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Traffic Camera Captures Woman Driving With Her Phone on Her Lap (Face Down), The State Mailed Her a $1251 'Public Safety' Ticket (www.gadgetreview.com)
submitted 4 months ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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A woman drives with both hands on the wheel. Her phone sits face-down on her lap. No officer pulls her over. No lights flash. Weeks later, a $1,251 ticket arrives in the mail. The evidence: a single frame from a Camera surveillance app. The charge: phone use while driving.

Automated camera companies market their devices as automated license plate readers — tools for catching stolen cars, flagging warrants, and aiding serious investigations.

Sold as a Crime Tool. Used as a Fine Machine.

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[+] -12 points 4 months ago (5 children)

Presumably the driver had previously used her phone, and the phone was in her lap. So the alcohol analogy would actually be re-sealed alcohol held by the driver or in a container around the driver's seat. Which is illegal in most of the USA.

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  • [–] 17 points 4 months ago (2 children)

    She probably used it earlier, but not necessarily. She might not have a good place to set her phone in her car.

    She might have used it earlier, at a time where it was legal. For instance, setting navigation or music before driving. Or (depending on local laws) while stopped at a light.

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  • [+] -6 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    Right, but if we're making alcohol an analogy for phones then she wouldn't be given such leeway by the law. Alcohol is just a bad analogy here.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 child)

    So if the phone was on the seat she should get a ticket, if was on the console 2" to the right she should get a ticket, if it was in her pocket she should get a ticket? If it's in a dash mount within reach she should get a ticket? If the phone's in a sealed box like an unopened liquor bottle then she shouldn't?

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  • [–] -5 points 4 months ago*

    You see now why alcohol is not a great analogy.

    I got a lot of down votes above for pointing out the discrepancy. I think people got ahead of their skis: I wasn't trying to say she deserves DUI-level charges, I'm demonstrating that the analogy isn't great.

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