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Seriously, You Can't Talk On the Phone From Behind the Wheel
Photo by Lord Jim via the LAist Featured Photos pool
Not that we'd ever do this, but it's official: you can't use your cell phone while driving, even if you're stopped at a light.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a state judge ruled against Richmond, CA motorist Carl Nelson, who was issued a $103 citation in December of 2009 for placing a call while waiting for a light to turn green. Nelson challenged the ticket, arguing that according to a 2007 law, using a cell phone while sitting behind the wheel is only illegal if the car is moving.
Justice James Lambden disagreed, saying that it's still unsafe for drivers to use their phones during "fleeting pauses" on the road, like waiting at a stop sign or for a pedestrian to cross.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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