For all you folks that talk too much on the phone and don’t pay enough attention to the road, the end is nigh!!!
At least if we follow the lead of Quebec…
Ah “common sense” again.
Here in Newfoundland, they’ve had the “no cellphone use while driving” law for a few years. It’s common sense, right?
Well, it hasn’t reduced any traffic fines, or reduced numbers of accidents. In fact, both have been increasing.
Using the phone doesn’t cause accidents – not paying attention causes accidents. You can be not paying attention by drinking a coffee, listening to the radio, talking to the person next to you, or using a hands-free adapter on your phone. None of those are banned.
You can’t legislate common sense, and this kind of law is anything but common sense – it’s knee-jerk legislation on the same level as banning camcorders from movie theaters. Neither will work.
If you ask insurance folk, they’ll tell you that the ubiquity of cellphones in cars is a very good thing – it means that accidents are reported quicker, people get to the hospital sooner, and the big insurance payouts are smaller.
Those who complain about cellphone use in cars should be forced to drive without a radio, not have a conversation with passengers, no coffee in the car, no smoking of course, and anything else that might distract them.
None of the mentioned things are wuite as distracting as taking your eyes off the road to find a cellphone, or to key the cellphone. Coffees get sipped and put back in the holder, radio buttons are pushed once for a second.
Cruise Hwy 1 from Hope to Vancouver, and 3/4 of drivers are yapping on their cells, eyes glued to the licence plate exactly one metre from their front bumpers and completely unaware of anything else around them. Tunnel vision.
After owning one of the things for 3 years, I have to constantly remind myself I do not have to answer it immediately just because it rings and to wait until it’s safe.
While it’s true that you can’t legislate common sense, you can at least guide it along…
A couple of weeks back I almost got whacked at five corners because the lady in the big SUV was too busy pounding away on her cel phone pad that she somehow didn’t notice that it was a four way stop… the three second rule needs to be extended I guess, everyone stop for one minute and then go through the intersection.
Your point about other distractions is valid. Five years ago or so I got rear ended in front of Scotiabank (I was stopped behind traffic iat the crosswalk) by a young lady who was “busy trying to find a song on the cd player”, there wasn’t much in the way of damage so I didn’t bother with the cops or insurance thing.
But I did find it amusing that ten minutes later I drove by that same gal pulled over three blocks down the road for some other road infraction…
As for the cel phone ban, I believe it’s just the hand held version that is to be banned, the hands free methods are still allowed, which I don’t mind at all, as I’m sure that cel phones are helpful in certain circumstance, and I suspect if used properly they are probably no problem.
Though I guess you never really know…
I just don’t understand why it’s so hard for folks to pull off the road and talk when the machine demands their attention, better than plowing into the back of gas truck while trying to find the phone…
I love a good Yee Haw!
YEE HAW!
Well, just to give you an indication about what happens once you ban cellphone use while driving. Here in Newfoundland, they’ve already done so (though curiously, you can still dial all you want, as long you use a hands-free adapter).
Just 5 minutes ago I heard a story on CBC radio about a Tim Horton’s drive-thrus that is apparently causing many traffic jams and frequent accidents. There is talk about banning Tim Horton’s drive-thrus now. Ban cup-holders, I say.
I know someone who flipped her truck over while trying to light a cigarette. They should ban cigarette lighters and smoking.
Accidents happen when people are stupid. I wish I could find a citation for this, but my googling has failed me: during the big cellphone ban debate here in Newfoundland a couple of years ago, there was a guy from some insurance corporation or organization on CBC radio. He made the point that on balance, cellphones have been great for insurance rates and emergency response times. He basically thought that if you were going to ban something that could distract drivers, then cellphones would be the last thing you’d want to ban, as they also have had the most positive influence on highway safety.
Anyway, can’t find it anywhere with google. Maybe some of you can.
I’m with MiG here, you can’t ban Cell Phones and not ban car stereo’s, passenger communication, Pets, etc. People can get into emotional/heated conversations in car and on the Cell Phone. Car stereos are getting more and more complex now, especially after market stereos. Pets, self explanatory. Anything has the potential to distract a driver enough to cause an accident, after that it’s up to the driver.
My car is stick, I can talk on the cell phone and drive while shifting at the same time with 1 hand, but I don’t, it’s too risky. Drivers simply need to use common sense, maybe they need to introduce a law that lets insurance companies ding drivers who cause accidents due to negligence a little harder 
Screw it I sez. Let Darwin do his job! I say we make speed limits higher, remove stop signs and caution corner signs and hand out free NOS packages and Honda Civics.
Seriously, stupid people will die or get hurt. Have we gotten to the point where we have to seriously consider bubble wrapping and labeling everything to protect the general public? I think what we should do instead is teach a little common sense (not that we don’t already) and let people make their own decisions.
What if said stupid person rammed you head on, or if you don’t drive, ran over you while walking or biking?
Shit happens.
You can prevent getting struck by lightning by never going outside, too. I think these laws are getting ridiculous and it’s this “what if” attitude that fuels their creation.
Comparing something so astronomical to something that will happen pretty much every week if you wrote the road rules is hardly a comparison 
It’s unlikely that either will happen to me so I consider them pretty similar.
“Let Darwin do his job! I say we make speed limits higher, remove stop signs and caution corner signs and hand out free NOS packages and Honda Civics.”
Ok, after you accomplish that, you really honestly think that you have as good a chance at getting hit by lightning then into a vehicle related accident? It’s exactly that he-man/over confidence attitude that can cause accidents too.
I’ll look out for myself, no worries. And if I happen to get into an accident, like I said, shit happens.
Won’t somebody please think of the children.
They’re too young to drive. Give them guns instead!