Man cited for ‘eating while driving’ in Georgia

[FLPanhandle]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/man-cited-eating-while-driving-cobb-county/njrGY/

Madison Turner said he ordered a double quarter pounder with cheese from McDonald’s last week, and a police officer pulled him over, along Canton Road in Marietta.

“The officer explained to me that he observed me eating a burger for 2 miles,” Madison said. “He said specifically three times, you can’t just go down the road eating a hamburger.”

According to the ticket, the officer wrote him up under Georgia’s distracted driving law, and under the comments sections wrote “eating while driving.”

That law reads, in part: “A driver shall exercise due care in operating a motor vehicle on the highways of this state and shall not engage in any actions which shall distract such driver from the safe operation of such vehicle.”


I think the police found an entirely new source of tickets and tax revenue.

[wyldwolf]

1. when distracted driver laws were passed, many predicted this would happen

On the other hand, a case could be made with this law that any driving other than 'both hands on the wheel, eyes straight ahead' is distracted driving.

[Downwinder]

12. Police see that as an indication of impairment.

[MrScorpio]

2. That's a broadly written law

They you ticket you for anything under it.

[FLPanhandle]

16. I think having kids in the car would get you a ticket under that law

They are far more distracting than a burger.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

37. Flashing red and blue lights are pretty distracting.

[Snotcicles]

3. Why tax the rich when you can ticket the hungry? nt

[rgbecker]

4. This marks the end of cup holders as we know them.

[Exultant Democracy]

5. As primates humans are always distracted. Let the robots drive, I'll take the sandwiches please.

The rich and powerful don't drive their own cars for a reason. Once that luxury is available to everyone we will all be a lot safer.

[fredamae]

6. Oregon dedicates a Whole MONTH

to "care" about Distracted Driving and IF you do drive-looking straight forward, not smoking/eating/talking etc? They'll pull you over under suspicion of being Too "normal".
LEO's have become nothing more than revenue agents for sheer profit.
http://www.oregon.gov/osp/NEWSRL/Pages/news/03_25_2014_distracted_driving_awareness_month.aspx

[hollysmom]

7. I agree with the cop

there is a difference between driving while eating fries one by one and another with a whole hamburger which can cause you to react when it falls into your lap.

This is dangerous and people should know better.

[FLPanhandle]

19. Kids are more distracting than a burger

I don't think eating a burger while is any more distracting than a couple of fightng kids.

[ecstatic]

30. +1000. That being said

I get that some people might not have a choice of when to eat (maybe driving is the only break between jobs), but people who do have a choice shouldn't. In addition to safety concerns, your hands are likely dirty and you're creating a mess in the car.

[hollysmom]

31. I was tough with kids in the car - when ever they started fussing,

I would pull over until they were settled, but I was not a parent with places to go,I was an aunt or a neighbor taking kids where they wanted to go.

And I really can't believe that people do not see what eating a hamburger (basically one bigger than white castle) could be an extreme distraction - I have been known to eat and drive when I drive to places like North carolina, but I keep it to snacks that can be eaten without being seen like potato chips, and that will not be hot or cold. I take bottles instead of cans to drink from, where you put the cap back on, and I can do that without looking at the bottle. So I am not saying you can't eat anything, but a burger is a big thing and can fall in your lap making a mess and distracting you. It is simple if it is a big distraction don't do it. I don't want to get hit by someone eating a lot.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

38. I remember one time I was eating while driving

The maître d' had just left with the finger bowl when the main entrée was being brought forth. This cop pulls me over and says, "This is highly illegal." I'm like, "What's really criminal is they should serve sauvignon with beef filets."

[Dr. Strange]

40. I only got pulled over once while eating.

But the cop just wanted to know if I needed some Grey Poupon.

[olddots]

8. this is nothing new

Had a friend get a ticket for drinking tea while driving ...who knows what would have happened if it was that sinful coffee beverage the youth are drinking .

[Politicalboi]

9. No biggie

You should never eat and drive. Ice cream is the worst they say. Certain foods are easy to eat and drive, but they can't go by that.

[notadmblnd]

10. can't wait to read about a person ticketed for picking their nose while driving.

I really don't understand why people think others can't see them with their fingers up their noses while driving, but they do.

I swear some of the people in the community I live in are mining for gold. I worry about them though, some have their fingers so far up there- that if they hit a pot hole they'll rupture their brains.

[Downwinder]

11. McDonald’s should put up a warning sign at the drive-thru window.

[TeamPooka]

18. Shut down the dangerous drive throughs! :)

[Downwinder]

23. Harm McDonald’s bottom line, the Cop will be unemployed.

[cherokeeprogressive]

29. Imagine the benefit to the environment. None of those cars sitting in line idling, x millions.

Where I grew up there was an In & Out that had two side-by-side drive through lanes and about five parking spots. On weekdays at lunchtime there would never be less than 20 cars lined up. And that lasted for about an hour and a half. Every weekday. The rest of the hours there were never less than three or four in each line. On weekends there were NEVER no cars in line.

None of those millions of cars... sitting at idle waiting for their turn at a McFamousStarWhopper. Seven days a week.

We need to start somewhere.

[GeorgeGist]

13. Donuts OK?

[underpants]

32. Oooh

I'm stealing that if I see this story on Facebok

[roody]

14. self delete

[TreasonousBastard]

15. OK, you do realize that a double quarter-pounder...

is tough enough to eat at a table with two hands what with slimy stuff is constantly dripping out of it...

I don't know if it's worth a ticket, but I've tried eating one on the road and I won't do it again.

[L0oniX]

17. Takes 2 hands to handle the Wopper.

[underpants]

33. :-)

That's what she said

[RationalMan]

20. In general I support "distracted driver" laws.......

Texting while driving is unlawful in Georgia where I live but enforcement is virtually nonexistent. I see people all the time texting. When I do I honk my horn and point at them.......

When I come on an accident, even in questionable weather, I ask myself which one or ones of the involved drivers were being idiots? Driving a motor vehicle is not rocket science. It is actually quite simple.

My father told me when I got my learner's permit that a vehicle is a weapon. Treat it as such. I have always done so and so far I have had zero speeding tickets and only been in two fender benders (neither of which were my fault) in 40 years of driving.

People need to realize that driving a vehicle requires the driver's undivided attention. Listening to loud music (or having headphones on so you can't even hear the honk of another vehicle) is a distraction. Heated or otherwise intense conversation can be a distraction. Shaving, putting on makeup, reading the paper, texting, using your tablet, eating, etc. are distractions.

It is difficult, however, to codify the term "distracted driver". Someone grabbing a quick sip of coffee, checking a Mapquest result on a tablet or in print, etc. might be able to be done without increasing risk but in general they can be problematic.

How does an officer know when someone was distracted? It is very subjective and that is why while I like the idea of these laws, enforcement is extremely difficult. A woman trying to drive a big SUV while putting on her makeup may be more likely to be a distracted driver than a 250 pound man who is finishing up a BigMac. It is very subjective. Does the driver need to be driving erratically?

[Orrex]

21. This would never happen in France.

There, he'd be pulled over for eating a Double Royale with Cheese.

[FLPanhandle]

25. Damn metric system

?w=300&h=216

[SheilaT]

22. I may be the only driver in North America who doesn't eat

in the car. On rare occasion, meaning a long drive, I might have water with me. When I eat, I stop and go inside the food place.

There are probably lots of things that can be safely eaten in the car, but one of the big, multi-layered burgers? I don't think so.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

24. can cannot pass a cop in GA

(or be passed by one) not on a fucking cell phone. it is the most infuriating thing to see a cop blow past you at breakneck speeds while he or she is yapping away on the phone... one hand on the wheel.

i hope this shit is thrown out and serves as an incentive to be more specific when constructing laws.

sP

[cpwm17]

26. On long drives across country on freeways, nibbling on snacks helps keep you alert.

As long as it is something like chips which distracts very little, eating increases safety then.

[abelenkpe]

27. Pass a lady here frequently eating ramen with chopsticks

as she drives in the left lane under the speed limit down La Cienega with the bowl wedged between her belly and the wheel. Doubt she's ever been ticketed...

Don't know whether I should be impressed or afraid.

[underpants]

34. Once saw a guy reading a book on the interstate

[backscatter712]

42. I saw a guy reading the Bible while driving.

He had it open on his steering wheel as he was hurtling down the Interstate.

There's a man with a lot of faith...

[n2doc]

28. He was lucky he wasn't eating corn n/t

[madville]

35. I used to drive a bunch for a previous job, seen it all

I saw guy eating a steak with a fork and knife one day, women putting on makeup, people reading newspapers and books, eating bowls of cereal, getting blowjobs/handjobs, working on their laptops, etc, etc. It's extremely dangerous, I would say for every drunk driver out there there are 10 doing some other stupid shit.

[Little Star]

36. All fast food & coffee places are not going to be happy....

with this action. Plus, I can guarantee that the same cop has eaten/drank coffee or other type liquid while driving a cruiser.

What a nasty, dumbass thing to give a ticket for.

[HappyMe]

39. I don't see the problem with the ticket.

Eating, texting, talking on the phone, putting on make up.... all distracting.

[IveWornAHundredPants]

41. Here is a picture of the man.