[MissoulaGov] cell phones

[Jim Sayer]

FYI, I've seen a lot of comments and speculation about the cellphone ban but not as much hard information. Here's a list of data from this website -- http://www.nationwide.com/newsroom/dwd-facts-figures.jsp: 


        Distraction from cell phone use while driving (hand held or hands
        free) extends a driver's reaction as much as having a blood alcohol
        concentration at the legal limit of .08%. (University of Utah)
      
        The No.1 source of driver inattention is use of a
        wireless device. (Virginia Tech /NHTSA)
      
        Drivers that use cell phones are four times as likely to get
        into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (NHTSA, Insurance
        Institute for Highway Safety)
      
            10% of drivers aged 16 to 24 years old are on their phone
        at any one time.
      
        Driving while distracted is a factor in 25% of police
        reported crashes.
      
        Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain
        activity associated with driving by 37%. (Carnegie Mellon)
      
Also, here's a short news summary from cnet on a study from the University of Utah comparing driving with a cell phone and driving drunk:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-6090342-7.html

BTW, there's also a story in today's Independent on Dave Strohmaier and the local debate: http://www.missoulanews.com/index.cfm?do=article.details&id=1B1A1542-14D1-1357-9CA97A6558961B35



--- On Thu, 3/19/09, Paradigm1 at aol.com <Paradigm1 at aol.com> wrote:
From: Paradigm1 at aol.com <Paradigm1 at aol.com>
Subject: Re: [MissoulaGov] Committee Update 3-18-09
To: echilders at ci.missoula.mt.us, BJaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us
Cc: missoulagov at cmslists.com
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009, 9:52 AM



 

Hi Bob... These updates are great-- thank you very much! 

It will be interesting to learn how talking on a CB  or Two 
way Radio while driving, is less dangerous than talking on a phone 
?
 
Carl P.
 

In a message dated 3/19/2009 9:39:22 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time, 
echilders at ci.missoula.mt.us writes:
Thanks, 
  Bob. Wonderful job. As I mentioned on the Council floor, I wish John H. would 
  do one.
The leash conversation is likely to be spirited. Judging from 
  public comments and from my previous experience,  we'll also discuss dogs 
  in-town. And probably leashing cats, before we're done. :)

Ed Childers, City Council, Ward6
Bob Jaffe wrote: 
  
    



    
    Greetings, 
    We changed things up today and started with Public Works 
    this morning.  We discussed the situation with the right of way 
    vacations on Miller Creek road. Here is a very brief synopsis for folks who 
    are unfamiliar. 
    We are doing a project to rebuild the intersection 
    between upper and lower miller creek on down to the Walmart.  The 
    project requires some right of way acquisition. During the process of 
    researching the right of way boundaries it was discovered that over 100 
    years ago additional right of way was established that no one was aware 
    of.  This additional right of way expanded the public property right 
    through some of the homes on the west side of miller creek road. It goes 
    without saying that the folks affected were not so happy. What was a 
    negotiation to sell us right of way turned into a negotiation to ask us to 
    vacate right of way. The City was not to hot on the idea of vacating right 
    of way that we would have to buy back later the next time the road needed to 
    expand. 
    So the engineering folks drafted up what the anticipated 
    future needs would be and we will vacate the balance. 
       
    In Conservation we had interviews and made appointments 
    to the greenhouse gas committee. We had four applicants for one position. We 
    picked one but were so impressed with the other applicants that we want to 
    talk to the committee about expanding their membership so we can also 
    appoint the others. Recently this committee has become much more active and 
    is actually taking on work projects. It seems wrong to turn down such 
    qualified people who want to volunteer. 
       
    In PAZ we did six interviews for three spots on the 
    historic preservation committee.  For the first time since I have been 
    chair of the committee we have an open PAZ schedule. We may actually skip 
    PAZ for a few weeks until the zoning update stuff makes it through planning 
    board. I assume this is indicative of the building slowdown. 
       
    In Public Safety we discussed the driving with cell phone 
    ordinance.  CB and two way radios have been removed from the proposal. 
    Discussion focused on having different rules in Missoula from the rest of 
    the state; Primary or secondary offence; are the reckless driving laws 
    already adequate. We set a public hearing for I believe April 
    13th. 
       
    Then we had a joint Public Safety and Conservation 
    meeting to discuss the conservation land leash laws.  The press was 
    there for that one. We had TV cameras and Missoulian photographers and a 
    bunch of public comment. We mostly just walked through the history of the 
    subject from the last five or so years. The likely outcome of all this is 
    that there will be work done in the context of our conservation lands 
    management plan to establish a policy.  Then we will modify ordinance 
    as needed to memorialize that policy. A great deal of the public comment 
    received to the council and in conversations I have had with people is in 
    regards to dogs in parks and on the commuter trails. Dogs are required to be 
    on leashes in these places. The current issue before council pertains only 
    to the north hills, mount jumbo, and the kim Williams trail east of the 
    university. 
       
    We finished the day with committee of the whole to 
    discuss the revisions to the ward boundaries and a resolution regarding 
    transportation funding. By law we are required to keep the wards equal to 
    maintain equal rights of the electors. The courts have set the bar at around 
    10% variance between wards. Based on our best estimates we have a 13% 
    variance with ward two being too large. The best way to fix it is to shift 
    the population clockwise around the map. So part of ward two goes to one, 
    part of one then goes to three, three then to four. Five and six are about 
    right the way they are.  
    So the proposal has all of the northside now part of ward 
    one.  If Mr. Hendrickson is considering another term this is good news 
    for him. The University becomes part of ward three. I plan to run again so 
    this is probably good news for me. Unless I end up running against someone 
    more liberal than me. I believe I have become more conservative during my 
    term. There is something about this experience that pulls you towards the 
    middle. The area southeast of Arthur and Beckwith goes to ward four. I’ll 
    miss Molly but probably not Philip. The Wapikia neighborhood goes to ward 
    five. I don’t think ward six changes. 
       
    The transportation funding resolution came out of TTAC. 
    It outlines the various ways we are being screwed on transportation funding 
    by DOT and the state.  John Hendrickson, Dick, Renee, and Lynn voted 
    against the resolution. Mr. Hendrickson suggested that he would like to put 
    forth a minority report countering the request for more equitable 
    distribution of funds to Missoula. I look forward to seeing this minority 
    report because I am a little baffled by the suggestion. I encourage folks to 
    read the resolution. We are being robbed to support incredibly irresponsible 
    funding priorities and bloated DOT bureaucracy.  
    ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Packets/Council/2009/2009-03-23/TransportationResolution.pdf 
       
     Thanks for your interest, 
       
    Bob Jaffe 
    Missoula City Council, Ward 3


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