Proposed Illinois Legislation Would Ban Licensed Amateur Radio Ops From Mobile use

I don't know how it is in Illinois, but here in Wisconsin, distracted driving has always been illegal. Then they came up with a new law to ban txting and driving, as if all the other distractions are okay..

 

Frivolous arguments aside, this is all about playing with a toy which could potentially be dangerous because it is inherently distracting. Statistics prove the danger. The other dubious comment from someone else states he is never distracted as though that was an objective evaluation. Anything CAN be distracting including talking to a passenger, however, this is an issue of the potential danger of playing with a toy. Comparing the two is jaw-dropping.

Government intervention is a valid concern with which I agree and makes far more sense than whining about talking to your buddy on 2M FM or working P5 from the car.

No one can make a credible argument that operating a radio cannot be distracting and that is the issue here.

 

No one can make a credible argument that wearing corrective lenses cannot be distracting.

 

What about taxi drivers, school bus drivers, police, ambulances, etc.?

 

Bad Law....period!!!

Anybody who supports or justifies this legislation needs their head examined. It is another infringement of rights and privileges in your car with your equipment on roads you pay taxes on and are Federally licensed to operate. Hams have been operating mobile without epidemic outcomes for nearly nearly five generations. Epidemic is young people and the inability to use technology appropriately, they need to be educated. This is a drivers education issue, not a legislation issue. This is a bad law targeting the many to solve a problem created by the few who cause big problems of life and death. This law is another example of the personal freedoms being eroded away. Truckers, commercial vehicles, buses and Hams should raise a stink on this issue. Fellow amateurs you better fight this, this law could go viral across all states and you will not be able to drive across state lines and operate your favorite radio while driving. What is the country coming too!
Regards,
Tony W2AJT
Baldwinsville, NY

 

I just read HB3970 &HB3972. VOX or hands-free headphones are legal for radio use. Im not seeing a crisis here...

 

Any state and I believe Illinois is the ONLY one, that does not issue nor recogonize CCW permits from other states should be avoided when ever possible................most of the areas, at least neighboring St. Louis, you should be in an armored personal carrier.

 

Well, as a licensed pilot, I was trained to fly the plane, navigate, and communicate with ATC all at the same time. Honestly, I think I can manage to chat on the repeater while driving.

Maybe not everyone has that ability, but I was trained for it.

 

I have no problem with legislation such as this provided Police and Fire are prohibited from using radios or cell phones as well. There are documented cases of police officers getting in accidents where they admit they were on the radio. As a firefighter for 35 years, I'll tell you that we're no supermen. Even when a "partner" or fire officer rides a rig or car, the radio chatter can effect the driver.

I am willing to accept police and fire, if Amateurs are included.

 

Folks I know your not going to like this suggestion but All US trucking company's need to be made aware of this as it would effect CB users as well and they have a large lobbying force! this is a very poorly written law, plus one would possible ask if there is not already court precedent to exclude amateur radio operators.Pluss one would also ask this the state laws that ban talking on your cell phones mirror federal law that has been on the books for many years. The fact that we are federally regulated might be able to be argued in such a way as to make a case that the state has no authority to regulate us only the FCC.
Once again the whole response here Is knee jerk reaction to the issue the law to deal with all of this has been on the books in some form in all states for decades it's called careless or prohibited driving. this allows the officer to make a judgement call based on his observations about any accident and go from there.this law would effect allot of industry's hear are some all trucking companies, taxi cabs, tow trucks, construction trucks, ham radio operators. the sound argument could be made that all public safety agency's would also be effected because there communications are not always essential or even remotely connected to protecting
life or property, and which is more dangerous say a firefighter pumped up on adrenalin responding to a call with lights and sirens speed all distracting him or her and then add a radio. or the guy on his morning commute in normal traffic talking to someone about traffic hazards several miles ahead that allow him to avoid the area possible avoid an accident allowing for better response of emergency personnel to save lives?

look again this is the whole point it is called taking responsibility for ones actions. but most of all it's called an already existing law there is absolutely no reason to reinvent the wheel here! last I new IL. needed more jobs and less regulation not more Regulation and less job's yes jobs what major company's are located in this state?
Motorola, Ranger radios national service center just to name two right off hand how many stores sell radio s of all kinds? tens of thousands1 Why not just simple pass a carbon copy of the federal law that deals directly with the heart of this issue and not everything but if you are going to pass a law at all.

Just a little background I have worked extensively in the public safety sector for 20 years, and the trucking industry. I have seen what comes of distracted driving from cell phones to CB radios to public safety radio's. use the existing laws correctly maybe double the fine for a cell phone being involved as some other states have done.

 

Then the proposed regulation should also include EMS, fire suppression and law enforcement (especially while in 'high speed pursuit'), among others...!!!

There is NO correlation between using a device which requires the user to hold the communications device to his/her head for the complete communications cycle as opposed to one that only requires the operator to hold a microphone for the sending portion of the communication.

What I'd be interested in seeing is an NTSB/NHTSB report that provides some numbers of "crash caused using a two-way radio microphone" as opposed to "crash caused while texting" or "crash caused while using non-hand's free wireless device".

I spent over 20 years as an EMT and EMT-Paramedic and never once processed a crashsite where using a microphone was a causal factor. Yet in my last three years as a 'street medic' (before working exclusively in the ER), I lost count of texting/cellphone incidents, including four fatal incidents.

There is NO comparison between a two-way radio device and a non-Bluetooth cellphone. None.

73

Steve, K4YZ

 

This is good legislation.

Most ham operators are quite old and have impaired hearing, reflexes, and vision.
Since all drivers are prohibited form using easy-to-use cell phones, why would they
be allowed to use more complicated ham radios? I have yet to hear any emergency
communications during my four years in ham radio. On the 2-meter band it's mostly
rag chewing during commuter traffic.

I've had QSO's with hams who were using CW while driving. That's like using text
messaging with a cell phone.

Bill Tanner
AB1LL

 

Ok then take everything out of cars including car stereos,heater knobs,turn signals,anything that DISTRACTS you,remember you should be Driving not playing with knobs.

 

whatever you think

 

Maybe a Bluetooth for ham radio