Ban Hand Held Devices In Cars?

[balloonshark]

We banning cb radios as well?

Truck drivers let each other know the traffic and road conditions ahead. If there is a wreck and you're the last car stopped around a blind turn or down a hill you should thank your lucky stars that another truck driver informed the 80,000 lb. 18 wheeler behind you to slow down.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Coffee doesn't require the mental processing power that carrying on a conversation requires.

I've carried on many conversations while driving. My mind is actually capable of tuning out someone talking when visual clues require my complete attention. By this logic you should ban passengers.

Looking at the phone is the problem. If you have to look at it to operate it, that is a problem. Texting is a huge problem and texting while driving or reading text while driving is NEVER safe.

 

[Ruptga]

I've carried on many conversations while driving. My mind is actually capable of tuning out someone talking when visual clues require my complete attention. By this logic you should ban passengers.

Looking at the phone is the problem. If you have to look at it to operate it, that is a problem. Texting is a huge problem and texting while driving or reading text while driving is NEVER safe.

I agree, with the exception of

Around here, if you're on the interstate, you're on average about 1/4 mile from the closest car in your lane.

IMO there are too many exceptions for effective preventative enforcement to not consistently enforce on drivers that are safe in their particular situation. And if we make the rules weak enough that we stop the false positives then they won't have a real preventative effect on the drivers that really are being dangerous. There's just no way to stop people from being stupid without stepping on everyone else too.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Your brain isn't capable of multitasking. It has to switch back and forth between tasks. Around here, if you're on the interstate, you're on average about 1/4 mile from the closest car in your lane. I don't care if people drive with their knee while holding a plate on their other leg, using a fork with their right hand, and holding a phone with their left hand.

But, if there's any traffic nearby them - within 5 or 10 seconds - then they should get off the phone and pay 100% attention to driving.

Around here you're lucky if there is 50' between you and the car in front of you or to the left or the right of you and if there is 50' between you and the car in front of you there will probably be someone changing lanes into it within a few seconds. And if you think I'm kidding or exaggerating, I'm not.

Zero tolerance for texting while driving. Death sentence!

 

[SparkyJJO]

There's just no way to stop people from being stupid without stepping on everyone else too.

And this is really the crux of the matter. Especially since in the end even if you somehow forced everyone to only stare at the road and tie their hands to the wheels someone would still do something stupid.

By the way, I doubt a ban would really fix it. Around here they banned texting while driving. What do you see now? People still texting while driving, only now maybe with the phone below the level of the windows so they now look down to see the screen instead of just to the side real quick with it up at the steering wheel. In some cases it has gotten worse from the ban, go figure.

 

[ImpulsE69]

People don't crash reading texts. They crash writing texts. You'll never stop all texters. The only real solution is to ban touchscreen phones. There were far less accidents when they had keypads because you didn't actually have to look at the phone to text. I knew people who sent whole paragraphs w/o the phone ever leaving their pockets or their eyes off the road.

The upswing is all the cell phone makers fault.

 

[destrekor]

Coffee doesn't require the mental processing power that carrying on a conversation requires.

Funny you only mention carrying on a conversation. I routinely notice that whether I am talking to someone in the passenger seat or on the phone (bluetooth in car), I cannot carry on a fluid conversation. Heck, I can't really do that even if I'm doing something in the house. My brain wants to dedicate so much focus to what I am doing, most especially while driving. I enjoy driving so perhaps that helps, but I naturally want to pay extra attention to my surroundings. Granted, it has happened that I have carried on a smoother conversation while driving, but sometimes I'll notice then that I've missed things while driving.

 

[DrPizza]

I've carried on many conversations while driving. My mind is actually capable of tuning out someone talking when visual clues require my complete attention. By this logic you should ban passengers.

Looking at the phone is the problem. If you have to look at it to operate it, that is a problem. Texting is a huge problem and texting while driving or reading text while driving is NEVER safe.

And when circumstances dictate that you fade away from the conversation and devote more attention to changing traffic conditions, your passengers tend to slow down the conversation as well. Not so with people on the other end of the phone conversation.

 

[IronWing]

We should ban hands.

 

[shortylickens]

People dont obey the traffic laws we have.
Why do you insist on making more?

 

[Ruptga]

People dont obey the traffic laws we have.
Why do you insist on making more?

Because we love America. It's my right as an American to ignore laws I don't give a shit about; the more laws that are passed the more I can ignore and the stronger my freedom becomes. That's what freedom is all about.

 

[Thanatosis]

People already do so many other even more dangerous and stupid things while driving legally that making cellphones illegal will basically be just one more rule to be exploited. Your local PD can now extract funds to protect and tend mini malls and gardens in all the gated communities you aren't even allowed to enter.


If you are going to eliminate phones, you should at least regulate food, pets, children, large cargo, those idiotic 3 axel uhauls, and most of all the off duty cops who roll around my town at 100mph with the lights off hitting fucking homeless jaywalkers at least once a year.

 

[John Connor]

Can we just ban stupid fucks from driving?

When I got my license in Utah I had to go through an obstacle course. That should be required for everyone renewing their Lic.!

 

[master_shake_]

I agree mostly with these laws but I think they need to be made to be more around common sense, instead of around trying to just fine people. Checking your phone real quick at a red light should not be an offence. Checking it while driving, or failing to proceed at a green because you're too busy with your phone, definitely should be an offence.

you live in ontario.

there is basically a ban on doing anything that doesn't involve driving already.

haven't you heard about the distracted driving law?

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/distracted-driving.shtml

also if you fight and lose it's double.

• a fine of $400, plus a victim surcharge and court fee, for a total of $490 if settled out of court
• fine of up to $1,000 if you receive a summons or fight your ticket
• three demerit points applied to your driver’s record

also

Police, emergency medical services personnel, firefighters and enforcement officers can also use hand-held devices and viewing display screens when performing their duties.

even if it's not

and

Distracted driving is a form of impaired driving as a driver's judgment is compromised when they are not fully focused on the road. Distracted driving qualifies as talking on a cell phone, texting, reading (e.g. books, maps, and newspapers), using a GPS, watching videos or movies, eating/drinking, smoking, personal grooming, adjusting the radio/CD and playing extremely loud music. Even talking to passengers and driving while fatigued (mentally and/or physically) can be forms of distracted driving.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cycp-cpcj/dd-dv/index-eng.htm

 

[sao123]

And when circumstances dictate that you fade away from the conversation and devote more attention to changing traffic conditions, your passengers tend to slow down the conversation as well. Not so with people on the other end of the phone conversation.

Ban CB's, radio's, cd players, passengers, and smoking while driving then well talk.
And this ban must apply to emergency personnel too. Police, fire ambulance, everyone.

 

[Phoenix86]

I'd rather push automated driving, we're very close to it being practical/effective. Then mandate it, over time of course.

 

[pcgeek11]

you live in ontario.

there is basically a ban on doing anything that doesn't involve driving already.

haven't you heard about the distracted driving law?

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/distracted-driving.shtml

also if you fight and lose it's double.

also

even if it's not

and



http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cycp-cpcj/dd-dv/index-eng.htm

Canada. I thought they were supposed to have more common sense than the US... I guess not.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Canada. I thought they were supposed to have more common sense than the US... I guess not.

Not anymore. We even joined the TPP too and have our own version of the patriot act. We also silence scientists because if you don't know something scientific such as climate change then it must not be true right? #thanksharper

 

[pcgeek11]

The world as it should be has gone to crap.

 

[Captante]

Allow only the use of hands free phones while driving

 

[NoCreativity]

I saw a lady filling out what looked to be a job application while driving about a week ago.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

Around here you're lucky if there is 50' between you and the car in front of you or to the left or the right of you and if there is 50' between you and the car in front of you there will probably be someone changing lanes into it within a few seconds. And if you think I'm kidding or exaggerating, I'm not.

Zero tolerance for texting while driving. Death sentence!

50 feet is pretty decent.

 

[DrPizza]

And this ban must apply to emergency personnel too. Police, fire ambulance, everyone.

I agree with this part - there's nothing special about their brains, and there's no such thing as "we've been trained to..." They can't be trained to fly by flapping their arms either - same thing. However, I don't have an issue with them using devices while their lights and sirens are on - cars should be clearing a path for them to get through - it's not normal driving conditions.

 

[zinfamous]

hand-free is a pointless designation.

Holding an object in one of your hands is not the problem--trying to have a phone conversation is the problem. Any and all phone activity should be banned for drivers.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]