This makes me angry... when does it become a crime?

[bmccasland]

That just sucks. The system stinks. If there aren't any extenuating circumstances for bad driving (DUI, cell use, blinded by sun rise/set), the you can get away with killing someone with your car? Oops, I didn't mean to? Not only take away the dude's driver's license, sell the car, while he's in jail.

[Pax]

The opinion has been put forth that in Illinois, if you want someone dead simply use your car as there are very few consequences to committing murder using a car.

[Tri Girl]

The opinion has been put forth that in Illinois, if you want someone dead simply use your car as there are very few consequences to committing murder using a car.

It's the same way in Oklahoma, too.

This story saddens and sickens me at the same time.

When will the law protect us? If he hit another car and killed someone he certainly wouldn't have gotten off with two minor fines. Disgusting.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[Pax]

It's just maddening that nothing has changed in the five years since Matt (another local rider) was killed by some dumbass downloading ringtones while she drove!!

[Xrayted]

What a crock of ****!!

[PamNY]

No matter how I try, I cannot understand this. Just tragic all around.

[Pax]

My non-riding friends keep saying "but he didn't mean it", "he's broken up over this and he has to live with the guilt"...

I keep trying to explain that if it were unacceptable to do anything except DRIVE THE VEHICLE when you're behind the wheel, if drivers (me included) knew that not paying attention had HUGE consequences, then this sort of thing would happen less and less.

But we keep making cars that insulate us more and more from the act of driving, we are becoming bored passengers who are only peripherally aware of the fact we are piloting a two ton chunk of metal on roads that are populated by other, less armored creatures.