CONSUMER BRIEFS / CELLPHONES

Since Thursday, it has been illegal to text-message while driving in California. But you probably are wondering what precisely that means.

Jaime Coffee, a California Highway Patrol information officer, explained just about every scenario in which the new law may be put to the test.

Don’t write, send or read an e-mail or instant message while driving, even at a red light or when stuck in horrible traffic on the freeway; don’t write, end or read an e-mail or instant message while riding a motorcycle; or browse the Web while operating a vehicle.

Feel free to punch in a phone number while driving; use a phone’s digital map or GPS program while driving (although the CHP doesn’t recommend it); it’s also OK to text when legally parked, even if the engine is running; dictate a text message to a phone’s voice-recognition software; text while riding a bicycle (again, not recommended, but not covered by the law).

You might be able to get away with texting a company or a website during drive time because the law applies only to two-way communications between people. But if you’re not operating your vehicle safely, you could still be pulled over and given a ticket.

-- Alana Semuels