10,000lbs?

I've driven plenty of vehicles over 10,000lbs - a stock, empty Ford F250 Crew Cab weighs in at something like 12,000lbs, which is pretty typical for pickup trucks of that size. And lots of people tend to drive trucks like that all the time, not just for construction jobs or hauling firewood like they show in the commercials. I'm pretty sure my basic license will allow me to drive anything up to 14,000 lbs gross vehicle weight, and that's not including a trailer.

But I've already seen plenty of weight laws (A nearby freeway doesn't allow trucks over some small number of tons, which means the cops should be pulling over every large pickup truck and SUV) that are constantly ignored for non-commercial vehicles.

7.5 tonnes?

I wondered why, when I exchanged my British licence* (and the stupid counterpart, natch) that I got 'awarded' a C1 (=7.5t§). Now I know. I've become a 'Rubber Duckie', AKA 'Good Buddy'.

So, the Americans can use a "Rubber Duck" CB while driving? In Britain, you get serious points on your licence for that. In Finland, theoretically same, but no-one really cares. Ingrained into the cultures of each country, I guess.

I managed to ride my moped (on a footpath - we're allowed to here) whilst using my netbook to look up where I was going on a map-page. Throttle locked, steering by weight-shift, like I flew microlights, using Elisa 3G modem on the lappie. Doddle.

Before some Elf and Safty jobsworth chips in...No-one bothered me - in a country this size, and with only 5,5 million inhabitants (most are usually safely in the pub in the afternoon - particularly on dole-payday) who is there to hit??

*Counterpart? WTF?? When I was last nicked for neglecting my seat-belt, they just used a barcode-reader, computer link showed what I earned, and plod took 50 quid off me. Instantly. Lotta do'nuts for that money, of course.

§ - Never driven anything like that 7,5 tonner before. EVER!! First and last time, Tampere-Oulu, about 350Km. Middle of February, -20, icy. Moving house - I had the cat (I mean tabby - other cat was driving ahead in her own car) in the cab. Had to wrap her (tabby) in my coat, because the heater had failed. Left me with a t-shirt. It was about -20, and I was sliding all over the road. 6 hours of that. At the end, I felt l'd done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. Yet, I have a licence for it. But not the use of a CB...

Title, dammit

While I have some sympathy for the people opposed to the constant clamor for new laws or stiffer penalties, I have to disagree on this one. While offenders could be charged with "undue car and attention" this accomplishes two things:

It is not necessary to prove in court each time that texting or using a phone while driving is unlawful.

It makes it perfectly clear to the vast number of current drivers who think using those devices while driving is okay that it is not okay.

Without this law it remains to individual jurisdictions to educate by enforcement. This makes it clear.

10,000 pounds

Sounds pretty cheap for a truck.

To be 16

Growing up in the 60's and 70's in California, part of official (like in life) graduation the ability to smoke, talk on a cb, listen to the boom box, pass (and even roll) a doobie (pipes are safer) and hunt deer with 6 rifles 4 handguns, and a spotlight all with a beer between the legs.

@fred4

can't use it to contact your daughter who's in a car with her friends

can't use your phone when you're a passenger in a car

can't use your phone when you're in a cab trying to find out directions to your mate's place

can't use in-car kits to call ahead to let people know you're runnning late

can't use it on the train to let people know when to pick you up from the station

... and it doesn't fix the problem where idiots sat at the traffic lights are too busy texting to realise that the cars ahead have moved on and the lights are changing back to red.

@ Fred 4 (28th January 2010 01:03 GMT)

You obviously move in well-heeled circles if 99% of the phones you encounter are GPS enabled. Certainly this isn’t the case in the shops: I bought a new phone a couple of weeks ago and none that I looked at had this feature.

In my lowly circles being in a car with driver driving, account manager on phone to confirm latest offers, deployment manager on phone to customer to inform of delayed ETA is not unusually but can necessary.

Why is texting on a train bad?

Would you disable data? My satnav uses my phone to download traffic information.

Sorry to disagree but there seem to be too many people rushing to disable or enforce limits other peoples’ way of living because it doesn’t fit their own view of the world.

Those that participate in loud phone calls on the bus or train are rude, I agree; but that does not give us the right to micro-manage their lives.

@ @ replies

> can't use it to contact your daughter who's in a car with her friends

and she (and her friends) cant be talking and texting while driving.

depending on the device, you can track her (at least the phone's) location.

and if I might ask - how did you do this before cell phones?

> can't use your phone when you're a passenger in a car

not an entirely bad thing - as I said - what a concept -- you might actually have to talk to the other people in the car with you!!!

>can't use your phone when you're in a cab trying to find out directions to your mate's place

true - but you could easily ask the cabbie to pull over while you do so.

>can't use in-car kits to call ahead to let people know you're runnning late

yes you can - if you are late a few extra seconds wont matter - pull over and call.

>can't use it on the train to let people know when to pick you up from the station

last I looked trains had a schedule - which you know (or friend can look up) before hand.

something like :'.... Tommy, the train get in at Whoster at 10:45am... see you there! Bye"

>.. and it doesn't fix the problem where idiots sat at the traffic lights are too busy texting to realise that the cars ahead have moved on and the lights are changing back to red.

true - but then a good shot on their rear bumper usually wakes them up ; )

>You obviously move in well-heeled circles if 99% of the phones you encounter are GPS enabled.

you sir are wrong (at least in the states) - ALL - cell phones as of 1999(?) are required to have GPS or similar location aware devices -- FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE location.

So.... while the phone may not have GPS enabled in such a manner that you (the user) can access it - it *IS* there, and it *IS* on as long as the phone is on.

>In my lowly circles being in a car with driver driving, account manager on phone to confirm latest offers, deployment manager on phone to customer to inform of delayed ETA is not unusually but can necessary.

and how did this work before cell phones?

with an auto shut off-- if you are delayed (you made an appointment, right?) you are likely stuck/stopped in traffic, and likely going slower than 10 mph/16kph. You can always pull over for 30 seconds and make the call.