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Man cited for ‘eating while driving’ in Cobb County
WSB-TV, Atlanta ^ | January 18, 2015 | Rachel Stockman

Posted on 01/19/2015 7:19:26 AM PST by BobNative

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — An Alabama man says he was cited by Cobb County police for “eating while driving” under the distracted driving law.

Madison Turner said he ordered a double quarter pounder with cheese from McDonald’s last week, and a police officer pulled him over, along Canton Road in Marietta.

“The officer explained to me that he observed me eating a burger for 2 miles,” Madison said. “He said specifically three times, you can’t just go down the road eating a hamburger.”

According to the ticket, the officer wrote him up under Georgia’s distracted driving law, and under the comments sections wrote “eating while driving.”

That law reads, in part: “A driver shall exercise due care in operating a motor vehicle on the highways of this state and shall not engage in any actions which shall distract such driver from the safe operation of such vehicle.”

“Maybe I was enjoying the burger too much I needed to tone it down. I was certainly willing to do so but I didn’t expect to be fined or punished,” Madison said.

“If this was the law, I’d have to hire more attorneys because everybody does it including me,” said William Head, a longtime traffic and DUI attorney, who is not representing Turner.

“I’ve only seen something like this charge when there’s an accident. There was no accident here so the fact that this man was charged with eating and driving is a first for me,” Head said. Head added that law was very vague.

“Maybe if you had a giant pizza in both hands and you weren’t holding the wheel or maybe if you had a watermelon, half watermelon and you were just diving into it holding it with both hands, maybe that would be something,” Head said.

A spokesperson for Cobb County police said they could not comment, since the case is ongoing. Madison has a court date on Feb. 3.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: crime; police
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To: BobNative

LIGHTWEIGHT!!!! Back in the day in order to get a drivers license ya had to be able to open a beer(with a church key)light a cig and shift to 3rd at the same time!
This country has gone to hell!


21 posted on 01/19/2015 7:30:38 AM PST by rrrod (at home in Medellin Colombia)
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To: BobNative

Well, my worst offense was driving while holding multiple ice cream cones, and it was a stick shift.


22 posted on 01/19/2015 7:30:39 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: BobNative

How was this guy eating? I have seen people using both hands to eat a hamburger and driving with his knees. I saw a woman eating a bowl of cereal with both hands and driving with her knees. I see people reading books and newspapers. This is unacceptable.

The article is unclear what, exactly, this driver was doing.


23 posted on 01/19/2015 7:31:07 AM PST by rey
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To: BobNative

My favorite is a lady holding a cell phone to her ear with one hand, looking in the mirror and playing with her hair with the other hand, going down the interstate at 70 mph.


24 posted on 01/19/2015 7:31:41 AM PST by redfreedom (All it takes for evil to win is for good people to do nothing - that's how the left took over.)
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To: smokingfrog

Nothing was worse for driving than those little 8 oz beer cans.


25 posted on 01/19/2015 7:31:58 AM PST by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: BobNative
Traffic tickets are not about enforcing the law.

Traffic tickets are about making an income for the LEOs who are constantly driving around violating the same laws they are writing tickets for.

Think about it distracted driving would include talking and fiddling about with a police radio and observing if other drivers are breaking the law. I mean if you are watching a guy eating a burger in another car for 2 miles straight then how can you be aware of the dangers of the road?

26 posted on 01/19/2015 7:32:28 AM PST by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: BobNative

The regular Micky D burger was made for driving.
You can eat it with 1 hand.


27 posted on 01/19/2015 7:32:30 AM PST by mylife
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To: BobNative

If it were an old school Whopper insteas of McD, the cop mvht have had a case because “it takes to hands to handle a Whopper”.


28 posted on 01/19/2015 7:32:30 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: thefactor

Imagine the ramifications for fast-food places if this becomes a common occurence. I quit them years ago for financial reasons (with the unintended benefit of lower cholesterol); if they can’t sell food to be eaten while driving then they are done.


29 posted on 01/19/2015 7:32:53 AM PST by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: Dr. Sivana

“To” should be “two”


30 posted on 01/19/2015 7:33:34 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: Vigilanteman
Eating while driving isn't even in the same league as the idiots I see around here maneuvering through traffic with a cell phone which they never put down.

I've never understood why those idiots don't have a bluetooth headset. For $20 they can keep both hands on the wheel. But then, I guess that's what makes them idiots.

31 posted on 01/19/2015 7:34:42 AM PST by Sans-Culotte (Psalm 14:1 ~ The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”)
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To: BobNative

A rack of ribs slathered in sauce can be tricky. Crimson goo all over the wheel, shifter, various knobs...


32 posted on 01/19/2015 7:34:58 AM PST by Sirius Lee (All that is required for evil to advance is for government to do "something")
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To: redfreedom
favorite is a lady holding a cell phone to her ear with one hand, looking in the mirror and playing with her hair with the other hand, going down the interstate at 70 mph.

I'll see your lady with a guy reading the newspaper, and raise you with a woman shaving her legs while driving (nice below the waist shape too)

33 posted on 01/19/2015 7:37:02 AM PST by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy)
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To: BobNative
he observed me eating a burger for 2 miles,”

And you didn't leave your lane, speed or run anyone over.

34 posted on 01/19/2015 7:37:27 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: BobNative; Mouton; Little Pig; Yo-Yo; G Larry; cripplecreek; Vigilanteman; Cowboy Bob; ...
For some real "distracted driving", please see:

http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/shake.html

35 posted on 01/19/2015 7:38:10 AM PST by Rodamala (I like you... but you're crazy.)
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To: Vigilanteman

I am so tired of weenies that cant drive and talk on the phone at the same time. They mucked it up for those of us that can.


36 posted on 01/19/2015 7:39:32 AM PST by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
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To: Rodamala

Funny just watched that 2 minutes ago on FOX,they said it was staged


37 posted on 01/19/2015 7:39:45 AM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: BobNative

Only donuts allowed?


38 posted on 01/19/2015 7:40:05 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: Mouton
show me the person, I will show you the crime.

“There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.” ― Ayn Rand

That said, eating is as much a distraction as holding a phone and creates an equal danger, so I can't say the cops are wrong.

39 posted on 01/19/2015 7:41:22 AM PST by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed & water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS NOW & FOREVER!)
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To: BobNative
Leave distracted driving to the professionals.
40 posted on 01/19/2015 7:42:05 AM PST by Half Vast Conspiracy (!)
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