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"DRIVE & TEXT" A NO-NO IN 2009. NEW CALIFORNIA LAWS BEGINNING JAN. 1, 2009

By Kat DeLong

Real Estate Agent with Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert

December 29, 2008 09:26 AM

HEAR YE-HEAR YE, all you CALIFORNIA Texting (while driving) experts folks. You only have a couple of days left to "press your luck." Soon it'll be a BIG NO NO. Since this past July, we've been required to have a hands-free device while talking on a cell phone when we're cruising down the road behind the wheel. Now, starting January 1, 2009, TEXTING while driving will be AGAINST THE LAW, with the same penalties as talking on a cell without a hands-free divice; $20 for the first offense and $50 for following offenses.

To check out other new laws taking affect in 2009, go to CALIFORNIA CHAMBER. And CHP Laws 2009

Since I can barely text while sitting in my recliner, I'm pretty sure I won't turn into a law breaker anytime soon.

To view ALL Active Listings in Lake Arrowhead, go to LAKE ARROWHEAD KAT (click on properties on the dashboard and choose your price range)

CALL 909-273-4542 OR visit my website @ LAKE ARROWHEAD KAT

Listing by WINDERMERE Fine Properties/Lake Arrowhead

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Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

John: I'm with ya 100%!

Dec 29, 2008 10:04 AM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Linda: Perfect description! Thanks for stopping by.

Dec 29, 2008 10:05 AM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Teri: Exactly! How the heck anyone does both--drive and text--is amazing, and STUPID! By the way, I read on your Facebook that you were in Valencia!

Dec 29, 2008 10:06 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Good law. It would appear that common sense would prevail and not need such a law, but. . . . . .

Dec 29, 2008 10:11 AM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Lenn: Some people have NO common sense is the problem. It's HARD to believe, isn't it, that people have to be told NOT to do DANGEROUS THINGS? I say duhhhhhh

Dec 29, 2008 11:02 AM

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman

Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI

(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

wish they'd pass that soon here...they're trying....because I sure know what it's like to drive behind a kid texting!

Dec 29, 2008 02:55 PM

Mary Douglas

United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO

REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Hi Kat, I love your widget(?) on your responses. I'm not sure if that is a law in Colorado... but it should be. I hardly ever text- I can't imagine doing it and trying to drive at the same time!! Happy New Year!

Dec 29, 2008 02:58 PM

Kathy McGraw

CELLing Realty - White Water, CA

Riverside County CA Real Estate

Kat- I am still amazed we even had to pass this law :) Good thing you put it out there as we see there are people that come to CA that might not know, like Teri.

Dec 29, 2008 03:09 PM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Woo-hoo: They should pass it everywhere..but it's a shame they HAVE to pass it.

Dec 30, 2008 01:36 AM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Mary: I'm with you.... can't hardly text when I'm not driving! My widget really isn't a widget, it's a smiley. Go to www.smileycentral.com

Dec 30, 2008 01:38 AM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Kathy: Isn't it something? Having to TELL people NOT to do something so horribly dangerous!

Dec 30, 2008 01:39 AM

Mary Douglas

United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO

REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Thanks Kat! between widgets, smilies, texting,Iphones, Mp3, Wii,.... I can't keep up :-)

Dec 30, 2008 02:09 AM

Michelle Pimentel

Empire Home Staging Solutions - Upland, CA

ASP, IAHSP Empire Home Staging

Kat,

So glad they are putting this law into effect in a few days! As for me, I can barely text while I'm standing still, let alone trying to maneuver a car at the same time! So glad they haven't passed the law about painting your toenails, while drinking hot coffee and driving at the same time yet! ;O)

Dec 30, 2008 10:57 AM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Michelle: I can still put on my mascara (while driving) though, right?

Dec 30, 2008 11:04 AM

Michelle Pimentel

Empire Home Staging Solutions - Upland, CA

ASP, IAHSP Empire Home Staging

Kat,

Why, YOU wear mascara?...and all this time, I thought you were a natural born beauty! ;0)

Dec 30, 2008 11:26 AM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Michelle: Oh, I sure had you fooled. LOL Lately, I've been spending so much time home (working and not) that I haven't had to put on my face. I LOVE those days!

Dec 30, 2008 11:34 AM

Susan Neal

RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA

Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

Hi Kat - Happy new year to you! I think this law is long overdue. It made no sense to me when they outlawed talking with a phone to your ear because it was a distraction, but they allowed texting while driving. Which is more distracting? Unless you can text without looking at the keys, I can't see how that was okay. Now if they would just enforce it! Driving around town I still see drivers with cell phones to ears.

Jan 01, 2009 05:09 AM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Susan: Texting while driving is one of the (in my opinion) the most dangerous thing you can do in car, next to driving drunk. Isn't it crazy they even have to make a low forbidding it? I HOPE, like you, THEY do enforce it.

Happy NEW YEAR to you, too.

Jan 01, 2009 05:15 AM

Eileen Begley

Coldwell Banker, DelMonte - Carmel, CA

Monterey Real Estate

Hi Kat; I'm faster at texting than when I started (took me 20 minutes at first for just a few sentences) but would never try it driving. Good law though as many people do this!

Jan 04, 2009 03:51 PM

Kat DeLong

Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ

REALTOR

Hi Eileen: I'm still at the 20 minutes a sentence... LOL Thanks for stopping by.

Jan 04, 2009 04:20 PM