SC

Nikki Haley, Lawmakers Correct To Outlaw Driving While Texting

GOVERNOR, GENERAL ASSEMBLY GET ONE RIGHT …  Earlier this month while our founding editor soaked up the sun on Pawleys Island, S.C., Palmetto State leaders exerted their authority to regulate one of his favorite freedoms.  Specifically, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley signed a law that overwhelmingly passed both the State House…

GOVERNOR, GENERAL ASSEMBLY GET ONE RIGHT … 

Earlier this month while our founding editor soaked up the sun on Pawleys Island, S.C., Palmetto State leaders exerted their authority to regulate one of his favorite freedoms.  Specifically, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley signed a law that overwhelmingly passed both the State House and Senate – a law banning “DWT,” or driving while texting.

This website is no friend of Haley’s or the S.C. General Assembly.  Conversely, we are this state’s foremost advocates for individual liberty.

But is the right to DWT a “liberty?”

No.  In fact four-and-a-half years ago – before Haley was even nominated for governor – we penned a piece making our position clear on this issue.

“We’re all about individual liberty around here, people … but there’s a point where that ‘liberty’ can infringe on the individual liberties of others – in which case, it’s not really liberty at all, is it?” we noted.

Exactly …

Driving while texting is dangerous, people … more dangerous than drunk driving, even.  But it’s not the inherent danger of the activity that renders it deserving of regulation, it’s the fact the danger is placed squarely upon on those who have no say in the matter.

It boils down to this:  An individual’s right to drive while texting must necessarily be trumped by another individual’s right not to be mowed down by someone driving while texting.

That’s common sense … which is why forty-eight other states beat South Carolina to the punch and passed anti-DWT laws before we did.  Still, Haley and state lawmakers deserve credit for finally getting around banning this practice.

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41 comments

Text *69 for more info June 30, 2014 at 2:15 pm

Too bad they didn’t outlaw sexting before you met Will, eh Nikki?

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CorruptionInColumbia June 30, 2014 at 2:23 pm

I have to disagree with you on this one, Fits. I don’t support driving while texting, but this was one more, unnecessary, idiotic, purposeless, piece of feel-good crapola legislation.

There are already plenty of statutes on the books which cover any unsafe, careless, stupid, maneuver that a person could make, REGARDLESS of the cause of the maneuver; whether picking one’s nose, adjusting their package, reaching for a dropped item in the floorboard, or what have you. Those laws, which have been in effect for decades, are largely not enforced by cops who take the easy way out and watch their radar screens for a magic number to pop up so they can nail one of those demon speeders for going a few miles over the limit, while ignoring the idiots who block traffic by going ten or more miles per hour below the speed limit, change lanes without signaling, veer from one lane to another, run red lights, and other more serious and potentially hazardous violations.

This is just but one more of many little “causes du jour” that the media and the hand-wringers kept pining for until they got it, unnecessary as it was.

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Three Legged Ogre June 30, 2014 at 2:24 pm

Adjusting my package is a major distraction for me. It’s time consuming and then tends to become more problematic as I adjust it more.

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Not As Good As I Once Was..... June 30, 2014 at 3:05 pm

Finding mine has become a major issue. Adjusting it not so much.

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CorruptionInColumbia June 30, 2014 at 4:29 pm

You too, huh? I know, it sucks. :-(

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euwe max June 30, 2014 at 10:06 pm

I like to tuck it in my sock so I know where it is.

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Smirks June 30, 2014 at 3:34 pm

If someone texts while driving and ends up in a wreck from it, they should be charged with reckless driving. No need to have some kind of special law that defines every type of reckless driving. We don’t charge drunk drivers differently depending on what kind of drink they ordered at the bar.

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mark June 30, 2014 at 3:38 pm

Speaking of drunk drivers, what’s going on with moped-ted vick?

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Yvette June 30, 2014 at 5:54 pm

So true Smirks….We all know that this is just another law passed so they can pull you over and write you a ticket to collect a fine plus assessments and all the other fees they tack on.

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TontoBubbaGoldstein June 30, 2014 at 11:23 pm

We don’t charge drunk drivers differently depending on what kind of drink they ordered at the bar.

We sure as hell charge them differently than non-drinking drivers.

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EJB June 30, 2014 at 3:51 pm

1) You are right there is a law against distracted driving (which isn’t enforced).
2) SCOTUS has protected your phone from viewing by the police.
3) There were studies done on states with Texting While Driving and the accident/fatality rate went up after passage of the laws vs before the passage of the laws.

Just enforce the laws on the books, pull them over for eating, shaving, make-up application, reading letters, newspapers and/or magazines. Watch this law crop up in campaign literature this fall and the next election cycle, that’s the real purpose of this law.

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TontoBubbaGoldstein June 30, 2014 at 11:26 pm

…accident/fatality rate went up after passage of the laws vs before the passage of the laws.

Because now you’ll have to be discreet and text while holding the phone in your lap. Before you could hold it up in front of your face, where you at least had a shot of seeing what was going on….

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RogueElephant June 30, 2014 at 3:54 pm

It just makes politicians feel so good to take another right from the little people but remember : “It’s for the children.” Or something like that. Like you say texting is already covered under several other laws but they “did something”.. All is well in politic land. Go back to sleep sheepel.

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Fuck Your Phone June 30, 2014 at 4:11 pm

Well, if your ass plows me over, YOU BETTER KILL ME FIRST!

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Ms. Lindsey June 30, 2014 at 5:13 pm

If I hit you, I’m going to put it into reverse first, back over you, then run out of my car and hump your ass before your dying breath…because if there’s one thing I’m not, it’s a necrophiliac.

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RogueElephant June 30, 2014 at 6:07 pm

Neither of you have anything to fear from me. I have better sense than to text and drive. However sometimes I eat and talk on the cellphone while I drive. Texting is bad but looking up those numbers in the phone book is a real killer. LOL Which brings up the point that most accidents can be prevented with a little common sense. Which is in short supply now-a-days.

CorruptionInColumbia June 30, 2014 at 6:26 pm

You have total understanding of what it’s all about, my friend!

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Mary July 1, 2014 at 2:15 pm

Yes I say lets vote every Senator and Representative out of office and replace them with the other party.

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RogueElephant July 1, 2014 at 9:07 pm

Some not all.

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lexguy June 30, 2014 at 2:29 pm

Shouldn’t it be texting while driving? Since driving is the primary activity, but then these are journalists writing the articles so I guess we can’t expect them to use proper English too!!

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Lextard June 30, 2014 at 2:37 pm

Perhaps you should use correct sentence structure when you decide to critique another’s use of the English language.

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The Colonel June 30, 2014 at 4:37 pm

Actually for most of these dipshits, texting appears to be the primary activity, that’s kind of the whole problem…

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euwe max June 30, 2014 at 10:02 pm

Texting is for the poor – video conference by cell phone is hands free.

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The Colonel July 1, 2014 at 7:27 am

Guilty!

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??? June 30, 2014 at 2:41 pm

How will they stop the cops from texting and driving? Rarely day goes by that I don’t see one in a patrol car texting away in traffic.

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Hungry, hungry hippo June 30, 2014 at 2:51 pm

That’s different, cops don’t have to obey the law, just enforce it. Care for a used lottery machine in good condition? You’ll have to get it out of a warehouse in Swansea.

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??? June 30, 2014 at 3:03 pm

I guess as long as it doesn’t effect their daily rounds of revenue collection then it will be tolerated.

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Smirks June 30, 2014 at 3:23 pm

Simple: Just flash the lights while you text, turn them off after you press send. At least, that works for when they don’t want to sit through a red light.

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??? June 30, 2014 at 3:25 pm

Hey! Are you a cop? You seem to know a lot about their inner workings…

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euwe max June 30, 2014 at 10:00 pm

Heads up display with eye movement recognition.

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RogueElephant June 30, 2014 at 6:11 pm

I guess if the cop hits you, you were interfering with police work. What a cop dose is always justified. If you don’t believe me just ask any cop.

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Sad, but true June 30, 2014 at 9:10 pm

“What a cop dose is always justified. If you don’t believe me just ask any cop.”

lol…that’s a great line.

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TontoBubbaGoldstein June 30, 2014 at 11:21 pm

How will they stop the cops from texting and driving?

Hero First Responder LEOs protecting your family and the Homeland are specially trained to text and drive.

Move along, citizen.

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utah June 30, 2014 at 3:21 pm

Except the law, as passed, is unenforceable. An officer is not authorized to look at your phone to see if you were texting, and mere use of your phone does not constitute an offense under the statute. It’s toothless legislation.

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Bug June 30, 2014 at 3:23 pm

But Nikki and the boys care about you and your safety. Remember that in November, potential voter.

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Fat Greg Dulli June 30, 2014 at 4:26 pm

I was driving beside a guy in West Columbia last year. He had his face all up in his phone texting or reading Facebook or some such, not at all paying attention to the truck in his lane that was waiting to turn right into a parking lot. I totally could have alerted him but that wouldn’t have cured his bad driving habits. I imagine he’s a whole lot more careful these days.

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idcydm June 30, 2014 at 4:49 pm

If we need comprehensive immigration reform, why not comprehensive driving reform? In my humble opinion we don’t need either, just enforce the damn laws we have. God knows we have enough of them in both endeavors.

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CorruptionInColumbia June 30, 2014 at 6:28 pm

+ 1000!

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Sharon June 30, 2014 at 6:46 pm

Yeah Nikki only text using personal phones not state issued. Not subject to FOIA request to see what company she is giving corporate welfare to this week.

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Larry Bishop June 30, 2014 at 6:49 pm

From Rob Lifrey///

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – South Carolina’s Democratic nominee for
governor has released his 2013 tax returns and again called on Gov.
Nikki Haley to release more of hers.

Sen. Vincent Sheheen’s total
income last year was $333,000, while his taxable income was $306,000.
Sheheen made nearly $110,000 more than in 2012, attributed to
fluctuations in his business. Eighty-five percent of his income came
from his law firm.

The returns provided Monday are in addition to
the three years he released last year and 10 years’ worth he released
during his 2010 race against Haley.

Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey called Monday’s release a political stunt.
In 2010, Haley let reporters view six years of returns following challenges by her opponents. She’s since made returns available each spring but has yet to do so for 2013. (She is been making so much money from out of state donors she cant count it fast enough)

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euwe max June 30, 2014 at 9:48 pm

So LINOs are wiling to pay taxes for an ounce of prevention after all. I thought the idea was to allow personal responsibility to reign over preventiom, and litigate the damage.

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