NEW JERSEY DECLARES AMATEUR RADIO "A DISTRACTION"

[KB2SFH]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2010

NEW JERSEY DECLARES AMATEUR RADIO "A DISTRACTION" :angry:

Contact: Ray Babecki, KA2YAK
E-Mail: cherryvillelobbyist@yahoo.com
Phone: 256-794-2390

QST: To all Radio Amateurs living, working, and/or driving in/through New Jersey
Priority: High

The New Jersey Assembly has passed a bill that would require that "driver
inattention" be noted in traffic accidents reports. Driver distractions are
defined as including, "citizens band radios".

Does the average police officer - although otherwise highly trained - know the
difference between a "CB Radio" and "Amateur Radio"?

If you are ever involved in so much as a fender-bender, a police officer will
write on the accident report that you were distracted. How do you think that
will affect your vehicle insurance rate?

Why should ANY 2-way radio be branded as a distraction? Beware that NJ courts
have a history of ruling very broadly when giving their interpretation of
definitions found in legislation.

Companion Senate Bill S-1393 has been pending in the Senate Transportation
Committee since February. It could be brought up for a vote at any time after
the state budget process is finished.

Does Amateur Radio contribute to accidents, or public safety? If you agree that
Amateur Radio is a public service, HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

1a. Visit the NJ Legislature website. Find and contact your local State Senator:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp

b. Contact Senator Richard J. Codey, the Senate sponsor of S-1393:
449 Mount Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 1-973-731-6770 (or e-mail
through the http://www.njleg.state.nj.us website)

2. Contact Governor Christie and tell him how you feel:
http://www.state.nj.us/governor/contact/
POB 001, Trenton, NJ 08625 1-609-292-6000

Politely remind them that Amateur Radio is a Public Service resource. Let them
know how this bill will negatively affect our ability to save lives and
communicate in emergencies. Let them know that Amateur Radio deserves an
exemption!

3. Forward this to ALL radio operators living, working, and/or driving
in/through NJ.

PS. YOU SHOULD KNOW that this is not the NJ Legislature's first attempt at
something like this. But, they seem determined to keep trying until they
succeed. Thanks to your help, we got exemptions in similar proposed bills in the
past.

Now, we need your help again! We must always be vigilant and on-guard to
protect Amateur Radio and the vital Public Service Resource that it is. The
radio you save could be your own. Please drive carefully.
----------
Provided as a public service by The Cherryville Repeater Association, II, Inc.,
POB 308, Quakertown, NJ 08868, http://www.qsl.net/w2cra/. For more information
about this release, e-mail: <cherryvillelobbyist@yahoo.com

[KU0DM]

Yeah so? Just stating the obvious...
Doesn't say you can't have a radio in the car, just means you can't use it while driving. Which you shouldn't be doing anyway.

[N4VGB]

Religion and ham radio, both nothing more than opiates of the people. Both should be banned.


:sarcasm:

[ki4itv]

See what happens when you ban a persons discretionary use of opium? :lol:

[KB2SFH]

See what happens when you ban a persons discretionary use of opium? :lol:

:::puff puff pass::::dance:

[suddenseer]

the sound of someone holding breath saying "ear".

[suddenseer]

Yeah so? Just stating the obvious...
Doesn't say you can't have a radio in the car, just means you can't use it while driving. Which you shouldn't be doing anyway.
I used the mobile rig everyday in the cw mode when I had that capacity. Most of my contacts could not believe I was running cw while driving. I only did that driving on a familiar road mostly interstate highways. I did not run cw while driving in town. I know 2 other hams that still do.

[kb2vxa]

"Doesn't say you can't have a radio in the car, just means you can't use it while driving. Which you shouldn't be doing anyway."
So what's the point having a radio you shouldn't be using?

"YOU SHOULD KNOW that this is not the NJ Legislature's first attempt at something like this."
That was the blanket ban on "all wireless devices".
"But, they seem determined to keep trying until they succeed."
That's why we call it Nazi Jersey.
"Thanks to your help, we got exemptions in similar proposed bills in the past."
Amateur Radio was exempted from the cell phone/texting ban at the eleventh hour but the wording of the law itself remains unchanged. Thankfully cops understand the real target and don't go around ticketing each other. (;->)

It should be interesting to see how this one turns out.

[WØTKX]

Huge difference in the distractability between simplex (push to talk) and duplex (in person or telephone) conversations.

Duh.

CW mobile is still simplex, though fast QSK might be more distracting. I've dabbled, and want to try the "Tip-Tapper".

http://www.njqrp.org/tiptapper/tiptapper-compresed.jpg

[KG4CGC]

The biggest distraction aside from music devices is the GPS. (texting too but that is beside the point)
Saw a cop on the interstate going back and forth between his cellphone, the microphone and his laptop. Must have been important business.

[N9FE]

I used the mobile rig everyday in the cw mode when I had that capacity. Most of my contacts could not believe I was running cw while driving. I only did that driving on a familiar road mostly interstate highways. I did not run cw while driving in town. I know 2 other hams that still do.

So you were one guys with a key strapped to his leg hey... I allways though it would be fun.

[KU0DM]

I used the mobile rig everyday in the cw mode when I had that capacity. Most of my contacts could not believe I was running cw while driving. I only did that driving on a familiar road mostly interstate highways. I did not run cw while driving in town. I know 2 other hams that still do.

There are many that are capable of multi-tasking while driving, however I believe far to many that are not. As a new driver I would personally never use a radio while in motion, and do not understand why one would. Even in just the 6 months I've been on the road, I've seen people doing stupid stuff. Just 2 weeks ago I almost got in an accident on the highway because someone was trying to pass me while calling someone on their phone. Luckily ONE of us was actually paying attention.

I don't have a problem with the legislation. However if they ever put hot girls on the list as a "distraction" I'm going to raise hell.

[WØTKX]

You may have issues if there is a bench seat in the vehicle you drive. :whistle:

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

New Jersey has had troubles with distracted drivers, and some fatal accidents directly linked to both cell phone usage and CB and/or FRS/GMRS use while driving.
Just a few days ago we had a construction superintendent knock somebody down with a company pickup truck backing up, and drive forward.
He clearly drove into the pedestrian walkway, off to a safety meeting.
We called EMS and the police.
Now, use of a cell phone while driving is,
First offense, loss of all bonus pay, prohibited from operating any company vehicle for 30 days and must complete a driver safety course on own time, provided that there has been no accident within one year.
Second offense, 30 day suspension and operation of any company motorized equipment is prohibited for one year, no bonus or raise for 90 days, no consumer device of any kind while on company property or at job site.
There is no 3rd offense as you get fired if you have a phone for offense #2.
Do I agree with this? you bet!
There is no 3rd offense

[N8YX]

And the good people of Jersey keep voting in ass-hat lawmakers why?

[KG4CGC]

And the good people of Jersey keep voting in ass-hat lawmakers why?
Mafia owned voting machines?

[W4RLR]

Anyone who gets cited for distracted driving would have the citation stick regardless of what the distraction was. But if the citation specifically stated "using a CB radio" when there was no CB radio in the vehicle, only a mobile rig used by a licensed operator, I can only say a good lawyer could have a field day with that scenario.

I'm glad every day I don't live up North where the supposed "educated and sophisticated" people dwell. Most of the North's lawmakers lack the good sense God gave seafood.

[Vinnie]

Seem like a law that would make driver distraction as a contributory cause for an accident a citable offense, regardless of what the distraction was, would be a good idea. Maybe even make it citable as careless driving.

[kb2vxa]

"Most of the North's lawmakers lack the good sense God gave seafood."
Lawmakers make laws, cranking them out endlessly but they forgot one thing... a law that says laws must make sense.

[Vinnie]

Well, ya gotta remember a couple of things.
Almost all the laws that get passed are 'constituent request' bills. Somebody, some group, somewhere wants a 'law'. Legislators just don't dream this stuff up on their own ya know.
A lot of the others are 'feel good' laws (like the 'three strikes' law and many of the sex offender laws and many drug laws) whose purpose is just to make everybody 'feed good' because they have 'done something'.

[kb2vxa]

Yeah yeah Vinnie, I remember more than a couple of things including the fact I've been steamrollered with "there oughta be a law" since I was in diapers. If you want to make everybody feel good make a law that says all laws must make sense. The courts will be so busy with that one now and forever everybody making money (and that's the whole point Vinnie) they won't have time to feel bad.
http://cssrc.us/web/29/application.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

[KB2SFH]

Yeah yeah Vinnie, I remember more than a couple of things including the fact I've been steamrollered with "there oughta be a law" since I was in diapers. If you want to make everybody feel good make a law that says all laws must make sense. The courts will be so busy with that one now and forever everybody making money (and that's the whole point Vinnie) they won't have time to feel bad.

We don't need a visual of you in diapers :stickpoke:

[Vinnie]

I think the point was that the laws we get are usually the laws we've asked for.

[KB3LAZ]

You may have issues if there is a bench seat in the vehicle you drive. :whistle:

Buckets with a parking brake and stick in the center make it more fun...then again the biggest distraction is the teeth if you hit a pothole.

[n2ize]

Anyone who gets cited for distracted driving would have the citation stick regardless of what the distraction was. But if the citation specifically stated "using a CB radio" when there was no CB radio in the vehicle, only a mobile rig used by a licensed operator, I can only say a good lawyer could have a field day with that scenario.

I'm glad every day I don't live up North where the supposed "educated and sophisticated" people dwell. Most of the North's lawmakers lack the good sense God gave seafood.

It only goes ta show...ejakayshun is bad for you.