[Newsbot]

Title: Cellphone restrictions loom, B.C. reminds drivers
Category: Misc CDN
Posted By: Hyack
Date: 2009-12-22 13:06:43
Canadian

[acidcomplex]

stupidest......rule......ever

[kenmore]

Worked well in Ontario.. NOT! you see more people on the phone now then before it was against the law... who has time to police this?

[Benn]

No one has time to police it for that charge alone. However I think its sort of like Quebec's snow tire law of last year. Its not like cops are stopping people cold to check their tires (ok I'm sure its happened a few times) but if there is another traffic stop or accident and the police show up they will charge you with offense one and while there look at your tires, then charge you with not having the right ones. Thats how it will be policed. Joe Blow blows a red on a cell phone, cop stops him and now he gets two tickets. Accident happens and witnesses saw the guy was on the phone then wham, ticket for cell phone use.

IMO its not a stupid law. Even putting the fact of distraction aside, if you have to drive to avoid something really fast in a split second, can you do this better with one hand on the wheel and another with a phone or something in it? Of course not.

[Brenda]

$1:

Even putting the fact of distraction aside, if you have to drive to avoid something really fast in a split second, can you do this better with one hand on the wheel and another with a phone or something in it? Of course not.

So lets ban eating and drinking and smoking too.

[Benn]

Also dangerous, however the cell phone issue can't really be separated from the distraction point, I just did that to point out that was not the only issue with using cells and driving, which is why it is getting the law.

On that point I know there is a traffic charge one can get if they cause and accident while not driving safely and eating a Big Mac while losing control would count. I know of officers who have added the charge to people who caused and accident. Something like unsafe operation of a motor vehicle or something. So actually you can get charged for eating and driving.

[Brenda]

As you can be for driving and using your cell.

I am all for banning it, btw. People here already cant drive, and when drinking coffee and yacking in their cell, it gets even worse. Too bad that the cops only stop you when you are driving 5 km past speedlimits, and not for 20 under, which imho is even more dangerous.

[acidcomplex]

Brenda Brenda:

As you can be for driving and using your cell.

I am all for banning it, btw. People here already cant drive, and when drinking coffee and yacking in their cell, it gets even worse. Too bad that the cops only stop you when you are driving 5 km past speedlimits, and not for 20 under, which imho is even more dangerous.

Banning it is stupid unless they also plan on banning radios, noisy kids,animated signs on the roads, billboards, passengers. Stupid rule IMHO

[CanadianJeff]

....Acid you realize that some activities are FAR more dangerous and controllable then others. Someone texting for example is way way more dangerous then simply having a passenger in the car.

There's a TON of studies that show the dangers of talking and driving and never mind texting and driving which is almost as bad as driving under the influence.

I'm tired of people thinking that what THEY find distracting while driving should determine what the dangerous activities really are. We don't care if you find billboards more distracting then texting drivers.

The laws have to be based on real dangers and what all the studies point to on that front is very clearly talking or texting while driving.

edit: and I think this law can be enforced with more officers on the road. Put the fines on this stuff high enough and the tickets they give out pay their salary.

[acidcomplex]

CanadianJeff CanadianJeff:

....Acid you realize that some activities are FAR more dangerous and controllable then others. Someone texting for example is way way more dangerous then simply having a passenger in the car.

thats your opnon not fact, a drunk passenger in the front seat can be way worse then someone texting, and The reasoning behind the rule begs to differ.

CanadianJeff CanadianJeff:

There's a TON of studies that show the dangers of talking and driving and never mind texting and driving which is almost as bad as driving under the influence.

For one all the "studies" are done by people for banning them, and those same studies show that "talking" is the problem not holding the cell phone, so this rule does not alleviate the problem then does it?

CanadianJeff CanadianJeff:

I'm tired of people thinking that what THEY find distracting while driving should determine what the dangerous activities really are. We don't care if you find billboards more distracting then texting drivers.

Are you kidding? they have done the exact same shit, banning texting/talking because it annoys them, if bright shiny signs annoyed them, that would be banned. All besides the point though as the reasoning behind this law is the "distraction" aspect, something all of the thing i mentioned have in common.

CanadianJeff CanadianJeff:

The laws have to be based on real dangers and what all the studies point to on that front is very clearly talking or texting while driving.

So then cops and ambulances drivers shouldnt be using them either right, there carrying 3 life's at a time, oh but wait its ok for them cause there special. Uh huh. I cant even count the number of times I have seen piggies on the phone as they pass me, talking away and weired thing is....they didnt crash...OMG!!!!

CanadianJeff CanadianJeff:

edit: and I think this law can be enforced with more officers on the road. Put the fines on this stuff high enough and the tickets they give out pay their salary.

Even if the law passes, there is just no way to enforce it consistently, take the seatbelt law as a perfect example, and thats even more easy to enforce.

[Gunnair]

Please, go protest and text to your heart's content. Pile into a tree if you must. If you get a ticket, mind, be sure to come back here and whine like mad though.

[Zipperfish]

CanadianJeff CanadianJeff:

The laws have to be based on real dangers and what all the studies point to on that front is very clearly talking or texting while driving.

Sorry, I just don't buy that at all. I can think of many prohibitions that aren't based on much in the way of real danger.

Studies show that talking on a "hands-free" cell phone is just as distracting to the driver as a hand-held model. But the law allows hands-free phones--so, not really based on the science.

All that said, I don't disagree with the law--especially for those dummies that are texting while they drive.

[acidcomplex]

Gunnair Gunnair:

Please, go protest and text to your heart's content. Pile into a tree if you must. If you get a ticket, mind, be sure to come back here and whine like mad though.

lol its called talent, but I do agree if someone crashes AND the direct result is a cellphone that they were on, that person should be fined for careless driving or not be allowed a cell, simple

[Strutz]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

All that said, I don't disagree with the law--especially for those dummies that are texting while they drive.

Agreed...see this often. The people texting are really obvious since they usually hold their phones on top of the steering wheel so that they can see what they're typing as they more or less watch where they're going.

It also amazes me how often I've seen people combing their hair, applying makeup or reading a book or magazine while driving. Would these not be considered dangerous activities to do while behind the wheel?

[Brenda]

Strutz Strutz:

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

All that said, I don't disagree with the law--especially for those dummies that are texting while they drive.

Agreed...see this often. The people texting are really obvious since they usually hold their phones on top of the steering wheel so that they can see what they're typing as they more or less watch where they're going.

It also amazes me how often I've seen people combing their hair, applying makeup or reading a book or magazine while driving. Would these not be considered dangerous activities to do while behind the wheel?

Yep, they are, and when caught, you get fined. They just don't have a specific law for that, other than the one Tricks has mentioned a lot of times.

That's why I don't really understand why this has become law. And, like Zip says... It's not the hand-held that is the problem (I always drive with one hand...) it is the distraction of talking, imo. I get distracted too when my kids are fighting in the back, and I stop when I have to tell them to knock it off, because I want to look at them when I talk to them...