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posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday October 25 2017, @07:15PM   Printer-friendly
from the try-looking-up dept.

Honolulu, Hawaii police will begin to write tickets for people caught using their phones or other electronic devices while crossing at a crosswalk:

Police in Honolulu will begin writing tickets for people who get distracted by their cellphones while walking in a cross walk Wednesday. Honolulu is the first major city in the country to pass such a law, citing a high rate of pedestrians being hit in crosswalks.

"Starting today, texting while walking in a cross walk can get you a ticket," Hawaii Public Radio's Bill Dorman reports for our Newscast unit. "In fact, a downward glance at a screen of any kind will cost you—a phone, a tablet, a video game."

Under the new law, the only legal reason for a pedestrian to use a cellphone while crossing a street or highway would be to call 911 to report an emergency.

Minimum fines for breaking the new law start at $15; for repeat offenders, the penalty ranges from $75 to $99. Higher rates — up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second, and $500 for a third — had been considered earlier this year.

Also at the City and County of Honolulu. Bill 6 (2017).


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  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday October 26 2017, @02:37AM (5 children)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday October 26 2017, @02:37AM (#587675)

    Your word against the cop's - he'll read off from his notes how he saw you entering text into a messaging application, and how you seemed generally unattentive to your surroundings.

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  • (Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday October 26 2017, @03:02AM (3 children)

    by edIII (791) on Thursday October 26 2017, @03:02AM (#587683)

    I don't give a fuck. I've not let lying cops abuse me before, it ain't going to start now. Also, I've won against the lying dumb fuckers.

    My story will be backed up by information subpoena'd by the court to my carrier showing SMS & voice activity absent (cop is lying sumbitch) , and that Google Maps was being predominately accessed in the foreground (I'm telling the truth).

    Surely you've seen in the news lately when cops say something demonstrably false and stupid and are called out on it? I'm pretty sure by me telling the cop right there and then what information can be had, that they might back down.

    In any case, I'm not afraid of being in court to fight for principles.

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    • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday October 26 2017, @12:12PM (2 children)

      by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday October 26 2017, @12:12PM (#587772)

      So, 2/3 lying cops I've taken to court didn't show, but in the other 1/3 cases they did show, they did lie, and the judge took their side.

      What your dumbf lawyers can tell you is which way the judge will lean, and they can postpone and reschedule the hearing until you get a judge who will take your side. In my cases, apparently about 2/3 of the judges don't take the cops' side, the cops know this just like the lawyers do - from spending a lot of time in court - and that's why they don't bother to show when they know they're going to lose. As for me vs traffic infractions, it's just a piddly little fine - I'd rather pay it than spend more of my time fighting.

      It's not about how well you argue, it's about the prejudices of the situation - just like in jury trials where they try not to pick prejudiced people, but in the end it's the hidden prejudices that decide most cases.

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      • (Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday October 26 2017, @06:46PM (1 child)

        by edIII (791) on Thursday October 26 2017, @06:46PM (#587936)

        Well, I'm a pretty good driver. No accidents whole lifetime. Some minor fender benders in parking lots, but that is not on the road. I've not been in too many situations with cops. Less than a handful to be honest, but they're memorable because I'd rather spend my whole life fighting for principles than let bad man win. Letting the bad men win is why our planet sucks ass, and humanity will never live long enough to start exploring the universe. I'm serious. If everybody fought for principles tooth and nail, refused to give up to the last dying breath, maybe, just maybe, the world might be better. I never appreciate that argument to give up when you're in the right, simply because of the effort to defend yourself.

        The arguments I get into cops with are the exceptionally stupid kind too. Remember Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny rolling out the measuring tape for the old lady that couldn't see well? That kind of stupid. The kind of stupid that science settles in seconds. On another note, I've never contested the tickets that I deserved. You can, but I just pay them. Interestingly, in the cases I've been wrong, sincerely apologizing to the officer seems to help get you warnings.

        Never give up, never surrender. That's the only speed I have when it comes to my principles and my defense of them.

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        • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday October 26 2017, @09:35PM

          by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday October 26 2017, @09:35PM (#588007)

          For your sake, hope nobody ever drags you into small claims court with a lawyer. We had a $100 difference of opinion with a therapist who was coloring far outside the lines of her license - rather than give us the $100, she lawyered up and sued us. Would have cost us $3000 to take it into court and maybe win, maybe not - and if we won a judgement against her, well step in line behind her other credit default claimants to wish that you can get payment on that judgement.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 26 2017, @03:09AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 26 2017, @03:09AM (#587686)

    Until the prosecutor subpoenas the phone records and finds text messages at and around the time that the officer pulled the car over.

    Really, people should just put that damned phones away before they kill somebody. Nothing is so important that it can't wait for you to pull over.