Biddlecomb: Text of new law makes no sense

As of today, it’s illegal to text while driving in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

I’m glad our lawmakers finally cleared that up. Now if they could just pass some legislation making it illegal to drive while blindfolded, knitting or while reading random names out of the phone book, I would
truly feel safe out on the roads.

For the record, I don’t text. I’ve owned a cell phone since 2001 and can barely check my voice mail. And I’m proud of that.

I’ve sent only one text message in my life. It was a response to a contractor who sent me a text last year explaining why it was more important for him to go to the beach than to finish installing a kitchen
sink in my home. My response was “OK”— though it should have been “#^*@#$!”

I was one of the initial skeptics when New York passed the first legislation against talking on a cell phone while driving in 2001. I just figured it was an expansion of the Nanny State and a blatant attempt
by lawmakers to appease the “hands-free” lobby.

After several near misses with drivers yakking on their cell phones I had a change of heart. The most serious incident occurred on U.S. 1 when a speeding driver crossed the center line and came inches
from side swiping my car that had my infant son in the back. I can still see the expression on her face as she yelled into the cell phone in her right hand while a cigarette burned in her left.

Virginia has since made it illegal for teenagers to talk on cell phones while driving, which is OK, but the law doesn’t do anything to save us from the majority of those other “immature” drivers who value
trivial conversations to safety.

I mean what do people actually talk about while driving? If it’s anything similar to what I hear people talking about while shopping at Target, it’s just not worth it.

For now, however, all you protectors of personal liberties can breath easy since the General Assembly refuses to act. You’re still free to talk about yesterday’s episode of “Oprah” while tailgating the guy
in front of you in between stoplights on the Prince William Parkway.

Texting, however, is out of the question. The act of typing on a cell phone is such a hazard to public safety that the General Assembly has made it a secondary offense. What’s a secondary offense? It
means a police officer cannot stop you simply for texting while driving.

As it is with our great seatbelt law, officers have to catch you in the act of another offense before citing you for texting while driving. So text away. Just don’t exceed the speed limit, light up a joint or pull
the tag off a mattress while typing on your cell phone.

Anyone dumb enough to get caught (texting, not smoking pot) will have the book thrown at them. There’s a $20 fine for the first offense and $50 for a second. The General Assembly never takes my
advice. You should hit them where it hurts. I’ve lobbied for years to give State Troopers the authority to grab a careless driver’s cell phone and slam it into the pavement when one of these laws are broken.
That’s instant justice.

I’ve never quite understood the concept behind secondary enforcement. It reeks of compromise. Lawmakers can tell one side they took action while telling the other side “not to worry, it’s only a
secondary offense.”

So the next time a driver runs someone off the road and into a guardrail causing a horrific pileup on I-95 North during rush hour, we can all take solace that in addition to reckless driving charges, the
culprit could also face a $20 fine for texting while driving.

I feel safer already.

Alfred Biddlecomb is the former editorial page editor for the Potomac News and Manassas Journal Messenger.