Velvet Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 A new law that bans using hand-held devices to talk, email, or send text messages while behind the wheel has been passed by the Ontario legislature.The new rules, which don't come into effect immediately, include a fine of up to $500 as the province joins other jurisdictions in cracking down on drivers using the devices.The law doesn't affect the use of hands-free devices such as Bluetooths or using cellphones for 911 calls, but it does include portable video games, MP3 players and DVD players.Global positioning systems will be allowed, as long as they're properly secured to the dashboard.There are no demerit points attached to the bill, unlike in other provinces. But drivers who place others at risk by using one of the banned devices can also be charged under existing careless driving laws.Ontario is the fourth province to enact such a ban, following Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Nova Scotia. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/04/22/driving-ban.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I saw some asshole driving down Baseline the other day, not paying attention. Pull up beside him to give him the bus driver dirty look....He never looked up...I kid you not, cell phone in each hand!!!...texting. I couldn't fucking believe it!People are stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phishtaper Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 tragically, there are now many cases of fatal car crashes caused by inattentive drivers either on their cellphones, or actually texting while driving. a woman in california was just recently convicted of vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to six years. she was texting (paying bills) on her phone when she slammed into a line of cars waiting in a construction zone. a woman died when her car exploded in the crash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freak By Night Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I, for one, support this ban, but I don't think it goes far enough. Drivers talking on a hands-free unit are just as inattentive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I, for one, support this ban, but I don't think it goes far enough. Drivers talking on a hands-free unit are just as inattentive. I'm with you all the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meggo Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 i was listening to a study about this and they said the same -- handsfree phones are equally dangerous. i was surprised by that. i know [and d_rawk will attest] that i am NOT a safe driver when talking on my cell. now i keep it put away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwa. Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 For those of you that know KW i was traveling home on the 86 expressway last night after work and a woman directly in front of me was texting on her phone. traffic is VERY VERY heavy on the over traveled express and she was doing 70km in a 90 zone while texting while trying to navigate turns and several angry drivers that were Andretti'ing past her. i counted 3 legit instances where she should have been dead.an angry pickup truck driver pulled beside her after i had passed and just drove beside her and laid on his horn until she put the phone down. a little angry IMO but it worked.support this Law Wholeheartedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal Johnson Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I, for one, support this ban, but I don't think it goes far enough. Drivers talking on a hands-free unit are just as inattentive. How is talking on handsfree any different than talking to a passenger in the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 The passenger in the car doesn't blabber on when tricky situations pop up. Also, on the phone you are always talking or listening. In real-life conversation there are lulls, so when driving a conversation is a side event whereas when talking on a cell phone driving is a side event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Talking on cell-phones while walking on a busy street is just as dangerous. A young woman was killed last month in downtown Toronto, near Union Station. She was on the phone with a friend and didn't see the light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchoulia Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 People actually PLAY VIDEO GAMES while DRIVING?!!I don't know why that surprises me...nothing should surprise me...but that's INSANE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Boy 2.0 Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Talking on cell-phones while walking on a busy street is just as dangerous. A young woman was killed last month in downtown Toronto, near Union Station. She was on the phone with a friend and didn't see the light.I wouldn't say just as dangerous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal Johnson Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I don't know. I think if people were generally capable of using common sense more often this wouldn't be an issue.Not that Im perfect in any way, but I used to drive for a living and I would constantly be on the phone. I never had came close to having, or causing an accident. It's not like it's impossible to drive and talk at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Not that Im perfect in any way, but I used to drive for a living and I would constantly be on the phone. I never had came close to having, or causing an accident. It's not like it's impossible to drive and talk at the same time.I am in no way trying to criticise your driving skills or comment on you personally, but I think the majority of the time that a cellphone conversation makes a driver act carelessly, they are 100% unaware that it happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal Johnson Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I know you werent critisizing me, (didn't mean to come off as defensive either;), I just wanted to point out that Im a normal guy, with normal skills, and I feel I could pull it off no problem. I don't even own a cell phone anymore, i just find it to be amazing that they cause so much strife that we need lawsa to govern the use of them. People are crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Talking on cell-phones while walking on a busy street is just as dangerous. A young woman was killed last month in downtown Toronto' date=' near Union Station. She was on the phone with a friend and didn't see the light.[/quote']I wouldn't say just as dangerousIt can be. She's dead. I've seen people walk across busy intersections, ignoring the angry big red hand non-walk signal.Actually, isn't listening to iPods and using cellphones while crossing streets banned in NYC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAlphaNerd Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 The real truth of the matter is that the problem is not talking on the phone and driving... it's multi-tasking and driving.The average person is not able to manage their tasks properly and therefore do not pay enough attention to what is going on in front of them.Personally I have been known to talk on the phone while driving... but I'll have the person on speaker. Heck I'll even text, but I'll do it when my car is stopped. Truth be told I've even played videogames, but it was in gridlock.A ban against driving on cell phones will definitely save lives... but what we really need to do is educate people on task management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freak By Night Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 what we really need to do is educate people on task management.we already do that. It's called "grade six". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal Johnson Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 we already do that. It's called "grade six". Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAlphaNerd Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Well then perhaps people who get in accidents due to driving while talking/texting should have to take grade six over again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Talking on cell-phones while walking on a busy street is just as dangerous. A young woman was killed last month in downtown Toronto' date=' near Union Station. She was on the phone with a friend and didn't see the light.[/quote']I wouldn't say just as dangerousIt can be. She's dead.Not to minimize the seriousness of the incident but, natural selection in action? We have five senses for a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phishtaper Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 let's just ban the fucking things altogether. im sick of the blue glow of goofballs beside me texting their friends every two minutes during a show. im sick of oblivious chickpacks who hog the sidewalks on campus, all blathering away on their phones. im sick of soccer moms pulling out right in front of my car. im sick of people yelling "NOTHING, JUST EATING. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" when im trying to enjoy my meal. but most of all, im sick of all the arrogant 'just a second' fingers that point up at the cashier when chatty cathy arrives at the till. yes people, we see that you have cellphones. you must be a VIP. we are not worthy. now, please shove that fucking thing right up your ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peipunk Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 LOL!While that will have no effect on my very moderate cell phone use, that was a great rant.I don't do ANY of the above things and just use my phone when necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneMtn Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 [color:purple]Yes. Let's ban all behaviour that others participate in that irritates, or might irritate, anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now