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

Very well said.

 

Couldn't have stated it better myself.

Thanks.

 

I am 69, and have NEVER had even a parking ticket, let alone an accident.

Think again

 

America is getting soft.

 

No, I dont want to punish anybody. If you read the post, I simply said that, in my opinion, hams deserve no special treatment. I have heard the argument about
duplex vs half duplex or simplex before. More often thanb not it is suported with either no factual suport or anecdotal evidence. I would love to see this go to
a federal court. I agree that we are regulated to death. It has been my position that there should be no further "object specific" regualtions about
distractyed driving. The regulations already in place in most states are sufficient. My point is that if you are going to support one, you need to support both..
There is nothing special about a hams form of distracted driving. If you support regulations against cell phone use while driving (which I dont do) then you
should also support regulations against using your ham rig while driving. I agree that the radio is not the problem.. Nor is the phone the problem.. Nor
the noisy child in the back seat of the car.. The problem is the driver.. What level of distraction he can handle should be made clear by the way he is
driving and dealt with accordingly.

 

it is not the same activity as talking on the phone. It is only simplex, not duplex as a phone. I have no trouble what-so-ever operating my radio while driving.

 

This is the sort of anectdotal "evidence" that is so often used to support this posotion. How about this: Most cell phone users or almost all cell phone users
have nop problem operating their vehicles while using the cell phones. .. Or: I find that using a cell phone is less distracting because it is duplex...

Hams seem to be, in my opinion, of the opinion that they are less prone to being distrat3ed to the point of being unsafe while driving than the
average drivers.. I find that laughable.

 

Here's a couple of questions:

An amendment has been filed that would allow FCC licensed Amateur Radio operators to use their mobile radios while driving.

Do you think that the amendment should be extended to include CB radios operated by any unlicensed person?

How about if someone is an amateur licensed by a foreign authority, not the FCC?

 

You are on it Lee. It may not be the message we want to hear.

 

Excuse me, but the politically-correct title is 'Yahew-Americans.'

 

I just took part in a net on the Chicago FM Club Repeater. From what I understand the bill was sent back to committee to be re-written to exclude
amature radio operators as well as some other types of 2 way radio communications. I hope this is true and will stop these draconian laws from being passed in other states.

 

What is it that qualifies this piece of legislature as "draconian"? I see nothing cruel or severe in it. I hope other states have more sense and put more thought into
their legislation and if they chose to regulate cell phone use, include amateur radio right along with it. If you intend to fight regulating ham mobile regulation,
fight cell phone regulation at the same time.. It's the same thought process that choses to regulate cell phone use.

NI7I

 

And, actually, the yahew americans already exempted the various safety officers.. Guess other yahew americans should have read the whole thing.

 

What is "draconian" about it? It is that it "punishes" the innocent and the ones who are not actually responsible for the "problem". It is NOT the two way radio that is the main cause of distracted driving; it IS the CELLPHONE. More correctly it is the USER. However, the very duplex nature is what leads users astray because one is almost COMPELLED to be totally involved in the operation and the conversation via the cellphone. I've never SAT at a light looking down at my radio, but I have HONKED at some dude that was in la la land so engrossed in conversation, he/she didn't notice the light has been green for 30 seconds! That's enough to cause one to have to sit thru another light! IF we are going to go after someone for "distracted driving", if we REALLY must, then let's go after the thing that DOES cause MOST of the distracted driving" CELL PHONES! Thankfully, we dodged the bullit.......................this time.

J

 

And I believe that the simplex nature of 2 way radio makes it more distracting than cell phones.. Fact isl, my opinion is just as valid (or invalid0 as yours in this regard since
neither is suported by fact. The legislation wouold most certainly not punish the inocent. Laws punish noone.. That's up to judges. The only people who would be
punished would be those that violated the law should it be passed. The point I have posted sixteen kajillion times is that we already have, in most states, regulations
against distracted driving. Not laws mind you but regulatins writen by the various mogtor vehicle departments. We dont need equipment specific regulations or
laws. However, if you are going to support such regulations against cell phone use, you necessarily need to support regulations agains two way radio use.

I have seen hams at traffic lights paying more attention to thier radios than the signals. I have observed hams driving iratically.. Hard to say if they were using
their radio or not.. But this is anecdotal evidence and really doesnt carry any more weight than your observations or, rather lack of them..


I'm all for a letter writing campaign to the various senatpors/representatives to explain my position. That these "laws" really dont / wont have the impact on "emergency" communications
as many have stated. That there is really no need for a ham to actually operate his radio while driving his car.. That if it is necessary to operate while actually moving,
have two people in the car..

NI7I