Yesterday afternoon downtown (a little after 5 PM) I saw a high profile city director texting and driving. I’m not going to say who they are, but let’s just say it is an official appointed by the mayor (new in PTH’s admin). It also wasn’t the police chief or fire chief, it was a director who wouldn’t have to respond to an emergency, and I am guessing since it was after 5 PM, it wasn’t about work. In there defense, they were stopped at a light, but the law is clear. Ironically, it was someone who should have known better due to their position in city government.
So what do you think? If a city official is texting and driving and they are NOT part of emergency personnel does it set a bad example? I was disappointed.
I will admit that I used to text and drive on rare occasion but don’t do it since the ban. I do talk on my phone though while driving (something else I have been working on).
We must get rid of all cellphones. They are control devices and not communication devices. Putin knows your every move. Ancient Aliens created Putin. Together, they are planning a massive fender bender for all.
If this city official since texting and not voice texting absolutely he she should get a ticket ….. However they’re on their own time if it’s after hours and they’re just like the rest of us!
Its alot like July 4th. They always say they are going to get tough but never do. Fireworks and texting and driving are both essentially legal in Sioux Falls. If you are the one of the 2 people that get a ticket annually for either offense, then shame on you
If the blogmaster will permit speculation, I’ll offer that the director may have been wrangling the details of a volunteer storm recovery effort to (finally) fetch that piece of metal from the neighborhood of ‘Very Stable Genius’ and ‘Woodstock’.
One would have to be obnoxious to get caught texting. What about the observant officer? Aren’t his actions worse? What matters is fault. If someone isn’t paying attention, the result is their fault. You can subpoena cell phone records but it’s going to be obvious. We carry collision and uninsured insurance. It’s a defense such that tangling the offender into litigation is the best punishment.
Oh, for your information, “that piece of metal” finally disappeared somewhere between October 7th and 8th, some 28 days after an EF 2 tornado graced my neighborhood and delivered “parts” of its work.
( – and Woodstock adds: “Yah, someone probably finally thought that heap could be added to their platinum and metals collection, huh?”)
Glad to hear successful resolution of the matter, VSG.
Another speculation would be that the director was merely testing a beta version of the On Demand Metro Bus service app.