Distracted drivers

[Rusty Blade]

One of the golden moments of Mythbusters was proving that any interaction besides hands on wheel, and eyes and ears on the road drastically reduced your ability to react. Be it cellphone or hands free.
You all may be peeved by people on their cellphones, but there's an even larger driving peeve of mine: Drivers with headsets on. Not little ol' earbuds for hands free talking, but the "I'm going to listen to records" gorram headsets.

I agree. There are so many distractions inside and outside the vehicle that can cause one to lose focus. And now the new vehicles have GPS screens. I saw a commercial for one last night: the woman was driving and scrolling through her GPS monitor for what seemed like several seconds...with her head down...not focusing on the road...and I thought I can see where this is going. I know they are designing vehicles to appeal to the internet generation (not mine). The inside of vehicles should be quite plain with few distractions.

 

[davent]

I'm in Ontario as well and if you're caught driving over the alcohol legal limit or 'stunt' driving your vehicle is impounded. The stats say distracted driving is now the number one cause of traffic fatalities in the province so why aren't cars or phones impounded if someone is caught using the phones while driving?

Anybody know of any jurisdictions where that's been tried?

Should add i believe it's still OK to use a handsfree device while driving in the province.
dave

 

[davent]

You react to stimulus, if you're not aware of the stimulus that requires an action you're not going to react.
dave

 

[Rusty Blade]

Maybe I am simple in the head but I find in heavy traffic even the radio is a distraction for me.

 

[davent]

I'm far too distracted in the first place to take any chances behind the wheel so i don't drive at all.
dave

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Some folks make an effort to be discrete while driving and texting. Yesterday I witnessed a young man in a doors removed Jeep rounding a corner, one hand on the wheel, the other holding his phone. He was not texting while driving; he was driving while texting.

 

[Esox]

Unfortunately, the laws have had no effect as far as I can tell.

Keep an eye on the police cars going by. Here in London 8 out of 10 of them are doing the very same thing. On their cell phones. Why dont they get a $490 fine and lose 3 points too? I've pulled up beside one at a red light and caught him on his cell and congratulated him on setting such a fine example.

As I said, its one of my bugger buttons and I cant always hold my tongue or temper lol. I may respect the uniform, but not always the person wearing it!

 

[August West]

Keep an eye on the police cars going by. Here in London 8 out of 10 of them are doing the very same thing. On their cell phones. Why dont they get a $490 fine and lose 3 points too? I've pulled up beside one at a red light and caught him on his cell and congratulated him on setting such a fine example.

As I said, its one of my bugger buttons and I cant always hold my tongue or temper lol. I may respect the uniform, but not always the person wearing it!

 

[Esox]

One of the golden moments of Mythbusters was proving that any interaction besides hands on wheel, and eyes and ears on the road drastically reduced your ability to react. Be it cellphone or hands free.

It's where you focus your attention. Be it on the road and surroundings or off into space as you yell into a cell phone, hands free or otherwise.

My "Driver Training" consisted of the RCMP Advanced Driving Course in Regina Saskatchewan in 1982. That was the only driver training at the time there and one thing they drilled into our heads that stands out to me about people not paying attention to whats going on around them is the rule "When in town, windows down" so you can hear whats around you better than you can with the windows up. Even just an inch or two may let you hear that oncoming siren 5 seconds before you normally would. Of course it makes no difference if you have ear buds in and the music cranked!

 

[davent]

Keep an eye on the police cars going by. Here in London 8 out of 10 of them are doing the very same thing. On their cell phones. Why dont they get a $490 fine and lose 3 points too? I've pulled up beside one at a red light and caught him on his cell and congratulated him on setting such a fine example.

As I said, its one of my bugger buttons and I cant always hold my tongue or temper lol. I may respect the uniform, but not always the person wearing it!

Ontario Ministry of Transportation

Commercial and public transit drivers, as well as public service workers who are engaged in the performance of their duties, will be able to view the display screens of mobile data terminals and logistical tracking and dispatching devices. Specified commercial, public transit, and public function drivers, as well as licenced amateur radio operators, are permitted hand-held use of their two-way (“CB”) radios (exemption to expire January 1, 2018).

Other devices not included in the ban:

• Viewing a display screen used for collision avoidance systems
• Viewing a display screen of an instrument, gauge or system that provides information on the conditions, use and immediate environment of the vehicle or that provides road or weather information
• Ignition interlock
• Car audio screens that display still images...

Distracted Driving - Frequently Asked Questions

dave

 

[Esox]

Ontario Ministry of Transportation

Commercial and public transit drivers, as well as public service workers who are engaged in the performance of their duties, will be able to view the display screens of mobile data terminals and logistical tracking and dispatching devices. Specified commercial, public transit, and public function drivers, as well as licenced amateur radio operators, are permitted hand-held use of their two-way (“CB”) radios (exemption to expire January 1, 2018).

Other devices not included in the ban:

• Viewing a display screen used for collision avoidance systems
• Viewing a display screen of an instrument, gauge or system that provides information on the conditions, use and immediate environment of the vehicle or that provides road or weather information
• Ignition interlock
• Car audio screens that display still images...

Distracted Driving - Frequently Asked Questions

dave

That may apply to their laptops attached to the dashboard, but not their personal cell phones.

 

[davent]

From the Highway traffic act January 2017, it does say highway so i'm not sure what might fall under the umbrella of highway.

Hand-Held Devices
Exemption for law enforcement officers
9. The following persons, while engaged in the performance of their duties, may drive a motor vehicle on a highway while holding or using a hand-held wireless communication device:

1. Police officers, within the meaning of the Police Services Act.

2. Special constables appointed under section 53 of the Police Services Act.

3. Auxiliary members of a police force.

4. First Nations Constables appointed under subsection 54 (1) of the Police Services Act.

5. Persons appointed under a statute of the Parliament of Canada and who are peace officers within the meaning of section 2 of the Criminal Code (Canada).

6. Persons appointed as police constables under section 44 of the Railway Safety Act (Canada).

7. Persons designated as park wardens by the Minister of Natural Resources or under the Canada National Parks Act (Canada).

8. Park wardens under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006.

9. Conservation officers under section 87 of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997. O. Reg. 366/09, s. 9.

Law Document English View

From the Hamilton Police website, but wish i could find a date...

Exemption - Police, emergency medical services personnel, firefighters and enforcement officers can use hand-held devices and viewing display screens when performing their duties.

Distracted Driving | Hamilton Police Service

dave

 

[Esox]

when performing their duties.

I can go along with that I guess. Still not sure that would cover personal cell phone use while driving. I'm also pretty sure that sleeping behind the Travel Information Center doesnt count as "performing their duties" either, but we use to wake one up every night through the winter at 2am doing commercial snow removal haha.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I've pulled up beside one at a red light and caught him on his cell and congratulated him on setting such a fine example.

Do not do that in America- you will, at best, get a ticket.

 

[oc_in_fw]

If I wrote the laws:

1. First offense- $500
2. Second offense- DL suspended 3 months
3. Third offense- DL suspended for 5 years, and at least a month in jail.

Harsh? I don't think so. Driving is serious business, and you can kill people too easily with a car, just because you think you are so special.

 

[Esox]

Do not do that in America- you will, at best, get a ticket.

I'm not sure what the ticket might be for, but I've had tickets for manufactured reasons in the past. Horn not working when it did. Headlight out when they were clearly working, high beams inc. Snow covered license plate on my pickup with a step bumper in a blizzard with 6"s per hour falling lol.

Just dont ever tell one you have more money than they have tickets.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I'm not sure what the ticket might be for, but I've had tickets for manufactured reasons in the past. Horn not working when it did. Headlight out when they were clearly working, high beams inc. Snow covered license plate on my pickup with a step bumper in a blizzard with 6"s per hour falling lol.

Just dont ever tell one you have more money than they have tickets.

I had a friend who had a cop pass him at about 10 MPH over the limit. The officer didn't have his lights on, and stopped at a stop light, so there was no emergency. My friend pulls up next to him and points at his speedometer. When the light turned green he got pulled over. He was asked what his problem was- he said he was just letting the officer know he was breaking the speed limit. He got a ticket for interfering with an officer. The ticket was thrown out in court, but he had to take time off and pay the court fee.

 

[Esox]

I had a friend who had a cop pass him at about 10 MPH over the limit. The officer didn't have his lights on, and stopped at a stop light, so there was no emergency. My friend pulls up next to him and points at his speedometer. When the light turned green he got pulled over. He was asked what his problem was- he said he was just letting the officer know he was breaking the speed limit. He got a ticket for interfering with an officer. The ticket was thrown out in court, but he had to take time off and pay the court fee.

The one that pulled me over for having an "inoperable horn" was behind me and didnt have a valid reason to stop me so when he came to the window he reached in, touched the horn button not hard enough to sound the horn, smiled and wrote the ticket.

I'm glad those days are 25 years behind me lol.

 

[oc_in_fw]

The one that pulled me over for having an "inoperable horn" was behind me and didnt have a valid reason to stop me so when he came to the window he reached in, touched the horn button not hard enough to sound the horn, smiled and wrote the ticket.

I'm glad those days are 25 years behind me lol.

 

[dpm802]

Maybe I am simple in the head but I find in heavy traffic even the radio is a distraction for me.

I turn off the radio when conditions demand that I have to concentrate harder on my driving. Every little bump noise from the road surface or squeak from my suspension helps to keep me focused on where I'm going and what I'm doing behind the wheel.

It's also at times like this that I put on my seat belt. I admit, I usually drive off and forget to buckle up, but this reminds me. And having the belt on inexplicably helps me to concentrate.

Regarding electronics, I keep my cellphone in my shirt pocket for easy access in case I get an incoming call, and I will talk on the phone while driving. I will check the locks screen if I hear the sound that tells me I have an incoming text message, but I wait until I'm stopped before I read and respond to it.

I just recently got a 6" Garmin GPS, and i refer to it constantly. It's not a distraction or a toy, it's an indispensable reference tool for driving, even on local trips. I have a terrible sense of direction, and I need an assistant like this to get me from Point A to Point B without the stress of having to remember directions or refer to a paper map.