Ontario Police issue 211 Tickets for Driving Idiots on their Cells - Page 4 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

mrkajz44 · 02-09-2011, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flameswin

Maybe it's just my demographic or the people I hang out with, but I honestly don't know anyone who doesn't answer their phone or make calls while they're driving. I never hear "sorry I didn't pick up earlier, I was driving in my car".

It's just weird, on the internet, it seems that 99% of people in these types of threads are ready to throw any pieces of **** that would dare touch a phone in a car, in jail and throw away the key. Or are looking for very harsh penalties.

Yet in real life, it seems hard to find anyone that thinks that way, unless thay're just quiet about it, but it just seems like most people talk on their phones and drive and small minority don't, and are vehemently against it, then you come on the internet and it's the complete opposite.

I have to admit, I agree that talking on your phone is dangerous, yet I still do it frequently. What is it that compels us to always answer a phone?

HOOT · 02-09-2011, 05:53 PM

I can't find the article but in BC they are giving out something like 100 of these a day in the province.

Found it: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-col...n-ignored.html

Quote:

In 2010, police issued 32,000 tickets to distracted drivers provincewide.

theonlywhiteout · 02-09-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chemgear

Really?

Doesn't there have to be at least a physical component of losing the usage of one of your hands, the restricted ability to shoulder check whilst changing lanes, the twisted neck that inhibits the ability to turn to see pedestrians when turning, etc? Additionally, there has to be a delay in response times while looking at a phone for text messages, numbers to dial, etc. when your vision is on the phone and not the road or your surroundings.

Yes really. It's been proven in studies... I'm sure it's a bit safer going hands free but not by much

HOOT · 02-09-2011, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dion

At the church down the street their display board had "WANT TO MEET GOD? TEXT WHILE YOU DRIVE."

jhunt223 · 02-09-2011, 07:16 PM

You would have to be a complete idiot to have a hard time driving a car and talking on the phone at the same time. I'll continue to do it even if a laws passed because I'm positive that i could talk on the phone, keep my eyes out for police and drive safely all at the same time.

jayswin · 02-09-2011, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhunt223

You would have to be a complete idiot to have a hard time driving a car and talking on the phone at the same time. I'll continue to do it even if a laws passed because I'm positive that i could talk on the phone, keep my eyes out for police and drive safely all at the same time.

That's one thing I've been doing more of lately, is taking my eyes off the road in front of me to look behind me and see if there are any cops coming.

Rathji · 02-09-2011, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puckluck

It's the internet where nobody has ever done anything wrong in their lives. Have we ever heard anyone tell a story on how THEY were the dumb driver on the road or they were holding up traffic because they had to take a call?

I'll admit I drive and talk on the phone at the same time and that will never change no matter how many tickets I get.

When I got my first cell phone, I didn't have a car, then about 7 years ago, I was driving back from High River in a borrowed car. I didn't think much of it, so I was talking on the cell phone and wasn't paying attention to my speed as I crested a hill and started going down. By the time I hit the overpass I was going about 150 in a car that has no business doing 120 and I was practically half in the next lane.

Scared me pretty bad when I realized how stupid it was for me to be talking on my phone. Still I will pull out my phone and answer it if roads are not bad or things are not busy, but I always keep my conversations super short. It really bugs my wife because she likes to talk, and talk, and talk.

Mad Mel · 02-09-2011, 07:43 PM

Kim Mitchell approves of fining people for stupidity.

jayswin · 02-09-2011, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

I didn't think much of it, so I was talking on the cell phone and wasn't paying attention to my speed as I crested a hill and started going down. By the time I hit the overpass I was going about 150 in a car that has no business doing 120 and I was practically half in the next lane.

I honestly don't see how you pushing a car to 150 km/hr is an indication that driving while talking on a phone isn't a good idea. If talking on your phone made you push the pedal down til the car couldn't possibly go any faster, than I'd look beyond the fact that you were talking on the phone.

Rathji · 02-09-2011, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flameswin

I honestly don't see how you pushing a car to 150 km/hr is an indication that driving while talking on a phone isn't a good idea. If talking on your phone made you push the pedal down til the car couldn't possibly go any faster, than I'd look beyond the fact that you were talking on the phone.

I wasn't paying attention to my driving, because I was on the phone. The car was going down a large hill, and because I wasn't paying attention, I got going way too fast.

Is that really confusing?

puckluck · 02-09-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

When I got my first cell phone, I didn't have a car, then about 7 years ago, I was driving back from High River in a borrowed car. I didn't think much of it, so I was talking on the cell phone and wasn't paying attention to my speed as I crested a hill and started going down. By the time I hit the overpass I was going about 150 in a car that has no business doing 120 and I was practically half in the next lane.

Scared me pretty bad when I realized how stupid it was for me to be talking on my phone. Still I will pull out my phone and answer it if roads are not bad or things are not busy, but I always keep my conversations super short. It really bugs my wife because she likes to talk, and talk, and talk.

There are a number of reasons people lose concentration. The cell phone is just one of them. I've been in situations where I'm not even talking on the phone, but just thinking about something and I'll switch lanes and 5 seconds later I realize I switched lanes without even shoulder checking or using the mirror thinking "how the hell did I just switch lanes?".

jayswin · 02-09-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

I wasn't paying attention to my driving, because I was on the phone. The car was going down a large hill, and because I wasn't paying attention, I got going way too fast.

Is that really confusing?

No, it's just that I can't see most people going that fast because they were talking on their phone. That's just insane.

HOOT · 02-09-2011, 08:35 PM

I don't think he means talking on cell phone = faster speeds, but just that you lose focus of things quickly and cell phone is just another distraction from the road. I don't think that's so insane.

Rathji · 02-09-2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOOT

I don't think he means talking on cell phone = faster speeds, but just that you lose focus of things quickly and cell phone is just another distraction from the road. I don't think that's so insane.

Exactly.

The speed issue was the result of me not paying attention while going down a hill. The same thing you get when people are going 70 on Deerfoot, because they are not paying attention.

valo403 · 02-09-2011, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flameswin

No, it's just that I can't see most people going that fast because they were talking on their phone. That's just insane.

No, actually it isn't. People stop paying attention when they're focus is on something else, like talking on the phone. When people aren't paying attention they're much more likely to not notice things like excessive speeding.

I honestly can't believe that this is something that anyone can question.

jayswin · 02-09-2011, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valo403

No, actually it isn't. People stop paying attention when they're focus is on something else, like talking on the phone. When people aren't paying attention they're much more likely to not notice things like excessive speeding.

I honestly can't believe that this is something that anyone can question.

Yeah, in retrospect it was. I guess it was just the high speed (150kms) that caught me off gaurd.

I retract my earlier questioning of Rathji.

T@T · 02-09-2011, 09:24 PM

Wow, thats quite the sting operation. 211 tickets in York which has over a million people.

Fail. I could probably catch 50 people a day by myself.

jar_e · 02-09-2011, 09:33 PM

211 tickets in 3 days? 70 a day? Not too impressive.

jar_e · 02-09-2011, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

How many on-duty Ontario Police officers were ticketed for using their radios or in-car Toughbooks while driving?

If its anything like the Alberta one, there's a clause that exempts Police Officers and EMS from using such devices.

krynski · 02-10-2011, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

Anyone ever tried Swype while driving... good god. I can't even text correctly when I'm sitting at my desk, let alone on the QEII.

"Damn, who gas dangling beer to hokey flameswin??"

yeah, its just spatial memory. when/if you get good enough, you dont even look at your phone anymore. that being said, I'd rather swype when i'm at a light than driving, but I have done the latter.