Alberta passes distracted driving law

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by handgroen

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.

Myself, I've found driving related distractions aren't as dangerous as someone texting or phoning for personal entertainment.

[handgroen]

well take it for what you will, but a view from the other side.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by handgroen

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.

A hardmounted, voice command GPS/AVL solution is what logistics companies require. That solution exists, and too many companies are buying a solution that under-serves their employees, and the safety of those around them.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

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

You would just waste the courts time with all people fighting the fines and winning most likely.

[#-3]

While I am not coming out in support of reading a book, shaving, or texting while driving. The letter of the law does not leave a lot of room to distinguish between that, and setting a GPS, Drinking a Soda, or playing with a radio on the dash board. The later 3 I really have vary little problem with, especially at red lights or on the highway.

Unfortunately the answer also cannot be that people need to go invest in the newest pieces of "Safer" technology every 2 years. There has to be a reasonable expectation that a mid to low income person can use the roadway infrastructure that we are all paying for. Bluetooth a few years ago, Voice activated GPS this year, Voice activated Bluetooth/Radio Controls in 2 years, in 4 years some little drone that squirts water in your mouth for you so you don't have to take your hands off the wheel. There will always be some new "Safer" thing to add to your car.

And as with most road laws I think that before the province worries so much about what the average person is doing, they need to change the minds and habits of the people expected to enforce the rules.

The speed limits, u-turns, cell phones, dashboard mounted computers, Food aren't rules the Police believe in, because ~8/10 police cars I see on the street are breaking more than 1 of these rules without emergency signals on (therefore I can only assume not addressing an emergency). If they don't make rules the enforcement officers believe in, then it just becomes some random need to hit their quota your bad luck today, but tomorrow you can drive right past a cop doing it with no recourse.

Don't raise fines,
Raise the Speed Limits,
and Cut back on the definition of Distracted Driving to only, Cell Phone, Book, personal hygiene, Taking your Eyes off the Road for 2 full seconds.
Limit the over use of signage. Like No U-turn/No Left Turn Signs.
Then fine everyone you see breaking any of the laws at all.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by handgroen

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.

If you are remotely distracted while having to "punch your address" into a GPS regardless of where it's mounted, you shouldn't do it. Same goes for radio changes etc.... And I'm all for stiff punishments for those who do so. It be one thing if the only life you risked being distracted was your own, but it's not.

And I don't make this claim from an ivory tower, I'd be found guilty of the above myself even to this day, but I'm definetly trying to stop anything like that 100% and think the punishments should be stiff.

[habernac]

There's a reason factory GPS systems won't allow you to enter anything while you're moving. It's dangerous. Figure out where you're going before hand, you know, like we did in "the old days".

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by handgroen

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?

I feel like I am missing something with this post.

In what situation is your only option to park safely pulling over on the shoulder but you also have to have the address keyed in before you get to the next intersection. Are you worried that the GPS will tell you to make a fast u-turn in the middle of the road?

just take the next turn and find a safe place to pull over to enter the destination. Keying an address into a Garmin while driving isn't safe and neither is stopping on the shoulder of most roads.

[Flash Walken]

#### your safety, I'm in a hurry!

[GP_Matt]

My bad. I didn't realize you were in a hurry.

[Slava]

I actually don't know the answer to this, but is there any evidence that we have reduced collisions because of this law?

[-TC-]

I sat at a red light and watched the guy in the lane beside me run it and broadside a sedan full of teenage girls.

As a parent of a teenage girl and a rational human being, I'm all for very stiff penalties for distracted driving.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by habernac

There's a reason factory GPS systems won't allow you to enter anything while you're moving. It's dangerous. Figure out where you're going before hand, you know, like we did in "the old days".

Are you saying that people have never looked at a map book while driving? and that the problem here is the technology?

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Slava

I actually don't know the answer to this, but is there any evidence that we have reduced collisions because of this law?

Sometimes you don't need studies and numbers to arrive at a logical conclusion. I've never smoked but remember people saying there was no evidence that smoking is bad for you. I knew it was and didn't need scientific evidence.

I don't need studies to verify what I already know - that distracted driving causes accidents.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Are you saying that people have never looked at a map book while driving? and that the problem here is the technology?

I don't drive with a map in front of my face. Technology isn't the problem, laziness and the abuse of it is.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Sometimes you don't need studies and numbers to arrive at a logical conclusion. I've never smoked but remember people saying there was no evidence that smoking is bad for you. I knew it was and didn't need scientific evidence.

I don't need studies to verify what I already know - that distracted driving causes accidents.

Well I would like to see something that demonstrates this is making a difference. I would say that common sense tells me shaving and reading the newspaper while driving are a big deal. Answering a phone call though I remain unsure. Surely if this was such a scourge we should see obvious results?

[Regular_John]

I take the bus home most days and I see so many drivers blatantly texting/email on their phones every day. I'd love to see more enforcement of the laws here.

[CaptainCrunch]

Soooo, I'd like to add a good swift smack to the back of the head to the fine and demerits.

I would also like to add a rider to the bill to support the perverted arts.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by habernac

I don't drive with a map in front of my face. Technology isn't the problem, laziness and the abuse of it is.

The vast majority of the people texting etc don't do it in front of their face either. They do it on their lap.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Rathji

The vast majority of the people texting etc don't do it in front of their face either. They do it on their lap.

Exactly. If they did it in front of their face they could at least keep some semblance of an eye on the road, but now they have to do it in their lap because they dont want to get a ticket.

So really, this law makes things less safe.