Alberta passes distracted driving law

[Slava]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

"automatic response", I guess if it was an automatic response there would be accidents at red lights. Yet, there are instances of vehicles running red lights and impacting vehicles that are legally in the intersection.

Thats not the same thing though. Those are drivers running the red light. If a guy is stopped at a red light and glances at his phone for a few seconds he isn't going to run anyone over. Thats just ridiculous.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Slava

Thats not the same thing though. Those are drivers running the red light. If a guy is stopped at a red light and glances at his phone for a few seconds he isn't going to run anyone over. Thats just ridiculous.

I am not worried about the fella that is stopped, I am worried about the fella that isn't stopped and is barrelling along into the intersection.

If you are distracted at the intersection and the light turns green you might just gun it off the line with little or no concentration to what is happening around the intersection. If you apply "zero" concentration and gun it off the light you could be the one his by the fella running the light.

In short, drivers need to be aware of what is happening prior to entering the intersection, no?

[fundmark19]

Can anyone tell me why smoking doesn't count as distracted driving? While smoking you have to take two hands to get it out of package and light it and you either have to flick ashes out of the window or into your ash tray in the car. The cigarette forces you to take your hands off the wheel multiple times and if an ash were to fall on your skin/interior it would cause more distraction.

Not to mention that it then leads to people throwing the butts out onto the road which is illegal and causes multiple grass fires a year. If I cant hit two buttons on my phone to change the song I am listening to I don't think smokers should be allowed to light up.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

In short, drivers need to be aware of what is happening prior to entering the intersection, no?

Yes, that is why I'm saying it's fine to look at your phone quickly at a red light, but make sure you finish before the light is green. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.

[polak]

Omg lets not throw more crap into the "not allowed" pile.

Soon you will literally not be able to move your car without your hands at 2 and 10.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by codynw

Yes, that is why I'm saying it's fine to look at your phone quickly at a red light, but make sure you finish before the light is green. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.

The point is that most people don't really know how long they are looking at their phone.

They will check it, and think they can rip off an quick email, in that time the light may have changed. As Vulcan mentioned, some people might see the vehicles next to them move on an advance green and think they should be moving forward.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by polak

Omg lets not throw more crap into the "not allowed" pile.

Soon you will literally not be able to move your car without your hands at 2 and 10.

Isn't it supposed to be 9 and 3 now?

[codynw]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

The point is that most people don't really know how long they are looking at their phone.

They will check it, and think they can rip off an quick email, in that time the light may have changed. As Vulcan mentioned, some people might see the vehicles next to them move on an advance green and think they should be moving forward.

My point is if someone looks at their phone while stopped at a light, they shouldn't be ticketed. Like I have already said, if they're still using it when the light turns green, then it becomes an issue.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by codynw

My point is if someone looks at their phone while stopped at a light, they shouldn't be ticketed. Like I have already said, if they're still using it when the light turns green, then it becomes an issue.

You were clear on your point.

I disagree, and that is fine. We can have differing opinions.

One thing I have not look at is if there is a formalized definition of "driving" under the legislation. I suspect there is, but haven't looked.

[polak]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

Isn't it supposed to be 9 and 3 now?

I wouldn't know.
I use my left pinky on the bottom of the wheel to fully allow my fingers to send mean tweets to Obama.

[pylon]

I'm sorry, but nobody here can claim they don't glance at a text message or email at a red light. I will never do either while in motion, but if I am in bumper to bumper, 2 k/ph traffic or stuck at a 2-3 wait red light, I have and will. Like Slava said, how is it any different than changing the radio station, or opening a bottle of water?

The basic idea is to follow the spirit of the law, not the letter of it. I don't think there is a police officer out there that is going to give you a ticket for glancing at your phone at a red light, but I am all for them ticketing people right into the stratosphere for doing it while they are in motion.

This would be my best analogy. Looking at your phone at a red light, would be the equivalent of doing 120 on Deerfoot. You could probably do it right next to a police car and get away with it.

At the end of the day, put your phone in a dash or vent mounted dock, then if you do look at it at a red light, it would be nearly impossible for a police officer to prove you were looking at it, not the radio, or the clock, or the climate controls. Putting it in your lap makes the cop either assume you are texting, or really admiring your own penis.

[Jimmy Stang]

Cops in Canada have given out tickets to people in stopped cars for texting:

Earlier this month, RCMP Const. Bryan Martell appeared at a Chilliwack-area intersection dressed in a hooded jacket and ball cap – and sporting a few day’s growth of beard.

Wandering alongside stopped vehicles he carried a cardboard sign reading “Hello, my name is Constable Martell. If you’re on your cell phone right now, you are about to get a ticket.”

If he spotted a driver texting talking on his cell phone, Cst. Martell radioed ahead to a uniformed officer who would then ticket the vehicle.

Link

Not sure if this has happened in Calgary yet though.

Hilariously, I learned today that these undercover cops have been coined : hobocops.

I agree with your post though Pylon, especially this :

Originally Posted by pylon

The basic idea is to follow the spirit of the law, not the letter of it.

[Northendzone]

i wonder how many drivers who were on their phones while stopped at a red light would react (letting their foot off of the brake and starting to aceelerate before visually comprehending what is really going on) to the driver behind them honking thier horn.....

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

As Vulcan mentioned, some people might see the vehicles next to them move on an advance green and think they should be moving forward.

I've seen that happen. I pull up to the stop line, to my left is a guy looking at his phone. To the left of him is the turn lane. I anticipated the light would turn green, as there was nobody facing us to turn left. I guess the sensor glitched as we all just got a turn arrow. So I flinched and the cars turning left went, and buddy on his phone saw everybody moving and went right through the red light. He didn't even look up after, just kept sailing along.

All you people who say what they are doing doesn't impact their driving- the problem is that you are also oblivious to the issues you cause around you. The guy in my above example was unaware that he did anything wrong. Failing to crash does not mean you were a good driver.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

The point is that most people don't really know how long they are looking at their phone.

They will check it, and think they can rip off an quick email, in that time the light may have changed. As Vulcan mentioned, some people might see the vehicles next to them move on an advance green and think they should be moving forward.

This is usually more common in bad drivers. Nothing to do with checking messages. We should be looking to punish bad driving. Those who can't drive, probably should not have added distractions while driving. Do something dumb on the road and you get a ticket, that is the way it should be. For myself I'm not going to blindly hit the gas cuz someone is honking at me or the car beside me happens to go, whether or not I'm texting.

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I am not worried about the fella that is stopped, I am worried about the fella that isn't stopped and is barrelling along into the intersection.

If you are distracted at the intersection and the light turns green you might just gun it off the line with little or no concentration to what is happening around the intersection. If you apply "zero" concentration and gun it off the light you could be the one his by the fella running the light.

In short, drivers need to be aware of what is happening prior to entering the intersection, no?

Yes, that is why it is nearly zero, not zero. Pretty easy to tell even with peripheral vision if someone is still driving perpendicular to you running the red.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by Slava

Whats the difference between changing the radio station at a red light and looking at the phone quickly?

Only one of those activities requires taking your eyes off the road. Well, at least for some of us. I guess not you.

[Zevo]

Is it really that hard to not look at your phone while your car is in gear and on the road, whether at a light or not? Is the sound of an incoming text that powerful? Sad, and a bit scary, if true.

Pavlovs dogs indeed.

[Arya Stark]

People looking at their phone at the red light is the number one reason idiots take 3 full seconds or more to start moving after the light has turned green causing less cars to proceed at every light.

Stop looking at your phone FFS and pay attention.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Cops in Canada have given out tickets to people in stopped cars for texting:

Link

Not sure if this has happened in Calgary yet though.

Hilariously, I learned today that these undercover cops have been coined : hobocops.

I agree with your post though Pylon, especially this :

They've got cops on mountain bikes doing that on 14th ST N.

For everyone who keeps defending this dumb behavior, everytime you take a little more time at the light because you're too busy looking at your crotch, the overstressed guy behind you is this much closer to losing it and road raging on your ass. Turn your phones off and drive.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Swarly

This is usually more common in bad drivers. Nothing to do with checking messages. We should be looking to punish bad driving.

I agree we should punish bad driving and bad drivers, maybe by ticketing them.

Yes, that is why it is nearly zero, not zero. Pretty easy to tell even with peripheral vision if someone is still driving perpendicular to you running the red.

No, no it isn't.