Maria Shriver: Schwarzenegger Calls Out Wife For Cell In Car, Promises "Swift Action"

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling out his wife, Maria Shriver, for apparently violating a state law he signed -- holding her cell phone while driving.

The celebrity Web site TMZ.com posted two photographs Tuesday showing Shriver holding a phone to her ear while she's behind the wheel. It says one was snapped Sunday and the other in July.

The Web site later added a video it said was shot Tuesday in Brentwood, where the family lives. It shows Shriver holding a cell phone to her ear while driving a large SUV that appears to be a Cadillac Escalade. She then puts the phone down while the camera is rolling.

The first lady's office said it would have no comment.

On his Twitter feed, Schwarzenegger wrote to TMZ.com founder Harvey Levin: "Thanks for bringing her violations to my attention. There's going to be swift action."

Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear says that by "swift action," the governor means he'll ask his wife not to hold the phone while driving.

In a note accompanying the video, TMZ responded to Schwarzenegger's tweet by saying, "... your scofflaw wife was at it again."

A law that took effect in July 2008 requires California drivers to use a handsfree device when talking on cell phones.

Since then, the California Highway Patrol has issued more than 150,000 citations. That figure does not include citations issued by local police.

Drivers who are spotted by law enforcement officers holding a cell phone to their ear are subject to fines of at least $20 for the first ticket and $50 for subsequent tickets, plus additional fees.

In Los Angeles County, where Brentwood is located, the Superior Court has set the cost at about $93 for the first ticket and $201 for the next one, meaning Shriver would owe at least $300 in fines and court fees had she been caught by police.

Schwarzenegger has previously praised the regulation and said he warned his then-16-year-old daughter that if she ever violated the law, "she'll be taking the bus."

Comments

[Dem4progress]

This is where our advancements in communications technology have taken us. Now we have to enact laws that effectively curb our freedom of speech so that we can maintain a reasonable level of safety on our streets and highways.

Safe driving while operating a hands-free unit that is controlled by commands on the steering wheel is probably the most practical solution, simply because skilled use of communication equipment while operating a vehicle can be taught and certified. Pilots do it, cops do it, even educated
truckers do it. Let's do it, let's talk and drive.

[Teritt]

Seriously - nobody thinks this was retaliation by TMZ over the amendment Arnold signed to sue paparazzi? It's nothing but a payback.

[henrypapillon]

The GOVINATOR IS THE SECOND MOST PRESTIGIOUS PERSON IN CALIFORNIA , RIGHT AFTER MARIA SHRIVER. SHUT UP AHNOLD.!

[janeycat]

as big as a Cadillac Escalade is she would run over the top of someone...why does she have to have a SUV that big...i bet her Eco footprint is huge...

with the money she has she could have her wireless phone to voice commands programed in her suv...one of my friends only had to say " call home " ,and her cell phone dialed her house. she answered it the same way when she got a call. she would say " answer phone " and it would....
the Mic was built in the Ford Expedition. husbands Explorer had remote start ,there Eco footprints big.
Oh..they had so much money they had to hunt ways and stuff to spend it on...we didn't stay friends long.. i could not keep up with them financially ...

my point to all this is Maria is not above the law no matter who she is..
and she has enough money to have the extra things to help her driving be safe too.
Oh..and if she does not want to spend the money on the things i mentioned she could
at least buy the cell phone adapter ( Jupiter Jack ) from Sully on TV commercials,
there still ( buy one get one free ) that way she would have one for her daughter too..

just my thoughts on this..
my brother died in a car accident in 1972 and i havent got over it yet ..

[bryz]

What a joke.
Australia has had this for many years now.
American are self entitled when it comes to... well everything really.
No one more than Maria.
Skelator ette

EAT MARIA!!!!

[boyoboy]

In all fairness to Maria's thinness, her mother looked thin as a rail, too. She looks a lot like her mom. Some folks are just naturally really thin.

[sheikwil4]

what's good for the goose.

[balancedsolution]

He should give her a real ticket, if you know what i mean!

[KingLeopold]

How is talking on the phone any different than talking with someone in your car? The real cause of accidents is dialing numbers and texting.

[KarateKid]

Well, before you talk, don't you have to dial the call?

[OdinsEye]

Many phones have voice commands.

[OdinsEye]

There are mental distractions and physical distractions. Using a hands free device greatly reduces the physical distraction. Talking with a passenger also has very little physical distraction. As far as mental distractions, a passenger can see traffic just like the driver can and adjust the conversation as need as well as act as a second pair of eyes. Phone conversations lack those advantages.

[TanzaniteDiamonds]

Well said, Odinseye. A lot of it is about the distraction factor. Being TOO distracted while driving, can make a vehicle into a weapon that can injure or kill others; sometimes, even the drivers, themselves.

I don't care how "skilled" a driver is, if they're TOO distracted, they're dangerous.

[Harlyridr]

You must work for the cell phone lobby...

[Jim Franklin]

@Harlyridr lol I agree and was thinking the exact same thing

[Eugi]

While the dialing and handling the phone takes your eyes off the road, talking on it is also damaging because it takes your attention off the road. Some studies show that people engaged in phone conversations are less responsive drivers than some drunks. I can't give a cite, but remember reading it in the book "Traffic," which looks at ppl's driving behavior. So, the point is: yes, talking on the phone is an added distraction and should be banned. We can't really ban ppl talking to passengers. :) However, passenger convos are (maybe) safer b/c the passenger is presumably also aware you're driving and can alert the driver to hazards. The person on the phone won't.

Put the phone down. (this includes me!) : /

[MikeyMike]

What I have never understand is this: if a driver's attention is diverted too much by talking on the phone, why is it acceptable for a police officer to use a computer? Yes, they are "professional drivers", but by that logic shouldn't we make an exception for truckers and cabbies too?

[Poiks]

Interesting how much hate is being exhibited over this issue. I see people talking on their phones while driving in SoCal every day. All over. Tons of 'em. I didn't realize that I was supposed to hate those people for it, but I'll get right on that.

[Poiks]

It's a stupid rule. The distraction comes from being on the phone, not holding the phone in your hand. Studies have proven this. If they want to change this, they're going to have to make talking on the phone (even with hands-free sets) while the vehicle is moving illegal. Good luck with that.

[throwcautiontothewind]

You're right--there are ample studies by David Strayer and Canadian & American Insurance companies that there is NO difference in driving error rates between those using hand-held and hands-free phones. The issue is attention (and the danger continues for up to 10 minutes after a conversation).

[OdinsEye]

Studies have shown that both are distractions.

[Poiks]

Right, that's my point. Talking on the phone is the distraction, whether it's hand-held or hands-free.

[layman]

The phoney baloney couple. The opportunists and hypocrites.

[Sarita]

FYI - this happens all day every day in California - and in every other state for that matter. I would rather her use the phone than be texting while driving!

[cmk1967]

As opposed to your braindead hate spewing kneejerk mantra response which is typical of many of the posters on here whenever a Republican picture is shown no matter how trivial the story.

I was expecting to read responses like yours when I clicked on the story and I didn't even have to search for one, yours was the first one. Why am I not surprised?

[sabela]

Okay, well SHE is a democrat so I think it was a bipartisian post.

[Orwellian]

Oh, give her a break. With the response I doubt she'll do it again. How many here haven't been let off or drove by a speed trap just after slowing down and know you've just had a break? She puts her pants on one leg at a time just like everybody else. Besides, she didn't get off. Reputation is just as important as losing a hundred bucks to a citation. She's a nice lady.

[ChelleAgain]

She shouldn't be above the law and should be treated like an ordinary citizen on this one. That being said, why are people so eager to hate strangers? The woman just lost her mother and a man who was like a second father to her, while her actual dad has Alzheimers. Why not remember she's a human being? One that, again, shouldn't break the law.

[metaphysicist]

make her pay the fine!!! ONEHUNDRED­ANDFORTYSI­XDOLLARS..­.

i had to...and it was just in my hand...

i wasn't even USING IT!!!!!

[AllieMD]

what fine? she didn't get a ticket

[KarateKid]

Arnie had it fixed.

[Ballot]

The worst governor in California's history coupled with the worst example of a wife. This couple believe they are both privileged and far above the ordinary citizen. We all remember when Arnold had the motorcycle accident, and it was revealed he had no motorcycle license either. Laws do not apply to this couple ... they are too special to be held to any law.

[Poiks]

Bitter much?

[firewmn]

Hmmm... Gov. Sanford was caught on video by a highway patrol speeding and alls he got was a hand shake from the trooper..

[honoursplendor]

The "worst example of a wife"?!?? Please say you are kidding. Or drunk.