12/19/2000 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 12/19/00 right to free speech. How then can speech between a driver and the other person on the art. cell phone be viewed any differently? Even as a secondary offense with a paltry $3 fine, I believe this ordinance crosses the line into our personal constitutional freedoms and I respectfully ask that you reconsider the wisdom of passing it. What we really need, but are unlikely to achieve, is personal responsibility with drivers avoiding distractions and focusing entirely on the job at hand, driving. As to the consequences of driver distraction, we already have laws to deal with accidents, that is all we need. Respectfully, Mary H. Slama." Mr. Nashar commented that this past month he had received a copy of the Ohio Motorists magazine, dated December 2000, published by the American Automobile Association. The headline read, "Put the Brakes on Drivers Using Cell Phones," 87% of the opinion of the voters taken. The poll was taken in August and September, and 87% of the readers voting said "yes" when asked if Ohio should enact a law to limit cell phone use while driving a vehicle. Another report from American Cities and Counties recommended restrictions of cell phones. His concern is hand-held phones, where the driver is holding a phone with one hand and driving with one hand. Mr. O'Grady commented that it is difficult to know the accuracy of these surveys. He would hazard to guess that this survey is not representative of 87% of the drivers throughout the State of Ohio. There have been plenty of surveys and studies and some studies have demonstrated a problem with cell phone use and other studies have demonstrated absolutely no linkage between use of a cell phone and any accidents inside an automobile. Perhaps we need to know more about this survey to better assess its validity. Mr. Nashar commented that it was a poll sent out to over 3,000 readers of the magazine, and the percentage came back at 87%. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Dennis Lambert, 25057 Carey Lane • Feels the regulations of cell phones in automobiles is for the better interest of the public welfare. Mr. Nashar is to be applauded. He is sorry to see that Council has watered down the legislation. It should be an offense before an accident happens, not after. This legislation only addresses hand-held phones-there are no restrictions on the right to speak as people are free to talk on the hands-free type of phone. He feels the legislation should be re-amended to the way it was and strengthened so that the officers' hands are not tied when they see somebody engaged in conversation. • The city has had good services during the past two administrations. He noted that after a recent windstorm, he did not have to call for branch pick-up. Thanks to the Service Director and the administration for doing a good job. Mr. O'Grady said he felt that drivers should, as Ms. Slama stated, exercise personal responsibility for their actions whether it is talking on a phone, drinking a cup of coffee, changing the radio station or anything else. 8