Distracted driving ticket

[MissingOne]

Thats is why I am grateful for the warning about the no phone on the passenger seat ...

This thread made me curious, so I read the part of the motor vehicle act that covers the topic. I couldn't find anything in it that suggests having your phone within reach is illegal. Again, this isn't advice to anyone else, but if I ever get ticked for having my phone in its usual cubby on the dashboard, I'll take it to court.

I'm actually a phone safety nazi. I never, ever, pick up the phone while I'm driving. If I need to make a call, I pull over. If the phone rings while I'm driving alone, I ignore it. If I have a passenger, I might ask the passenger to answer the call, and tell the caller that I'm driving and can't talk on the phone.

I'm one of the good guys in that respect, but I won't be bullied, either.

 

[poonerboi]

http://www.icbc.com/road-safety/safer-drivers/Documents/distractions.pdf

 

[NEbaD]

The same thing happened to me a few years back, while in north Van Christmas shopping looking for a particular store; my phone was in the cup holder and I was using google maps glancing at it to try and find an address. I had a girl in the car, a bluetooth in my ear, both hands on the wheel. $500.

 

[nmjoff]

In a nutshell...

B.C.’s mobile device law
According to section 214.2 of the Motor Vehicle
Act, a driver cannot operate a hand-held
electronic device (including hand-held
cellphones, smartphones, tablets and other
electronic hand-held devices such as music
players, GPS Navigation Systems, etc.). Also, a
driver cannot communicate using text messages
or email on any type of electronic device.
Drivers in the Graduated Licensing Program
(GLP) are restricted from using hands-free
cellphones while driving. Drivers with a regular
licence are permitted to use hands-free
cellphones and devices that can be operated
with one touch or voice command, provided
that the device is securely fixed to the vehicle or
worn securely on the driver’s body.
Any driver caught texting, emailing, holding a
cellphone or other hand-held electronic device
while driving will be fined $368 and receive four
driver penalty points (total $543 minimum).
GLP drivers who receive one ticket will have
their license reviewed by the Superintendent
and may face driving prohibitions.
Fully licensed drivers who receive two tickets
in a year will have their license reviewed by
the Superintendent and face possible three
to six months prohibition. In addition to the
suspension, two tickets in one year will cost
you $1,256 (two fines at $368 each, plus eight
penalty points at $520) and if you have points
from other tickets (e.g. speeding), it will cost
you even more.

 

[G.O.B.]

This problem is going to get very interesting. Teslas are rampant here, and they have massive touchscreens that take up a lot of the function of the traditional instrument panel in regular cars. For example, if you want to adjust the temperature in a Tesla, you're going to have use an electronic device and by definition, commit the "crime" of distracted driving. I suppose there are voice controls too, but to me that's often even more distracting, especially when it doesn't work perfectly.

 

[MissingOne]

This problem is going to get very interesting. Teslas are rampant here, and they have massive touchscreens that take up a lot of the function of the traditional instrument panel in regular cars. For example, if you want to adjust the temperature in a Tesla, you're going to have use an electronic device and by definition, commit the "crime" of distracted driving. I suppose there are voice controls too, but to me that's often even more distracting, especially when it doesn't work perfectly.

Again, none of what I write should be taken as legal advice, but my reading of the rules suggests that touch screen devices built into the dash are legal. Another oddity I noticed is that it seems to be legal to use a radio, with a microphone that requires you to push a button to talk. In other words, you can't use a phone that only requires you to hold it in your hand. But, you can use a microphone, that not only requires you to hold it in your hand, but to push and release a button. It all seems rather inconsistent.

Personally, when driving, I just avoid using any sort of communication device, other than my big mouth to talk to whoever has the misfortune to be my passenger.

 

[hankmoody]

Quite a few of my cars don't have front license plates, In certain cars, it just look wrong. I'm always conscious of the fact and try to follow close to the traffic so the front is not visible. I would really like the name or names of these agencies if you don't mind sharing. Maybe next time, I won't be so quick to pay the ticket. Thank you in advance.

Trafficticketexperts in wpg. Meritsofmanitoba. There's another i think. Don't know about anywhere else.
Whether you fight it or not i always contact someone to discuss my chances. These people have always been honest with me. And i have never lost.
(I still don't have one on my Challenger. Not only ruins the look but i'm not drilling holes. They told me keep it on the dash. No problems yet.)

 

[clu]

This problem is going to get very interesting. Teslas are rampant here, and they have massive touchscreens that take up a lot of the function of the traditional instrument panel in regular cars. For example, if you want to adjust the temperature in a Tesla, you're going to have use an electronic device and by definition, commit the "crime" of distracted driving. I suppose there are voice controls too, but to me that's often even more distracting, especially when it doesn't work perfectly.

Secured to the car is ok so long as it's not used for communication, computing, video watching, gaming, etc. I looked it up to figure out what the rules were about using a phone as a GPS. The guidelines are very thorough. Just because people don't quote them in their entirety doesn't mean they haven't thought about it.

Incidentally if you happen to know anyone with an N licence, the rules are even stricter for them (no hands free phones either, no using GPS even if secured) so that's worth knowing.

 

[GrandMarnier]

Logic - Trying to keep the front of your car hidden by tail-gating, and creating a dangerous situation because a front plate "just looks wrong."

Incredible.

Hey CT, sorry to misled you into thinking that I was tailgating in order to avoid being seen without a front plate. I would never do that. What I meant to say was I would keep up with the traffic so not to stand out, that's all. Now if I WAS tailgating and it resulted in an accident, that would really "look wrong" wouldn't it. LOL.

 

[GrandMarnier]

Trafficticketexperts in wpg. Meritsofmanitoba. There's another i think. Don't know about anywhere else.
Whether you fight it or not i always contact someone to discuss my chances. These people have always been honest with me. And i have never lost.
(I still don't have one on my Challenger. Not only ruins the look but i'm not drilling holes. They told me keep it on the dash. No problems yet.)

Thanks for the info. You're obviously in MB and I'm in BC, not sure if we have such services here but I'll certainly check around. In Alberta, no front plates are required. Hopefully the trend will extend to their neighboring provinces soon.

 

[ddcanz]

It is nothing but a cash grab..... I got to listen to a Liberal Socialist judge lecture a 3rd time loser drug addict and then give him leniency.Yeah give a POS drug addict mercy and treat hard working tax paying citizens like they are criminals make a lot of sense......to a Liberal it does of course.

SR

Absolutely a cash grab. But how else to get one's attention except through the wallet?.
Warnings? Ad campaigns? Pleadings from impacted family members?
Nothing works like a good old fine.
But the demerits right off the hop definitely blow. IMO just raise the fine to $500 for first timers and drill the offender second time around with demerits as necessary
And doesn't matter whether Liberal or not- this is the system.
You can't get blood from a stone (or cash from a junkie) but a good tax paying citizen will invariably buck up and pay.
Having said this, I mostly agree with the distracted driving rules.
Wanna talk? Bluetooth works quite well. And mount your device to the dash or console.
It's ultimately the texting and sharing they want to "discourage".

 

[badbadboy]

Statistics show more people are killed via a distracted drivers than an impaired driver, it is not a crash grab. It's all about SAFETY for everyone.

To push back about the fines when statistics show that its much worse than drunk driving is pretty pathetic. Try saying that to a grieving family or MADD that there should be no jail time or fines if someone is killed by a drunk driver. It is considered the same thing in the eyes of the law.

http://www.icbc.com/about-icbc/newsroom/Pages/2017-Sept6.aspx

Interesting quiz about other things that constitute 'distracted driving'. Admittedly, I have eaten sushi by hand while driving and didn't know an officer could ticket me for snacking.

Worst one I ever saw was driving I 5 south of Olympia and a woman passed me going at least 30 miles per hour over the posted speed. Barefoot with right foot on the dashboard, reading a book with her right hand and swerving between two lanes. Not to mention the number of people having sex I have seen while doing long haul trecks North and South on the I5.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/quiz-test-your-knowledge-on-b-c-s-distracted-driving-laws-1.3612953

 

[LM987]

Distracted driving can mean many many things to the officer and it's tough to fight.
To anyone who says using your phone while driving is okay, I beg to differ.
Had I not been paying attention, I may not be sitting here typing today on 2 occasions where two dumba$$es thought it was okay.
One was a head on collision I avoided the other was an idiot behind me to was looking down while I was completely stopped at a red light. The head on guy was oblivious, the guy that almost rear ended me ( had I not moved I would be toast), but he did manage to end up in the ditch and I saw him trying to hide his phone while he was on his side.
Hands free isn't a whole lot better either.
You can't sit in your car while it's running if you are drunk, so same should apply to your phone. Not many calls are that important that you need to answer immediately.
Even glancing down to check your phone while it's in the cup holder can be dangerous. Even at 60kph, that 1 second eyes off the road is around 17 meters, enough to miss someone braking, turning in front of you.....

I am sure if you get pulled over for distracted driving, your attitude may go a long way with the officer.
My rant is over.

 

[LM987]

Again, none of what I write should be taken as legal advice, but my reading of the rules suggests that touch screen devices built into the dash are legal. Another oddity I noticed is that it seems to be legal to use a radio, with a microphone that requires you to push a button to talk. In other words, you can't use a phone that only requires you to hold it in your hand. But, you can use a microphone, that not only requires you to hold it in your hand, but to push and release a button. It all seems rather inconsistent.

Personally, when driving, I just avoid using any sort of communication device, other than my big mouth to talk to whoever has the misfortune to be my passenger.

These can be considered distracted driving too. Not a cop, but I would think if your playing with your radio and you miss going at a green light, you're probably in line for a ticket. Or if you swerve over a line while playing with buttons,...
Too many bad drivers out there, then you throw in all this "advancements" in cars, and it makes them worse.

 

[clu]

@LM987 I agree distracted driving is a problem, but I think suggesting ruling out hands free too is a bit far, because I can't see how it's more distracting than having a conversation with a passenger or having the radio on. And this is from a person who has never used a cell while driving, hands free or not.

 

[ddcanz]

.... it is not a crash grab. It's all about ...SAFETY

I think you understood my point, but to clarify, I'm speaking of a cash grab as a literal means to use fines to get one's attention, not in the sense of filling up general revenue coffers and the like.

 

[badbadboy]

I think you understood my point, but to clarify, I'm speaking of a cash grab as a literal means to use fines to get one's attention, not in the sense of filling up general revenue coffers and the like.

It wasn't directed at you and I fully understood your point.

 

[Damaged]

Distracted driving can mean many many things to the officer and it's tough to fight.
To anyone who says using your phone while driving is okay, I beg to differ.
Had I not been paying attention, I may not be sitting here typing today on 2 occasions where two dumba$$es thought it was okay.
One was a head on collision I avoided the other was an idiot behind me to was looking down while I was completely stopped at a red light. The head on guy was oblivious, the guy that almost rear ended me ( had I not moved I would be toast), but he did manage to end up in the ditch and I saw him trying to hide his phone while he was on his side.
Hands free isn't a whole lot better either.
You can't sit in your car while it's running if you are drunk, so same should apply to your phone. Not many calls are that important that you need to answer immediately.
Even glancing down to check your phone while it's in the cup holder can be dangerous. Even at 60kph, that 1 second eyes off the road is around 17 meters, enough to miss someone braking, turning in front of you.....

I am sure if you get pulled over for distracted driving, your attitude may go a long way with the officer.
My rant is over.

I would hope you're kidding but I don't think you are. You compare sitting in a running car while drunk with sitting in a running car using your phone? Are you really that silly? Sitting in a car while it is warming up, defrosting the windows and using a cell phone is perfectly fine. If you think otherwise you've been brainwashed into believing anything the Police tell you.

Sitting in a car while drunk is an offense because the implication is that you plan to drive next and they want to stop the crime or carnage before it happens.
if you think these 2 things are the same you are beyond hope.

 

[Lo-ki]

My kind of distracted driving.......

 

[ddcanz]

My kind of distracted driving.......

Hey Lo-ki- you should lance that boil on your third knuckle!