[lorend]

Ontario Ban on Cell Phones

A new Ontario law starting on October 26, 2009, will ban the use of of a mobile phone or other hand-held devices while you’re driving. It will be illegal to talk, text, type, dial, or email on any mobile phone (unless there’s an emergency and you need to call 911). Drivers can still use a mobile phone with an earpiece, headset, Bluetooth accessory, or voice dial. The law also applies to entertainment devices such as portable audio players and GPS systems.

Under the new law, a fine of up to $500 can be given to drivers who are using their phone while driving. This is in response to studies that state that when driving and using a phone a person is four times more likely to crash. Fifty countries world-wide have made this law as have a number of other provinces, territories and American states. Our demographic (up to age thirty-five) has the highest rates of using the phone while driving.

For more information, please check this article from the Ministry of Transportation. The article also includes additional information and videos.

[micadjems]

Good, finally!

I can't believe the people that do this, along with those that drink and drive. They all seem to think that they're not doing anything wrong!!

[sew12]

I can't get excited about this yet because they're made the stupid decision to essentially not enforce this law until some time in February 2010. Basically the law will be in effect but for a few months it will just be a warning period. No fines will be handed out until February which is ridiculous.

February 1st to be exact.

I hate people who talk on their cellphones while driving. They're the most obnoxious drivers on the road. The sooner they start slapping these a-holes with fines the better.

I wish they would start enforcing the law immediately. All they're getting until February is a lecture. A-holes who endanger other people and talk or text on their cellphone while driving aren't the kind of people who care about lectures.

Also the law is kind of bullshit though because of this:

Bradley said the new law will help police crack down on unsafe practices like texting while at the wheel because officers are now reluctant to use careless driving laws, which carry more "significant" penalties of $1,000 fines and six demerit points, or dangerous driving laws, with a maximum $2,000 fine and up to five years in jail.

It's from an article in the Toronto Star.

http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/622979

The fines for this new law will only be up to $500 and there won't be anymore serious consequences as mentioned above.

As far as I'm concerned what these people are doing is careless and dangerous and should carry a harsh penalty like the ones that those laws carry.

[adrian]

i think that gps will still be used with hands(duh, how else will you point your destination) but they do not require too much interaction. Cell phones will be used hands free. But you eliminate these split second interactions and the distraction still persists(the conversation, the gps route etc.) which is just as dangerous.

So, I think the government should stop trying so hard to control people's actions and try to develop smarter cars and transportation systems, lessening environmental impact and accidents at the same time.

My 2 cents. Of course, I'm thankful for the added "security" this brings.

[sew12]

Originally Posted by adrian

So, I think the government should stop trying so hard to control people's actions

If people weren't such stupid, careless *******s the government wouldn't have to regulate their actions.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by sew12

If people weren't such stupid, careless *******s the government wouldn't have to regulate their actions.

true, more people should ask themselves: "am I fit to drive?" and "what would happen if I got in an accident" and plan accordingly.

I never want to have a car unless I absolutely need it, and then I'm getting a Mini or a Smart.

[sew12]

Originally Posted by adrian

true, more people should ask themselves: "am I fit to drive?" and "what would happen if I got in an accident" and plan accordingly.

I never want to have a car unless I absolutely need it, and then I'm getting a Mini or a Smart.

The problem with cell phone users is they are technically fit to drive, they're just careless. They don't care that they're impeding traffic and causing problems for other drivers because they have to call/text whoever while they're driving a ****ing car.

[manu]

texting/talking or doing anything behind the wheel and not concentrating on driving is irresponsible regardless of what anyone says. You are on the road and you are responsible for yourself and others.

[lawleypop]

I don't understand how the **** they think that talking on a bluetooth isn't careless?

What's the difference between holding a phone and talking and just using a bluetooth and talking? Oh, what, the one hand difference? Ban drinking in cars then too. And smoking in cars.

talking is JUST as distracting as the dialing part. And who even dials anymore? So many phones have voice dial and shit like that.

Honestly, this legislation is bullshit. Until they start banning EVERYTHING that has to do with a cellphone, this will be another joke law where the government is trying to show their balls.

[stevennevets]

i'm sorry, but speaking as someone who was heavily involved with a student group against impaired driving, I disagree strongly.

operating a gps unit, texting, dialing phones, using your ipod... those are activities that require you to look away from the road. obviously not looking at the road is a SERIOUS impairment. it's good for the government to recognize this and start punishing people for unsafe habits.

layleypop, I agree that talking to someone beside me in the car is also a distraction. there have been studies showing that cellphones are worse, but obviously holding a conversation will take away some focus. an unrealistic law would be one prohibiting conversation in cars.

i wish we could ban all unsafe practices, but that's impractical and ridiculous. instead, banning many unsafe practices, especially those that are proving the most dangerous is a good start.

[lawleypop]

Originally Posted by stevennevets

i'm sorry, but speaking as someone who was heavily involved with a student group against impaired driving, I disagree strongly.

operating a gps unit, texting, dialing phones, using your ipod... those are activities that require you to look away from the road. obviously not looking at the road is a SERIOUS impairment. it's good for the government to recognize this and start punishing people for unsafe habits.

layleypop, I agree that talking to someone beside me in the car is also a distraction. there have been studies showing that cellphones are worse, but obviously holding a conversation will take away some focus. an unrealistic law would be one prohibiting conversation in cars.

i wish we could ban all unsafe practices, but that's impractical and ridiculous. instead, banning many unsafe practices, especially those that are proving the most dangerous is a good start.

So it's okay for someone to yell and scream on a bluetooth and engage on the bluetooth as though they were in a business meeting.

The people who use bluetooth regularly are the ones that get severely distracted by it.

Impractical? It's the government. They can do whatever the **** they want when it comes to bullocks like this.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing to ban the use of cellphone usage. I'm all for it. What I'm saying is that it's so ****ing stupid to ban the act of dialing on a phone but not talking on it.

What's the difference between me holding up my phone to my ear, voice dialing, putting it on speaker and talking, and doing whatever it is you do on a bluetooth? It's practically the same thing.

From someone who HAS texted while driving and talks frequently on the phone while driving, talking on the phone is equally as distracting.

I wouldn't be surprised if the "statistics" don't drop nearly as much as they think they will.

Edit: Using your ipod? Guess what, I look away from the road when I change radio stations. Or when I'm putting on the AC. Let's just take those features out too.

I'm just sick of "let's get rid of one thing but not another feature that's almost identical to it because going THAT far will upset the public." If you're going to ban something, ban it ALL.

When people say cellphones are dangerous, they don't just mean the dialing aspect of it. Ban ALL cellphone usage in vehicles, INCLUDING BLUETOOTH.

[PTGregD]

This just in:

Speed limits aren't to decrease road fatalities but to increase government revenue! What a shocker!

Anytime the government puts forward some new 'safety law', it's really just about increasing their revenue.

[lawleypop]

Originally Posted by PTGregD

This just in:

Speed limits aren't to decrease road fatalities but to increase government revenue! What a shocker!

Anytime the government puts forward some new 'safety law', it's really just about increasing their revenue.

Ya well, it works.

Friggin speeding tickets... >_<

[macculkin]

I don't have a blue tooth system... so if i use speaker phone on my cell phone, is that allowed? my cellphone is securely attached to a holder on my dash so i wouldn't be holding it.

[micadjems]

Originally Posted by macculkin

I don't have a blue tooth system... so if i use speaker phone on my cell phone, is that allowed? my cellphone is securely attached to a holder on my dash so i wouldn't be holding it.

I'm pretty sure that's alright.


I think that when we talk about texting and driving, there is a big concern about the generation that's starting to drive right now, that text *EVERYTHING*. I have used my cell phone while driving, and it has been a bit distracting, but i didn't take my eyes off the road. These kids don't only text once, they text over and over and have a conversation on their phone.

I think that's the BIG issue here, IMO