This law makes no sense to me

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I know we have 'reckless driving' laws here, not sure how that compares to the laws in Canada though.
"No watching hockey while driving, eh!" LOL.
 
I don't even own a cell phone so I don't have to worry about being distracted that way. I do find that people tend to be very much into their phone conversation and not paying as much attention to the road and other people around them. I think unless it's an absolute emergency, there is no reason to be carrying on a phone conversation while driving - people should pull off the road and finish their conversation before merging back into traffic. I don't have an answering machine or voice mail on my home phone and I still make it through each and every day just fine. People will continue to do what they feel is their right, regardless of any laws that are in effect or get passed. Things come and go and the planet continues to rotate. :)
 
A fly on the wall might say that this law was more about revenue generation for government bodies and lawyers who defend or prosecute the offender, than for public safety. The fly would say it's naive to think otherwise. After all, who creates the laws and assigns the penance?
 
I wholeheartedly agree with JoeV.

There a number of things that can go on in a vehicle that are distractions and can contribute to accidents. Loud stereos, have you heard those cars that reverberate down the block? Seats reclined to almost a laying down position. Hydraulic systems that are manually operated to make the car jump around ad look cool. People talking to passengers. Passengers getting roudy. Eating, drinking, reading, I have even seen people doing crossword puzzles while driving. Putting on makeup, and finally the cell phone.

It ti not possible to legislate the appropriate behavior in all of these situations. I think simpler is better. We have a system of traffic laws, if one of the above distractions contributes to the driver breaking a law, they should be issued a ticket for it. In New Jersey, it is not legal to use a handheld cell phone, it must be hands free. one of the greatest offenders is the local and county police. I rarely see them driving without a phone to their ar. Who issues them tickets?

I got a ticket for talking on my cell phone. I was stopped at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel leaving Manhattan. The tunnel was blocked and not moving, I was surrounded by cars that could not move either. I really do not think tht I was driving at the point. I called home to say that I would be late. There were 9 officers standing on the side to issue summons for $125.00 each. Each officer can issue a summons in about 10 minutes, that is $6,750.00 per hour. Is it really about safety? In my small town (1 Square mile) I see two to four officers standing on the side of the road, in town, in a 25 MPH speed limit, on a sunny summer day, issuing seat belt tickets to folks leaving town. They stand at the town line. Sorry, but, it looks like revenue generation to me.

Mods, please delete my post is I am out of line, I really am not saying this with any degree of anger.
 
I have worked for a cell phone company for 15 years. I drive 45 miles one way to work each day, so I do have some substantial driving time. Due to the fact that this is my business, I tend to pay attention to what is going on with the devices more than most, and have been for a long time. I know I am going to get attacked for this, but it is just an observation that I have made over a long period of time. The absolute worst are women in SUVs. They are totally oblivious of what is going on around them. Drive in the left lane, and stay even with the car next to them, and NEVER look in their rearview mirror. Men do it too, but it is predominately women driving small school buses. The next group is teens and twenties. They are usually at least 2 of them in the car, and they are both on the phone. Are they talking to each other? My wife’s ignition and send button are the same thing. I cannot tell you how many times she has called me and it is raining. GET OFF THE PHONE! Or as I prefer to put it, “Shut Up and Drive”. It is illegal to text and drive in Louisiana. As far as talking on the phone and driving, I am not sure how that would work. Do they ticket you if your mouth is moving? Do they subpoena your phone records to see if you were on a call? I cannot tell you how many times over the years I have worked with people that do not have accidents themselves, but have left many in their wake of not paying attention to what is going on around them. People wonder why other people have Road Rage. It is because others do not have the consideration to pay attention to what is going on around them. Sorry for the rambling, but this is one of my Pet Peeves. It has actually moved up above people that put empty ice trays back in the freezer.
 
man, i'm right with ya, padams.

nothing worse than a woman that puts back empty trays. that's why their feet are smaller. so they can reach the sink better than men can...
 
No, that was my college roommate, and then had the nerve to complain that there was no ice. If he did not have time to fill it, just put it on the counter. Don't take the time to put it back in the freezer.
 
I have a cell phone but I don't use it while driving. A couple of years ago a woman almost ran head on into my vehicle because she was paying more attention to her cell phone then where she was driving. Driving and talking on the cell phone just doesn't mix.
 
It is not that I am against talking on a cell phone and driving period. I just think most people do not know what their priorities should be. My commute is about 50 minutes in the morning, and again in the afternoon. This is my time. I do not want to be talking on the phone, or not talking the whole way to and from work. I hate talking on the phone period. Kinda funny considering the job I have had for the last 15 years. I also find it rude to the other people that happen to be in the car with you. When my boys are in the car with me, I really hate to be on the phone. I want to talk to them. They are 12 and 9. How much longer will it be that they are in the car with me? My wife did get me a blue tooth device that allows the audio to play through the car speakers. I like it a lot. I have some tunes on my phone, and it plays those. When the phone rings, the music stops, and I can carry on my conversations. Once you hit the end button, the music starts back where it paused at the beginning of the call.
 
Quicksilver, Thank you! That is a picture of my 4 year old grandson, Jerry giving me a welcome home kiss after spending 4 months in the hospital from having a stroke.
 
It is not that I am against talking on a cell phone and driving period. I just think most people do not know what their priorities should be. My commute is about 50 minutes in the morning, and again in the afternoon. This is my time. I do not want to be talking on the phone, or not talking the whole way to and from work. I hate talking on the phone period. Kinda funny considering the job I have had for the last 15 years. I also find it rude to the other people that happen to be in the car with you. When my boys are in the car with me, I really hate to be on the phone. I want to talk to them. They are 12 and 9. How much longer will it be that they are in the car with me? My wife did get me a blue tooth device that allows the audio to play through the car speakers. I like it a lot. I have some tunes on my phone, and it plays those. When the phone rings, the music stops, and I can carry on my conversations. Once you hit the end button, the music starts back where it paused at the beginning of the call.

I have had the same type of job for over 20 years now and feel pretty much the same as you do about cell phones.
 
Lets please stay away from the politics side of this topic. Talking about "revenue generation for government bodies" violates our rules. If we can keep on topic without going to politics then this topic can remain up on the board.
 
There is scientific evidence that talking on the phone handsfree is almost as distracting as holding the phone.

It's the talking itself that distracts the brain from the task at hand -- driving.

Well in that case we should enact legislation banning talking while driving rather than on cell phone usage. I'm not being facetious, I'm just pointing out what IMO is faulty logic. (not your logic Jenny, the lawmakers)


 
I believe the difference between talking on the phone and talking to someone in the passenger seat is that the person in the passenger seat can see what is going on the road and knows when to shut up and let you concentrate. The person on the cell phone only sees what is going on in their own location.
 
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