Ontario hand-held ban: ‘It’s aboot friggin’ time!’
p2pnet news view | Mobiles:- “Well it’s aboot friggin’ time!”
That’s one p2pnet reader on the news Ontario has decided a ban on hand-helds is a good idea.
And, “actually cellphones aren’t the biggest problem,” says another, going on he’s seen the following:
- woman putting on makeup at 100+ km/hr
- man reading newspaper at 110+ km/hr
- woman changing her shirt at God knows how fast (couldn’t catch up)
- some crazy young girl eating something out a bowl with a spoon steering with her legs
- police officer typing on his computer at 100+ km/hr
- and the winner of this contest was – two teens getting it on naked on the 401 at 120 km/hr!!!
“So banning cellphones makes sense since I’m sure most or all of the above got in a accident at some point.”
Jay says he thought video players/tvs were already against the law, adding »»»
I have a problem with people driving with their dogs on their lap. Whether it be a little dog or a big dog. Ive also seen cops in their cruisers driving and typeing on their laptop. I would be curious to see if there have been any accidents relating to that.
The one accident I was in I was changing the radio station. I looked down to change it and didnt see the car in front of me stopping for a pedestrian in a crosswalk. I saw it to late and by the time I had hit the brakes I ended up hitting the car in front. Not much damage to it as it was an older car but the side taillight did some damage to my car.
Meanwhile, “Ontario is boldly going where three provinces and more than 50 countries have already gone,” says the Toronto Star, continuing:
“Ontario drivers will still be allowed to carry on phone calls with hands-free devices and use dashboard-mounted global positioning systems. But if the ban, once passed and enforced by police, brings greater awareness to the dangers of distractions and drivers wait until they’re out of the car to make that call, even if they have a hands-free option, so much the better.
“Opponents will point out the flaws: What of other distractions? Eating? The car radio? Yes, those, and others, are distractions too. But it makes little sense to argue the government shouldn’t do what it can, simply because it can’t fix everything. Others will say: People will flout the law and police won’t be able to enforce it. Those are the same arguments that were raised in 1976 when Ontario made seat belts mandatory — and few today would say that wasn’t a good idea.”
Yesterday we quoted retired RCMP chief superintendent Dale Boire from the Ottawa Citizen, and here he is again with:
“On Jan. 1, 1976, Ontario became the first province in Canada to make the use of seat-belts mandatory. Almost 33 years later, police are still conducting seat-belt blitzes and issuing tickets to those that fail to comply.”Based on the public response to the seat-belt law, driver compliance with the cellphone restriction may be equally long and perhaps even more challenging from a law enforcement perspective.
“Drivers are distracted not so much by the device in the hand as they are by the conversation itself.”
But, says Bill Sandford in the Globe and Mail:
“Queen’s Park, eager to ban cellphone use by drivers, should follow Vietnam’s lead and look at banning small-chested and short people from riding motorcycles (A Slight To Slight People – Oct. 29). Considering that those we put in power to govern us feel it is necessary to legislate for the lowest common denominator in intelligence in this province, such a ban is the next logical step.
“It’s too bad commonsense has gone out the window, making it necessary to actually ban the use of cellphones and BlackBerrys while driving.”
ban on hand-helds – No hand-helds, Ontario drivers told, October 29, 2008
Toronto Star - , October 29, 2008
Ottawa Citizen – Cellphone law compliance not a sure thing, October 29, 2008
Globe and Mail – Hung up on failure to hang up, October 30, 2008
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