Gotcha! Driving while texting or talking on phone

[the truth]

love it, and its the only thing that might work

[Poindexter]

Had an interesting drive to work today. Driving down Clement I'm following a guy texting behind the wheel of a white Smart car. At the first light when it turns green and the cars in front of him drive off we remain stopped because he's still texting away. So I honk and receive the finger for my trouble. We continue until the next light at Spall and Enterprise and he does it again, I honk and receive the finger again. This time I notice that the Tahoe in front of him has a big antenae and the vague shadow of lights in the rear window and I wonder how the police car hasn't noticed this guy.

So we continue down enterprise and at the light on Cooper traffic is stopped and the clown in the smart car looks up too late and gently runs into the back of the police Tahoe. I've never laughed so hard at the scene of an accident. After sharing what I saw with the RCMP I drove by the 'smart' driver and gave a big smile and wave, not that I had to, the guy was alread taking it out on his dashboard but stopped long enough to flip me the bird again. This time however it gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling, guess I'm just a sucker for a happy ending.

[Grandan]

The law should focus on safety and not revenue generation. Ticketing stopped drivers is not about safety. The cops and the province just found another way to generate revenue. It's stupid, lazy and what I've come to expect from our governments.

Well, sometimes safety needs to shoved down peoples throats because they don't get it. A good stiff fine is a sure fire way of giving someone the heads up. Taking away their licence the next step, taking away their car maybe.
The cost to my insurance rates because of distracted driving is significant. Add in the toll on our police resources because people are too stupid to realize how truly dangerous the practice is. It is not a significant revenue grab.
If you are sitting a a light texting you are not paying attention to what is going on around you and likely were texting before you stopped.
If indeed the traffic is gridlocked, then stretch your legs and get out of your car to make the call, it's not that difficult.
Or if you can't leave the comfort of your car, pull over to a parking place and shut off your engine. Don't sit idling in the bicycle lane.

[the truth]

you get caught texting and driving you should loose your phone, and impound your car for a month, nothing else will work

[Hmmm]

Had an interesting drive to work today. Driving down Clement I'm following a guy texting behind the wheel of a white Smart car. At the first light when it turns green and the cars in front of him drive off we remain stopped because he's still texting away. So I honk and receive the finger for my trouble. We continue until the next light at Spall and Enterprise and he does it again, I honk and receive the finger again. This time I notice that the Tahoe in front of him has a big antenae and the vague shadow of lights in the rear window and I wonder how the police car hasn't noticed this guy.

So we continue down enterprise and at the light on Cooper traffic is stopped and the clown in the smart car looks up too late and gently runs into the back of the police Tahoe. I've never laughed so hard at the scene of an accident. After sharing what I saw with the RCMP I drove by the 'smart' driver and gave a big smile and wave, not that I had to, the guy was alread taking it out on his dashboard but stopped long enough to flip me the bird again. This time however it gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling, guess I'm just a sucker for a happy ending.

That is a happy story.

[gman313]

you get caught texting and driving you should loose your phone, and impound your car for a month, nothing else will work

us texters will gradually weed ourselves out through natural selection in the form of car accident fatalities. No need for regulation.

Also, I am a much better driver than most and so when I drive and text I'm down to average so its all good.

[the truth]

I do not care if you kill yourself texting, just do not take victims with you when you do it,

[GenesisGT]

Wait for it.

[mexi cali]

And there's the problem, yet another person that doesn't "get" the law, or prefers to interpret it at their own discretion.

Read the law as it is written, and then hopefully, you will "get" it... If not, I guess you can just fall into the category of those that don't "get it"


The law

I get the law, and I understand it fully that's why I dont use my phone while in my vehicle. What I'm saying is, its stupid that the distracted driving law applies while stopped at a red light in bumper to bumper traffic.

Its like the person that goes and passes out in their vehicle in a parking lot because they know they're to drunk drive but still get charged for a DUI.

Do you "get it now"?

Ummmm. Still you who is having a hard time here. One example at a time; first, in traffic, bumper to bumper, at a red light. Using your cell phone is still distracting and there are lots of things that could happen. Consider you with all of your I am sure considerable brain power fixated on candy land and one of the small parts of your brain fires off an electron or two alerting you that there was movement ahead. Foot comes off break, you start to move because the guy in front of you moved but you didn't notice the guy dodging in between cars trying to cross the street and Bam! Or you just thought you perceived movement, foot comes off brake and Bam! you hit the car in front of you. Or, and this happens a lot, you notice nothing and the traffic starts to move but you are the only one who doesn't see it, cuz yer, you know, distracted and buddy in the car behind you who has had it with the stop and start cuz he's missing Oprah, gets out of his car and pummels you.

Second example; Mr. responsible, knows his limit but doesn't stay within it and gets plowed at the local whistle wetter. Has his car and needs it for the morning commute so he decides to do the responsible thing and not drive home. Good guy, right? Anywho, he has no where to lay his weary and soon to be pounding head so he thinks to hisself, SELF! I have a perfectly comfortable car in which to sleep and sleep in it I will. So, in he jumps, keys in ashtray, seat reclined and soon he is snoring the sleep of the severly inebriated, Out cold.

Along comes officer friendly and he notices the extremely fogged windows on the only car in the lot so he decides to investigate.

Lo and behold and faith and begoraa, there's a man in there. Out comes the billy and "tap tap tap" on the window does he. No response. "tap tap tap". Some subtle movement. A third round and pop, the eyes open and up snaps the head. After the intial confusion and speculation as to where the hell he is, the seat back comes up and the window comes down.

Yessssir? he slurs, what can I do for you?

Step outta the car boyo sose we can have a palaver, you n me.

With not inconsiderable effort, out steps Mr. Responsible and the first thing OF notices is the strong odor of what can only be the after effects of a full shift O drinking.

So then, lets look at the facts; after closing, in a parking lot attached to a bar, only car in the lot, person occupying the drivers seat,, obvious signs of impairment and keys in the car.

What should OF do? Should he assume that MR is in fact going to thoroughly sleep off the effects of the demon rum as he says he was doing? Sure. Why not? What could possibly go wrong?

It is a well known fact that no one has ever started off sleeping off a drunk in his or her car and then, when the car wouldn't stop spinning decided to screw it and get home to the comfort of their own home with their own shower and toilet in which to expectorate the contents of the liquid ingestion of the preceding 7 or 8 hours. That has never happened.

Or has it.

I think the law allows for the reasonable expectation of a chain of events based on the evidence which presents itself to officers of the law. It is called intent.

Basically, if you get in your car while drunk with the keys, it is reasonable to assume that the intent was to drive oneself home, if after a cat nap or not.

So, OF, in the execution if his duties is going to make that assumption, a likely one at that, and take the appropriate action to get you and your sorry *bleep* off the road.

I applaud OF. And to you sir, I say, poor form, poor form.

[mexi cali]

Genesis GT; as soon as he said "as if driving wasn't hard enough for women" I knew. I just knew it. Karma is indeed a bittch.

Thanks for psoting that.

[alanjh595]

I believe the MVA/code has the definition of: "Care and and control of a motor vehicle while impaired". That is why you can lose your driving privileges for a car, if you are caught driving a boat while impaired.
Same law can pertain to operating a snowmobile, quad, or a tractor. There is even case law about riding a horse while drunk.

[Glacier]

I drive around with a fake phone strapped to the side of my head. I love how many angry looks I get from the cars driving by!

[Poindexter]

I drive around with a fake phone strapped to the side of my head. I love how many angry looks I get from the cars driving by!

Sure that's anger and not pity, after all, you do have a cell phone strapped to your head.

[Grandan]

I had always wondered why anyone would insist on talking to someone or texting them while knowing that they are driving and how irresponsible that is. So we are likely to hear a bit more like this in the future:
https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#226111

[the truth]

i like it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,