I agree. I'm surprised someone didn't come up with this sooner.

If you get a ticket for ANY driving infraction in Maine, contest it. DO NOT admit fault and pay right away...this ties up the courts, costs them $$, and you'll be able to plea a much lesser fine after stalling. If you do wish to fight it in court, the odds are with you the cop won't show.

Screw the Man!

It's always Bush's fault

Oh dear. Another law "drafted to give officers flexibility," which is sort of legislative shorthand for "we can't be bothered to spell out what the offense actually IS, but you did it if an officer says you did." The motoring equivalent of Mr. Justice Potter's famous declaration regarding obscenity, "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it." Lovely. There's clearly no potential for abuse THERE.

As an aside, there's an interesting correlation, I think, between the proliferation of this sort of thing (note the phrase "additional ticket" above, as well) and the state's increasingly desperate need for income of any kind. Now, correlation does not necessarily imply causation, and I'd be the last person to impute to our state government some kind of strange conspiracy to impose hidden taxes on motorists by making up fake traffic offenses - only a paranoid wacko would go there - but the pattern is... striking.

I cant see the cops abusing this one.

Thank you, wspahn. And, for that matter, thank you, begformercy. Occasionally there really are intelligent comments recorded here that show some members of the citizenry to be far more intelligent than the run-of-the-mill legislator.

This proposed law is full of holes and no doubt still open to successful appeal but in the plutocracy that is ours only the wealthy with their hired guns dispatched to court (and the truly determined) will be able to avoid this latest form of taxation.

The police officer -- and as a practical matter the police officer who actually shows up in court is almost always right -- can successfully testify that the "perp" was talking to his passenger, brushing his teeth, reaching for the radio, swiveling his head to view the sunrise, who knows what. Driving a motor vehicle in inherently dangerous and any of these activities is potentially fatal, but where does it end?

EVERYTHING is a distraction.

always bush's fault is right

and alcohol

The cops are just as guilty as anyone else regarding cell phone and computer use while driving. I think they brake more traffic laws than the average driver! How often do you see a police car speeding when the blue lights are not on and they are not responding to a call?

Just make *everything* illegal and call it a day. Where does it all end?

So who does the trooper ticket? The driver or the topless woman on the riding lawnmower?

Am I the only person to have witnessed a police officer using his lap top computer while he's driving?

Will there be a different set of rules for "the man"?

I notice a lot of people don't use signals anymore. They just stop in the middle of the road for no reason and then make a turn. Is this because one hand is on the phone and the other hand is on the wheel and there isn't another hand to work the signal lever? This distracted stuff can be dangerous.

Distracted driver law???. Only in Maine. This is one more way to get pulled over for ANY REASON THE OFFICER SEE'S FIT....What a bunch of crap. Another fine example of the liberal elite knowing whats best for the comrades of Maine. As far as Susan Collins thinking this is a good idea...of course it is Susan..When you have never had an original idea in your life, everyone else's are always good. Enjoy your last few months as senator...

Lets see, um, people are stupid. Lets legislate a bill to exploit stupid people. How about the radio station that blares out an ad with a car horn or screaching tires, oh I guess I shoud have shut that off while driving too. How about the mini van Mom with the kid vomiting in the back seat? Or the guy having a heart attack behind the wheel?

Why don't you start by teaching Mainers how to drive. The worst fricken drivers I have ever seen.

Thank you, Senator Bill Diamond.

Well said wspahn. Nice to see actual intelligent and well thought out commentary. Two things I thought of also. Number One, I don't think I EVER heard about this "Law" being presented in the legislature. Why odes BDN write up a big story now. Number Two, Could a police officer then ticket anyone with bored and now unruly children in the car? I certainly found that a big distraction when mine were younger. I'm just sayin'.

How about fixing our roads and brining them up to the standards of traffic for the 21st century. We drive on roads designed for traffic of the 1950's. Our roads are a mess. When you drive on a road that your constantly avoiding pot holes( to include driving in the oncomming lane) isn't that a distraction of the worst kind? Lets take RT.2 in Hermon for example. The state should be real proud of it. As a good Mainer I should be more understanding of the fact that its more important to feed the coffers of DHHS so that the lazy, uneducated ,breeding factories of Maine can get fed, heated, cooled, cell phoned, and made very comfortable in their god granted lifestyle they choose. As a good Mainer I should be proud that we have a government in Augusta that has nothing better to do than make laws that more and more violate our civil rights, because don't forget....diving in Maine is a PRIVILEGE not a RIGHT.

Another law that will not get enforced properly. The law already protects the cops (they weren't distracted, blah blah blah) Besides they actually have to put patrol officers on the street first. Oh and I am sure the tourists, are exempt from this too anyways.

Freedomfighter, Fixitnow - I agree with both things you said. We were brought up to be courteous on the road, let the other driver have it HIS way?? I do notice that signal lights on vehicles are no longer being used, they just whip in and out of places without any courtesy of using the signal light. Also the word "Yield" on the merging ramps has NO meaning whatsoever and almost every time it has happened to us, it was a cellphone holding driver - you have to watch out for them. Maybe the "Yield" sign is on the wrong side of the road and the driver cannot see it??? We always try to be in the far lane when we come near an on- ramp, but sometimes that cannot happen especially in thick traffic. And yes, the roads all over Maine are in deplorable condition especially after this Spring with all the rain we had. Our road is so bad that I actually called the DOT in Augusta to see if they planned to do anything to repair - even a "skinny coat" wuld help - but they said No - nothing is going to be done to your road in the near future--- hmmmm 10 miles of pure agony, not to mention the destruction of our vehicles!!! hmmmmm ---neat huh!!!

Ok really, we need a test to say if you are doing something else then watching the road when you drive its more dangerous. and then diamond actually says this test should have been made available because it was a real eye opener. Bill Diamond if you needed a test to tell you that i am real worried about your driving skills. YOU CANT REGULATE STUPID.

I hope this will get the women and their glued on cell phones off the road. why don't they just have the phone implanted? Should be enough space.

TheBear: You are right....a lot of women do talk on cell phones while driving (I am not one of them however), but I also see plenty of men doing the same thing...Just saying....

Other things that cops should be focusing on and watching out for include, many many motorists not stopping at designated walksways and allowing pedestrians to cross the street. It happens ALL the time, and often in downtown Bangor. Just the other day, I and a friend were trying to cross the street at one of those white crosswalks with the sign, and about 12 cars drove brazenly through before a good person stopped to let us cross. And another day recently, a young woman (yes, it was a woman) talking on her cell phone in her SUV was stopped at a stop light with her vehicle covering the whole white crosswalk lines on the street. Therefore the walkers had to walk out into the part of the street where they are not supposed to. She was yakking away on her cell phone, oblivious to what she was doing! It is crazy out there! (an not particularly safe sometimes...)

HANG UP AND DRIVE - GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR - Gawd help the idiot who ever causes me to be involved in an accident because they had a cell phone stuck to their head!

although from what I understand this is only if you cause an infraction...so I don't plan on that...

I love how this is being touted as a lew approach to the problem of distracted driving. A distracted driving law has already been on the books for many years in Connecticut, although it has rarely been used or enforced. The law there targets reading, talking to others oin the vehicle, shaving, putting on make-up, fiddling with the radio, or any number of things that can distract the driver. Connecticut also has a cell phone ban, which is also ignored by most drivers, and especially the police, who are some of the biggest violators of the law. Why not have drivers just try to slow down and use some common sense while driving. If not, then let the police ticket them for reckless driving period.

It might also be a good idea to elect some lawmakers with common sense as well.

sandih: Well, you sure made your point....over and over again!!!

Sorry, I don't know how that happened. "OOPS"

Soooo, does this include daydreaming while driving, like, I mean, daydreaming about heavy sex? What, you never did that? So how is that inforced, if a cop see's a dumb grin on your face while driving he nabs ya?. Oh my, don't smile and drive. It could mean your under the influence. So where does it all end you ask?

And being a big scary truck operator how many times (in down east Maine with our narrow roads) have I seen an idiot thinking their being safe pulled over half out of the road just around a corner yapping an a phone. Is pulling half way off a road any safer? If we make this law then make a law to park at least 2 ft. off the edge of the road. See where this is going?

P. S. I think we should pay more attention to what Obama is doing? Does anybody care any more?

Ahhh, blame Obama. Talk about trying to distract the issue. Make cel phone use in vehicles illegal. Even with the earpiece or hands free, it's a total distraction.

Bangorean, what was more distracting, the sex thing or the Obama thing?

Its all Obama's fault now , Bangorian GW has left the White House , you can't blame him anymore. Might just as well blame R. Nixon for NAFTA.

A thousand years ago when I got my license (1969) my driving instructors said that Maine had a law about driving while distracted (although he didn't use exactly those words). One thing I distinctly remember was that you could be cited for drinking water while driving. There were a lot fewer accidents in those days. Even driving while bare-foot was illegal.

As others have pointed out, this is not a Maine invention. Laws like this are already on the books in UT and CT, probably elsewhere too. But now that Maine jumps in, it deserves national attention :-) Three's a party! It is a vague and subjective law. This is what happens when you try to legislate common sense.

*******JUST ANOTHER WAY TO TACK ON ANOTHER TICKET

...DONT YOU SEE IT PEOPLE ...ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY

OH....... AND HOW DO WE REPORT COPS THAT ARE TALKING ON THEIR PHIONES????????

----i HAVE SEEN QUITE A FEW ALREADY...PATHETIC!!!!!

THEY DO AS THEY PLEASE AND WE PAY THEIR WAGES----HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM