LaHood’s cellphone crusade, cont’d

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s press spokesman describes as “inaccurate” Reuters’ report that his boss endorses a Congressionally enacted national across-the-board ban on cellphone use. (The Newspaper; our earlier posts here and here; Ramesh Ponnuru, Bloomberg View).

More from The Newspaper:

At the same time that the US Department of Transportation is pushing laws to ban in-car cell phone use, it is promoting the “511” government program that encourages drivers to dial 511 for information on traffic conditions instead of tuning in to a traffic reports on AM radio.

Related: “Communities start to fine for texting and walking” [USA Today]

2 Comments

  • if there is any dispute that our Federal govt is out of control is this. trying to ban cell use whilst encouraging to dial 511 for traffic. why discourage radio use? could it be the 511 program will increase the size of that department’s status and size?

  • Maybe it is all part of a clever ‘sting’ operation. Dial 511, they get your location to provide a ‘localized traffic report’, pass it along to the local cops and BAM, instant income.

    If they are lucky, you’ll have a couple grand in cash they before you buy drugs with it.