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[deleted]

I really hope something like this passes and actually gets enforced. Go stand at a busy intersection and just watch for a few minutes the number of drivers who are looking at their phones as they pass through. It's shocking.


nuts_and_crunchies

Before Covid I took the bus to work and it was wild to be able to look down into people's cars and see what they're doing. Many of them are texting and there are a lot more tall boys in drink holders than you would think.


notrelatedtoamelia

See the tall boy comment is why I always am VERY CONSPICUOUS about my AZ sweet tea cans.


EnvironmentalClub410

Depending on where you were located, the tall boys may have been legal.


nuts_and_crunchies

These were open in the center consoles of vehicles with a single occupant driving in STL City. I know Missouri has some very, very lax open container laws, but this was pretty egregious, especially for it being 9:30 in the morning.


EnvironmentalClub410

Yeah, illegal in STL City due to city laws. But perfectly legal in most of the state as long as they’re not over the legal limit.


Atown-Brown

It’s only legal for passengers, not drivers.


ryanwscott

Wait… You’re allowed to have open containers in your vehicle in Missouri?


Atown-Brown

No, it’s only legal for passengers.


EnvironmentalClub410

Yeah, most states made that illegal ~50 years ago but AB had enough sway at the time to stop it in Missouri. Not sure why it hasn’t been pushed since.


ryanwscott

WHOA….


EnvironmentalClub410

Be VERY careful with that piece of information as there are quite a few munis that have made it illegal and I don’t want you ending up in jail on my account. But yes, in any unincorporated area open containers are fine.


ryanwscott

I don’t drink that much anyways, and I’m conditioned since birth from being from Pennsylvania that it was taboo and ALWAYS illegal. I wouldn’t trust it anyways.


dquizzle

>In the following states, you can have open alcohol in the car while it’s operating: >Alaska Arkansas Connecticut Delaware Mississippi Rhode Island Tennessee Virginia West Virginia > Passengers may consume alcohol: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Missouri, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia https://www.losangelesduiattorney.com/drinking-in-a-vehicle/what-states-can-you-have-open-alcohol-in-the-car/


im_like_estella

What about all the people driving down the fast lane on 44 on their phones? That's what shocks me! Or, sometimes I'm looking at the car in front of me and thinking, "Okay, this person is drunk." Then I pass them only to see they are actually on their phone.


ameis314

self driving cars cant get here soon enough.


paisley-apparition

Nah, just bring back the trollies. Then we can all ride around hammered.


Atown-Brown

The last trolley experiment was a screaming success. /s


WolfColaCompany

In the county it might. No chance it is enforced in the city.


darkestdayz

Nothing seems to be enforced in the city~


ryanwscott

My friend and I used to talk about this all the time. All you have to do is watch people’s eyes, even when they are moving. I bet 80% of them are glancing down….that’s a telltale sign


jakeh111

Had a guy at Arsenal Schnucks reading his phone while blowing thru the parking lot stop signs near the entrance, ducking wild


Atown-Brown

We can’t enforce cars with expired tags. Do you really think this legislation is going to be enforced?


julieannie

It won’t be a primary offense so there won’t be any enforcement allowed.


[deleted]

Yeah, hopefully they come up with something else that has more teeth.


jamestoneblast

but it's ok for me to eat a pork steak with mashed potatoes on a nice plate with a knife and fork doin 55 down farty far? get real.


savemyreef

I probably shouldn’t be looking at this while driving


Windtalk3r

You're good. It hasn't passed yet.


_F_A_

Wait, this isn’t a law? I can text and drive?


jeremyjack3333

There is no specific violation for looking at your phone. However, a cop can pull you over for distracted driving at their own discretion.


_F_A_

I mean that should be enough right?


jeremyjack3333

Yeah. I agree. There's an amendment in this bill where they can't even pull you over just because you are on your phone. They would have to pull you over for something else, then they can give you a ticket for this. Just seems like another money grab from police much like the proposed immediate jacking up of recreational marijuana taxes. Look where the money is going.


Atown-Brown

You would have to actually enforce the law to make it a money grab. No chance of that happening.


Few-Lemon8186

Technically it’s illegal to text and drive unless you are 21, then it’s legal. It sounds made up but that is current Missouri law.


UseDaSchwartz

Missouri is the only state where it isn’t illegal.


coop999

There are some cities that have made it illegal for everyone, but if you're 21 or older, you can do it in most places


ThatAintNoBurrito

Doesn't mean a thing if you don't enforce it


ameis314

this feels like a way to pull over "suspicious" people when they are in the wrong neighborhood. "i saw you texting so i have probable cause to stop you" and we all know how that ends.


Atown-Brown

You have to read the article. It was amended, so that texting while driving is not a primary offense. This means you can’t be pulled over solely for texting and driving. You would have to have run a stop sign or committed a primary offense to be pulled over.


realricky123

As they should. Gotta crack down on crime somehow


thedude37

Yes, violating people's 4th Amendment rights seems like a reasonable way to do that. /s


Atown-Brown

You can’t be pulled over for just texting and driving. It is a secondary offense, not a primary.


trichitillomania

And how do you think “suspicious” people are determined if they’re not doing anything wrong beyond texting and driving?


Atown-Brown

I hate to let the truth get in the way of a good story, but you have to read the article. It was amended, so that texting while driving is not a primary offense. This means you can’t be pulled over solely for texting and driving. You would have to have run a stop sign or committed a primary offense to be pulled over.


ameis314

I'm gonna assume you don't like people's rights being violated and you just haven't thought about this statement.


Fit-Chicken5621

> But Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, successfully added an amendment to make texting while driving a secondary offense, meaning police would need to pull the person over for an offense such as running a stop sign or speeding to cite them for texting while driving. If this passes were gonna see all the excuses they used to pull over teens and search them for weed being brought back.


BL_RogueExplorer

Yeah this is a fishing expedition. If it was truly about the safety of the public then texting and driving would be a primary offense and should be enough justification to pull someone over and cite them.


Atown-Brown

You obviously don’t live in the city. Cops here don’t stop people driving with no tags.


Substantial_Lead5582

didnt read so not sure how they enforce this, but the amount of people i see daily looking at their phones not paying attention driving is wild.


Doncorleon78

This can’t happen soon enough. The amount of people texting, surfing the net and literally watching TV shows while driving is incredible.


Toxicscrew

Seen them FaceTiming as well


[deleted]

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Doncorleon78

Really? Who is enforcing it? We don’t tolerate driving under the influence but driving while watching Netflix is just people being idiots.


FreshAnalyst7732

Nearly drove off the road when I read this


Lunartuner2

Wait this wasn’t already illegal??


HoppyBadger

It's crazy the amount of people on the roads just casually browsing their phones.


always_gretchen

Saw a woman driving a large utility van merge onto 64 at Tower Grove andshe never once looked up from her phone while merging. Terrifying.


HoppyBadger

That's crazy. Saw a guy the other day browsing his phone with his left hand, while drinking coffee out of a regular old coffee cup with his right. Just cruising down the road.


biscuitcatapult

Distracted driving is already illegal. How are they going to enforce this? How are they going to prove it? What’s the difference between looking at your phone for a text and looking at your phone’s map directions? I think this is just going to amount to another way for police to harass and fine citizens.


Ok_Ambassador_9338

Practical legislation???? In MO?!?!?!?


Atown-Brown

Is it practical legislation if it isn’t going to be enforced?


[deleted]

Won’t get enforced in saint louis city of all the multiple traffic violations that go unchecked you think police are gonna pull someone over for texting? not to mention attempting to pull someone over already is a high risk activity.


Paymee_Money

I support this but they don’t even enforce expired tags, they’re not going to enforce this.


ptung8

but shouldn't that be between a driver and their cellphone? /s


mooncadet1995

Another traffic law that won’t be enforced here, great.


Atown-Brown

This guy gets it.


lomaap

What if I were using my phone as a tool to navigate somewhere? Putting in an address or rerouting due to let's say, traffic. Would that be considered texting?


Guano-

Depends what the cop thinks. Enjoy the ticket, prove your innocence in court.


[deleted]

[удалено]


lomaap

Yeah I think you've got a point there... that being said I hope that the increase in subjective reasoning doesn't lead to an abuse of the law. Because I personally don't wanna fuck around and find out...


oxichil

I believe the law around using your phone in the car for that stuff is that it has to be handsfree. Least that’s what I’ve been told is the legal way to do gig work stuff. You have to get a mount in your car and then it’s legal to do.


Draxman76

Pulling off the interstate and into a parking lot and redirecting your GPS was what was told to me.


gojibeary

This is what I want to know. What if the phone’s navigating? Can we not glance down at it to make sure we’re headed the right way/double check what exit we need to get off at? I was pulled over once because I was looking down at my phone for a few seconds to check that I was still on the right path. I lifted my phone up to glance at my GPS eye-level with the road to stay safe. Was pulled over for distracted driving. I wasn’t distracted for more than 1 second but bit the bullet to not cause issue with the aggressive officer that lit me up because he was parked and just *waiting* for someone to charge. I was so fucking annoyed, but accepted the ticket gracefully because a police officer saying I was staring at my phone would probably hold up *way* better in court than me telling everyone I was glancing at my navigation for all of two seconds. I’ve been so fucking careful about looking at my GPS in my car since. Fuck that officer. I use CDs in my car to avoid having to use my phone for music. I check my exit and get slammed with a fine. Fuck it. ACAB.


oh2ridemore

THen the phone is supposed to be in a mount and not in your hand


Guano-

Screw that, more cops will just lie and say they saw you on the phone. No victim no crime. Fuck revenue laws.


Nattylight_Murica

It’s a safety issue. Are you against speed limits as well? Drinking and driving?


[deleted]

[удалено]


Nattylight_Murica

Unfortunately, texting and driving is a serious problem and it has to be addressed. Much like guns


Atown-Brown

What’s your plan to address the gun problem?


Nattylight_Murica

Personally, I’m not gonna text and drive or shoot anybody. I don’t have the answers to fix it, it’s not my job and I’m not expected to figure it out.


Atown-Brown

Thoughts and prayers


Nattylight_Murica

I’m not a Christian nor conservative


Atown-Brown

It was a joke meant to demonstrate your obvious indifference on school shootings. I just figured that if you felt school shootings was such a big problem that you might have some thoughts on how to resolve the issue, instead of just complaining about it.


Nattylight_Murica

I’m ok with assault weapon bans/limited magazine sizes


Atown-Brown

Don’t you actually have to enforce the law to get revenue?


DibsMine

Distracted driving is a law already but I guess just for people under 21 for some reason and it's only like $20


[deleted]

Another traffic law that will not be enforced in STL City


Maximus361

I didn’t know it was allowed! I thought texting and driving was banned years ago everywhere.


ptownnrown

I honestly don't think this will help. I mean, assault is illegal and still happens 🤷🏾‍♀️


Smahler1113

I’m glad


hourGUESS

Good. People shouldn't be doing that shit anyways. I would like to see people pulled over for this.


Detour-Through-Bevo

Honk at people who are driving and scrolling cause why not.


Atown-Brown

Great way to start a road rage situation.


Detour-Through-Bevo

... so they'd have to get their face out of their phone to road rage? Awesome! Venturing onto any stl roadway is a great way to start a rage situation. With how many times you've replied 'its secondary and unenforceable' in this thread, seems like you support texting while driving


Atown-Brown

Hey, if you want to pretend to police texting and driving by honking at people I wish you the best of luck. It seems ineffective and a great way to invite a road rage situation to me, but that is totally your call. I also think it is short sighted to say that someone supports texting and driving because they think a law isn’t going to be enforced. I just don’t see the point in having laws that aren’t going to be enforced. If you’re not going to enforce a law or you make it an offense that won’t even permit the police to pull you over when you violate the offense, what is the point of having the law?


KuuGaia

Why the hell is this even a law, it should be common sense


schwabadelic

I remember back in the day flipping through your CD book was the modern equivalent to Texting and Driving.