NJ Cracks Down on Talking on a Cell Phone While Cycling

New Jersey may have unresolved problems with taxes, child welfare and gangs, but lawmakers are ready to crack down on one perceived danger: talking on a cell phone while riding a bike. A legislative committee has approved a bill that would make it illegal for people to use a hand-held telephone while riding a bicycle on a public road. Hands-free devices would be allowed and lawbreakers would face fines ranging from $100 to $250.

Phew! This one has several points of note.

Firstly, on its face, this illustrates another case of the “nanny state” and its benevolent legislators acting to protect us from ourselves (whether we need it or not: see below) and thereby justify their existence.

Then there’s this:

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, a bill sponsor, said the measure is meant to protect bicyclists and the people they may strike when riding and yakking at the same time. “That is, in our judgment, a danger to pedestrians as well as to the bicyclists themselves, due to the fact that now they have one hand on the handlebars, they’re talking to someone and they’re on a public highway,” said Bramnick, a Union County Republican.

Aside from his argument, what in the world is a REPUBLICAN doing coming up with this sort of legislative micromanagement? Oh, right, this IS New Jersey, one of the prime breeding grounds of the RINOs, but still…

Finally, there is the issue as to how much of a problem is there from this dangerous behavior? how many thousands are being injured from careless bike riders?

Pete Garnich, owner of Knapp’s Cyclery in Lawrence, said it’s a waste of time. His store takes people out on weekly group rides and Garnich said he can’t recall anyone talking on a cell phone while riding a bike. “I wouldn’t say it’s a problem,” he said. “You can’t breathe and talk. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Fortunately the Garden State isn’t totally bereft of reason yet:

Not all legislators are eager to support the measure. “As my father used to tell me, ‘You can’t legislate common sense,’ and that’s exactly what this bill tries to do, as the Legislature has already tried to do on so many other occasions,” said Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris. “Is anyone dumb enough to use a cell phone in a dangerous manner while riding a bicycle really going to be smart enough to know about or pay attention to some legislator’s new law? Seems unlikely to me.”

Amazing…but all too typical. Stuff like this is the #1 reason why NJ is at the absolute bottom of the list of states where the Chief would like to live.