Comments on: How to properly transport your cat on a bicycle http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/ Saluting San Francisco's Mission District Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:23:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: LM http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-58427 LM Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:01:00 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-58427 When I got my first-and-only cellphone ticket, the cop basically told me that if he sees a phone in your hand, he will give you a ticket. I told him I was using GPS, which is legal, and he said he had no way of knowing whether I was telling the truth, and that from his point of view, if it’s in my hand I’m using it illegally. He said I should get a dashboard holder, which I did, but…yeah.

I took it court and the dude didn’t show up, so I won by default, but I realize a lot of people don’t have the schedule flexibility to go through the hassle of a court hearing.

It is possible to pull a data record of what you were doing on your phone, to document that you were doing something other than talking or texting. Taking photos while driving is legal as long as you are otherwise driving safely.

]]> By: MrEricSir http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57295 MrEricSir Tue, 26 Jun 2012 01:22:26 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57295 It’s still legal to play Nintendo games while driving though, right? Dr. Mario isn’t going to play itself!

]]> By: Slick http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57277 Slick Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:24:20 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57277 I’ve seen that ruling, too… Again, my point is that ruling applies to using a phone as a phone – for voice conversation or texting (the ruling was broadened a little bit for other things that are texting-like, such as email). The ruling did not apply, however, to other uses of a phone or other devices in the car.

GPS, specifically, has been called out as being completely legal under the current law. When I say it is a grey area, I mean that as far as I’ve seen no court has ruled on the use of a camera at a stop light (or the camera function of a phone).

Apparently, there are lots of grey areas in this law.
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/04/texting_driving_smartphone.php
http://www.fostercity.org/Services/safety/police/Celldriving.cfm

]]> By: Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57249 Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable Mon, 25 Jun 2012 21:07:03 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57249 That’s good to know, GG, I had always assumed that I was safe to check messages, etc, when stopped at a red light. In the future I’ll limit it to when I’m actually pulled over to the side.

]]> By: GG http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57247 GG Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:57:42 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57247 Okay… I don’t want to encourage annoying nitpicking on Andrew or anyone else, but just as a public service announcement, it’s actually not a grey area. There was a court ruling on this recently: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Court-Ruling-California-Cell-Phone-Ban-Law-Driving-Red-Light-133887698.html?fullSite=y

It may be perfectly safe to take a photo while stopped at a light or stop sign (IMHO), but just be aware that you can get a pricey ticket for it.

]]> By: Slick http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57241 Slick Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:07:15 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57241 Not necessarily… The law is fairly specific about using phones as phones, but then it gets vague…

From the webs:
California Vehicle Code section23123.5 (b) states that it is illegal to “write, send, or read a text-based communication” means using an electronic wireless communications device to manually communicate with any person using a text-based communication, including, but not limited to, communications referred to as a text message, instant message or electronic mail.

It is not, however, illegal to use a GPS app on your phone or a specialized GPS device. I couldn’t find specific references to using a camera (cameraphone or standalone). The law itself doesn’t seem to be specific on this one, so it would largely be up to the courts to decide.

I’d say this is a grey area.

]]> By: scum http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57234 scum Mon, 25 Jun 2012 19:06:53 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57234 Stopped or not Andrew, still illegal in Ca.

]]> By: Andrew Sarkarati http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57228 Andrew Sarkarati Mon, 25 Jun 2012 18:32:30 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57228 stopped at a stop sign smartass!

]]> By: Soonerdiver http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57224 Soonerdiver Mon, 25 Jun 2012 18:02:38 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57224 Your mother should have left her ‘flip phone’ in her purse and paid attention to her driving.

]]> By: henry http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57220 henry Mon, 25 Jun 2012 17:22:54 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57220 Not if I do first!

]]> By: GG http://www.missionmission.org/2012/06/25/how-to-properly-transport-your-cat-on-a-bicycle/#comment-57216 GG Mon, 25 Jun 2012 16:07:53 +0000 http://www.missionmission.org/?p=40784#comment-57216 I’m going to get a realistic-looking stuffed cat and strap it to my shoulders next time I go bike riding, just to freak people out.

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