Bad drivers: 3 wrecks and you're off the road

bravo14 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 02:35 AM

State Sen. Don Gaetz was driving down U.S. 98 in Northwest Florida on Wednesday when he saw another driver reading a newspaper while going 65 mph.

"I think there are some people who just don't take driving that seriously," said Gaetz, R-Niceville.

Thanks to Gaetz, more drivers in Florida will have to. Or it could cost them a lot of money - and their licenses.

Starting Jan. 1, the law Gaetz steered through this year's Legislature means motorists convicted of three crash-related moving violations over a three-year period will lose their license. To get it back, they will need to pay for and pass a $500 education course, and also pay $48 to take and pass the driving test again.

is the rest of the story below
Bad drivers: 3 wrecks and you're off the road | Jacksonville.com

sjlamb · #2 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bravo14

State Sen. Don Gaetz was driving down U.S. 98 in Northwest Florida on Wednesday when he saw another driver reading a newspaper while going 65 mph.

"I think there are some people who just don't take driving that seriously," said Gaetz, R-Niceville.

Thanks to Gaetz, more drivers in Florida will have to. Or it could cost them a lot of money - and their licenses.

Starting Jan. 1, the law Gaetz steered through this year's Legislature means motorists convicted of three crash-related moving violations over a three-year period will lose their license. To get it back, they will need to pay for and pass a $500 education course, and also pay $48 to take and pass the driving test again.

is the rest of the story below
Bad drivers: 3 wrecks and you're off the road | Jacksonville.com

Works for me..... Sounds like a law that will allow God knows how many souls who are alive and well today to remain that way. I get sick everytime I read of more carnage on our roads caused by some well documented serial violator; not to mention the devastated families they leave behind.

bravo14 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 10:54 AM

They should do that with cell phones/texting get caught using first time 250 dollar fine with 3 month lose their license. 2nd time 700 dollar fine with lose their license 6 months 3rd time 2,500 dollar fine lose their license for 1 year.

sjlamb · #4 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bravo14

They should do that with cell phones/texting get caught using first time 250 dollar fine with 3 month lose their license. 2nd time 700 dollar fine with lose their license 6 months 3rd time 2,500 dollar fine lose their license for 1 year.

This works for me too. Last month, I was coming down a ramp off of I-75 onto Fruitville Rd in Sarasota. As I came to the light, I had the green light and began to proceed to turn left on Fruitville Rd. Even though I had the green, I looked left and right as I began to enter the intersection.

As I looked to the right, here comes a car plowing right thru his RED LIGHT... completely oblivious. I blasted my horn and he locked up his brakes and skidded to a stop right in the middle of the intersection, at which point I could clearly see that he had his cell phone plastered to the side of his pinhead like some sort of electronic tumor. Had I not excercised the caution that I did; Mr. A-hole on the BatPhone would have T-Boned me at 50 mph, orphaning my children and altering their lives FOREVER.

Bolt21 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 11:53 AM

Try driving a big truck for a living. I see this kind of stuff EVERY DAY. The one that sticks out in my mind is the mom reading a sales flyer out of the newspaper while piloting her minivan south on I-75 going 75+mph. She had four children under 8yrs old with her.

bravo14 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 12:08 PM

Drivers think everyone can stop on a dime. Big semi's can't stop on time people think. I see people cut them off and tailgate semi's. I wonder how many people keep driving w/o license(s) if they do pass that law. I ride my bike to work and I see alot of Aholes running red lights don't stop at stop signs etc... I must count about 10-15 times a month I almost get run over.

idontknow82 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 12:14 PM

Sounds like a good idea, but i wish they did that in my state. I got hit by someone that went around a large vehicle that went the wrongway in a lane and got nailed. Guess who got the citation...sure not the guy in the wrong. The drunks around here constantly go the wrong direction on the one ways here.

mdulrich · #8 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 03:47 PM

The only problem it will effect honest people (like most laws) who will stop driving. Look at home many drive on suspended licenses or no license at all now.

Mike

bravo14 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-19-2009, 02:37 AM

We can do what the football player did south of FL killed someone while dui no license etc... got 30 days. I wonder how many people driving with no insurance/license. If I do get a car I would have a camcorder roll where ever I go case you get some moron do something stupid.

ElroyJetson · #10 (**permalink**) 07-19-2009, 10:42 AM

I saw some stupid woman driving her minivan down the road one fine morning, with a BOOK...not a flyer, not a sheet of paper...a BOOK...propped up on the steering wheel. Trying to read a novel while driving
is hardly the mark of a brilliant mind.

I honked at her and motioned for her to PUT THE BOOK DOWN AND DRIVE.

She glared at me, gave me the finger, and returned to her reading.

So I got on the cell phone and ratted her ass out.

The FHP pulled her over just a few miles later. I laughed all the way home.

Elroy

bravo14 · #11 (**permalink**) 07-19-2009, 12:28 PM

I wonder if she was reading the book while talking to the officer and getting a ticket at the same time. I bet when the Officer left she got the book and started to read again.

redhelmet13 · #12 (**permalink**) 07-19-2009, 01:51 PM

I wish they would impound vehicles registered to suspended drivers. In Texas, we have a state law which mandates a driver surcharge fee on certain violation convictions. These surcharges are steep! Finally several of the cities on north Texas are impounding vehicles if the driver can not provide proof on liabilty insurance. (This info is now available to LEO's via a database). Lots's of illegal immigrants here who operate in the shadows. I am all for removing STUPID and BAD drivers from the road. Make it REAL expensive for them once this happens. TIME TO GET TOUGH - enough of the accidents caused by these SELFISH and DANGEROUS MORONS! Oh and by the way - arrest and turn the illegals over to ICE to deal with and DEPORT.

wise871 · #13 (**permalink**) 07-19-2009, 01:52 PM

Everyone has been complaining about bloody 98 for years. It wasn’t until a State Senator complained that something is getting done. I drive Hwy98 several times a day and each time is a new experience. The accident rate on this road is ridiculous. Everyone is always in a rush, on a cell phone or not paying attention on this road. I’ve notice over the last year that many drivers are starting to take action and call the local Sheriffs office and report reckless drives. On average I will hear up to ten Signal-12 BOLOS for reckless drivers just in the Santa Rosa County area. Out of the ten, half are found and ticketed since the complainant continued to follow the driver in question. Also out of the daily ten, one is usually intoxicated. Were averaging at least one major accident a week and it seems like pedestrian deaths are on the rise along Hwy 98. For those of you who travel the stretch of 98 between Gulf Breeze and Ft. Walton Beach, you know what I mean. I believe the worst section is between Hurlburt and Navarre. I’m always hearing accident calls along this stretch.

bravo14 · #14 (**permalink**) 07-20-2009, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redhelmet13

I wish they would impound vehicles registered to suspended drivers. In Texas, we have a state law which mandates a driver surcharge fee on certain violation convictions. These surcharges are steep! Finally several of the cities on north Texas are impounding vehicles if the driver can not provide proof on liabilty insurance. (This info is now available to LEO's via a database). Lots's of illegal immigrants here who operate in the shadows. I am all for removing STUPID and BAD drivers from the road. Make it REAL expensive for them once this happens. TIME TO GET TOUGH - enough of the accidents caused by these SELFISH and DANGEROUS MORONS! Oh and by the way - arrest and turn the illegals over to ICE to deal with and DEPORT.

They need that here in FL. I guess they got their license at the pic n save before they shut down in the 90's. I guess they paid 80 bucks for life time license.

n5ims · #15 (**permalink**) 07-20-2009, 02:37 PM

While I applaud the idea, this law will probably work as well as those that take away your license after a few DUIs or suspend your license for driving without insurance. The idiots that are punished will simply drive anyway without any license. Remember that laws work best for the law abiding and for the most part do little to change the behaviour of those that see nothing wrong with breaking them.

Now, if they actually put some teeth behind the law - if you drive on a license suspended due to one of these laws they put you on a chain gang for numerous years and your food, lodging, and other jail related costs is directly related to the amount and value of work done on that chain gang - maybe these laws would be something more than just "feel good" legislation.