Full ban on cell phones while driving a car?

[Billy Rotten]

We have the full ban here in New Brunswick, Canada. You need to have a hand's free device and NO texting is allowed. I fully support it - I've almost been killed by idiots on their phones who aren't paying attention to the road.

A young man was killed a year ago (before the ban went in) because he was texting while driving. It was a senseless waste of an 18 year-old's life.

[deep]

no ban !!!

mofo

[PhilsFan]

i once saw a guy reading a book while driving on the highway.

[INDY500]

I actually have this sticker on my bumper but you have to have pretty good eyes to read it as I fly by you.

[PhilsFan]

Oh, but I am that important, little do you know. My father owns things. Runs things. Owns several houses. And I am the heir apparent.

 

Bros Like This Site: #14 Talking About How Important Their Father Is

[KhanadaRhodes]

Originally Posted by yolland

That's considered a distraction too, and drivers talking with a passenger are more likely than people driving alone to have accidents, but the increase is much less than with cell phones. Apparently that's because when you're talking with a passenger, the driving conditions effectively become part of the interaction--based on research, conversation tends to subside when the driving gets tricky, the driver talks less than s/he would in a phone conversation, and passengers sometimes even help prevent some of the classic 'cell phone accident' scenarios, such as failing to notice your exit is coming up and winding up veering suddenly out of lane.

exactly. i know if i'm the passenger and i see the person driving is about to miss the exit or something, i can be like "oh hey, here's the exit" - i can't do that if i'm on the phone with them. instead i'd just keep blabbing about unimportant shit that can honestly wait until they're in line at starbucks or at the grocery store.

for the record, it's illegal in new zealand.

[the iron horse]

As a Libertarian, I usually dislike governement intervention,

but I would agree on this ban.

This is one law I would to see enforced.


Why are these people talking or texting while driving?

Why can't the conversations wait?

[Jive Turkey]

no Ph$ne P$lice Are C$ming thread then?

[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by Jive Turkey

no Ph$ne P$lice Are C$ming thread then?

No, this topic is disturbing to me.

[financeguy]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

No, this topic is disturbing to me.

A mite inconsistent.

Why not ban BMW's while were at it?

Their drivers are uniformly the most ignorant, obnoxious, law-breaking, bovine, of all road users. Without exception, BMW drivers are the pigs of the road. They are despicable pig-like creatures in their cheap nylon sales rep shirts and nasty ties, and they deserve to be whacked on the head repeatedly with a stick. And probably, in most cases, deeply unpleasant people in their personal and professional lives also. We all know it.

But, even still, I would not ban them from driving or purchasing their overrated cars.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

As a Libertarian, I usually dislike governement intervention,

but I would agree on this ban.

This is one law I would to see enforced.

Why are these people talking or texting while driving?

Why can't the conversations wait?

This is why libertarians are constantly failing.

[Moonlit_Angel]

Originally Posted by yolland

Yeah, but that's like saying we shouldn't require seatbelts because people are still going to die in accidents anyway.

I fully support seatbelts being in cars (still mystified as to why they're not in school buses, unless that's started changing). I use one all the time. However, we forget that there are stories out there where people died in a car wreck because they were wearing a seatbelt that jammed and they couldn't get free. Seatbelts are more likely to protect you, yes, but they pose their own problems on occasion, too.

I think it's sad this discussion has to take place at all. You would think we shouldn't have to tell people that texting, or talking on the phone, or drinking, or whatever, while driving is a bad, dangerous thing to do. It should be a "no duh".

Unfortunately, people don't get it. However, a ban won't solve the problem. People might be more inclined to get the message if we make the punishment for doing such things so tough they don't want to encounter it. Jail time if the accident you cause leads to severe injury or death (and I think it wouldn't hurt to revoke driving privileges for a long time, if not permanently. If you've been in trouble more than once for bad driving, you shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel at all). If it doesn't lead to that, but you're still responsible for the accident, you are forced to pay all the hefty accident bills for yourself and those you hurt, if there's a fine, put that in, too. We need to enforce the laws we do have much more strongly, or tweak them if we think they aren't tough enough, so people get the picture that if they do something this stupid, there will be serious consequences for them and the people they put in danger.

[financeguy]

Originally Posted by Moonlit_Angel

I fully support seatbelts being in cars (still mystified as to why they're not in school buses, unless that's started changing). I use one all the time. However, we forget that there are stories out there where people died in a car wreck because they were wearing a seatbelt that jammed and they couldn't get free. Seatbelts are more likely to protect you, yes, but they pose their own problems on occasion, too.

Good point.

Originally Posted by Moonlit_Angel

I think it's sad this discussion has to take place at all. You would think we shouldn't have to tell people that texting, or talking on the phone, or drinking, or whatever, while driving is a bad, dangerous thing to do. It should be a "no duh".

Unfortunately, people don't get it. However, a ban won't solve the problem. People might be more inclined to get the message if we make the punishment for doing such things so tough they don't want to encounter it. Jail time if the accident you cause leads to severe injury or death (and I think it wouldn't hurt to revoke driving privileges for a long time, if not permanently. If you've been in trouble more than once for bad driving, you shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel at all). If it doesn't lead to that, but you're still responsible for the accident, you are forced to pay all the hefty accident bills for yourself and those you hurt, if there's a fine, put that in, too. We need to enforce the laws we do have much more strongly, or tweak them if we think they aren't tough enough, so people get the picture that if they do something this stupid, there will be serious consequences for them and the people they put in danger.

I'm not convinced of this argument at all, I'm afraid. There is evidence that wearing seatbelts causes people to drive faster, for example. In other words, it's potentially dangerous to put too many restrictions on driving behaviour, as it potentially causes drivers to think of themselves as almost invincible - which is presumably the opposite of the intended effect.

[PhilsFan]

I wear a seatbelt because I'm a really good driver and everyone else sucks. Can't be getting killed because someone else is a shitty driver.

[financeguy]

Originally Posted by PhilsFan

I wear a seatbelt because I'm a really good driver and everyone else sucks. Can't be getting killed because someone else is a shitty driver.

Yes. Well, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

[PhilsFan]

I thought phrasing it "I'm a really good driver and everyone else sucks" would make it obvious that I was being facetious, but then again, this is the forum where I keep getting informed by INDY that I hate America, so I guess I should have expected nothing less.

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by Moonlit_Angel

(still mystified as to why they're not in school buses, unless that's started changing).

It's been shown that seatbelts could cause more harm than good on school buses

[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by BVS

This is why libertarians are constantly failing.

No, this is why Libertarians are always confused as to why some people
just can't do the right thing. (on their own...without a government mandate)

Like, yeah, driving and talking/texting while driving is not safe.

I could be killed or kill other people.

[Liesje]

Originally Posted by PhilsFan

I thought phrasing it "I'm a really good driver and everyone else sucks" would make it obvious that I was being facetious, but then again, this is the forum where I keep getting informed by INDY that I hate America, so I guess I should have expected nothing less.

Actually I think it's a fair statement. I've heard people tell me *they* don't have to wear a belt because *they* are only going a few blocks and are super careful. OK but what happens when they're minding your own business, driving 5 under, obeying traffic laws and some yahoo blows a red light going 20 over and T-bones their vehicle?

[BVS]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

No, this is why Libertarians are always confused as to why some people
just can't do the right thing. (on their own...without a government mandate)

I'm confused as to why I've never found one single consistent libertarian?

This is a contradiction to what you claim is your political belief, I think it's very hypocritical.