texting

Senate Bill 52 targets distracted drivers

Starting October 1, Florida drivers can breathe a sigh of relief as Senate Bill 52 goes into effect.

Approved earlier this year, the soon-to-be law will prohibit the operation of a motor vehicle while texting. SB 52 is called the “Florida Ban on Texting While Driving Law” and will target non-voice interpersonal communication – in other words, typing or entering letters, numbers, symbols, or other text, or sending or reading data, while driving.


Competing with digital third ‘person’ in the room

By Lindsay Marks | gargoyle@flagler.edu

I was having an intimate conversation with the backside of a light blue phone case. I was competing for attention with someone who wasn’t even in the room. How am I supposed to compete with that? The phone has bright lights, emoticons, vibrant colors and the anticipation of a response. I’m just here, talking.



Texting creates sub-par grammar, some say

By Emily Hoover |ehoover@flagler.edu
Artwork by Victoria Van Arnam

College and high school students are forgetting basic rules of English grammar thanks to endless hours spent sending text messages and chatting on social networking sites, some Florida teachers say.

“Their grammar is horrible, and it’s not just the bigger things,” said Debra Couch, an advanced placement English teacher at Flagler Palm Coast High School in Flagler County. “Far too many of them don’t pay attention to how, what and when they capitalize and their commas are either non-existent or they litter the paper.”