Alberta govt to ban the use of cell phones and other driver distractions

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by MaDMaN_26

Only when you just cut me off while on the phone (completely unaware and thinking you rock at driving and talking on the phone ofcourse)

I'll admit freely cell phone drivers piss me off, do I then cut people off and swerve in and out of traffic like crazy just so I can catch up and give you the finger? no... but if I am behind you I'll mouth you off as much as I want though... I'll hope it gets under your skin too. At least maybe you'll start thinking about the act of driving again.

So then if you see me on my cell phone and I am driving in a safe manner in the slow lane do you still see red?

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by zuluking

So you're driving down the highway between Brooks and Medicine Hat, call ahead to the relatives in Speedy Creek to let them know when you're arriving, and *POW* get a ticket for talking on my cellphone. That's useful.

Let's use that very open stretch of road as an example then. I agree- very little happens there and the dangers of talking on the phone are a lot less than say on Deerfoot. I will give you that. However that brings me to two points:

- How would you want to draft a law that states certain areas do not apply? How complex must the law be?

- Most importantly, if you are driving that empty stretch of road and are unable to notice the fact that a police car is riding along side you, or close enough to you to see you on the phone; then you were in fact too distracted to be using the phone as you missed something as big as a police cruiser.

[zuluking]

Seriously, my point is not that I'm against this particular legislation. It is merely frustrating that many drivers do not possess the common sense required to determine the relative risk of their actions while driving. Talking on a cell phone while driving in some situations is not necessarily a statistically-significant risk. I agree that most people will not consider the situation and use their cell-phone in high risk situations putting others at risk. Thus, government has to legislate common sense which is situationally agnostic often resulting in poor application.

Highway #1 between Brooks and Medicine Hat is a double-lane highway predominately in a straight line with zero hills resulting in an unobstructed line of sight for miles.

[MaDMaN_26]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

I do talk on the cell phone and drive at the same time. But I do it in a safe manner. I know some of you won't agree. But I only talk during certain stretches of the drive. I don't talk for that long. I make an informed decision of when it is okay to talk on the cell phone.

I do not think that I drive any better than anyody else etc etc... (I am getting tired once again at certain posters just coming back with snide remarks.)

The bolded part is your delusion. It's not about me believing you... most of us know your wrong, its about the day you kill someone or have a real close call or maybe just cut someone off and realize it after the fact then you realize that you can't actually remember the details of the drive that got you here while you were on the phone.. you remember the route as you take it everyday, but you don't recall any specifics... it was like you were on auto pilot and hopefully then you'll start to realize that what you just said doesn't exist. There is NO WAY to be safe and talk on the phone while driving.

I love your excuse though that you are able to predict the future about certain parts of the road... you may be able to statistically pick the more boring parts of your drive, but you have no idea when your full attention will be needed on the road.

I will at least give you credit if you keep you conversations short... along the lines of "I'm driving, I'll call you back later."

[Jetsfan]

I am all for banning cell phone use when driving.

[Superfraggle]

Originally Posted by zuluking

Seriously, my point is not that I'm against this particular legislation. It is merely frustrating that many drivers do not possess the common sense required to determine the relative risk of their actions while driving. Talking on a cell phone while driving in some situations is not necessarily a statistically-significant risk. I agree that most people will not consider the situation and use their cell-phone in high risk situations putting others at risk. Thus, government has to legislate common sense which is situationally agnostic often resulting in poor application.

Highway #1 between Brooks and Medicine Hat is a double-lane highway predominately in a straight line with zero hills resulting in an unobstructed line of sight for miles. But go ahead and be a dick.

Well explained. I appreciate you taking the time to do that. You're still wrong, though, in my opinion.

Absolutely your risk is lower driving on a road like that than on a busy, curvy road. Similarly, your risk is lower driving drunk on a road like that. The whole problem is that perceptions and reaction times in both cases are negatively affected. I'm not suggesting that driving while on the phone is as bad as drunk driving (although the study mentioned earlier seems to suggest that). The fact is, though, that bad things can still happen on such roads, and choosing to use your cell phone increases the risk of those things happen.

If drunk driving doesn't work for you as an example, what about speeding? Your risk of getting into an accident would be much lower on that road than certain other roads, but it is still higher for that road than it would be if you weren't speeding. Should you be allowed to go 130 on that road because it's safer? And yes...speed limits are different on different roads, but many highways are less "safe" than that one, but have the same speed limit.

[MaDMaN_26]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

So then if you see me on my cell phone and I am driving in a safe manner in the slow lane do you still see red?

There is no *safe manner* with a phone on your ear... and I will still think your a tool for having a phone conversation while driving...

If your asking if I will swerve behind you or pull up beside you and start screaming your barking up the wrong tree... I'll just think your an idiot is all... you won't even know I think it most likely, becuase a) your on the phone so won't notice much at all and b) I moved on and am still focusing on my driving.

[firebug]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

I do talk on the cell phone and drive at the same time. But I do it in a safe manner. I know some of you won't agree. But I only talk during certain stretches of the drive. I don't talk for that long. I make an informed decision of when it is okay to talk on the cell phone.

I do not think that I drive any better than anyody else etc etc... (I am getting tired once again at certain posters just coming back with snide remarks.)

Can you provide a link to where one might find this information?

I used to think it was no big deal to talk on my cell phone when I drove until one day, while sitting at a stoplight and talking to my wife on my phone, I saw the light turn green and started to pull through the intersection. Except that halfway through the intersection I glanced up at the light again and realized that the light had not actually changed, and was still in fact red.

And I am a better than average driver ;-) No tickets or accidents ever (and I have had my license for over 18 years).

~firebug

[kevman]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

I do talk on the cell phone and drive at the same time. But I do it in a safe manner. I know some of you won't agree. But I only talk during certain stretches of the drive. I don't talk for that long. I make an informed decision of when it is okay to talk on the cell phone.

I know you're going to get flamed for this but I agree it's possible to drive and talk in a safe manner.

ie, I'll drive and use the phone but if I approach a merge lane I often tell the person on the other line to hold on while I put the phone down so I can concentrate on merging.

IMO, the law for driving while on the phone, or for that matter driving while distracted, is already in place. It's called "driving without due care and attention".

If the government feels they need to put more laws in place, so be it. After all the government always knows what's best for the people right?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Let's use that very open stretch of road as an example then. I agree- very little happens there and the dangers of talking on the phone are a lot less than say on Deerfoot. I will give you that. However that brings me to two points:

- How would you want to draft a law that states certain areas do not apply? How complex must the law be?

Agreed. I admit I use the cell from time to time when I drive, but its a 15 sec conversation. Maybe I'm running late or something, someone gives me a cal, "hey, yup i'm 2 miles out, i'll be there in 5. cool, cya" - no biggie. I drive with 1 hand anyways, turning or merging as well; I guess I just got used to it while driving stick shift. Conversation is brief, no deep conversations, but I usually keep talking while driving to small talk when there is a passenger in the seat as well. But trying to enforce that would be near impossible. Sort of like seat belts, I don't like to have the seat belt on when I'm backing out of a parking spot, but the law states when the car is in motion, so be it.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Okay. Well. I will continue to talk on the phone and drive at the same time when I decide it is safe. I have not had any near misses, cut anybody off, or any other such experience.

Please don't assume just because you have had that happen to you that I am just like you. I am not just like you.

That is my last comment on the subject. Otherwise this will turn into another endless debate of different opinions.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by firebug

Can you provide a link to where one might find this information?

I used to think it was no big deal to talk on my cell phone when I drove until one day, while sitting at a stoplight and talking to my wife on my phone, I saw the light turn green and started to pull through the intersection. Except that halfway through the intersection I glanced up at the light again and realized that the light had not actually changed, and was still in fact red.

And I am a better than average driver ;-) No tickets or accidents ever (and I have had my license for over 18 years).

~firebug

Well I'll admit that I've made that mistake too...except I wasn't on the phone. I was in the left turn lane, saw the lights go green to go straight, saw that there were no on coming cars and went for it. It wasn't until I was half way through that I realized I turned on a double red. But then again I'm just an average driver who occasionally makes mistakes...

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by MaDMaN_26

There is no *safe manner* with a phone on your ear... and I will still think your a tool for having a phone conversation while driving...

If your asking if I will swerve behind you or pull up beside you and start screaming your barking up the wrong tree... I'll just think your an idiot is all... you won't even know I think it most likely, becuase a) your on the phone so won't notice much at all and b) I moved on and am still focusing on my driving.

I would see you before you see me. I know your type. You think everybody is a tool because there are ahead of you.

[Superfraggle]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

I would see you before you see me. I know your type. You think everybody is a tool because there are ahead of you.

Oh goody. The "safe" cellphone user wants to judge people by their "type". This should be fun. What do you think he considers your type to be?

[MaDMaN_26]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

Okay. Well. I will continue to talk on the phone and drive at the same time when I decide it is safe. I have not had any near misses, cut anybody off, or any other such experience.

Please don't assume just because you have had that happen to you that I am just like you. I am not just like you.

That is my last comment on the subject. Otherwise this will turn into another endless debate of different opinions.

Well I hope you get a ticket.

I'll assume you are human, that your mind functions similiarily and that you are as dangerous as a drunk guy performing the same actions on the road...

[Dion]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

Okay. Well. I will continue to talk on the phone and drive at the same time when I decide it is safe. I have not had any near misses, cut anybody off, or any other such experience.

And you're able to predict with a certainty that someone won't cut you off forcing you to brake to avoid an accident? Maybe you've been lucky so far.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by MaDMaN_26

There is no *safe manner* with a phone on your ear... and I will still think your a tool for having a phone conversation while driving...

Define "conversation"...

What about truck drivers and CB radios? What about cab drivers and their conversations with dispatch? A cop car calling for backup? How about the "learn to speak Spanish e-book" that you repeat back to during your morning commute?

And while we're at it, seeing as you're so against it and feel you've got the definitive answer, how do you feel about GPS and Ipods?

[MaDMaN_26]

Originally Posted by Superfraggle

Oh goody. The "safe" cellphone user wants to judge people by their "type". This should be fun. What do you think he considers your type to be?

Beats me... he is one of "those types" that believes he can drive on the phone, so who cares what he thinks really.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by Superfraggle

Oh goody. The "safe" cellphone user wants to judge people by their "type". This should be fun. What do you think he considers your type to be?

The type is a guy with road rage. He already said he is that type. Plus, I was talking directly to him. I was not talking about ALL people in general. I was talking specificy to him.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

The type is a guy with road rage. He already said he is that type. Plus, I was talking directly to him. I was not talking about ALL people in general. I was talking specificy to him.

The only one saying road rage is you