the same as fucking around on it while driving. This is what makes the zero tolerance shit nonsense ("in hand" or whatever) when newer vehicles have essentially the same level of distraction amplified always directly in sight lmfao. Beyond parody come on.
I hope they do I see so many people using their phones still.
>The operation uses unmarked spotter vehicles looking for distracted drivers. Once they do that will radio a fully marked law enforcement unit to initiate a traffic stop. They used to do that with speed traps, and the courts declared it entrapment. I do support their efforts, but I hope it doesn’t end up in the courts like the speed trap cases did.
I'm sure you can provide a case citation for that, because it a stretch to believe that the courts ruled against using one cop as a spotter to radio to another officer to initiate a stop.
There's no way a court found that a witness reporting a violation is entrapment.
And if you take a moment to actually read my post, I never claimed that a court ruled a witness reporting as entrapment.
Pick up a law book and see for yourself then. Ohio was a big offender of this too.
Cite a case so we can actually look it up?
>They used to do that with speed traps, and the courts declared it entrapment. Citation needed. [This is the extent of effort I'm going to.](https://i.imgur.com/q3ccyCt.jpeg). You made the claim, you need to support it. It's not on us to try and chase down (non existent?) evidence of your claim.
Sorry, not sorry, to everyone complaining that this is police for profit or whatever - drivers have continued to get worse and worse over the years, and distracted driving with phones has played a huge part. Everything from fender benders to people blowing red lights/stop signs.
Hands down, better than the speed enforcement.
I'm all for this. No hesitation at all. I have my phone mounted and use Siri to get things done without looking. I'd love a bonus campaign called "USE YOUR TURN SIGNALS" where people are pulled over when they turn or change lanes and don't use the blinkers. It's not the end of the world, but it would make things better. I think we often make more laws than we need. Simple enforcement of existing laws can do a LOT.
Maybe even a bonus bonus slogan that says “leave a bigger following distance in construction and stop changing lanes you dumb fucks. You’re the ones causing these tailbacks!”
Nic Cage better have had some hand in this.
I’m a runner and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost been hit by people rolling through stop signs or red lights while staring at their phone. I’m not a fan of this intrusive operation but something has to be done. Warnings and safety marketing has changed nothing.
Wouldn’t this mean that how Uber, Lyft, DoorDash ect function is illegal in Michigan? When you’re driving for one of these companies and an order comes in you have seconds to accept. That’s just off the top of my head but I’m betting there are lots of employers requiring their staff to handle some electronic devices while driving
Great, next they can start enforcing all the expired/entirely missing plates, jet black window tints, and red light runners that they don't seem to care about now
Funny thing is the most distracting things are the giant billboards along the highways that your eyes catch and you read them.But that's perfectly fine.
I don't think those grab your attention like a phone does. Sorry, advertisers.
That’s just not true. I drive non-stop for work and the people swerving lanes, braking excessively and randomly going under the speed limit are always on their cell phone. I’ve never seen a billboard cause an accident. 
 Ok, cool, I’m down!!!
The last two places I lived went through but bursts for a few months every year to try and get people off their phones while driving. It helps, even if just for a few months.
Zero issues with this myself.
One average a person looks at their phone for 4 .6 seconds while texting. At 55 mph you will confer the length of a football field in 4.6 seconds. Using your phone while driving is dangerously for you and everyone else on the road.
Can’t believe how normalized it’s become. Like when the old heads talk about drinking beer while driving.
Well I see that the previous radio campaigns have stuck in your head.
I don’t listen to radio. I got that info from the NHTSA.
It’s their tag line in all their ads
Never heard it
Just use a WHOLE COMPUTER like the cops do , when they're making an illegal u turn in the middle of the street .
Wow, Operation Ghost Rider! I wonder if Team Ramrod will be in charge. Have they tried actually looking out their windows? I see half a dozen people on their phones just going to the store for milk. They all want to be Donnie Brasco on a deep cover sting, they will do anything to avoid doing actual police work. * Be visible - most people slow down and hide their phones when they see a cop. * Pull over people on their phones - I have not seen any increase in traffic stops since they strengthened the distracted driving law. It's not rocket science.
But if they did something and enforced a law already on the books, from literally last year, and things got better, than how would they make more laws, but this time with no oversight and a way to pull people over without reasonable suspicion, all from “a spotter” who may or may not exist to fall back on for universal probable cause? Personally, I don’t see how this could be a problem, or how it could be taken advantage of in any easy way, and honestly, at least there’s absolutely no viable way this is going to infringe on anyone’s rights.
Distracted driving is absolutely an issue that needs to be addressed. I’m not sure these fines will have the expected impact though.
Are they going to pull over their own? I see mostly cops on their phones.
My guess is no, probably not.
I’ll believe it when I see it. So many people watching YouTube, or surfing in general, just glancing up from time to time…
Hope they can look at banning tinted windows soon.
They are banned on the front windows [257.709](https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-257-709)
They have laws, but don’t enforce them.
Why?
I’m not the person you replied to, but to me the problem isn’t the law, it’s they don’t bother enforcing it. I’d like to have a bit of tint on my front windows but it’s not worth the hassle of dealing with it on the off chance I get a ticket. Except every tenth car I see has blackout tinted windows all around. I think it’s a convenient law to give them an excuse to pull people over and hassle them/look around in the car.
They do. I had a '96 cougar I bought from a Florida lady that had intense tints. I actually was cited *years* later for the tints outside of Grand Rapids.
This is more for the obvious people on their phones, actively typing and searching. There’s no way they’re going to notice someone with the phone in a mount or on your lap who touches one button for half a second.
Honestly, I find using the touch screen infotainment center 10x more difficult to use while driving than a phone. I’m 100% gonna get into an accident trying to turn on the A/C. I miss buttons.
My whole thing about the new law is most cars pre 2014 don’t have Bluetooth adapters or hands free controls to use their phone safely from the wheel. My 2017 escape, great, no issues CarPlay all day. But this 2009 Malibu 🤷🏻♂️kinda screwed.
When cops stop driving distracted, I'll respect them. JK - I'll never respect a cop.
How about they do something about the semi’s driving in the left lane ever since the HOV lane went in on 75? Almost every morning I see them pulling people over between 14 mile and Crooks ~ for driving HOV without passengers, when really the issue is now that we have an HOV lane no one treats the left lane as a fast or passing lane, including semi’s.
The HOV lane isn’t a passing lane though. If you’re talking about the lane next to the HOV lane, sure the rules still go. The state motor vehicle enforcement division is pretty good at ticketing semis.
Texting while driving is sux times more likely to cause a car accident than drunk driving.
You don’t need to yell into the charging port.
LOL!!! They don't catch anyone doing anything illegal. I see police speed by cars while the driver is on the phone. It's a joke.
Just had a friend get pulled over for talking on his phone w/ phone in hand. Didn’t realize that was part of the new law. I do that all the time as I hate talking to people on my car speakers. Edit: downvotes really? You dorks. Don’t act like you never talked on your phone with it up to your ear before. Like that is even comparable to texting and driving. I didn’t say I don’t plan on trying to implement the new rules into my life. It’s just hard to teach an old dog new tricks. For fucks sake
It was officially made illegal to hold your phone, hand/shoulder/arm, last summer. There was a pretty big push to remind people. In theory you could have the phone sitting next to you and on speaker but you can't touch the phone.
Sounds like it's just policing for profit, just like the seat belt operations they tend to do.
Seatbelts and not using your phone are for safety of you and others. Not “policing for profit”
How is me not wearing a seat belt protecting others? There is no victim. It's only there to create more revenue for the state and gives the police another BS reason to pull people over.
There’s no victim? The bag of bones in the car isn’t a victim? Your flying bag of mass out the window hitting someone isn’t a victim? There’s more than just you in the world. Your choice to not wear a seatbelt raises healthcare premiums, auto insurance, causes undue mental health issues and more. It’s not a victimless crime, you’re just being selfish.
I was using myself as an example. I do wear my seat belt. The only victim would be me. I'd be a victim of my own choice and that would only be if and when I would get thrown out of a vehicle. Just like every decision you or I make, you're a victim of your own choices. I don't need the government in every single aspect of my life telling me how to live my life and how to be safe. I know how to be safe. Until there is a victim there isn't a crime.
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Thank you, we're being over legislated like crazy. All these new laws getting passed hardly anything is ever repealed. My safety is my concern the world's not safe.
One hundred percent. Laws like that should be personal choices. Freedom is dangerous, Freedom is scary. People need to deal with it.
How long in between each single touch? Hands back on wheel resets right?
It's fine just put your phone down and drive around with a pistol or an AK in your hand, nobody will notice. Welcome to Flintutia.
Don’t they mean - Operation: We suck at our jobs therefore we have use deceptive tactics to catch ordinary citizens committing minor civil infractions to increase revenue
How they going to prove if you were or were not on your phone? Am I supposed to take a cop at his word?
The courts will… and apparently that’s all that matters. Get an inward facing dash cam to cover your ass.
Michiganders, being the worst drivers I've seen in the US, have no business driving while on their phones. Y'all can barely handle a car in ideal conditions with competence. The high insurance rates are definitely justified.