Travel Warning Austin, Texas and San Antonio, Texas - Distracted Driving

TomMar

Retired Texas-South Chapter Leader
Travel Warning to everyone that may be driving through San Antonio or Austin. I have not seen it posted anywhere but both cities recently passed laws concerning the use of cell phones for any reason while driving. Hand held phones or other electronic devices, cannot be used in either of these cities while driving. I know Austin has the regulation stating the officer only has to see you looking at it and they consider it "distracted". San Antonio follows the same idea. Both cities are very serious about this and tickets for the first offence have been ~$250. Here is the text for the Austin web site with a notice on San Antonio the site. Be aware ! !

Austin is a hands-free city

A new City of Austin ordinance prohibits the use of all electronic hand-held devices while operating a vehicle or bicycle.
To avoid fines up to $500, put your phone away or consider using a hands-free system such as Bluetooth or headphones, or an affixed GPS system.
The Austin City Council adopted Ordinance No. 20140828-041 amending section 12-1-34 of the City Code to prohibit the use of portable electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle or bicycle. This law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2015.
Austin is leading the state of Texas in the effort to refocus drivers on the task of driving. The hands-free initiative aims to increase safety by decreasing distracted driving in Austin.
Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving and all distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety.Hands free systems are okay

San Antonio Hands Free law
Under the new San Antonio law, motorists are barred from holding the devices to make phone calls, text, use email, access the Internet, play games as well as “other use of the device.” Unlike the Austin ordinance, drivers are barred from using smartphones and similar devices while temporarily stopped in traffic, as in at a red light.
Texas, which places no restrictions on adult drivers’ use of personal electronics, does bar drivers under age 18 from using wireless communications devices. It is among the dwindling numbers of states without a texting ban affecting all motorists.
 

TxCowboy

Well-known member
Spot on for San Antonio. The grace period is over and the new laws went into effect full force March 1st, IIRC.

Also pay attention to any school zones you may pass through, even in the burbs outside of the city limits. Most have a "no cell phone use" when a school zone is active. Steep penalties for those infractions too.
 

Chippendale

Well-known member
There is a bill before the legislature right now to make it a state wide law, and I am sure it will pass. Put your phone in your glove box while driving through Austin and don't answer it. Not sure about San Antonio, but the days of someone driving down the road with a phone stuck in their ear are almost over.
 
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MotoLynx27x

Active Member
This is one of those rules I whole-heartedly agree with!! Way too many distracted drives out there on thier phones!

Now is a good time to start selling Bluetooth hands free devices and install them from a mobile service vehicle. ;)
 

MCTalley

Well-known member
There is a bill before the legislature right now to make it a state wide law, and I am sure it will pass. Put your phone in your glove box while driving through Austin and don't answer it. Not sure about San Antonio, but the days of someone LEGALLY driving down the road with a phone stuck in their ear are almost over.

I fixed that for you.
 
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TandT

Founding Utah Chapter Leaders-Retired
Just curious. Has anyone else noticed the thread title somehow changed after the original post?

It started as a safety thread and now it's a Rally? Trace
 
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JohnD

Moved on to the next thing...
Just curious. Has anyone else noticed the thread title somehow changed after the original post?

It started as a safety thread and now it's a Rally? Trace

We have now entered . . . the Twilight Zone!
 
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pegmikef

Well-known member
We have now entered . . . the Twilight Zone!

Wierd, the thread name on the list is the original name, but internally it is the Boerne Rally . . . good PR for the rally anyway since mostly Texans will be interested in this thread.
 
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TomMar

Retired Texas-South Chapter Leader
Just curious. Has anyone else noticed the thread title somehow changed after the original post?

It started as a safety thread and now it's a Rally? Trace

Trace - I just notice that there are two comments Re: EVENT: Heartland Chapter Rally: TX, Boerne - 4/17/2015 to 4/19/2015 but if you look to the top of the page the real thread name is "Safety Stuff
  • Travel Warning Austin, Texas and San Antonio, Texas - Distracted Driving". I posted it under the rally thread for those that may be passing through either town enroute to the Boerne rally. That posting was pulled down by ??? but this one remains. The Boerne Rally thread is still in the rally category.
 
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jassson007

Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
It was posted in both places but I bet mods moved it. Just my WAG.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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whp4262

Well-known member
I got run into the ditch once with my wife and kids in the car because some kid texting on his cell phone crossed into our lane on a two lane road. Had to go into the ditch to avoid a head on. No damage or injuries but would have been much worse if I was pulling the 5th wheel or riding my Goldwing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

porthole

Retired
This is one of those rules I whole-heartedly agree with!! Way too many distracted drives out there on thier phones!

Now is a good time to start selling Bluetooth hands free devices and install them from a mobile service vehicle. ;)

Good laws.

But, I would also like to see them enforced on the LEO end.

Nothing like watching a NJST running down the parkway running plates from his very bright at night laptop, sometime on the phone as well.
I don't understand why all new patrol cars are not equipped with bluetooth.
 
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