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...

[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]

[1cooldude]

Here is another 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/Ha...ersations.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/c...ety/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.