Ontario passes law to ban hand-held devices while driving

[1cooldude]

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.


Source... (http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/04/22/driving-ban.html)

[RACKnRAIL]

Nothing would please me more to see a similar law passed here in BC. I consider them the same as impaired drivers.

[1cooldude]

I agree RACK. The government needs to make that change as too many people have been killed due to carelessness of these idiots. Nothing pisses me off but when I see some idiot texting while behind the wheel of the vehicle.

[mountain_rage]

Cell phone drivers are a nuisance, you seriously can't tell me people drive as well while on their cellphone than off. Get off your bloody cellphone, no one is so important you need to talk to them while driving.

[Signa]

Cell phone drivers are a nuisance, you seriously can't tell me people drive as well while on their cellphone than off. Get off your bloody cellphone, no one is so important you need to talk to them while driving.
I'd argue that as long as you have a hands-free set, you are fine. It wouldn't be any different than having some one in the passenger seat talking to you.

Some of the most aggressive drivers I've ever seen are holding a phone to their head.:angryfire:

One blond girl was so bad I wanted to ram her car.

[RACKnRAIL]

http://rlv.zcache.com/get_off_your_cell_phone_and_drive_bumper_sticker-p128151938335454726trl0_400.jpg

http://images9.cafepress.com/product/38826989v1_350x350_Front.jpg

[1cooldude]

Here is another (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gct1BmKNvU0&feature=PlayList&p=EBB0FA9A19F0922B&index=10) reason.

[RACKnRAIL]

I'd argue that as long as you have a hands-free set, you are fine. It wouldn't be any different than having some one in the passenger seat talking to you.

Some of the most aggressive drivers I've ever seen are holding a phone to their head.:angryfire:

One blond girl was so bad I wanted to ram her car.

From what I've read about it hands free is just as bad as holding the phone.

Key findings included:

* When not involved in a conversation, the driving performance of pilot-drivers and non-pilot-drivers was equivalent.
* When talking with a passenger, the performance of pilot-drivers was superior to non-pilot-drivers.
* When talking on a cell phone, the performance of pilot-drivers deteriorated slightly, but the performance of non-pilot-drivers dropped sharply.


http://spotlight.siu.edu/03082006/Hands-freeconversations.html

[mountain_rage]

I'd argue that as long as you have a hands-free set, you are fine. It wouldn't be any different than having some one in the passenger seat talking to you.

Some of the most aggressive drivers I've ever seen are holding a phone to their head.:angryfire:

One blond girl was so bad I wanted to ram her car.

There was a study that proved that theory wrong, its a nice thought, but still wrong. The lack of attention does not come from the holding of the phone, but the conversation you are having with the individual. Could find more sources if you like, could probably even find the actual research articles. Plain and simple get off your bloody phone, its dangerous, arguably as dangerous as driving under the influence. If you drive on your phone but would never drink and drive than you are a hypocrite plain and simple.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/16/cellphones.driving.safety/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7152551.stm

[Feather]

should be a global ban on drivers and cell phones. get a fucking blue tooth or get the fuck off the roads

[1cooldude]

should be a global ban on drivers and cell phones. get a fucking blue tooth or get the fuck off the roads

this is all about the political will-power and showing leadership.

[fleecy]

a good friend of mine had two of her kids killed when some asshat on a cellphone flew through a stop sign and hit their car. hands on the wheel, eyes on the road... is it really asking too much?

[Feather]

I am a ruck driver and I have seen these fuck nutz texting and driving down the highway.

[RACKnRAIL]

I see it every day, like this morning. A woman chatting on her cell phone hit a deer head on. Fortunately traffic was still flowing in the other lane or I would have been late for work. Too bad for the deer though. Now if that was a person!!

BTW, bluetooth is just as bad as a hand held device. Please refer to M_R's post and links.

[Feather]

bluetooth is no different than having someone in the car talking to you. set your phone to auto answer and it rings once in your ear and boom the person is talking to you. trust me big difference in fumbling with a phone and using bluetooth headset.

[mountain_rage]

bluetooth is no different than having someone in the car talking to you. set your phone to auto answer and it rings once in your ear and boom the person is talking to you. trust me big difference in fumbling with a phone and using bluetooth headset.

Yes, but talking to someone on the phone, and talking face to face is very different psychologically. So even tho you freed up your hands, you are still paying too much attention to the conversation. The last hypothesis I read concluded that when someone is present in the car they can see what the driver see's, and that factors in what, when and how they communicate with a driver. So if they notice the driver is having trouble concentrating they will pause the conversation, or tell the driver to focus on some specific area of caution, such as "Dude its red!". Either way, don't talk on your cellphone, hands free or not. Pull over or wait till you read your destination, nothing is so important it can't wait.

[RACKnRAIL]

bluetooth is no different than having someone in the car talking to you. set your phone to auto answer and it rings once in your ear and boom the person is talking to you. trust me big difference in fumbling with a phone and using bluetooth headset.

I just quoted this from one of M_R's links:

Engaging in a phone conversation on a mobile device while driving distracts the brain and delays reaction times, experts said. Drivers are more likely to swerve between lanes, slow down and miss important signs.

"When you're on a call, even if both hands are on the wheel, your head is in the call," said Janet Froetscher, president of the National Safety Council, which in January urged legislators in all 50 states to pass laws prohibiting motorists from using cell phone devices.

[whitenoise22]

So what? Are they gonna ban talking to your passengers next?
And how are they gonna enforce this law?

[mountain_rage]

So what? Are they gonna ban talking to your passengers next?
And how are they gonna enforce this law?

Read my post above, talking on a cellphone and talking to a passenger are two very different things based on psychological evaluation. So no they won't ban talking to a passenger, it has not been shown to affect driving to the same extent as driving while carrying out a conversation on a cellphone.

As for enforcement, how do they enforce seat belt laws? They could probably ask for your cellphone when they pull you over and check the time of the last conversation.

[Signa]

It just must be the retarded masses that make this fact true. I don't doubt it either. All I know is that I'm constantly on my bluetooth, and my driving doesn't suffer one iota. The road always has priority when I drive, so a "hang on a sec" is never too much for me should the need arise. I suppose it really is too much to expect Mrs. Blond Soccermom Cheerleader to actually pay attention to what they are doing when there is a conversation about nails to be had.

I wish I meant that last sentence sarcastically.

[1cooldude]

While the scientific information is very clear, most of those who pass the laws do not have the gall or the balls to completely ban use of cell phones. They choose the "middle of the road" simply because of preserving their political careers (political expediency) and the monetary price which goes with a full ban. It is obvious that in time the laws governing use of the cell equipment will become much more strict, but it will take time to "wean" the public off these toys while driving.

[mountain_rage]

While the scientific information is very clear, most of those who pass the laws do not have the gall or the balls to completely ban use of cell phones. They choose the "middle of the road" simply because of preserving their political careers (political expediency) and the monetary price which goes with a full ban. It is obvious that in time the laws governing use of the cell equipment will become much more strict, but it will take time to "wean" the public off these toys while driving.

Not likely, we will have self driving cars before politicians ban cellphone driving outright. That will be a glorious day, when all the ass hats on the road are being governed by their vehicle. People will probably bitch and complain at first that they want the ability to drive the car themselves, but it will be limited to areas that are off the map.

[1cooldude]

when I was about seven years old, they were talking about cars which will fly in the year 2000 and be able to land on top of your house. Unfortunately, I will probably die before that happens.:33: