Alberta passes distracted driving law

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Question, cop sees the annoying girl in front of me on Crowchild swerving into my memorial exit lane. Cop pulls up beside her and sees her head down, likely texting. Is that enough to get her? Or can she just go to court and come up with a lame excuse like she was fixing her pube that was stuck in her zipper?

I would think in your scenario she would be charged under 115.5(c) no individual shall drive or operate a vehicle on a highway while engaged in an activity that distracts the individual from the operation of the vehicle, including but not limited to engaging in personal grooming or hygiene.

However to get to the heart of your question, I really don't know. I would think so, or at least give the officer a change to better look at what she was doing and charge her appropriately (as in which subsection of the distracted driving legislation).

[Slava]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Question, cop sees the annoying girl in front of me on Crowchild swerving into my memorial exit lane. Cop pulls up beside her and sees her head down, likely texting. Is that enough to get her? Or can she just go to court and come up with a lame excuse like she was fixing her pube that was stuck in her zipper?

Thats one of the irritating things about this law; someone like that should already be charged with an unsafe lane change. There shouldn't really be a need for the new legislation here, and with the demerits included for the unsafe lane change it would be more effective anyway.

[freedogger]

Originally Posted by Slava

Thats one of the irritating things about this law; someone like that should already be charged with an unsafe lane change. There shouldn't really be a need for the new legislation here, and with the demerits included for the unsafe lane change it would be more effective anyway.

She could be charged with "Driving without due care and attention" under the current Alberta Traffic Safety Act.

I agree, this legislation is redundant.

Here's the relevant parts of the Act:
115(1) For the purposes of this section, a driver of a vehicle is driving carelessly if that driver drives the vehicle
(a) without due care and attention, or
(b) without reasonable consideration for persons using the highway.

(2) A person shall not do any of the following:
(b) drive a vehicle on a highway in a manner that constitutes driving carelessly;
(e) perform or engage in any stunt or other activity that is likely to distract, startle or interfere with users of the highway;
(f) drive a vehicle so as to perform or engage in any stunt or other activity on a highway that is likely to distract, startle or interfere with other users of the highway;
(i) where that person is the driver of a vehicle, permit any person, animal or thing to occupy the front seat of the vehicle in such a manner so as to impede the driver in the free and uninterrupted access to and use of the steering wheel, brakes and other equipment required to be used for the safe operation of the vehicle;
(j) where that person is the driver of a vehicle, permit any person, animal or thing in the vehicle to cause any obstruction to the driver’s clear vision in any direction;

[Notorious Honey Badger]

I wonder how this law will be used in conjuction with GPS units. Are we now not allowed to tap GPS screens that are on dashes?

[Gundo]

Originally Posted by Notorious Honey Badger

I wonder how this law will be used in conjuction with GPS units. Are we now not allowed to tap GPS screens that are on dashes?

As far as I understand no your not. Not while driving.

[Shasta Beast]

Originally Posted by Notorious Honey Badger

I wonder how this law will be used in conjuction with GPS units. Are we now not allowed to tap GPS screens that are on dashes?

No programming of GPS units while driving. Must be pulled over and stopped.

[Mccree]

So what is everyone using for the handsfree set? Any suggestions.

[Acey]

Had to drive around the city alot today, and I made a conscious effort to watch people and see how many are doing things deemed illegal by this law. It's a horrifying number. I'm very interested to see how Lethbridge police will handle this, because as far as I'm concerned the LRPS are VERY slack compared to CPS (in regards to speeding, tint and other equipment violations), and certainly on the opposite end of the spectrum from the RCMP.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Mccree

So what is everyone using for the handsfree set? Any suggestions.

This is what I have been using, LG HBM 810 I have only had to plug-in charge it twice in 3 months.

Microphone and speaker are good.

[Mr.Coffee]

If the goal here is to make money... carry on.

If the goal here is to make the roads safer, take out seatbelts, take out airbags, take out lights at intersections...

I felt like motorists were driving fairly slow at the one 8-way no-light debacle clusterF in Hanoi, Vietnam. Seemed to correlate fairly well to people paying attention to their driving.

[Sylvanfan]

I'm going to talk, and text like crazy tomorrow, than I'm going to eat some ribs, floss my teeth, and shave while driving and programming in GPS destinations. It will be like the last supper.

[Travis Munroe]

I bought this off a cp'er and have been pretty impressed.
I sometimes have to yell at the blueant and have only got as far as using it for phone purposes (it has traffic, stocks, text etc)
Downsides, the charge cable is a foot long so i bring it inside once a week to fully charge as 1 foot won't make it to my 12v.

http://www.myblueant.com/products/speakerphones/s4/

[Stranger]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I'm going to talk, and text like crazy tomorrow, than I'm going to eat some ribs, floss my teeth, and shave while driving and programming in GPS destinations. It will be like the last supper.

Don't forget to have your dog on your lap.

[fundmark19]

You don't need to eat as snacking is still allowed while driving under the new law

[jar_e]

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

Some good info and clarification on the province's website...

To what types of vehicles does this law apply?
It will apply to all vehicles as defined by the Traffic Safety Act. It will include vehicles like cars, motorcycles, motor homes, truck tractors, farm vehicles and bicycles.

Suck it cyclists...

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by jar_e

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

Some good info and clarification on the province's website...

Suck it cyclists...

Can't shave while biking?

[habernac]

Originally Posted by jar_e

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

Some good info and clarification on the province's website...

Suck it cyclists...

cyclists are happy. We'll have fewer clowns trying to run us over as they're busy texting.

[The Goon]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Masturbation wasn't part of the list.

Best news I've heard.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

that should be fine. Masturbation wasn't part of the list.

What about road head?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

What about road head?

Hopefully the cops will at least have the decency of letting her finish before issuing the ticket.

Common courtesy people!