The state House has narrowly defeated the latest attempt to force Pennsylvania drivers to put down their cell phones while behind the wheel.After three-plus hours of often raucous debate, the chamber voted 100-95 Wednesday against an amendment that would have required drivers to replace hand-held cell phones with hands-free devices.
Later, the House voted to impose an additional $50 fine on those caught driving carelessly if they also were using a hand-held cell phone or were text-messaging.
Hey, way to take a stand! A $50 fine? Are you serious? And people wonder why politicians are held in such distain?
We all know from practical observation -- that car or truck weaving around in front of you -- that people are distracted constantly by cell phone calls and texting and all the rest.
The carnage that can result when just one driver screws up and hits another car or a pedestrian is immense; often life-altering or even life-ending. But instead of dealing with this, your humble Harrisburg stumblebums want to impose a $50 fine.
Thanks ladies and gentlemen. The blood will be on your hands.
And if you don't have the stones to do anything more severe with adult drivers, the VERY LEAST you could do would be to make it illegal for young drivers, say under the age of 21, from EVER using a phone while driving.
But I don't expect that either.