550.00 distracted driving.

[Even Steven]

Meh.

The law prohibits you from sending a text message on the phone while sitting in traffic because it's super bad - here's huge fine and points.

But!

I can actually write an old-fashioned letter to somebody, put it in the envelope and put a stamp on it while sitting in traffic.

Makes perfect sense lol

The reason why people don't follow stupid laws like this is because they don't make sense.

[Dizzy1]

Meh.

The law prohibits you from sending a text message on the phone while sitting in traffic because it's super bad - here's huge fine and points.

But!

I can actually write an old-fashioned letter to somebody, put it in the envelope and put a stamp on it while sitting in traffic.

Makes perfect sense lol

The reason why people don't follow stupid laws like this is because they don't make sense.

You're texting on your phone while stopped - I have to find you for that - that's incredibly dangerous - just give me a minute though, I need to do something on my laptop.

[Atomoa]

OP has a point, speeding is much more dangerous than cell phone usage.

The red light fine point made me laugh.

Great post.

[What_the]

I see 2017 models are standard equipping blue tooth.
6 years ago Bluetooth was offered as an option.
The first DD laws were introduced in 1999 in New York.

So in other words, we let private industry solve the problem for government.

Some of you might recall I predicted this 7 years ago and the best our leaders have done is band aid and raise the fine a few hundred dollars.

I suggested full integration between manufacturers and government (im sure im not the only one to think of this) but the very best for nearly 20'years is private sector making money and government doing nothing.

The fact that speeding,DUI, etc etc is around still should be a clue that no matter how stuck in the idea that everyone should behave nicely is fruitless and counter productive.

Solve the problem. Not band aid it.

[lesliepaul]

I should have clarified a few things in OP,

I should have mentioned 75 people per year die due to DISTRACTED DRIVING, not cell phone use while driving.

The main point of the post was not to argue if this issue is right or wrong, I think we all know its a well appointed new law that should be addressed, especially being the number of people that use hand held devices in this day and age.

What the OP was meant to address is that, people are allowed to drive around with a cup of coffee, which entails taking your eyes off the road while tilting your head back to have a drink along with one hand on the wheel,

Your allowed to smoke while driving, what does it take to get a cigarette out of a package, up to your mouth, fumble for a lighter and light the cigarette, and smoke it which is hand to mouth ever few seconds.

How about eating a subway sandwich,

The idea of the post is that I think that ICBC has keyed into the fact that 99.9% of people have cell phones and that will be the best and most efficient way to retrieve a massive source of income for the government, hence the fact that they fine it the heaviest.

Love it or hate folks, this is the latest government cash grab on the market, they tax your income, they tax everything you own when you buy it, they tax the land you live on after you have already purchased it, that's not enough for them to enjoy big corporate bonuses and swim in a surplus of cash, they send the RCMP out to follow people around hoping they touch there cell phones instead of monitoring the Fentanyl and drug problems around this town, which would save many more lives than chasing people around to hand out cell phone tickets.
Did you know that 17 people died in the first 2 months of this year from fentanyl OD,

I truly think that the RCMP have much better things to do with our tax dollars than set up a cell phone sting.

I observed a ghost car SUV during lunch hour parked out front of one of the high schools the other day, I had to take a second look as the vehicle looked out of place, until I realized it was a RCMP with his seat kicked back, there is no speed restriction outside of this school, so the only reason I could think he was sitting there was to try and hand out these new cash grab tickets, what a great way to spend a few hours, sitting in your SUV relaxing outside a high school where kids are spending time educating themselves and staying out of trouble when there is people over dosing in city park.

Why do they do this, because the government doesn't make money off helping the people with fentanyl addictions, it cost them money, but they do make money off ticketing people that have a cell phone in their hand.

And they know anyone driving an insured vehicle with a cell phone clearly has a job to pay for an outrageously priced ticket..

Welcome to the new corporate world.

To the .1% poster without the cell phone, [ Dinosaurs need not reply, they disappeared a million years ago, how did you buck the trend and manage to not go extinct ].

TEXTING (or reading your phone) WHILE IN MOTION IS THE #1 ISSUE!!!!!!!!.............THE REST IS A CASH GRAB!!!!!!!

Whenever the government (any level of government) uses the word SAFETY...........they see a "pot of gold".

[my5cents]

OK, lets start out with a correction. There is a BIG difference between the Criminal Code of Canada and the Motor Vehicle Act of British Columbia.

The use of an electronic device is contrary to Section 214 of the Motor Vehicle Act of BC, commonly called the "MVA".

A conviction under the MVA is a "Summary Conviction", which means the maximum fine possible is $2000 and 6 months in jail. That is the ultimate maximum that could be assessed.

Now the Criminal Code, is an entirely different kettle of fish, and has nothing to do with minor traffic infractions. For more serious infractions. Impaired Driving, Driving with a BAC over 80 mgs, Dangerous Driving, Criminal Negligence, Hit and Run are the more common criminal driving offences.

Now some have said that "your allowed to ........." and eating a sandwich, lighting a cigarette, drinking coffee was mentioned.

Not really. The big difference is that the government has seen fit to actually name the use of electronic devices as an actual prohibited act. All the rest, are only illegal if they cause the driver to not be in proper control of a vehicle.

If you are eating a sandwich and because of that, you don't pay attention and it comes to the attention of the police, you can be charged. The charge is "Driving Without Due Care and Attention", which comes with a $368 fine and 6 points.

In actual fact using a cell phone, or texting or whatever one can do with a phone, has been illegal for many many years, BUT before the more recent legislation was enacted that expressly names using an electronic device, the use of one of these devices had to be accompanied with evidence that the driver was not paying enough attention to driving. Now, that element has been removed and just the act of holding the device is an offense.

As for complaining about the fine and penalty points assessed for disobeying a traffic light verses the fine and points for distracted driving, I would have thought someone would have questioned Disobeying a Stop Sign.
Red Traffic Light, gets you a $167 fine with 2 points
Stop Sign gets you a $167 fine with 3 points.

For anyone interested the MVA can be found at : http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws ... e/96318_00

For fines and points : http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/ti ... ences.aspx

[Fancy]

This is a very heavy fine and in my opinion a cash grab, the reason I say cash grab is because im positive that speeding kills more people each year than distracted driving, a speeding ticket is 196.00 and 3 points, so the points will cost you nothing providing you do not get another points violation that year.

Accidents increased significantly with the use of cell phones so I don't believe it is a cash grab.

[my5cents]

Isn't a cash grab having to pay an unwarranted amount of money for something that is required or mandatory ?

In the case of distracted driving, just don't do it. Then it's free.

[mexi cali]

Great couple of posts cinco pesos. Factual, unemotional and accurate. All reasons why several here will not like it. I, however, am not one of those and I thank you for your contribution.

The truth is that no matter how much evidentiary information is posted supporting the law, those who think they are either the exception to the rule and are in fact part of that very exclusive group of super gifted individuals who could actually shower in their RV while driving and making waffles and talking on the phone while texting or they are really stupid and continually forget that it's illegal and are getting tired of paying the fines.

[lesliepaul]

Then we have the many people of Kelowna (this province, this country) that believe EVERYTHING our governments do or say and them as pion's can never question ANY of their acts or intentions. Rest assured, extorting as much money out of the masses is goal #1 and to NEVER have to explain themselves goal #2.

[gsc]

Today they had distracted driving trap set up on Springfield rd by art knapp. They had signs up and every thing and that dident stop the stupid people.

When we drove past they at least 7 cars pulled over. The lady in front of us was playing on her phone at the time and almost ran the cop over because she was not paying attention when he caught her.

In my opinion its about dam time they started actually doing something about it. Its only taken them years to start really buckling down on this.

Nothing is worse then looking beside you and seeing the person in the car next to you texting or playing stupid games. To top it off they start slowly going into your lane and almost hit you.

[my5cents]

Then we have the many people of Kelowna (this province, this country) that believe EVERYTHING our governments do or say and them as pion's can never question ANY of their acts or intentions. Rest assured, extorting as much money out of the masses is goal #1 and to NEVER have to explain themselves goal #2.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with questioning what the government does or laws the government enacts, but disobeying a law isn't questioning a law.

Personally I think there is a vast difference between picking up your cell phone when it rings while you are driving and having a verbal conversation with the caller than there is looking at your cell phone, touching in a phone number and making a call, or texting or reading something on your phone.

With my VAST specialized training, I feel very comfortable holding a phone to one ear, driving with one hand and talking (even if I'm chewing gum).

BUT, doing so is illegal and so I DO NOT DO IT.