RCMP Distracted Driving Campaign

[Bsuds]

How about camera's at intersections taking pictures and use those.

OMG infringe on their right to privacy!!!!

[Bsuds]

Better idea, dress up an Officer like a homeless person standing in the intersection like a panhandler.
When he see someone on their phone nail them with a ticket!

[fluffy]

They have been using that strategy in Penticton lately, with huge success.

[MAPearce]

Better idea, dress up an Officer like a homeless person standing in the intersection like a panhandler.
When he see someone on their phone nail them with a ticket!

Yeup ... what ever it takes to get them to be there.

At least they're in traffic and enforcing ALL things that are dangerous..

[Donald G]

People who blatantly hold and talk on a phone while driving are passing a message to EVERY other driver and passenger on the road in their vicinity. That message says that "my desire to make a phone call while driving is more important than your right to use the highway safely". It takes a person with a very large ego and complete disregard for others to do such a thing.

For those who think they can do both at once; NOT ONE PERSON CAN DO SO WITHOUT RISKING THE LIVES OF OTHERS USING THE HIGHWAY. EVERY human brain has a SINGLE processor that can only process one set of incoming sensory information at a time. End of story and end of argument. Put your phone down. You have no more right to risk the safety of others using the highway than they have to rip the phone out of your hand and punch you in the mouth for being so selfish.

But if you do get punched out, don't call it road rage. Call it a justified effort in self preservation.

[Fancy]

I've seen young persons who couldn't sip on a slurpee cup and drive at the same time.

[twobits]

Question. Is use of a CB radio (truckers) or radio equipped vehicle (city, utilities, construction, towing companies) illegal when the vehicle is in motion? I don't see much difference between a cell phone and a radio handset except the wire connecting it to the dash. Maybe if I plug my cellphone charger into the cig lighter I can use my phone again? Tongue firmly planted in cheek.

[Bsuds]

I've seen young persons who couldn't sip on a slurpee cup and drive at the same time.

Some old ones too.

[Donald G]

Twobits ... the difference is the "hands free" aspect. Vehicles and roads are not designed for one handed drivers. The brain is not designed for "multiple task" operations being performed by a driver. No driver has the right to subject all other drivers on the road to NEEDLESSLY increased risk of injury or death.

Anyone who has the completely false impression that they are an exception to those fundamental realities is in a class of egotistical, self important beings who should be stripped of their right to drive.

[flamingfingers]

In the ages BC (before cell phones) I used to relish the time away from the office, driving to other locations on business because I was AWAY from the phone.

It was amazing! My house did not burn down; my kids managed to fend for themselves; no emergency at the office presented itself so acute that it could not be managed until I checked in for messages and business carried on as per usual.

People who insist on talking/texting and driving have a VERY overinflated opinion of themselves. And that puts us all at risk of their ego needs which is pretty pathetic.

[XT225]

Twobits ... the difference is the "hands free" aspect. Vehicles and roads are not designed for one handed drivers. The brain is not designed for "multiple task" operations being performed by a driver. No driver has the right to subject all other drivers on the road to NEEDLESSLY increased risk of injury or death.

Anyone who has the completely false impression that they are an exception to those fundamental realities is in a class of egotistical, self important beings who should be stripped of their right to drive.

The use of things like CB radios in "NON-Essential" communications concerns me. How can an 18 wheeler steer the truck, shift the gears AND talk on a mic at the same time? There are too many trucking accidents these days. Rules for Emergency communications (ie: police, EHS, fire) are different but truckers? Maybe needs another look.

[Dizzy1]

The use of things like CB radios in "NON-Essential" communications concerns me. How can an 18 wheeler steer the truck, shift the gears AND talk on a mic at the same time?

Same way they steer/shift while yappin' on the cell ;)

[MAPearce]

Twobits ... the difference is the "hands free" aspect. Vehicles and roads are not designed for one handed drivers. The brain is not designed for "multiple task" operations being performed by a driver.

Makes me wonder what cops , cab drivers , couriers , truckers and others in likewise occupations did when they relied on two way radios ???

I mean there is an obvious difference between having your face firmly fixed to a small screen on a cell phone , but to say a driver can't use a hand held microphone safely suggests that we should all have been dead long before now ..

Don't cops still have two ways in their cars ? What about some taxi companies ?

I don't know one single trucker who would even think of driving a rig without a CB..

I doubt they'd agree wit the "NON essential" bit .

[Donald G]

To MAPearce ... back when the only option for emergency services (and many others) was only a mike or hand held telephone there was many indeed more accidents. Some went to two person vehicles so that one was free to handle communication. When the police first got in vehicle computers there were similar problems that were dealt with by the police being told to pull over and stop to use your computer or hand held phone.

There is still a risk, but a smaller risk now that emergency services (and many others) have access to "free hand" equipment but unfortunately completely denying emergency services people wireless communication was not an option. Many police forces, almost all ambulances and fire trucks have two person vehicles and suffer the reduced productivity inherent in the system. The RCMP remain one of the exceptions.

I do not think you will find very many professional truck drivers who get on the radio or phone under congested traffic situations. More a "wide open road" thing to combat fatigue from what I am told.

[MAPearce]

To MAPearce ... back when the only option for emergency services (and many others) was only a mike or hand held telephone there was many indeed more accidents.

How did I ever survive my 10 years of driving a cab , accident free , without a radio operator beside ?????

Or my dad whith all his years of long haul bus driving on his CB ?

My Grandfather survived 30 years ( 15 on a Harley Davidson ) on the Saanich PD with his mic ??? So did my uncle as a cop in Victoria , Red Cliffe and Medicine Hat AB. My cousin is an Inspector at VicPD to this day..

Ask them if there were "many " more accidents as you suggest. They'll say no.

I think that you're just on a bandwagon of sorts that , in all it's righteousness , wants all things band just for the sake of it.

I agree that distracted driving is indeed a problem and does take lives on our roads but I think your missing one important thing..

That is, while you can indeed drive with one hand , you most certainly NOT drive without your eyes on the road. A hand held mic can be operated without taking your eyes of the road whereas a "hands free" dash mounted computer or navigation devcice can't...

You still got to read the thing.