TALK ABOUT "ENTRAPMENT" (NY CELL PHONE BAN)

Federal Review ^ | 2/5/04 | Hank

[Behind Liberal Lines]

A few years ago, New York State passed a largely unenforced ban on using cell phones while driving.

Apparently, however, at least one (most likely) fine-hungry politician wants to see the law enforced. The Associated Press is reporting that:

A Brooklyn state assemblyman wants a special hotline to report drivers who are talking on hand-held cell phones. Assemblyman Feliz Ortiz says the hotline would connect to the State Department of Motor Vehicles. The caller would report the time, date, location and license plate number of the car being driven by the talker.

Think about this for more than two seconds and it becomes obvious that this plan is flawed. The only people who are going see a person using a cell phone while driving would be other drivers. And how are those other drivers going to call the hotline unless they use their own cell phones while driving?

On the other hand, maybe this is part of the plan. Maybe everyone who calls the hotline to report a "driving while phoning" offense will also be prosecuted, resulting in two fines for the price of one?

This is New York, after all. When it comes to government spending and taxes anything is possible.

[Steely Tom]

Hmmm. A "Talker Stalker" line.

(steely)

[Husker24]

The next thing you know, there will be a Fart hotline, to call the police when someone breaks wind.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP -

[trebb]

They need to come up with a "Stupid Politician" law.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

I believe the ban only applies to hand-held phones. There are adapters and built-in phones, with speakers (or that work via your car's audio system) enabling you to talk without having to actually pick up a phone.

[Ancesthntr]

You're correct about it only applying to hand-held cellphones. However, this is really not the point. NY has created that which is critical to a tyranny - a populace willing to inform on its own members. Such a system pits subject against subject, and even children against parents. I don't object to real crimes being reported by individuals to the police - decent people have done this for over 200 years in this country - but this goes too far. This is a victimless crime (yes, that's right, talking on the phone is a victimless crime - if someone drives recklessly, phone or not, THAT is a crime) with large fines going to the state. The only thing missing is a reward for reporting violators but, rest assured, it will soon appear - whenever the State wants more money.

[xkaydet65]

I understand your conspiratorial opinion about this law, but, and it's a big but, Felix Ortiz is nowhere near bright enough to have thought of two for the price of one. He has difficulty finding Albany on a map.Now were this the product of a bright, evil, left wing mindlike Jerrold Nadler, I would have no doubt your analysis would be correct.

[11Bush]

So, if I see someone using a handheld cell phone, I am supposed to use my handheld cell phone to turn them in.

Brilliant!

[Area51]

While they come for you with all the legal force they can muster, they will let the Criminal invaders roam freely.

[battousai]

Not to mention all the high school kids who are going to crank call the line with the license plates of passing motorists.

[ElkGroveDan]

Why stop there?

If he wants to follow the practices of the former Soviet Union, he should include a provision to teach children to turn in their parents.

Then after a few years they could make it a crime to observe a driver on a cell phone without reporting them. That way people would not only be encouraged to rat out their friends, family, and fellow drivers they would be FORCED to out of fear that they themselves might be prosecuted.

Utopia is only a few steps away if we have the courage to make the necessary choices.

[stuartcr]

So when you went to court, all you would have to do is produce the adapters, and say the person that reported you was mistaken.

[antiRepublicrat]

I believe the ban only applies to hand-held phones. There are adapters and built-in phones, with speakers (or that work via your car's audio system) enabling you to talk without having to actually pick up a phone.

And yet studies show the accident rate, while higher when cell phones are used, is the same between hand-held phones and ones with built-in kits. The key point appears to be the actual distration, not what you're doing with your hands.

Yet another law stemming from the legislature's need to appear to be doing work while avoiding work on real problems.

[Steely Tom]

So, if I see someone using a handheld cell phone, I am supposed to use my handheld cell phone to turn them in. Brilliant!

That really is funny, isn't it!

There was a politician up here in upstate NY, the chairman of the board of education in some rural school district near Oswego, who (this was in the early '90's) stated in a television interview that his district couldn't attact good teachers because they didn't pay them enough. The interviewer asked him how much money the typical teacher was paid, and this guy answered with a figure that was, like, $25,000 per year more than the average school district resident earned!

He was out of a job very quickly, the next election cycle. Lot's of people around here talked about the story.

(steely)

[Protagoras]

Right out of the Stazi handbook for getting citizens to spy on other citizens for money.

[bc2]

I would advocate violence against NY politicians, but that would be wrong and it would get me banned.

Instead I will advocate mass civil disobediance against the gun laws, smoking bans, cell phone laws, and every other stupid, un-Constitutional law in New York State.

I'm going to just ping the UNYPL before I get myself into trouble...

[CaptRon]

They need to come up with a "Stupid Politician" law.

Yeah. One with a hotline you could call whenever Felix Ortiz opens his pie-hole.

[bc2]

Upstate NY Ping!

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