Alberta passes distracted driving law

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

plus it's a guarantee that a cop is a vastly superior driver than anyone on this forum. they have to take advanced driving courses on how to drive and engage a suspect at high speed, on any type of road condition. i'll trust them to take a look at their laptop on the road over your average struggler with a cellphone everytime

Ummm NO!
Most get 4-5 days of training for high speed handling and road conditions...hardly awesome.

Any cop in here can PM me if they want to get it on(any conditions) with matching cars.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by fotze

Is your buddy a bit of a bullshigger?

If anyone believes that story i have cheap stuff to sell you.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Yasa

Where does calling 911 to report a drunk driver fit in?

Using your phone to contact emergency services is legal.

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by stignasty

In a study released by the Governors Highway Safety Association and funded by State Farm, researchers found no conclusive evidence that links hands-free cell phone usage to lowered risk of traffic accidents.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/...while-driving/

It's really a shame that legislators pay zero attention to what is a very significant factor in this discussion. This also isn't a "fringe opinion - it's something that's been known for several years now. Going to "hands free" makes almost zero difference in the accident rate.

I'll grant you that it'll reduce texting. But ultimately the law falls short. If talking on a phone is the same as talking with hand's free, then there's really no point to having it.

Of course the cell phone manufactures have a vested interest in selling hands free devices as a "safety option" so there is a significant financial aspect that can't be ignored. They'll make money on this, so of course come out in full support.

It's just too bad that the safety issue is ignored. It's about distraction, not the use of the driver's hands.

I'd frankly like to see a total ban. The roads kill so many people, and it just seems nobody really cares. The US started 2 wars because 2000 people were killed in 9/11, but 50,000 die every year on the highway, and we can't even get people off their phones?

Pathetic.

At least in Alberta's case it's one step ahead. Now we just need people to understand hand's free isn't any better than holding the phone to your ear.

(BTW - I have to put my own cell in the trunk of my car when I drive. The temptation to use it is too great. So I'm as guilty as everyone else)


Edit - a couple other studies in case you're interested.
Nova Scotia
BMJ

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by DrJ

My buddy got a $172 ticket for distracted driving today. Guess what he did? He friggen blew his nose at a red light!

Thankfully, the cop wrote the date wrong on the ticket; he put August instead of September so the ticket is void.

Regardless,blowing your nose is not a violation of the distracted driving law so this cop can't even enforce it properly. I hope he reports him to CPS.

Maybe he confused the world 'nose' with 'load', hence the ticket...

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by DrJ

My buddy got a $172 ticket for distracted driving today. Guess what he did? He friggen blew his nose at a red light!

Thankfully, the cop wrote the date wrong on the ticket; he put August instead of September so the ticket is void.

Regardless, blowing your nose is not a violation of the distracted driving law so this cop can't even enforce it properly. I hope he reports him to CPS.

Yeah, I got pulled over and fined $172 dollars because the chick that I had tied up in the back seat was crying so much that I had to use the mute function on my tire iron to shut her up and I was spinning all over the road.

The cop wrote me up, looked at the chick in the back and then gave me a high five.

The I looked at the ticket and he'd written the wrong date on it, so I laughed to myself while I ate my stew with a fine chianti and some fava beans.

[Northendzone]

based on what I have seen in week 1 - it seems that a lot of Calgarians have not yet heard of this law coming into effect.......personally I hope that CPS goes on a blitz, the city could use the extra revenue.......

[CaptainCrunch]

I think that on the third convicted offense they should seize your car and crush it with you in attendance.

Frankly if your too stupid to understand the law, your probably too stupid to drive.

Plus . . . bonus car crushing

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I think that on the third convicted offense they should seize your car and crush it with you in attendance.

Frankly if your too stupid to understand the law, your probably too stupid to drive.

Plus . . . bonus car crushing

It would certainly help in reducing my commute time!

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by fotze

Is your buddy a bit of a bullshigger?

Nope

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Maybe he confused the world 'nose' with 'load', hence the ticket...

Maybe I heard the story wrong? Haha.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

based on what I have seen in week 1 - it seems that a lot of Calgarians have not yet heard of this law coming into effect.......personally I hope that CPS goes on a blitz, the city could use the extra revenue.......

All I've noticed is a lot of drivers looking down into their laps rather than holding their phone up at steering wheel level.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Using your phone to contact emergency services is legal.

I did a police ride along (my third) on the weekend and it's amazing how many possible impaired drivers are reported by other motorists. It's a lot. We pulled over a few and most of them were dog tired while driving home after long shifts and therefore driving a bit erratically. Also dangerous.

[Travis Munroe]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I did a police ride along (my third) on the weekend and it's amazing how many possible impaired drivers are reported by other motorists. It's a lot. We pulled over a few and most of them were dog tired while driving home after long shifts and therefore driving a bit erratically. Also dangerous.

Can't one still be ticketed for driving while extremely tired if they are not being "safe"? I thought I read that somewhere but may be confusing it with truck drivers rules on required rest.

[THE SCUD]

first cp'er to get a distracted driving ticket wins a prize ?

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by THE SCUD

first cp'er to get a distracted driving ticket wins a prize ?

My money is on AlbertGQ!

[bizaro86]

4x4, making a mobile post to the GMG thread

[CaptainCrunch]

Sorry whut I was busy reading this months Hustler magazine while texting this response with my member. Is my spelling ok?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

My money is on AlbertGQ!

Are we allowed to vote for ourselves? Jesus, this new law is tough on me. Today I was talking to my buddy and saw a cop, so I threw the phone on the seat, but now that I wasn't talking, I wanted the music turned back up, so I started fiddling with the volume and went "Oh **** that's illegal, too" and pulled my hand away quickly.

Also, I grabbed lunch at BK and was driving back with it and thought, "man, I'd love a mozza stick right now". So I grabbed the box out and started happily munching away before going "FFS, right, I can't do that, either!!".

I'm pretty sure I'm going to get in an accident while looking around feverishly for cops everywhere I go, long before anything happens because of talking or eating.

[fundmark19]

You are allowed to eat while driving as long as you aren't taking 2 hands off the wheel. You just wasted a chance to eat good mozzarella sticks legally

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

Can't one still be ticketed for driving while extremely tired if they are not being "safe"? I thought I read that somewhere but may be confusing it with truck drivers rules on required rest.

The ticket is the easy part. Getting it to stand up in court, not so much. That's the problem.