AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine lawmakers are considering a bill that would exempt police, emergency medical personnel and firefighters from the state’s ban on texting while driving.
The Legislature’s Transportation Committee is holding a public hearing Tuesday on the proposal.
Maine’s ban on texting while driving went into effect in September.
The bill under consideration is sponsored by House Speaker Robert Nutting, who submitted it at the request of law enforcement officers.
Nutting’s spokesman tells MaineToday Media he isn’t necessarily sold on the idea, but thinks it’s worth consideration.
No way…if you ban for one its for all or none !!!!
I think if imformation is passed from dispatch to their computer, and they read it while driving, it would be considered illegal under the current law.
Hire someone at dispatch to read it to them over the radio!
It worked for years!
They shouldn’t be reading it while driving any more than you or I should be reading an important message to us while we’re driving.
Exactly. If a law is passed to stop people from doing this, then why would we allow police and such to do it? They are just as human as us, and they are just as distracted if they are texting while driving. If they are receiving sensitve information, then the dispacthers can call them on the radio or by cellphone.
Is that just when they are on their way to an emergency or on duty… or does that exempt them from the law completely?… I’m not any more comfortable with the idea of a middle aged first responder texting while rushing to an emergency than I am with an inexperienced teenage driver doing it… I understand the need for quick information and to keep in touch with what is happening, but there is a good reason why they banned texting while driving for everyone!
I guess I don’t see why they need texting? All first responders have radios and probably cell phones. Why can’t they just get a hand-free headset and talk to the person they’re needing to contact? Of anyone, I think police and ambulance drivers need to be the last people texting anything while driving fast.
That would’ve been my question.
Thank you for that common sense comment!
Edit: After reading down through, it seems most of us are on the same page! And we pay for people to discuss/decide this?
The texting while driving for a first responder or police personnel has to be just as unsafe, if not worse, as it would be for anyone else. The speeds at which they would most likely be driving must add to this danger. The tests done with teens trying to drive and text prove it cannot be done safely and they are “expert” at texting without once looking at their phone. See it all the time……not so sure the older folks are even close to their level of expertise with this technology!
So its safer to text at 20mph+ over the speedlimit with sirens flashing, criss crossing lanes; than it is to text while stopped at a traffic light?
Ban it for one, Ban it for all. Cant argue that they are more experianced drivers, because taking your eyes off the road is the same danger for everyone
It looks like the moonbats in the bat house are suffering from cabin fever, eh?
95 % of all law enforcement working in Maine are former military personnel.
Over 65% of these people are suffering from some sort of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
Do you really want someone with this handicap twittwering and texting while engaged in a high speed pursuit on your street while your child is playing outside?
see http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-04-22-police-chase-deaths_N.htm
What kind of people will be tweeting and texting you say?
see link for full story
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104074962
Ex-Agent Accuses FBI Of Retaliation Over Race Suit
A former FBI agent at the center of one of the
biggest discrimination cases in the agency’s history has filed a new
lawsuit, in which he says the FBI continues to exact retribution for a
case he settled back in 1990.
Donald Rochon
was 37 years old when he filed his landmark discrimination suit against
the FBI. Rochon, who is black, was a young agent in Omaha, Neb., when
some troubling things started to happen. In one incident, Rochon
returned to his desk to find that someone had put a picture of monkey
over his son’s face in a family photograph.
Another
episode took place shortly after Rochon learned to scuba dive. “Their
ideology [was that] blacks couldn’t swim,” he says. “And they put up a
photograph of me and another black person swimming in a garbage dump.”
The
situation escalated when Rochon and some of his tormentors were
transferred to Chicago. He started getting death threats. In one
instance, white agents said they would cut off his genitals. Then, about
a week later, a death and dismemberment insurance policy appeared on
Rochon’s desk.
“That was traced back to an FBI agent,” he says. The agent forged Rochon’s signature on the policy.
The FBI supervisor said it was harmless fun and wrote the incidents off as pranks.
Where are you getting these facts? You cite no sources.
How about this: 95% of all statistics are made up on the spot.?
That seems to be your source.
Why on earth would an emergency responder need to text message? They have radios and cellphones. They only other device I could see them using is a GPS.
If someone who is a first responder reads this story, could you please comment and let us know?
The issue, I believe, is the way that the law is worded. The current law bans texting on your cell phone while driving – that’s not the problem for first responders.
The current law also, perhaps unintentionally, makes it illegal for first responders to read any message on their mobile data terminals. That means that any calls for service, even sensitive ones which can’t be broadcast via radio, can’t be read. I’d think that in those cases, it should be up to the individual first responder to determine whether or not they can read a message safely. If they can’t, don’t. If they can, fine – and if the first responder is wrong and causes an accident, the distracted driving law still applies.
But aren’t there usually at least 2 people in the emergency vehicle? The driver should be doing just that – DRIVING!!!!
I’m not sure that I agree. Aside from this law, Maine also has a distracted driving prohibition which prohibits individuals from conducting activities that is not necessary for the operation of a motor vehicle. There are apps that can be applied to the computer programs that voice any messages necessary for a first responder. The first responder’s responsibility is to get there first. If information is necessary during the response, it should be transmitted safely, we can’t have law enforcement doing things that are prohibited actions and concerning the safe operation of a vehicle…….any vehicle.
What your post is saying “if the first responder is wrong and causes an accident, the distracted driving law still applies”, is to make it ok to do it……until they cause an accident? What sense does that make?
The distracted driving law comes in to play when a person’s driving is distracted, and therefore causes safety problems, such as failing to maintain lane control, causing an accident, etc. I simply used the “accident” as one possible outcome. If a person can eat their french fries or sip their coffee without causing any problems to other motorists, the law isn’t an issue.
I’d suggest that the same logic can be applied here. For example, if a first responder is driving down the road at 25 mph at 2:00 am, and can safely glance at an incoming call for service, that shouldn’t be illegal. If they can’t read it safely due to heavy traffic, emergency response, etc, then they shouldn’t do so. It’s really just basic common sense.
reading an on board computer monitor, in my opinion is not texting while driving, it’s distracted driving, as the law indicates it is an action that impairs the safe operation of a motor vehicle, whether you are going 25 or 95, and it’s illegal. If transmission of information must be made, it can be done so with an onboard voice system, not with a monitor.
Eating french fries, or a burger while driving maybe distracted driving and I would wager that an officer may just stop you for doing so, accident or not. Common sense doesn’t enter into it, a cop has no more common sense then anyone else, just because it’s a cop doesn’t mean that they are a better distracted driver.
Thanks for the info. You know, I’ve always thought that the radio channels used for communications to and from emergency personnel should be scrambled to prevent the whole world from listening in on what’s going on.
I read a story about a criminal who was on the run from police. He always seemed to be one step ahead of them. The reason why was because the criminal was carrying a portable scanner and knew every step the police were making in their hunt for him.
One important thing he forgot though; the scanner ran on a rechargeable battery pack that eventually went dead.
I disagree! If there’s some wacko under the influence of bath salts on the loose heading towards my town/neighborhood/street, I want to know! – Especially living so close to the school. We have the police/fire scanner running 24/7 at home and have a hard enough time knowing what’s going on because the town cops are now using cell phones between each other instead of the radio. At least we get to hear dispatch.
I myself would rather have secure radio transmissions rather than a cop or ambulance driver screaming down the road while texting “sensitive information”.
And as far as the bath salts users who are running amok, I don’t need a scanner to make me feel secure. I have a 9mm that will protect me and my family from any wackos that come down my way. That plus the fact there would be sirens to alert me that something is going on in my neighborhood and to be on the lookout for any potential trouble. I live by the “Be Prepared” rule.
HOW bout they pull over like the rest of us , how long does that take , usually under 40 seconds !
As to the first responder making the call as to whether it would be safe or not :
Don’t MOST people believe that they are safe to do so, as well?
We all know differently….
ok….whos going to write them a ticket for reading the computer monitor…their Sargent?
Please.
Ambulance driver – 17 years, FF 27 years, Fire Chief, etc etc etc. Responded to thousands of calls.
No way any responder needs to talk or use or answer a cell phone Period.
Its bad enough trying to have responders drive a resonable speed, stop at stop signs, red lights (which they do not do). Now add this to it is insane.
This bill should not have been even written.
I agree with you. Thank you the years of public service you’ve given us.
If the reasoning behind this text messaging thing is because of “sensitive” information, then it seems to me that having secure radio channels would protect sensitive info from being revealed to anyone other than those who need to know.
Why, does Augusta do things Half A _ _ ? The original, first bill should have had all this included!! Augusta, again, doing things HALF_ A _ _!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JOB SECURITY AT ITS BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is seriously wrong. Why do they need texting? Don’t they have radios? Isn’t calling someone on your blue tooth a lot more effective when in an emergency. Or is just another one of those things that they have to be above the law on? Yeah, just because you have your sirens on while you are running through that red light so you can get through the traffic to get to Tim Hortons (WHICH I SAW A FEW WEEKS AGO IN OLD TOWN. REALLY WISH I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE PLATE NUMBER ON THAT ONE) means that texting while driving is totally safe for law enforcement, except not. Don’t you think it is more of a hazard because often times they are attempting to weave through traffic at high rates of speed? Get a grip, seriously.
The state is slowly turning into a militia state. The more “exemptions they get, the more liberties we loose. There should not be two standards for every darn motor vehicle law. This is getting sickening.
I agree with the law, it’s dangerous for everybody to be texting while driving, cops included.
I agree with you, can we separate public service from the people who pay their wages anymore by making two sets of rules ! As a taxpayer i really dont like the idea of my money going to unmarked police vehicles , especially the racy mustangs with the illegally tinted windows that patrol I-95, if my grandson or my daughter ever gets pulled over by one i have instructed them not to stop until they get to a safe place where there are lots of people around, we as tax payers have a right to feel safe and reassured that we are actually getting stopped by an actual law enforcement officer but its hard to tell behind that blacked out race car !
Dude….it’s already a police state. Listen to any European reaction when you try to say “America,land of the free”. We are a country FULL of sheep who want to be led around by the nose and kept “safe” by our keepers.
You’ve accurately described the vision that Liberals have of Big Government
…uhhhhh!, …. both Liberals and Republicans are responsible for the erosion of our liberties but as far as your post, it’s the anal-retentive Republicans that are for more and more power to law enforcers as well as wanting to control what we think, what we can do to our bodies, abortion, religious thought, drugs and other “we know what’s good and bad for you and we”ll make a law to enforce it” notions.
Are our representatives in Maine out of their minds???? You have to be kidding with this one! Who in their right mind would okay anyone texting while driving…especially people high on adrenaline heading towards an emergency at extremely high rates of speed!!! Good Lord, lets use some common sense here for a change! As it is I see the cops and even school bus drivers in and around Belfast talking on cell phones all the time and the cops are laughing away while talking and driving which leads me to assume they are not conducting police business! And just think about SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS ON THE PHONE WHILE DRIVING….ENOUGH SAID!
Yes they are out of their minds! Ridiculous!
They have been out of their minds, problem is they would have to submit a bill to find them
Then LePage would veto it….he requires a mindless legislature in order to govern.
Nutting must have a way to make a few bucks out of this. why else?
The current law currently exempts GPS units – the problem could be easily addressed by also exempting mobile data terminals in emergency vehicles. That would resolve the whole thing.
I know that I am a better driver than some state cops and meat wagon junkies. I KNOW this. I was trained in anti kidnapping techniques and evasive driving and also how to drive offensively. It was for my job many years ago. Idon’t even use the cell phone when driving. I pull over.
So… we want to let the cops speed and text at the same time-what a combination! Everybody knows that distracted driving is huge!! And the cops already have computers and all kinds of gizmos that ALREADY are distracting them. Some don’t even have hands free communications which means that they still reach for the mic.
I feel that those folks should all go by the same rules. In the case of box car drivers, there are almost always two people in front-let the rider do the calling!
I take offense at being called a “meat wagon junkie” and “box car driver”.
The fact that you had DIFFERENT training does not mean you are a BETTER driver. It just means you think you are better than everyone else and, because of your apparent attitude, are probably more likely to cause an accident. When the police, fire, or EMS drive to a call, they drive DEFENSIVELY, not OFFENSIVELY. They are still resposible for the safety of others on the road, moreso than civilian drivers.
Before you arrogantly put others down, think about what you are saying. One day, you might be looking up at one of those “meat wagon junkies” or “box car drivers” and be asking, “Am I going to live?”.
Just something to think about.
My apologies-No offense intended anyone personally. But I have seen nothing less than stunt driving by those with lights. They’re all out there, any branch, but with regard to ambulance drivers, I would like to at least get to the hospital-probably doesn’t matter- the chances are better with the EMT’s!!
Lots of people have been trained to drive offensively apparently. I see it every morning on my commute! Haha!
We have police on the road already driving at a high rate of speed. In the cruiser they have a radio, computer, and cellphone (for contacting the A unit) and they need to text? Come on people. Wake up. ANYONE on the road texting is a danger. Police are distracted enough with out adding something else.
Wow, everyone needs to relax a little and take deep breaths…..the legislature has not enacted anything here yet….and the bill is being submitted at the “request of law enforcement officers”…there will most likely be a public hearing on the issue if it goes further and all can attend and voice their respective concerns to the elect and the officers requesting the exemption…
The reasons we do not need to relax : A) Why would LE want permission to commit an act that is not only illegal for citizens but very dangerous as well? B) Why in the hell is anyone in government getting paid to submit such BAD ideas. It does not deserve any discussion!
Someone needs to remind some folks that the populous is watching and that elections are just around the corner. That goes for the local police cheifs right up to the Governor’s office, oh yeah, Nutting too. Geez, what a maroon.
Nutting matters anymore.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. I do not want to meet ANY first responder or anyone else for that matter who is NOT watching the road in front of him. I want them doing EXACTLY what they are supposed to be doing, driving safely. There is absolutely NO reason whatsoever for anyone to be texting while responding to any emergency situation or while simply driving.
If the field of emergency response feels that it is so important that secrecy must be maintained in communications then the availability of encrypted 2 way radio communication is available and is affordable. One can talk and drive at the same time safely, it is NOT possible to read or type while driving without the possibility of killing someone. It does not matter what your job is, people are people and not superhuman.
Why not allow them to drink booze while driving too?
“NO WAY”, another do as I say not as I do.
They have cellphones and radios, so if they need to text they can stop just like the LAW for the rest of US, they are “NOT” above the law.
What would be the need for a first responder to have to text?
They have radios and cell phones and can get or give their information more quickly verbally. Texting while driving is a bad idea for anyone, especially for someone hurrying to get to the scene. First responders should all be taking a defensive driving course and one of those defensive driving mandates should be “Thou shalt not text while driving.”
No way, should not be allowed or even considered, I been nearly hit by cops just talking on their cell phone or “distracted” by a radio call while they are driving, if they can’t do that they shouldn’t be exempt, these people are just like us, the only difference is they get pretty lights on a car and a badge. Before you know it we will have Police and Firefighters sending Tweets “OMW to Robbery in progress” or “House on fire!”…really, for a minute there I had hope for the people in Augusta to consider better ideas then this.
People of “authority” get way too many free passes to begin with. If you need information, etc. at that given moment wouldn’t it be easier to call?
So the ban on texting while driving is a sober experience for law enforcement but it is tantamount to drunken driving for the rest of us.
I suppose they can also drink and drive with no problem.
Make up your mind law enforcement, you testified it was unsafe last year; either it is safe to text and drive or it is unsafe.
O, of course law enforcement, “don’t do as I do, do as I say”….I’ve heard this before from the cops in my family.
Cops are above the law, right?
If texting while operating a motor vehicle is dangerous enough to provoke a law banning the practice, it should be prohibited no matter who the driver is. How can law enforcement credibly make the argument that texting while driving is unsafe–and at the same time ask to be exempt from the law which makes this behavior illegal?! Picture a first responder texting while en route to an accident or fatality caused by driver inattention! Just does not make any sense!
Why because they dont have enough communication apparatuses in the cruiser to get the job done , cell phone, two-way radio , both alot faster than texting ! It scares me enough to see them in the passing lane on the interstate with the phone glued to their head at 90+ mph !
This is silly. You cannot text and drive responsibly no matter what your job. Since first responders tend to be in a rush to begin with, thiswould be extremely poor legislation that could only result in lives lost.
I just listened to the tv news which said that Robert Nutting stated that “”the bill was worth ‘”consideration”‘, which means or defined as “money” for the State.
Always follow the money to find the truth. There is always more to an issue than meets the eye. All bills are meant to produce income for the State.
“Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry.”
— Thomas Jefferson
Evidently its easier for a law enforcement officer to text his mistress than to have to call her and wake up her husband ! 10-4 !
No, it is not worth considering. The accident caused by emergency personnel texting is somehow less important than the one caused by a civilian?? Tell it to the victims.
Why would us as public safety officials be texting while driving city/town/state vehicles anywho?? WTH??
….
That has got to be the dumbest I’ve heard in a long time!
Do as a say not as I do
Let’s see, first responder traveling at high speed, presumably with adrenaline rushing while texting …. sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.
Why would you do a stupid thing like that? They can talk on teh phone a whole lot safer than texting while driving. Also, have u seen some of teh first responders here in Maine? No offense but some of them shouldn’t even be allowed to drive let alone be a first responder…give it to me friends of BDN.. The truth on this outlet hurts but suck it up..
why are they any different than a salesman on the road.No way to many toys in their car as it is.A distraction is a distraction.
might as well, cops etc aint gonna stop doing it anyway ,that and playing with their lap tops
The law as written madw it illegal to read the text output from a radar gun.
They did not want to just address that because of the nasty legal mess if/when everyone who got a speeding ticket from a cop who was driving while measuring speed gets thier ticket dismissed then insists the cop be charged since the ticket amounts to them swearing in writing that they committed a crime.
Here we go again…more of the do as I say and not as I do crowd rearing their ugly heads. Of course any cop would say..” we’re trained professional drivers and we are trained to multi task as we drive thru your neighborhoods at the speed of light “. Where’s John Stossel when you need him. “GIVE ME A BREAK”.
no no no no no no
‘This says it all: The bill under consideration is sponsored by House Speaker Robert Nutting, who submitted it at the request of law enforcement officers.
ALL crooks!
They already drive in excess of speed limits in non-emergency situations, let’s have them texting too. Theyre that much better at driving than “regular” people?
The state that approves this should be liable for the consequences.
I wonder if this article is a bit misleading…..I would imagine that there is concern about first responders using their Mobile Data Terminals versus using their cell phones to text. The MDTs provide information about the call, contact info, address, phone numbers, nature of the call and significant updates. This information is posted in real time as the dispatcher inputs the information. This leaves radio channels open for emergency use and allows dispatchers to send information without having to broadcast it several times over numerous channels. I would bet a few dollars that the cops aren’t looking for exemption of texting their friends on their cells while driving……
So let me get this straight–the law is based on the notion that texting while driving is so distracting that it equals being quite drunk in affecting driving skill and is thus a danger to the community. Are first responders (mainly law enforcement) given some super powers such, that they are immune to the effects of texting? If not, then why would the legislators put the public at risk.
from a firefighter/emts point of view. when we’re driving down the road with lights and sirens on we have WAY to much going on in and around our vehicle that honestly we don’t need another distraction. i’m one firefighter in the state of maine against this bill… there is no need for a police officer, firefighter or ANYONE for that matter to text and drive… we have RADIO’S for a reason
great watch out for texting cops so they don’t hit ya……..
What a completely stupid idea!
Why would the legislature allow an unsafe activity back onto the roads and Nutting is nuts to go along with this silliness.
Number one, they shouldn’t be allowed to text and drive, it would take their attention away from the road! Another lack of common sense bill. Where do people in Maine keeps their brains these days?
does this mean they can’t run the plates on a suspicious vehicle without pulling over????
If you listen to any of the dispatch transmissions on a scanner you will find that license checks are normally done after someone is pulled over and the checks are done over the radio. If someone wants to run plates while driving, they can also do it over the radio.
I expect with maturation of voice to text software, first responders that have a computer mounted in their vehicle will be able to use voice commands pretty soon.
Great… just what we wanted: Not only someone allowed to text and drive, but also allowed to drive 90 miles per hour while doing it!
This is ok because police officers are professionally trained to facebook stalk their ex-wives while driving…
…… and why would police, emergency medical personnel and firefighters need to text while driving? From what I understand, don’t they have radios to contact dispatch and fellow responders? I cannot imagine that a police officer, EMT, or firefighter would take the time to text if assistance is needed…. whether if they’re on duty or not!
I don’t think so! What is good for the goose is good for the gander. As if Radar, computers, phones, driving, and maybe having a sip of coke or something is not enough we gotta text too! That is not right! Can’t wait to get hit by police so I can sue the hell out of Maine for allowing it. How do I know they were not texting while driving? Do they have super human powers of texting I don’t? And I don’t even text and drive. I bought a $100. blue tooth so I don’t have to hold my phone for what? If then allow this it is plain not right!!
How many of you have sat at your computers and emailed your rep or senator to let them know how you feel. I have. Now the rest of you need to get off your duffs and do the same thing. They might just take a hint.
Next up an amendment to ….. also exempt our State lawmakers and all “Gubernment” employees…… as soon as one gets caught, what do you want to bet.
There are speed laws yet cops get to drive 30 mph over the posted speed limits all the time whether they are responding to emergencies or not (especially troopers traveling the 95). There are laws against watching tv in moving vehicles yet cops get to read their mounted laptops while driving even at night. There are laws on the 95 and other mutlilane roads about keeping right except when passing yet we see cops staying in the left lane the entire time whether they are passing others or not. There are laws that mandate the use of turn signals when making turns or changing lanes when it affects other drivers yet we see marked cruisers making those manuveurs every day without using turn signals. etc, etc, etc.
The bottom line is why put into law the right for first responders to text while driving when they are already doing it? Who is going to give them a ticket? It’s just a way to prevent first responders from getting fired if they have or cause an accident while they are responding to an accident that was caused by someone texting while driving. The term “police state” as some of the other commenters have brought up is more true than we are willing to admit.
I believe there are states that prevent cell phone use while driving for first responders as well. This is a stupid suggestion. How many of us have had a scare just reaching to change radio stations while driving? Or for that matter, gone of the road and had an accident from just that?