Distracted? Stay alert, whether driving, biking, or otherwise getting about

What about cell phones while biking?

Bicycling Monterey urges reading the comment from League of American Bicyclists cycling instructor Tom Cassera in the following post: http://www.santacruzlive.com/streetsmarts/2009/09/28/cycling-expert-questions-street-smarts-on-hands-free-cell-phone-law/

Here’s what California law says about distracted driving:

• Handheld ban for all drivers (Primary law)
• Ban on all cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers (Primary law)
• Ban on all cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for novice drivers–defined as drivers under age 18 (Secondary law)
• Ban on texting for all drivers (Primary law)

Refer to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website for more details. Listed below are a variety of DMV links working as of 5/29/19 (our previous links to DMV site were broken due to their website changes).

As the DMV says about cell phones, text messaging, and other distractions: When driving, “Stay focused. Pay attention. Expect the unexpected.”

• Text messaging and cell phones (scroll down the following page of the DMV website): http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/hrn_hlts_es#technology
• New law since 2017 about Electronic Wireless Devices (AB 1785): http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/newsrel/newsrel16/2016_36
• Q&A about text messaging law since January 1, 2009, and cellular phone laws since July 1, 2008, including a 2008 educational video: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/cellularphonelaws/index 
• Minors: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/minors_vio_actns_phns#minor_phones

• Cellular Phone Distracted Driving: A Review of the Literature and Summary of Crash and Driver Characteristics in California. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/08ac48df-b006-4f3e-aa97-04f4f9682a66/S7-248.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Regarding cost of a violation, note the warning sign on Highway 68/Monterey-Salinas Highway in 2013 (pictured below).

Don’t think you’d really be risking injuring or killing someone? Maybe the dent in your wallet matters. And you bet– Monterey County cops are out there enforcing these laws, e.g., Salinas  PD wrote 347 distracted driving citations for the month of April 2013.

“Distracted? Watch out! We’re all family, as the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition video linked in that post shows.

Fog & Smog give the same message in their video, “Put your  phone down.”  Watch it at the end of this post.

Cell phones–and other distracted driving

Got cell phone?–in your hand while driving/pedaling? Let’s hope not!  Cops on bikes can pedal right up and–bingo–write a ticket.  They may look like they’re just out having fun, but these cops mean business too!  They know that a split-second text, or other distraction, can be all it takes to result in tragedies such as this one or this one, both in Santa Cruz County. Think it can’t happen to you? Watch director Werner  Herzog’s film “From One Second to the  Next.”

There’s probably not a person in the world who hasn’t at some time driven a car or motorcycle, or biked, distracted.  The stories at the U.S. Department of of Transportation Distracted Driving website are another somber reminder of why it’s so important to keep first things first!–Your eyes on the road (or bike path), your hands on the wheel (or handlebars), and your mind on your priority task at hand–safe travel.

These police officers are prepared to get around town quickly, free of any possible traffic delays.

Police officers are out and about,  doing everything they can to keep the peace and assure the safety of our communities.  In this post are cops from the City of Monterey.  Click here to see Constables of the Peace, on bicycles, in other Monterey County cities.

Need more reminders? Visit the Eric Okerblom Foundation website, http://www.eofoundation.net/ – Eric was killed while bicycling because of a distracted driver! In April 2012, cyclists will bike through Monterey County with Eric’s father, Bob Okerblom, to express outrage and bring attention to what more must be done to prevent such tragedy.  Visit the website to learn more, or email Eric’s dad:   bobokerblom [AT] yahoo [DOT] com.

See what else our Monterey County’s police officers are up to.

In this post, officers are from the City of Monterey Police Department.

Ma’am, sorry to have to write you up, but California’s seat belt law says “click it or ticket.”

Pausing to give directions help.

Whoops, crosswalk!

Stay alert, folks, there are ticket books in those bike bags!

Keeping a sharp eye on things….

Hey, every biker on the road  needs some of that super-reflective tape!

Getting ready to hit the road again….

Hey, it’s the bike woman! Sure, we’ll pose, no problem.

Back in the saddle….

And away they go, on to the next call of duty.

Thanks for your service, officers.

Thanks to Mark C. Anderson for his 3/22/12 Food Blog post in the Monterey County Weekly bringing the following video to my attention.

Fog and Smog have the last word.

 

This post was previously published July 19, 2011 and has been partially updated.