NY to introduce "TEXT STOP X MILES" signs along highways

[Zeffy]

In a bid to persuade drivers to resist checking their phone whenever it beeps or pings or whatever sound it makes when a message arrives, New York State is to introduce so-called "˜Texting Zones' along its major highways and thruways.

Announcing the initiative on Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said a total of 298 signs with messages like "It can wait, Text Stop 5 miles" , will be positioned along the state's busiest roads, pointing drivers to 91 Texting Zone locations.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/09/24/distracted-driving-new-york-to-introduce-text-stops-along-state-highways/

I'm not sure how I feel about this approach to the "texting while driving" problem - I don't think any amount of signs will stop them from texting. I think they should beef up patrols on areas that show the highest percentages of drivers who text at the wheel. Show them the consequences of their actions - rather then letting them continue on.

Also, it's a Clearview BBS sign. I shouldn't have to say anymore than that.  Did NYDOT switch to Clearview while I wasn't looking, or are they too lazy to use the FHWA fonts?

[Big John]

If they are doing it as a safety measure, I would prefer to call it a "CELL PHONE STOP", for a stop to do any business on the cell phone, including talking or texting.

[hotdogPi]

Will they be reopening the closed rest stops on I-88?

[dgolub]

If you need "text stops" to be provided for you in order to refrain from texting while you're driving, then you shouldn't be driving at all.

[Jim]

I noticed this morning that the Guilderland Service area on the Thruway between 25 and 24 has had a blue "Text Stop" added to some of its advance signs.  I don't think it was there yesterday.

[hbelkins]

If we paid more attention and spent money on the crime problem instead of stupid crap like this, maybe things really would be safer in this country. How many people have been murdered in Chicago alone this year? Last I heard it was approaching 400. That's probably lots more than have died as a result of wrecking while texting.

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

Meanwhile, talking on a CB or ham radio, changing the radio station, lighting a cigarette or talking to passengers in the car will continue to be legal.

[NE2]

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

I welcome said bans.

[corco]

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

I'd be very, very surprised to see that. The American people would go insane if that were made the case. There's a reason hands-free cell phone use is legal while hands-on cell phone use isn't despite studies showing both to be dangerous. Our legislators walk a fine line- they need to provide us with the illusion of safety without losing votes- requiring hands free does that well, and also supports business by forcing people to buy fancier technology.

It's like the FAA relaxing rules on in flight use of electronic devices- we live in a world with devices, and any future happenings are going to facilitate that.

[agentsteel53]

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

I welcome said bans.

why not a general "driving inattentively"? 

[NE2]

That would work too, since it would include using a phone.

[Revive 755]

why not a general "driving inattentively"? 

Kind of vague - what's to keep some New Rome type jurisdiction from hiding cops in the bushes and pulling over drivers who look away for two seconds to adjust the radio when there are no other cars around on a rural highway?

[agentsteel53]

Kind of vague - what's to keep some New Rome type jurisdiction from hiding cops in the bushes and pulling over drivers who look away for two seconds to adjust the radio when there are no other cars around on a rural highway?

what's preventing them now from taking a hammer and saying your taillight's out?

[Duke87]

This after New York recently raised the fine and points for texting while driving, and has promised to step up enforcement. Cuomo is really making an issue out of it.

What's unnerving is that precedent already states that in New York use of a camera while driving is considered legally equivalent to texting while driving. This potentially creates a greater risk of getting pulled over for roadgeeks.

[machias]

I saw covered up signs on the Thruway for the parking area EB between exits 33 and 34 but I couldn't imagine what they would be for. Now I know.

I'm willing to bet that the sign pictured is for a Thruway parking area and that's why it's in Clearview, even though I had heard rumblings that the Thruway wasn't as excited about Clearview as they were a few years ago.

I'm not sure how I feel about this initiative. I think it's great that they're trying to combat the distracted driving issue, but focusing on just texting kind of misses the point, though it is one of the major contributors to the problem.

In the past week I've seen: a man shaving with an electric shaver, a man reading a newspaper, a woman talking on her phone and eating something (apparently steering with her knee) and another woman looking at her child in the back seat, and this is just in Utica where's there's no real rush hour or remarkable traffic congestion.

[SP Cook]

Unless the po-po want to go to all the trouble of subpoenaing cell phone records with detailed time stamps, a ticket for texting while driving comes down to a swearing contest.  Cop says you were, you say you were not.  Far easier to just point the radar gun at the next random tax victim.

Bluntly, people who talk or text on cell phones while in parking lots, signalized streets, residential neighborhoods, etc. are dopes, and will be taken care of by increased insurance rates as they have accidents, etc.  Texting or talking on a rural interstate is really not dangerous.

[dgolub]

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

I welcome said bans.

Same here.  I always pull over onto a side street if I need to take a call when I'm behind the wheel.

[dgolub]

This after New York recently raised the fine and points for texting while driving, and has promised to step up enforcement. Cuomo is really making an issue out of it.

What's unnerving is that precedent already states that in New York use of a camera while driving is considered legally equivalent to texting while driving. This potentially creates a greater risk of getting pulled over for roadgeeks.

So get a StickyPod to mount your camera on the dashboard and put it on burst mode while you're driving.

[Henry]

I wouldn't be surprised if the other 49 states and Canada followed suit! This is one of the best ideas ever.

[jeffandnicole]

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

I welcome said bans.

Yes.  It's worked quite well with other laws.  Every state bans driving thru stop signs without stopping, speeding, driving while intoxicted, etc, and NO ONE EVER BREAKS THOSE LAWS.  EVER.

Ban it as much as you want.  It'll still continue.

[machias]

This morning I noticed the addition of "TEXT STOP" signs on the assemblies approaching the Indian Castle Service Area on the Thruway. The signs are in Series D (real version, not the Thruway version). One thing that I found surprising is that the Thruway Authority and/or NYSDOT didn't come up with a snappy graphic to represent a TEXT STOP.  Since everything is becoming symbol based lately, you'd think they would have come up with a TEXT STOP graphic.

[cu2010]

This morning I noticed the addition of "TEXT STOP" signs on the assemblies approaching the Indian Castle Service Area on the Thruway.

I noticed the same thing on the signs approaching the Junius Ponds Service Area.

[Compulov]

why not a general "driving inattentively"? 

I'd be okay with this over the current crop of varying, sometimes device-specific, sometimes extremely vague laws. I don't even know why we even need laws like this. Don't most states have some form of "operating a vehicle without due care" statute on the books already? One would think that if a cop spots you drifting, holding up traffic, or just being a general dumbass while driving, he doesn't need a statute specific to using a cell phone to cite you for careless driving. All these cell phone laws do is pander to the "won't somebody please think of the children" bleeding heart types.

Getting back to the specific topic... I think it's a pretty awful idea. If education (and being told over... and over... and over... and over... and...) that distracted driving kills, then I don't see how advertising parking areas as text stops is going to make a damn lick of difference. Inform people of the consequences of their actions (both legal and physical), and hope that sooner or later it sinks in. I do think that we should have more rest areas in general on the nation's highways, even if it's just a pull-off where you can take a short break from driving. They don't need to have stupid monikers, though.

[Brandon]

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

I welcome said bans.

Prohibition worked so well.

[NE2]

Strawmen work so well.

[Brandon]

Strawmen work so well.

Trying to ban items or activities usually tends to be an exercise in futility unless you can get almost everyone on board with it.  I fear trying to ban cell phone use (and texting for that matter) is just as futile.  It would be better to simply use existing laws as others have stated in this thread.