City Councilmen Bill Greenlee, Bill Green and Frank Rizzo met with the media this morning to discuss legislation they will introduce tomorrow to ban the use of cell phones -- talking or texting -- in moving motor vehicles unless drivers use a "hands-free device." We reported about all that last month.
Greenlee and Green have updated the legislation since then. It now will cover anyone "using a skateboard, scooter, rollerblade or bicycle on any street within the city." Could be a tough blow to many bike messengers and multi-tasking exercise enthusiasts.
The legislation faces a daunting challenge as far as motor vehicles go. PennDOT says the legislation will conflict with the state's motor vehicle code, which takes legal priority over local laws. And an attorney has already successfully challenged a similar ordinance in Hilltown Township, Bucks County.
Still, they press ahead. "We're trying to really eliminate a danger here," said Greenlee, citing studies that show the likelihood of having an automobile accident increases when a driver is talking or texting on a cell phone. As for PennDOT's opinion, Green said: "They're wrong."
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002 and has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. After covering the 2007 mayoral election, she moved over to the City Hall bureau where she has been reporting on the Nutter administration.
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans.
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