Put down those cellphones: Ont. ban on driving distractions passes final reading

[mothernature]

TORONTO - Get your hands off those cellphones, Ontario drivers - a new law that bans using hand-held devices to talk, email, or send text messages while behind the wheel was passed Wednesday.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090422/national/ont_drivers_cellphone

[x10dude]

Seems very similar to laws in California and NY.

"The law doesn't affect the use of hands-free devices such as Bluetooths or using cellphones for 911 calls, but it does ban portable video games, MP3 players and DVD players.

Global positioning systems will be allowed, as long as they're properly secured to the dashboard. "

[Zoom5Zoom]

TORONTO - Get your hands off those cellphones, Ontario drivers - a new law that bans using hand-held devices to talk, email, or send text messages while behind the wheel was passed Wednesday.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090422/national/ont_drivers_cellphone

Glad to see this law...now they will work on the ladies law...

No hand held Mirrors, Lipstick Application or Makeup installs or touchups while driving hands free in the fast lane.(2thumbs)(lol)

Go figure

[bgibb68]

Glad to see this law...now they will work on the ladies law...

No hand held Mirrors, Lipstick Application or Makeup installs or touchups while driving hands free in the fast lane.(2thumbs)(lol)

Go figure

damn dude....we REALLY need that to be law everywhere

[coolmazda5]

Same in Philly, let's hope it passes for the whole state too (if we can get over the stupid politics)

Mayor Nutter yesterday signed into law a ban on using handheld cell phones while traveling the city's streets that applies to just about anyone except pedestrians, despite threats from the state legislature to punish the city for doing so.

Nutter joined Councilmen Bill Green and William Greenlee on Eakins Oval to sign the bill.

The bill, sponsored by Green, Greenlee, and Councilman Frank Rizzo, passed Council unanimously last month with what appeared to be wide public support.

City police won't begin enforcing the law until November, Deputy Police Commissioner John Gaittens said. The Police Department will spend three months working on regulations and training officers and three months in a public-education campaign.

The law encompasses just about every form of transportation, and prohibits talking, dialing. or texting on a handheld device. Modes of movement covered in addition to motor vehicles are bicycles, scooters, in-line skates, and skateboards.

First-time offenders will be fined $150 and second-time offenders $300.

It's unclear what will happen on Interstates 95, 76, and 676.

Gaittens said city police would not enforce the law on those interstates, which are patrolled by state police.

Capt. David F. Young, commander of Troop K, which covers Philadelphia, said troopers do not enforce local ordinances but are always on the lookout for signs of distracted driving, particularly by cell-phone users.

He said Philadelphia police have the authority to enforce the cell-phone law on the interstates if they choose to do so.

The six-month grace period should also allow time for politics in Harrisburg to play out.

This week, the House passed a bill regulating driving by teenagers (including a ban on cell phones for them). The bill included an amendment from Rep. Richard A. Geist (R., Blair) that would withhold Philadelphia's $91 million in annual gas-tax proceeds. Geist argues that Philadelphia violated the state's Motor Vehicle Code by passing its own ban.

That bill will have to get through the Senate, where Sen. Robert "Tommy" Tomlinson has offered a bill to ban all texting that does not include such a punitive clause.

Source:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20090501_Nutter_signs_hand-held_cell_phone_ban.html

[bgibb68]

i wonder what would happen down here with a law like that....cause everytime i pass a cop dust driving around, they are always on the phone.....kinda bassackwards if ya ask me

[AwaKeN]

We have this law since 1 year now in quebec, i'm very happy to have the bluetototh in the m5 !

[DoubleT]

TORONTO - Get your hands off those cellphones, Ontario drivers - a new law that bans using hand-held devices to talk, email, or send text messages while behind the wheel was passed Wednesday.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090422/national/ont_drivers_cellphone

But will the the law be enforced by the police?
I've seen guys on the cell phones reading their reports while driving as well, they should have their car impounded.
Also I'm still not crazy about GPS devices either. Most drivers seem to fiddle around with it and pay too much attention to it, more than the road itself.

[dima_rus]

But will the the law be enforced by the police?
I've seen guys on the cell phones reading their reports while driving as well, they should have their car impounded.
Also I'm still not crazy about GPS devices either. Most drivers seem to fiddle around with it and pay too much attention to it, more than the road itself.

I agree 100%, but let's not forget that people that are responsible drivers wouldn't care about GPS or any other accessory in the car. Things like GPS, stereo, etc. are only there to help you make your drive to destination a bit more comfortable.

I can't stand people talking on the phone, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper while driving. They pay no attention to the road itself. I almost got hit a few times because of that. Good thing I wasn't doing any of the above mentioned staff and was able to avoid the accident.

[x10dude]

I can't stand people talking on the phone, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper while driving. They pay no attention to the road itself. I almost got hit a few times because of that. Good thing I wasn't doing any of the above mentioned staff and was able to avoid the accident.

You would put drinking coffee in the same level as talking on the phone and reading the newspaper?? I don't drink coffee that much but I always keep a water bottle in my car. I don't think it distracts from driving very much.
I don't think any of the current laws covers drinking beverages either.

I agree that talking on the phone, reading a newspaper, and putting on makeup are very distracting, but I wouldn't put drinking a beverage in that category.

[coolmazda5]

You would put drinking coffee in the same level as talking on the phone and reading the newspaper?? I don't drink coffee that much but I always keep a water bottle in my car. I don't think it distracts from driving very much.


Water spilling is OK, but catch a driver spilling hot coffee on his (her) noble parts while braking, I've seen it and is scary. You are right though, unfortunately there can no be laws for everything, just common sense is non-existing in some cases :(

[x10dude]

Water spilling is OK, but catch a driver spilling hot coffee on his (her) noble parts while braking, I've seen it and is scary. You are right though, unfortunately there can no be laws for everything, just common sense is non-existing in some cases :(

That is true, spilling coffee is very dangerous on the road... Common sense is needed but you can't imagine people on this board wanting to outlaw drinking beverages.

[skyhawk]

Hand held or hands free. The cell phone is still dangerously distracting.
I've used hands-free to answer questions from junior techs in the field... and it can still cause feeling of 'micro sleep'. like the 'how did I get here?' kind.

I think the 'driving routine' programmed in the brain switches to 'auto-pilot',
several times during the phone conversation. It's scary but also amazing how one can drive the route without remembering certain part of it later.
I guess (or I hope) the brain lets go of the cellphone during unique incidents,
i.e. when honked by the other drivers. Or before ending up in a ditch.

[NCZ13]

Hand held or hands free. The cell phone is still dangerously distracting.
I've used hands-free to answer questions from junior techs in the field... and it can still cause feeling of 'micro sleep'. like the 'how did I get here?' kind.

I think the 'driving routine' programmed in the brain switches to 'auto-pilot',
several times during the phone conversation. It's scary but also amazing how one can drive the route without remembering certain part of it later.
I guess (or I hope) the brain lets go of the cellphone during unique incidents,
i.e. when honked by the other drivers. Or before ending up in a ditch.


i know exactly what your talking about.