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Latest excuse for driving 80 mph in wrong lane? Texting
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A 25-year-old driver in Cass County offered a lesson Sunday in what not to do while driving.
When pulled over by a sheriff's deputy, not only was he traveling at speeds near 80 miles per hour, but he also said he'd drifted into the wrong lane because he was text-messaging, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said Monday. As if that weren't enough, he was arrested on suspicion of drinking and driving.
"This is the kind of traffic event where almost everything that could go wrong, did go wrong," said Nathan Bowie, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety. "Fortunately, the officer was there to make the stop before anything else happened."
The arrest came just two days after enactment of a state law that makes it illegal for drivers to text-message while operating a vehicle that is moving or in traffic.
The driver was traveling in the wrong lane when he approached the Cass County deputy's squad car on Hwy. 371 near Walker. The driver swerved to avoid hitting the squad car, then took off at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour before pulling over.
"You had the perfect recipe for a crash," Bowie said.
The patrol was part of Operation NightCAP, a twice-monthly operation that focuses on catching drunk drivers. According to the Department of Public Safety, distractions such as texting or talking on cell phones were involved in at least 15 percent of all fatal crashes from 2005 to 2007.
LORA PABST
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to bobberama and raysm
I realize you don't want the government to legislate all for us. However, as a conservative, I have to take issue with what you are … read more writing. Nobody is saying cells should be outlawed. But, they are suggesting (or, in this case, enacting laws) that one GETS OFF THE HIGHWAY when texting or making a call. Perfectly reasonable, since morons like this guy are trying to text while driving drunk at 80 mph. All that little 83 year old woman has to do is get off the main road and move to a parking spot-- or, if an emergency-- move to the gas station but stay in her own safe warm car and use the effing cell phone. Is this unreasonable? Nobody is mentioning banning the radio or use of drivethroughs. I guess people have already proven themselves able to eat a burger while steering the wheel. It has also been proven though, that people are not able to concentrate on their driving while texting or searching through their phone for a previous message or email. I have to spend several hours in the car per day, most on city streets. I can't tell you how many horrible drivers I see who are busy just talking into their cell phones-- completely oblivious to everything going on except maybe the red and green light. Anyone turning or driving are not paid attention to. Not everyone is as responsible as you must be, bobberama (and raysm). Some people put others at risk and need to be threatened with citation. I do not think seatbelts NOR motorcycle helmets should be LAW-- since the person driving is the only one at risk. However, people need to keep their focus on DRIVING rather than searching for an email or texting their significant others. If the texting is so important then get off the road.
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