Baltimore City bans employee cell phone use
Posted by Jeff Quinton on September 18, 2008The City Board of Estimates voted to ban employees from using cell phones while driving for work.
City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Comptroller Joan Pratt voted against the ban saying it would be difficult to enforce. Mayor Dixon voted for the ban. Dixon proposed the ban that restricts all cell phone use including Bluetooth or hands free devices while driving during work hours. The ban also includes iPods and other personal music devices.
Rawlings-Blake tells WBAL Radio “to make this level of restriction on their (employees) own cell phone in their own car just because they happen to be working late doing city business, I just think we are sending the wrong message.”
The council president says she voted against it because it was far too restrictive and not enforceable. She believes that education should have been the first step. “The concern about safety is real. The solution for that concern is what I have a problem with,” Rawlings-Blake tells WBAL Radio.
Throw in the ban of hands-free, bluetooth and ipods (including ones that are transmitting to the car radio?) along with the personal car inclusion and this seems pretty heavy-handed. Are they going to ban all radio usage, eating, doing your hair or makeup, etc.?
Comment by Tyldak
Stupid law - totally unenforcable. Standard C.Y.A., so when a city employee on city business slams into someone while texting on his cell phone, the city can say that they banned such things, and thus the victim(s) will have less ammunition for suing the city.