Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Alberta govt to ban the use of cell phones and other driver distractions

You Need a Thneed · 08-11-2009, 08:54 PM

I certainly agree that people need to drive with more care and attention. I am against this proposed law, because it assumes that it is impossible to drive safely while talking on the phone, which is certainly not true in the right circumstances, and because it is entirely redundant to the existing laws that say you must drive with proper care and attention.

Singling out cell phone use over some other things that many people do that are on average more dangerous is totally unfair.

I personally try to keep the phone down when I know that more intensive driving is looming (downtown, busy traffic, changing a lane, etc.)

When it's not busy, and I'm in the lane I want to be in, I can't see how talking on the phone is any more dangerous than not. My view is not obscured at all, I usually would only be driving with one hand at those times anyway, and it takes up no more thought power than having a conversation with someone in the car.

Driving requires anticipation, generally, virtually nothing just "pops" out with no warning. When those things happen, I don't see how being on a cell phone is going to change anything. What if something just pops up while you are doing a shoulder check? Should we ban shoulder checks too?

I'm all for saying drivers should talk on the cellphone less when they are driving, and there are definitely scenarios where one shouldn't talk on the cellphone at all.

08-11-2009, 08:54 PM	#158
You Need a Thneed Voted for Kodos Join Date: Dec 2007 Exp:	I certainly agree that people need to drive with more care and attention. I am against this proposed law, because it assumes that it is impossible to drive safely while talking on the phone, which is certainly not true in the right circumstances, and because it is entirely redundant to the existing laws that say you must drive with proper care and attention. Singling out cell phone use over some other things that many people do that are on average more dangerous is totally unfair. I personally try to keep the phone down when I know that more intensive driving is looming (downtown, busy traffic, changing a lane, etc.) When it's not busy, and I'm in the lane I want to be in, I can't see how talking on the phone is any more dangerous than not. My view is not obscured at all, I usually would only be driving with one hand at those times anyway, and it takes up no more thought power than having a conversation with someone in the car. Driving requires anticipation, generally, virtually nothing just "pops" out with no warning. When those things happen, I don't see how being on a cell phone is going to change anything. What if something just pops up while you are doing a shoulder check? Should we ban shoulder checks too? I'm all for saying drivers should talk on the cellphone less when they are driving, and there are definitely scenarios where one shouldn't talk on the cellphone at all.