Alberta passes distracted driving law

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Swarly

more likely they give you a ticket for driving while talking on the phone with them.

Handsfree/bluetooth? Surely someone on here complaining about distracted driving would have one of them.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

It's 6 digits consisting of numbers and letters. You can't remember 6 digits for 10 minutes?

Part of the problem with a lot of people, is instead of contacting proper authorities, they try and police things themselves.

When people drive too fast on the road, do you drive slow in the passing lane to control speeds too?

Much better to do nothing, and post it on here.

did you read my post? I push people driving too slow, I'm all for driving too fast, and will tailgate someone in the fast lane who is not behind someone else.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Handsfree/bluetooth? Surely someone on here complaining about distracted driving would have one of them.

Did you read my post? I was complaining of someone driving too slow, due to the fact they were driving distracted.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

did you read my post? I push people driving too slow, I'm all for driving too fast, and will tailgate someone in the fast lane who is not behind someone else.

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Did you read my post? I was complaining of someone driving too slow, due to the fact they were driving distracted.

Yes I read your posts. Although i'm not sure you understand mine, in particular the second one you quoted (where I quoted Swarly).

I get frustrated as well when people drive slow and are distracted. I think they should be reported. The media/police want us to believe that distracted driving is as dangerous as driving drunk. If that is the case, then they should obviously follow up on any complaints/reports they would get.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Hmmmmmm....


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23631406

weird. I know a guy who was arguing this kind of thing for the past year.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Yes I read your posts. Although i'm not sure you understand mine, in particular the second one you quoted (where I quoted Swarly).

I get frustrated as well when people drive slow and are distracted. I think they should be reported. The media/police want us to believe that distracted driving is as dangerous as driving drunk. If that is the case, then they should obviously follow up on any complaints/reports they would get.

How do you call the police when you're driving though? It's kind of ironic in the sense that the only way to report someone talking on the phone while driving is to call the cops with your phone while driving.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

How do you call the police when you're driving though? It's kind of ironic in the sense that the only way to report someone talking on the phone while driving is to call the cops with your phone while driving.

You're are allowed using handsfree to talk on the phone and dialing is voice activated with most modern vehicles/bluetooth devices.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Yes I read your posts. Although i'm not sure you understand mine, in particular the second one you quoted (where I quoted Swarly).

You said I was complaining about distracted driving and I said I was complaining about slow driving due to distracted driving.

[theg69]

To be honest, handsfree devices while driving is probably just as distracting and dangerous as talking with an actual phone while driving. The problem is that it would be a nightmare to enforce if they made handsfree devices illegal as well.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/hidde...tudy-1.1322136

[Slava]

Originally Posted by theg69

To be honest, handsfree devices while driving is probably just as distracting and dangerous as talking with an actual phone while driving. The problem is that it would be a nightmare to enforce if they made handsfree devices illegal as well.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/hidde...tudy-1.1322136

Which is to say barely a distraction at all.

[Acey]

Yeah, I don't see how using a handsfree is any less distracting than having an animated conversation with the person sitting in your passenger seat.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Anyways, if anyone has a problem with any driver, you call and report it plain and simple. The police will, more than likely, ask you in to fill a complaint form out and take it from there. If people care enough to complain in here, what's 15 minutes of your time at the shop.

As far as hands free vs phone to your ear, it's an ongoing debate for sure. For now, one is legal one is not.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Acey

Yeah, I don't see how using a handsfree is any less distracting than having an animated conversation with the person sitting in your passenger seat.

The person in the passenger seat will stop talking if there is something going on in traffic; or at the very least understand why you stopped talking mid-word.

I recall when the law was passed they asked about this, and they said from a legal standpoint it would be hard to prove that you were talking hands free instead of singing, talking to a passenger, or yelling at the radio.

[GP_Matt]

If you want anecdotal evidence of what Ken is saying pay attention to the co versatile in the car the next time you are driving in a snow storm. The passenger is naturally less talkative while someone on the phone has no idea what is happening so you have to put in the effort to tell them.

[Acey]

Ontario is not messing around. Wouldn't mind this here, either...

Drivers who text behind the wheel face fines of up to $1,000 and three demerit points under tough new provincial legislation coming this fall.

http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspa..._demerits.html

[Regulator75]

I'd be happier with a minimum $1,000 fine.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I'd be happier with a minimum $1,000 fine.

A 1 month license suspension to go along with that fine would work for me.

[JonDuke]

I'd love to see Alberta follow suit, and quickly.

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by Acey

Ontario is not messing around. Wouldn't mind this here, either...



http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspa..._demerits.html

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I'd be happier with a minimum $1,000 fine.

Originally Posted by Dion

A 1 month license suspension to go along with that fine would work for me.

really?

i have to punch in GPS addresses on the fly from time to time in my day to day driving out and about. Much of the work i do makes me essentially a delivery driver.
so should the shoulder be filled with pullovers for a group of people who are essentially changing the dial on their radio? what if there is no place to pull over?
does a mounted phone negate the stiff fine? or does using a gps while driving period, be it dash-mounted, or on-board, or not, warrant a one month suspension? or a thousand dollar fine?
how many of your vehicles are equipped with such navigation devices from the dealer?
how many have TVs for god's sake?
how about driving while periodically looking down at a map?
safe? or no?
i agree undue care and attention is a real problem albeit far from a new one. It is also one of the most harshly punished driving offenses.
but i like the fact that you won't have your license revoked because a sting operation busted you taking the lid off your coffee.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=139076

i hate the fact that people drive poorly, including myself at times. i do not however think that it deserves the same reprimand as stunting.

i do know that this is position is dirty in the court of public opinion, but i'm not advocating the right to drive drunk or anything. the fact is most of our goods are trucked around the globe, and the people working in the shipping industry depend on navigation systems of all kinds, and shouldn't risk their jobs if they want to get the goods to the destination.

[Acey]

Aside from entering GPS coordinates while driving, which is indeed illegal as it should be, the rest of your post is rendered moot by the actual text of the law, which permits most of what you're complaining about. Should dangerous driving be penalized like stunting? Well yeah. I can go do donuts in a parking lot and not hurt anybody. But the moron on her phone who killed my friend two years ago is a much bigger hazard.

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca...teddriving.htm