Some Time Has Passed. So What's Been Happening?

OK, so it's been a while since I last blogged here. Well, there was a reason for that - I actually got a real job and have been doing it due dilligence. I'm back now, so everyone settle down.

It's been over 7 months since the new wireless headset law was passed here in California. As of this past January 1st 2009, a new law prohibiting even texting from a wireless device while driving activated. Basically the intent of the new law is saying that even if you are seen holding a wireless device while driving you will be ticketed. As was recently tested here in Los Angeles this past week, a cell phone in speaker mode held in you hand is against the law.

It really doesn't matter though. For every 10 people I see talking on their cell phone, I'd say only 1 of them are using the device without holding the phone in their hands or otherwise using a wired or Bluetooth headset.

CHP officers out there, you continue to miss out on a very lucrative revenue stream by not citing those drivers still refusing to follow the law.

It's July 1st, New CA Cell Phone & Driving Law Begins

In a couple minutes, one full day of the newly enforced California hands free cell phone useage law will have passed.

Lucky for me, today I spent more time than usual on SoCal's freeway system. Lots of customers to visit, even more errands than usual tasken to task. This means I was able to witness first hand if the new law was having any effect on people's driving and cell phone usage habits.

Initial observations of the new "hands free cell phone" law; I don't see much of a change. People of all types are still holding the cell phone up to their ears and in front of their faces dialing or texting.

But what I did see gave me some hope in the long term.

There were many CA Highway Patrol officers pulling over a lot more drivers than usual. I don't mean one here and another there. I mean in one stretch of Interstate 5 south of downtown LA, I saw 9 CHP cruisers that had pulled over cars. Each officer in this mile of so stretch was either in deep discussion with the driver, or else he/she was in the process of issuing a citation. I saw similar activity on the 101, 210 and 405 freeways as well.

I had my suspicions confirmed a little bit ago when I saw a news story on TV outlining the CHP's activities enforcing the new law today. The on camera talking head spokesman said that citations issues were estimated to be up 300% for a single day average, which the CHP attributes to drivers not obeying the new law.

No duhhhh!

OCTOBER 1, 2007 @ 12:25PM - SB 405 at Normandy

Flashing red lights on emergency vehicles like CHP cruisers, police cars, enforcement motorcycles, fire trucks and ambulances deserve the lawful respect and right-of-way the law demands. Could someone please explain to me then why is it that I continue to see people driving down the road totally ignoring the flashing red lights on emergency vehicles.

If an emergency vehicle is coming up on your rear and you don't pull over to the shoulder to let them pass, then you are in violation of the law. If you are on an un-divided road and the emergency vehicle is approaching you from the other direction and you don't pull over to the shoulder to let them pass, then you are again in violation of the law. It's really as simple as that.

Let's take a short quiz;

You are driving down the freeway and you see a CHP motorcycle officer gaining on your rear with his red lights flashing. Do you...

A: Slow down and maintain position in the flow of traffic.

B: Slowly pull to the right side of the road, stop, and allow the cruiser to pass.

C: Immediately stop in the lane you are traveling on and wait for the cruiser to pass.

I'll give you an obvious, common sense based hint; it's not A or C.

That's right, according to the State of California Vehicle Code, the answer is B, as in pull to the side, stop and let the emergency vehicle pass. Please never do what today's Highway A-hole did.

A CHP cruiser trying to get through traffic to attend a traffic accident ahead code 3. Traffic was bumper to bumper. People were trying to get to the side of the road so that the cruiser could pass on through... well most people anyway.

A lone black 2000-ish 4 door Mercedes with the license number 6151344 was just sitting still in the previously moving traffic dead in its tracks. The driver was a woman who looked to be somewhere in her early 30's with short black hair. She had come to a complete stop in the middle of lanes and turned on her emergency flashers. The CHP car was right behind her with red lights flashing and siren blowing. All she had to do was follow the merging traffic the right. Problem was she didn't want to move, she just sat there. The patrolman in the cruiser gave her instructions over his PA horn. "DRIVER PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT" blared out of his PA speaker. Nothing doing, she just continued to sit there.

Afger a few second. a break of cars to her right gave her a complete opportunity to get out of the way. Like a deer caught in headlights she just continued to sit there. The CHP cruiser was obviously fed up waiting for her to make the move, so he just passed her on her right side.

Lady, I hope that someday it's your kid up ahead in a traffic accident and some other Highway A-hole refuses to pull over for the rescue vehicle or ambulance trying to same you kid's life. Karma can be a bitch and everything.

JULY 20, 2007 @ 2:05 pm - SB 405 at Getty Center Drive

It's become hot here in the LA area, and that seems to bring out a lack of patience in drivers. Today's report is more of the same HOV car pool bullshit.

A black 2006 Porsche 911 4S Turbo was being driven by a young Italian looking guy with the obligatory fat gold chain and medallion. He look to be in his mid to late 20's and he was by himself. I didn't get his tag number.

Again, here we have a situation of a schmuck darting in and out of the car pool lane across double yellow lines. He was himself looking rather pissed that traffic was a bad as it was. He was right, traffic was bad with the quickest lane only moving about 15 mph, and it was the slow lane number 5. The rest of us understood the situation and made the best of it. For some reason he would not accept that the traffic was going to slow him up for a bit. I lost sight of him somewhere just past Sunset Blvd. Traffic on the SB 405 remained bad until past Long Beach's Cherry Ave off-ramp.

I was hoping that a CHP cruiser or motor officer would have seen him performing is A-hole acts, but I realized that the $451 minimal fine would not have meant shit to this guy with the foreign trust fund. State of CA should increase the license point penalty to drivers who abuse the car pool laws from 1 point per infraction to 3.