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Moderator
However EVERYONE thinks that their personal driving skills are above average. It's all those OTHER losers we have to worry aboutOriginally Posted by Marko G
Morally Ambiguous (submissions welcome)
"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." - Oscar Wilde
Daily Planet on Discovery Channel did a story onthis last week.
A study (sorry no link) found that the distraction is caused because the person on the other end of the line dosn't know what going on around you, a passenger in the car does. This allows for appropraite breaks in the conversation to direction attention to the task @ hand (driving)
Chris
Stoney Creek
2008 KLR650+
At least Mcguinty got this one right.
Cell phones don't cause accidents.
Guns don't kill people.
Wheelies don't cause crashes.
If you can't drive safely while using a cell, you should not be issued a license.
That type of driver will just cause an accident because of something else.
Such as: bad weather
critter on the road
opposing high beams
ect...ect
The drivers test is to easy and only those with the ability to multi-task safely
should pass.
You should not be allowed to operate a MV if you need to use all 10 cents before distractions.
The road test should be taken on a cold winter night with snow falling, while tired and talking on a cell with a beer between your legs (for non muslims).
Now if you can drive safely under those conditions.... your in.
There's public transport for those who fail.
We have far too many operaters and far too few drivers.
If you are a good defensive driver/rider, the idiot on the cell should be a non-issue.
Some of us already use cells while riding....next is the No Throttle Hand 12oclock Wheelie on the Celly.
Where My Rode Dawgs At!!
I don't think that Wooley or McGuilty's argument makes any sense at all ... I mean, sure there are OTHER distractions like make-up and stereos and coffee etc ... but why not take one distraction out of the mix? wouldn't that make the streets "safer" ... then, instead of coffee drinkers, make-up appliers AND cell phone drivers, accidents would only be caused by two of the three, therefore reducing collisions by one-third (well, not exactly I'm sure but you get the picture).
I guess they're all too dependant on their phones while driving
And about the hands-free thing, regardless of distraction, wouldn't it be safer for drivers to have two hands on the wheel no matter what, as opposed to one hand on their face? and what about smokers? ... they've got a cigg in one hand and a phone in the other WTF????? Handsfree's gotta make a difference, if only a small one!
I hate McGuinty
[/rant]
Moderator
Cell phones demonstrably make it more difficult for a driver to deal with...
bad weather
critter on the road
opposing high beams
etc... etc...
It doesn't matter what your level of skill might be, you are operating at diminished capacity while talking on a cell phone. Seems to me that's the definition of "operating a vehicle without due care and attention."
Morally Ambiguous (submissions welcome)
"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." - Oscar Wilde
I didn't read the article that Rob posted, so some of this information may be contained within. The reading that I have done suggests that talking on a cell phone, even hands free, is distracting due to the fact that the conversation removes your mind from the immediate situation and out of the car. This differs from conversations with passengers, smoking, radio changing etc. This is not to say that these aren't also distractions just not as bad. However, certainly both hands on the wheel must be minimally better.
Ever notice how people talking on cell phones use a louder 'cell phone' voice. It is said to be caused by the same reason. There is no reason to speak louder especially with the advanced microphones in today's cell phones. The cell phone removes the mind from the current physical location.
If you ban cell phone use then you have to ban everything not related to driving the vechicle....No more chicks doing make up, eating your breakfast, drinking your morning coffee, etc etc... Even thou some people can do either of those and drive safely....
So I guess your right they all fall under "operating a vehicle without due care and attention" and dont need a law specific to that type of distraction....The big problem here is they dont inforce anything like that, just speeding, racing, and stunting....
Some people can do that stuff and still drive well and others cant, but generally the people that cant arnt good drivers to begin with IMO....
Moderator
Precisely! I was waiting for someone to repeat my usual litany; NO NEW LAWS ARE NEEDED. All of this is already accounted for in the HTA and they merely need to law the appropriate charges. They don't.
Morally Ambiguous (submissions welcome)
"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." - Oscar Wilde
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_16779.aspx
Just to further prove the idiocy of our Premier, check out the lengthy list of world countries that already have banned cellphone use while driving. Some of which are so poverty-stricken, you're more apt to find someone riding a CAMEL or HORSE, than driving a motor vehicle. But even they posess enough forethought to see such a law makes sense. DOES THIS TELL YOU SOMETHING? It does me.
Why, not follow the most european countries and allow talks only using "hands free" devices and ban anything else. Phone companies will be happy, they still get their "minutes" and increased sales in accessories, studies (in Europe) prove that this improves safety and accident rates are lower. Compromise for crying at loud.....
I LOVE BIKER CHICKS
Lets just ban cars, there, problem solved. No drinking and driving deaths, no speeding fines, our courts will be free...Bicycles for everyone!!!!!! Yay!
Thanks McGuinty!
Now I can continue to participate in my conference calls, while responding to my email, reading the newspaper and having that last-minute morning shave on my commute!
Earlier in the summer, it was 2am and I called *OPP on a driver I believed to be impaired. She took the corner wide, almost clipping me, mounted the curb. Couldnt stay between the lines on the road, drifted into oncoming traffic more than once, payed no attention to the rumblestrips on the side of the road. I gave the licence number, a detailed description of the vehicle, and at one point managed to pull beside this person to find her....TEXT MESSAGING. I told the dispatcher this, and she said that that kind of driving makes it impaired. I followed this person home, gave the police the address, and left it to them. not 2 minutes later, a cop showed up and disturbed the whole house from its sleep.
I'm glad they did, because if they hadnt, I would have made sure that SUV didnt leave the driveway in the morning.
The only irony of this: I was on a cell phone to report this incident. However, I know it was for the "greater good".
I support banning all mobile communication device usage, while in motion, unless for emergency reasons. And no, I didnt vote McGuinty.
CHOWDAH RIDAH
2007 ZX-14 -92,000km
2006 BW'S -7,000km
2005 ZX636R -63,533km (stolen)
2004 SV650S -30,000km (sold)
2003 ZZR250 -15,000km (sold)
Current tire choice: Pirelli Angel
Last tire choice: Road Smart- 19,000 on last set (not the best though..)
CSC Certified Riding Instructor
Moderator
Give it a few months and I doubt that you'll be able to find ANYONE who voted McGuinty. At least no one who would admit it.
Morally Ambiguous (submissions welcome)
"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." - Oscar Wilde
Hampton said it best: "You get the government you deserve."
Wanting to ban cell phones in cars is one of my pet peeves.
I think most of you are really missing the point. When someone does something stupid on the road with a cell phone in their hand we all want to rush to blame the inanimate phone.
The problem is bad drivers. Bad drivers make bad driving decisions... sometimes with a cell phone in their hands. Bad drivers sometimes get distracted by cell phones. The problem isn't the phone, the problem is the bad drivers is letting themselves get distracted by the phone.
Put the bad driver in a sensory deprivation chamber... and they will still make bad driving decisions.
NL at least made it a requirement to use hands free devices... I know that doesn't solve the whoel problem. But it certainly part of a solution.
R e a d S l o w l y ! - Children at Play.
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