This Might be A Dumb Question

[jsgolfer]

So If you're reading emails or texting at a light and the people behind you have to beep to make you aware of the green light. Is it a law that you have to drive as fast as you can to catch up with the cars that you were behind??  Just asking because this happens quite frequently.  

[saevel25]

28 minutes ago, jsgolfer said:

So If you're reading emails or texting at a light and the people behind you have to beep to make you aware of the green light. Is it a law that you have to drive as fast as you can to catch up with the cars that you were behind??  Just asking because this happens quite frequently.  

There is no "keep up with the car in front of you" law. 

If you speed trying to catch up then you are breaking a law ;) 

 

[krupa]

I think the drivers are just trying to overcompensate for being rude.  I can't speak for other states, but in NY reading emails or texting at a traffic light is just as illegal as doing so while the car is moving.  

[DaveP043]

On the other hand, if a driver is on a roadway and texting at the same time, you may be ticketed if DandT is illegal.  Every time I'm behind an oblivious texter, he or she wakes up just in time to be the last one through the light, leaving me stewing at the red light!

[krupa]

3 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

On the other hand, if a driver is on a roadway and texting at the same time, you may be ticketed if DandT is illegal.  Every time I'm behind an oblivious texter, he or she wakes up just in time to be the last one through the light, leaving me stewing at the red light!

I was once at a traffic light behind an obvious texter (head down, not moving.)  The light turns green, no movement.  I lay on the horn.  She picked her head up... looked left... looked right... looked back down at her phone.   I was so stunned, all I could do was laugh.

[newtogolf]

18 minutes ago, krupa said:

I think the drivers are just trying to overcompensate for being rude.  I can't speak for other states, but in NY reading emails or texting at a traffic light is just as illegal as doing so while the car is moving.  

Using your phone to text or read e-mail at a red light is not illegal in NY (at least on Long Island), though it is discouraged;

Quote

Both Nassau and Suffolk police departments told us the state law allows a driver to use an electronic device as long as the car is not moving. According to the law: "No person shall operate a motor vehicle while using...

People do plenty of things at red lights that distract them from paying attention to the light.  I've seen women put on makeup, guys shave, people look for things in their car and couple make out.  Most of them always snap out of whatever their doing at the sound of a horn and step on the gas hard to compensate for not paying attention.  

[jsgolfer]

43 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

There is no "keep up with the car in front of you" law. 

If you speed trying to catch up then you are breaking a law ;) 

 

I know, I was trying to be facitious

[krupa]

13 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

Using your phone to text or read e-mail at a red light is not illegal in NY (at least on Long Island), though it is discouraged;

People do plenty of things at red lights that distract them from paying attention to the light.  I've seen women put on makeup, guys shave, people look for things in their car and couple make out.  Most of them always snap out of whatever their doing at the sound of a horn and step on the gas hard to compensate for not paying attention.  

I stand corrected.  The DMV website says "Under New York State law you cannot use a hand-held mobile telephone or portable electronic device while you drive."  and I definitely consider sitting at a red light "driving" even though you're not moving.  The real law (once I found it), with all it's legalese says "Except as otherwise provided in this section, no person shall operate a motor vehicle while using any portable electronic device while such vehicle is in motion "

In any event, as a pedestrian I've had close calls with drivers who were looking at their phones at the red light, then stomp on the gas when the light goes green without looking for people in cross walks (I was not crossing against the lights.)

 

[saevel25]

10 minutes ago, krupa said:

 I definitely consider sitting at a red light "driving" even though you're not moving.

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4511.204

Ohio just has a ban on texting. which I think is very lax. I would have liked it to be usage of the cell phone for any reason. 

In Ohio you are allowed to check if you are stopped and if you are outside the traveling roadway. 

23 minutes ago, jsgolfer said:

I know, I was trying to be facitious

 

[jsgolfer]

Just now, saevel25 said:

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4511.204

Ohio just has a ban on texting. which I think is very lax. I would have liked it to be usage of the cell phone for any reason. 

In Ohio you are allowed to check if you are stopped and if you are outside the traveling roadway. 

 

We need to get a face palm emoji.  

@iacas Anyway to get the Bitmoji keyboard? I'm assuming that is where you made your avatar. 

[krupa]

9 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4511.204

Ohio just has a ban on texting. which I think is very lax. I would have liked it to be usage of the cell phone for any reason. 

In Ohio you are allowed to check if you are stopped and if you are outside the traveling roadway. 

 

It is kind of lax; if I read section C-1 correctly, it's just a secondary offense (i.e., can't be pulled over just for looking at your phone.)  The rest makes sense, you should be able to pull over on the shoulder and do what you want on the phone. 

[Lihu]

7 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

On the other hand, if a driver is on a roadway and texting at the same time, you may be ticketed if DandT is illegal.  Every time I'm behind an oblivious texter, he or she wakes up just in time to be the last one through the light, leaving me stewing at the red light!

I'd just honk them as soon as the light changes. . . Hey, they're texting and have no idea when the light changed anyway. Just give them a mean look like you were waiting patiently for 10 or more seconds. . .

[nevets88]

Forget looking at your smartphone. Some places, even if your 100% attention is on driving, if you don't go 0.001 seconds when the light changes green, you get a honk. 

This was mean, but as a social experiment, I held my phone so the driver behind me would see that I was using the phone but I wasn't. I made sure I went zoom zoom as soon as the light turned green. Got a honk, after I already started. 

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, nevets88 said:

Forget looking at your smartphone. Some places, even if your 100% attention is on driving, if you don't go 0.001 seconds when the light changes green, you get a honk. 

This was mean, but as a social experiment, I held my phone so the driver behind me would see that I was using the phone but I wasn't. I made sure I went zoom zoom as soon as the light turned green. Got a honk, after I already started. 

Exactly, it works! Kept you on your toes. . .