Banning cell phones & GPS in cars ??

[Wild]

we can't keeping holding everyones hand. either due to the economic cost or the cost of our freedoms. they will figure it out. do we not already charge people found at fault using a cell phone?

 

hate 'em or hate 'em the cell phone has become an important part of our society - I've been annoyed by the occasional driver yakking away on the phone just like everyone else. I think an all out ban is going too far.

 

An ban has already been established in other provinces and some states so Ontario is only following the lead. It will be so simple to catch moving violators with onboard cameras in the cruisers and it won't be hard for the roadside radar traps to join in on the fun either or how about red light cameras snapping your violation while talking on the phone. I think that the government and insurance companies have already done their homework on this money maker.

[ChrisK]

I can certainly see a new law coming concerning the use of cell phones and other devices. Perhaps using blue tooth as a solution when receiving calls or a hands free voice command system. Its already out there just have to make it a standard....

As far as the GPS goes well I'm a truck driver and the GPS sure comes in handy and with little distraction. We place the unit dead centre windsheild so your periferal vision catches it while you are driving and the voice prompts help you along the way....Perhaps again some kind of standards must be put in place instead of banning these devices all together ?

[Wild]

I can certainly see a new law coming concerning the use of cell phones and other devices. Perhaps using blue tooth as a solution when receiving calls or a hands free voice command system. Its already out there just have to make it a standard....

As far as the GPS goes well I'm a truck driver and the GPS sure comes in handy and with little distraction. We place the unit dead centre windsheild so your periferal vision catches it while you are driving and the voice prompts help you along the way....Perhaps again some kind of standards must be put in place instead of banning these devices all together ?

I agree and professional drivers ( other than taxi drivers ) should have exemptions.

[limeyangler]

I could go on a rant...but i wont...i think its great they are goin to ban cell phones in cars...been like that in England for years. Dunno about GPS though, one problem that did arise in England with the use of GPS was that big semi trucks would get stuck in tiny villages with no suitable roads for them...lol...

[MAzing]

I think cell phones should be banned well except hands free. As for GPS I see nothing wrong with them, mine just talks to me telling me when to turn etc. My onstar offers hands free phone and directions.

 

Now one thing I didn't see mentioned but someone talked about teenagers and that reminded me that most phones now see more use for texting then talking and that can be very dangerous behind the wheel.

 

Cell phones are already banned in Quebec.

 

As for professional drivers we all know no mater how much experience drivers have some will be better and others worse. I can very easilly drive with my knee while I eat but that's not driving down the 401 or Young street ehter.

[Governator]

I think it's great to ban cellphones in cars, I think it'll definitely lower the accident rate on roads. People are careless when it comes to driving while on the phone.

 

GPS units on the other hand is a pretty ridiculous ban. I can see a POSSIBLE ban in a downtown city area such as Toronto, but I do a lot of backroad driving and without the GPS I'd be lost.

[Gerry]

I don't know about this one. I can see a ban on texting while driving which I see many young females doing. But a ban on hands free cellphone, and worse yet a GPS? And what are you supposed to do with that $3,000 navigation system that sits in the center of the dash? And if we're afraid of distractions, then we should ban all passengers too.

[SlowPoke]

I drive over 200,000 km's/year for the last 20 years. I'm not saying that I am the authority on driving but just to suggest that I've had the opportunity to observe a lot of drivers over a long period of time. In that time we've seen vast advancements in technology, vehicle design, road construction and traffic volume. The only thing that hasn't changed is poor driving habits.

 

For example, when your Daddy taught you how to drive and said "stay in the middle lane on the highway because you can have to option of going left or right to avoid something" - he was wrong.

 

I can't quantify the number of drivers I've seen on the phone or using GPS over the years but I will say that overwhelming majority of them are driving just fine. The problem drivers are; simply oblivious to what is happening around them or inconsiderate (aggressive, over-confident, under-smart).

 

With that said, if you are talking on your cell phone, texting your spouse, surfing OFC, pouring coffee or curling your hair - have it at it! Just know your limits, be aware of your surroundings and be predictable by maintaining your speed and signaling your intentions.

 

Those that act within their abilities don't require a law to tell them to do so. All in favour of this law should have a bumper sticker so I know to stay the hell away from them.

 

-Brian

[danc]

We place the unit dead centre windsheild so your periferal vision catches it while you are driving and the voice prompts help you along the way

 

A word of caution Chris. Windshield mounted equipment is illegal in Minnesota and California.

[irishfield]

Airbags are distracting too....

 

Yah bud... I'll send you some pics of some "distracting" air bags!!

 

Does this mean I won't be able to sharpen my muskie bait hooks while driving the 401 to Montreal next time! Gonna cut into my fishing time....

[skeeter]

Airbags are distracting too....

 

 

Roy if air bags are a distraction to you,

then tell her to put her shirt back on and stop starring!!!!!!

 

Dann

[Billy Bob]

We have had a cell phone ban while driving for a few years now. Everybody pretty much ignores it and keeps on talking

 

GPS, now that's ridiculous. What are you going to do about vehicles that come from the factory with a GPS unit. Ban them also or just not allow that option on Canadian built vehicles. OK, then you are banning millions of US visitors that already have them in their vehicles.

 

Take your country back from the tree hugging liberals and have people be responsible for their own actions. You don't need a baby sitter do you. Maybe you should ban ladders because people fall off them all the time. The list could go on and on...............................

[PatrickGG]

I think the most distracting thing when driving is going by Tackle shops.

[spooner_jr]

Texting or surfing while driving is one thing, but talking on the phone? How many of you drive with two hands on the wheel? Give it a rest.

[John Bacon]

I think cell phones should be banned well except hands free. As for GPS I see nothing wrong with them, mine just talks to me telling me when to turn etc. My onstar offers hands free phone and directions.

 

All of the studies that I have heard about state that there is no difference between the danger of hands free and hand held cell phones. If these studies are correct it doesn't make to ban helds only. Either ban talking on the cell phone or don't ban talking on the phone.

[BillM]

I agree with the cellphone ban, if you want to talk either have it on speakerphone or use a bluetooth headset.

 

I can't see GPS being banned anytime soon, way to hard to police this with all the OEM Nav systems that are coming in cars these days...

[knightfisher]

I agree with the ban on cell phones.

I'm on the road alot with estimates and

such, and I have found most people can't

seem to drive and talk on those things at

the same time.

As far as GPS, well if they are built into the

cars not much one can do, but how did

people get from A to B before without them

[Tdel]

On the news today they said that all electronics were proposed to be banned.

 

I guess we shouldn't check the dashboard cluster for speed, engine temp, outside temp, oil, rpm, fuel level, mileage, etc, etc, etc, it is too distracting. Might as well remove it. Government should also take away all the controls on the steering column too, along with the all radios especially the ones with text information, cd, mp3 players etc.

 

People misuse these devices by not paying attention to the road and spending too much time playing with their toys. What makes the premier think that making it illegal will improve their driving. That seems to be the problem with our governments. Most of the time, instead of addressing the issues they just lump everything in together and ban it all. The people who normally follow the law will try to follow the law and the ones who are causing the problem will continue doing what they were doing before the ban.

 

I am sure all the lobbyists and politicians will feel much better for doing what they do the best>>>>>> Going over board creating new laws that won't correct the problem and only cause aggravation for the law abiding public.

 

Tom

[Tootsie II]

Lunboy, your bio says you're from the GTA. If my memory serves me right, it wasn't that long ago that some guy talking on a cell phone to his wife with his young son in the car didn't notice the flashing lights a level railway crossing. He was still talking to her when the train nailed them and killed them both.

 

The reason I want the phones banned is because I've been nearly hit four time by drivers talking on a hand held phone and the worst thing was is that all were either in a Wal-Mart or mall parking lot.

The ratio was 3 women to one man.

 

When your driving you attention should be on your driving. If you want to talk, pull over.

[charlesn]

Ya, cell phone talkers are bad but ladies doing their makeup are worse. Just this morning, I spilt coffee and powdered white sugar from a donut when I had to downshift to pass her on the shoulder as I saw four car lengths of unoccupied road between her and the next vehicle. Dang inconsiderate women drivers.

[Fisherman]

...you gotta be kidding...

Any idea what distance you cover in one second at 100km/h, probably not, and add the reaction time of about .75 sec for the average person that IS paying attention, so you may as well double that distance, a crap, too late, accidents already happened about 50 yards ago. As for GPS's, not saying all Pollocks are bad drivers but: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/081024/oddi...ccident_offbeat

 

To me you all sound like a bunch of women that are going to have their toys banished.

[POLLIWOGG]

Buddy didn't have his phone long before he wrote off a car, I'd like to see them gone because I ride a vintage motorcycle and need all the help I can get ( by the way an extended left arm is a left turn signal, it does not mean pass me.)

 

Anything that blocks vision out the windshield is already illegal in Ontario and yes the cops are breaking that law too.

 

I don't know for sure but I think there is a law that bans video screen in view of the driver . And using these could already get you a careless charge should something happen like when my buddy ran over the car while looking for the #'s on the phone.

[Chris]

Ban, ban, ban, ban ,ban..........

 

Let's ban passengers in your car (just in case they may strike up a conversation with the driver....very dangerous indeed ). I see a lot of bad driving by people who are NOT talking on a cell phones. Let's make even more laws and ban more things.

 

You can't legislate people into being smart. Leftwingers want society to remove all individual responsibility and put the onus on the gov't. The gov't loves that idea because then they can pilfer more money from us.

 

Ban everything all you leftwingers...to the rest....enjoy what few freedoms you have left while you still can.

[Photoz]

The world was gonna end when seatbelt use became manditory . . . it didn't. The world was gonna end when smoking was banned from the workplace . . . it didn't . . . . it didn't even end when it was banned in public places! The world was gonna end when it became illegal to force kids to smoke (in cars) . . . it didn't. I deliver mail in a residential neighbourhood . . . I can't count the number of times I've nearly got clipped by some imbecile yapping on their phone while driving through a stop sign. There are people who might be able to drive & use the phone, but by far, the majority can't. Just watch . . . a few months AFTER this ban goes into effect, the world STILL will not have exploded! Most laws like this are passed with the stupid in mind, who don't know where to draw the line! Trust me!

[Rich]

It's about time (for the cell phones) .. the GPS thing is just stupid