Comments on: Cell Phones and Driving

By: serge

serge — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 20:11:47 +0000

Is it legal to use your phone pulled over to the side of the road? Seems to be some different opinions on this..thanks

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:56:36 +0000

Easy Sandra.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:31:01 +0000

Toast2Change – it is not a legal loophole, but a stated fact of law that police are exempt. With good reason, too, as there are several incidents I can think of where an officer is going to need to use a cellphone versus an ‘alternative’ inside the car. There is no disrespect for law or the legal system as you have commented.

From now, please do not use this as as forum to rant about other topics and to shout ‘shame’. Your comments are always welcome if they are kept in check, and if you bring something constructive to the table. We don’t have to agree, we simply have to get along.

By: Toast2change

Toast2change — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:23:10 +0000

Typical police trying to use a legal loophole to their advantage. I don’t see any point to the exemption and feel it is just creating a gap in the law. Unfortunately, an on duty officer will injure or kill someone before any changes are made. I know your job might be harder and more stressful then many people realize but the lack of respect for the legal system and the safety of citizens is appauling.

How many DUIs have we had made apparent in the media? How many others were pushed under the rug because nobody was injured? Just because you have shiny lights and took some specialized driving courses doesn’t mean you should be allowed to break the laws everyone else is asked to. Yes there is a higher standard for officers there should be a higher standard for all emergency personnel you people see what careless and impaired driving does every other day and that should be enough… on top of that officers are trained as enforcers of the law and are thus fully aware of the crimes they commit. SHAME! SHAME! What would your children say.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:52:20 +0000

Toast2change – police are one of the emergency services in the ‘excempt’ category for the new cell phone law. That said, we have been encouraged to only use cell phones when necessary. Hopefully handsfree set-ups come soon.

By: Toast2change

Toast2change — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:17:36 +0000

I was shocked to come across a VPD officer driving by VCC with his hand holding his Blackberry up to his ear yesterday… maybe police officers should set a better example and go hands free before ticketing people. Officers have more then enough alternatives in their vehicles and the provincial and Federal governments have more then enough money to install hands free setups in patrol cars. SHAME! SHAME!

Oh and I’m for the law… I was stupid in the past and almost rear ended someone while mucking with my phone… next day I got my hands-free setup and was good to go.

By: It's me

It's me — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:04:04 +0000

There is GPS use which is also a distraction and even the annoying passenger. How are we to address that? Businesses which rely on using the cell phone while driving should not be exempted. They can do what the rest of us are suppose to do, use a bluetooth or better still, pull to the side of the road. ANYONE, whether it be LE personnel or Joe the Mechanic are as mentally alert or focused as someone impaired behind the wheel. This has been shown over and over again.

Any how, the law is a start, but wasn’t actually being enforced until just a few weeks ago. The Attorney General even “reminded” law enforcement officers that they are NOT to ticket drivers for the first month. The month of January was really a phase-in period.

In general, it’s too bad that not everyone is on the same page when it comes to rules, regulations, and procedures. It seems everyone has their own interpretation.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:09:06 +0000

Ken – I don’t know how this new law will come into play for those using a CB radio – I’ll find out and get back to you.

JF – as for volume controls etc – make sure you can give one touch to adjust the volume like you would on your car stereo system.

Citizen – ‘undue care and attention’ can refer to many things. For instance, my cousin fell asleep at the wheel on the Coquihalla Hwy several years ago and flipped his truck. His truck rolled at least three times on a straight, flat stretch. There were no steep cliffs on the portion he was travelling on and no other vehicles were involved (or this may have had a very different ending). The truck was a complete write-off, and by looking at the wreckage it was amazing he survived. Somehow, he walked away with only a cut on his temple. And a ticket for ‘undue care and attention’.

The new law, while it may seem redundant, addresses the issue of begin so completely distracted by an electronic device that you put yourself and others at risk, and at least defines what those actions are.

Nick – it’ll be interesting to see how the accident rate is affected with people now switching to hands-free devices

9920 – thanks for addition – yes, emergency personnel are exempt. The entire section regarding cell phone is quite long

By: 9920

9920 — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 13:41:37 +0000

Emergency personnel are exempt:

Exceptions to prohibition – emergency personnel

214.3 Section 214.2 does not apply to the following persons who use an electronic device while carrying out their powers, duties or functions:

(a) a peace officer;

(b) a person driving or operating an ambulance as defined in the Emergency and Health Services Act;

By: Citizen

Citizen — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:05:39 +0000

DC you are right, I imagine that both a conversation over a hands-free and with a passenger are about equally as distracting. However, I do think even conversations with passengers can be very distracting and dangerous, too. I remember one time I was in an intense conversation with someone sitting next to me, and the next thing you know, I looked at the road and realized I had driven for miles without consciously being aware of how far I had gone or any of the turns I had taken. I think a conversation over the phone is still slightly worse than a passenger next to you, because at least a person next to you realizes when you have to suddenly stop talking to focus on something on the road. Anyway, interesting discussion.