Espanola bans cell phone use behind wheel

Espanola police will begin issuing warnings July 1 to people who talk, dial or text-message on their cell phones behind the wheel.

[cgg]

Good luck. Albuquerque has a similar law and I still see numerous drivers every day with the phone stuck to their cheeks.

[birda]

I am from Espanola and it is just like the City to go behind closed doors and do things like this. I am all for the ban. They should have notified the public through local news such as the Rio Grande Sun.

[Dan]

Pretty sad that the gestapo is passing laws for petty things like this. How about passing immigration laws. How about stopping heroin users in Espanola? Nope....we MUST stop the cell phone users. What a joke

I am from Espanola and our police enforcement staff is depleted. Espanola is a growing community and the staff is small. We also only have one municipal judge. I am afraid the case load is gonna get long and may cause more serious crimes to be mishandled or dismissed due to lack of police manpower. Police need to decide whether to testify against cell phone users in court OR do much need patrol to curb drug trafficking in the community.

Lastly, the local newspaper RIO GRANDE SUN is claiming the ordinance is illegal since the city failed to advertise the hearing in the legal section of the local paper and to give proper notice to the opposition to voice their opinion. Apparently the city tried to sneak around the law by advertising in the Journal Santa Fe section.

[Isaac C]

Germany has the same law, but the fine is ridiculous. I would like to see a phone stuck to someones ear when they get a $1,500. fine. Also the police aren't very smart on catching the people. They can't expect to catch someone if they are sitting on a fast busy highway, they need to sit at a 4 way stop hidden and waiting for those leaving the house talking to somone on the phone.

I would be happy to see people start using their turn signals, not just in New Mexico but in the US! People who I see don't use their turn signal, tend to have their left hand full of a cell phone. I think they should administer stricter fine and even jail time for those not using turn signals and talking on the phone!

[Obama Third Term]

Dan wrote:

Pretty sad that the gestapo is passing laws for petty things like this. How about passing immigration laws. How about stopping heroin users in Espanola? Nope....we MUST stop the cell phone users. What a joke
I am from Espanola and our police enforcement staff is depleted. Espanola is a growing community and the staff is small. We also only have one municipal judge. I am afraid the case load is gonna get long and may cause more serious crimes to be mishandled or dismissed due to lack of police manpower. Police need to decide whether to testify against cell phone users in court OR do much need patrol to curb drug trafficking in the community.
Lastly, the local newspaper RIO GRANDE SUN is claiming the ordinance is illegal since the city failed to advertise the hearing in the legal section of the local paper and to give proper notice to the opposition to voice their opinion. Apparently the city tried to sneak around the law by advertising in the Journal Santa Fe section.

Quit saying we have drug problem. That is a lot of hype.

[Jazz]

A lot of hype? Rio Arriba County, ie Espanolas County has the second highest rate of drug deaths per 1000 citizens in the ENTIRE USA

Wake up , you are in denial

[Just Wondering]

Drives me crazy when I see police in Santa Fe talking and driving. I wish I could make a citizen's pull over and fine the officer for talking and driving!

[just wondering]

Obama Third Term wrote:

<quoted text>
Quit saying we have drug problem. That is a lot of hype.

what hype? your right there is no drug problem, you can get all the drugs you want without leaving the valley.

[Fernandez]

just wondering wrote:

<quoted text>
what hype? your right there is no drug problem, you can get all the drugs you want without leaving the valley.

ok first of all your not even from Espanola so how would you know???

[Have lots to say]

Dan wrote:

Pretty sad that the gestapo is passing laws for petty things like this. How about passing immigration laws. How about stopping heroin users in Espanola? Nope....we MUST stop the cell phone users. What a joke
I am from Espanola and our police enforcement staff is depleted. Espanola is a growing community and the staff is small. We also only have one municipal judge. I am afraid the case load is gonna get long and may cause more serious crimes to be mishandled or dismissed due to lack of police manpower. Police need to decide whether to testify against cell phone users in court OR do much need patrol to curb drug trafficking in the community.
Lastly, the local newspaper RIO GRANDE SUN is claiming the ordinance is illegal since the city failed to advertise the hearing in the legal section of the local paper and to give proper notice to the opposition to voice their opinion. Apparently the city tried to sneak around the law by advertising in the Journal Santa Fe section.

Yes i agree with the fact that there are other major problems that need the attention of the law But come on just cause there is alot of imgrants in the united states doesnt mean they didnt go and get there papers and are legal here. the drug problem is what i think need the most legal attention of them all.

[Jazz]

Fernandez wrote:

<quoted text>
ok first of all your not even from Espanola so how would you know???

there is this thing called the internet and Google
anyone who knows how to type can enter
Drugs Rio Arriba County, Into Google and find every statistic known to man

and surprise, they even let people "not even from Espanola" view this information

[TRUTH]

cgg wrote:

Good luck. Albuquerque has a similar law and I still see numerous drivers every day with the phone stuck to their cheeks.

Amen!! I just got done watching someone driving all over the road, across the yellow AND white lines, with their cell phone stuck in their ear.

APD needs more cops. The ones they have are too busy solving the murders around here.

[waiting to hang up]

Espanola NM OK town, but the women and there cell phones not good, I meet a women in her late 40, and always on the cell phone and texing like a teenager while she was driving and to top it off no manners. Then they want to cry that they want to get married and still married to someone else, where do they get the nerve. Get off the cell phone and get a divorce then well talk.

[Peezee]

I think it's a great idea, but the enforcement is a real problem. Perhaps someday they'll come up with a cell phone signal blocker that is activated when cars are in cell phone free areas...the only calls that could get out would be emergency service calls. In that way even the police couldn't be chatting away on patrol.