swilson
EF1
I'll be sure to keep it as low as I can so it's out of window site. That and I really avoid driving at night anyway.
After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.
I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.
For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.
From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.
Sincerely, Jeff D.
I take it that is will be considered a primary and not a secondary offense.
If it goes into affect, I would count of officers enforcing it beyond was this 'one' sheriff says, especially in non-urban areas (where suburbanites are more likely to complain about the issue).
Frankly I have no real big issue with it. As long as I can still have nav and radar up that's fine. Otherwise it takes only a few seconds to pull over and take a look at the computer before driving again.
I'm pretty sure MN and a few other states have this in affect.
Laptops were already illegal to operate while driving in Illinois under most circumstances per existing legislation: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K12-604.1
Also, check out this amendment that's currently sitting in committee down in Springfield: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/Bil...=SB&LegID=42406&SessionID=76&GA=96&SpecSess=0 (stiffens penalties anywhere from a Class A misdemeanor to as much as a Class 1 felony, depending on certain circumstances).
If you read the text, GPS receivers are specifically exempt. It is the opinion of the Illinois State Police, when I inquired, that laptop screens are considered a "video monitor" and they will cite if they see a laptop open under the circumstances described within the law.
Each law enforcement officer will likely interpret the law differently when it comes to deciding whether or not to cite, especially if you are using the computer solely for a mapping application (e.g. Microsoft Streets and Trips, DeLorme Street Atlas USA, etc.) in conjunction with a GPS unit. In that case, you would probably find yourself trying to beguile the exact wording of this particular code.
Does squad cars have laptops in them over in Illinois?
Even if you're "Busted" for texting or surfing, simply say you were making a call, checking your battery, or one of the million other excuses. This will be about as effective as the "click it or ticket" check points. They advertise the check point a mile ahead of time; you have to be extremely stupid or stubborn enough to pay $100 for it to be effective. Another joke of a law that will have absolutely zero impact on making the road safer...
Not at all correct. The now have legal authority to obtain your phone records and determine if you received texts or email on your phone. If they determine that you did leading upto you being stopped, you will get ticketed and have no defense.
Only time I see this law having any merit or impact, is in injury accidents, and even then when good attorney's get involved there will be plenty of "issues" to be worked out. In terms of everyday impact, I still see absolutely none...
Why yes officer. See my laptop open to Streets and Trips? That makes it a GPS. I'd like to see you prove that I was doing anything other than looking at the map. Yup...I have the time to see you in court. Thanks for the ticket. You might want to meet me at the next intersection where I'll be looking at my map again. You can write me another ticket for that too. And, if you have nothing better to do...you can follow me around and write tickets at each intersection.
So now it's illegal to receive a text? Can't prove if and or when it was read, by whom it was read, and a million other factors. You really think they'll allocate the resource involved to take those measures, for a $100 (or whatever minimal price) ticket they're attempting to write? Not to mention a plethora of other defenses, above and beyond if a message was recieved or not. Only way for this to be at all effective is to ban all cell phone use altogether. Sure it might scare a few people into abiding by the law, though I guarentee you, *if* they were able to effectivly prosecute people, it will merely scare a small number of folks into abiding by the law. I'll give you the benifit of the doubt and say they manage to push this crap through the courts with ease, there is still no way, even repeated minor tickets will stop most from using the phone (if anything now they'll be more secretive and doing it by keeping the phone lower and or other methods that will only lead to great distraction). This all goes without mention that most new cars already have system dedicated to sending and receiving text's through the car's stereo system, I can send and read texts, make calls, all through the buttons on my steering wheel or on my radio; next step, tickets for changing radio settings??
Only time I see this law having any merit or impact, is in injury accidents, and even then when good attorney's get involved there will be plenty of "issues" to be worked out. In terms of everyday impact, I still see absolutely none...
Also, the laptop as a GPS unit idea won't work either. A friend of mine got a $100 ticket for that plus court costs for fighting it and losing it.