Do you agree with Quebec baning cell phones in cars

[ArcsVibe]

Interesting article! I bought my self a Bluetooth hands-free kit for my car and love it. Read the article and share your thoughts! Do you have this type of ban in your home province or state?Quebec is set to ban the use of handheld cellphones in cars and trucks and will implement steeper penalties for speeding, drinking and driving, the province's Transport Minister Julie Boulet said Thursday.The measures are part of Quebec's efforts to rein in road and highway accidents, which killed 717 people in 2006, Boulet said.The minister promised to introduce legislation in the fall to enact the measures, which include: * New photo radar and cameras to monitor red light violations at certain intersections. * Mandatory driving courses for new drivers. * 90 day license suspension for first time drinking and driving offences (up from 30 days). * Stiffer penalties for first time drinking and driving offences, up to 90 days (from 30). * Fines and demerit points will double for speeding 40 km/h or higher than posted limits.The measures follow a series of recommendation made by a provincial committee set up to examine road safety in the province.The government's measures will follow six of 23 recommendations.Committee members said they were pleased with the government's response, said Jean-Marie de Koninck, the founder of drive-home service Opération Nez Rouge, who also chaired the task force.Continue Article"In several cases, when we have a task force working on a particular subject, these reports end up on the shelf, and forgotten," he told CBC News. "We couldn't hope for a better scenario to have the government receiving the report, and indicating their intention of acting right away."

[prathman]

I'd be in favor if the ban were on *all* cell phone use by the driver. Restricting it to handheld models is just 'feel good' legislation that lets the politicians say they did something, lets the cellular companies continue to sell lots of minutes to drivers, but does nothing significant to actually improve safety. Numerous studies have shown that the problem with cell phone use is not the handset in the driver's hand, but the distraction created in the driver's mind. See:http://www.breitbart.com/artic...cle=1h ... Mo...h.htm

[northvibe]

ban it all, eating, drinking (if need be), phones, books, shaving, make up. I want all roads like the autobahn. That hwy is safe, why? because you can only drive on it, no screwing around. I was just rear ended because of a woman on her cell phone on the hwy that didnt stop for road work, ended up a 5 car pile up and lots of my time wasted with fixing and medical stuff.

[02csnow]

It is banned in a few states in the US. There should be alot of things banned while driving. But if they are, most people wont even car and will still do it. The only way they are getting get caught is if a cop actually sees them. It is just like speeding, people do it all the time but get away with it all the time.

[redlava]

I'm gonna say no, don't have an exact reason. Mostly because eating among other things are just as distracting and that isn't illegal. But I believe there should be stiff fines if a person is pulled over on a moving violation or causes an accident because of it though. Cell phones are distracting and the hands free devices don't help matters much either, but an engrossing conversation with a passenger can be just as distracting. There are a lot of gray areas on this subject.

[2006_Salsa]

BAN !http://www.timesgazette.com/ma...30.59

[VivaVibe]

No, because I don't think government should be micro-managing the choices we make. However, I do think when any such behavior is shown to contribute to harm, then the penality should be increased.It does seem that cell phone use while driving is rampant, and often distracts the driver from their task; I see it daily on my commute. However, I get just as concerned when driver's are grooming, eating, fiddling with the radio, etc. instead of paying attention.

[Raven]

NO BAN Canada is quickly becoming a police state.Don't ban cell phones, Ban stupid drivers.

[northvibe]

Quote, originally posted by Sunny » NO BAN Canada is quickly becoming a police state.Don't ban cell phones, Ban stupid drivers.how do you find them? they are the ones driving crazy doing 8 things at once and talking on the cell phone is one of 8 things

[engineertwin2]

I'm torn. Should we give up this liberty in pursuit of safety? Legislatively, no. Personally, yes.But I do think that people as drivers in general have indicated that they aren't capable of being safe without big brother watching.It's like here in NE Phx they put speeding cameras on one of the freeways. A huge amount of people complain its a profit center, arguing a police officer has to issue a ticket and if the city won't pay for more officers, they can't issue more tickets. I disagree, as rush hour traffic tends to flow better through the portion of freeway with cameras and accidents have been reduced by over 50%. If that isn't worth keeping around, I don't know what is.But should we start legislating that you can't talk on your cellphone? I can't see how it would be enforceable, anymore than speeding is significantly enforced.

[BlueCrush]

Ban 'em all!(As I typed and post this from my Sony PSP using wireless internet hotspot while driving. )I think all driver should use a hands free set-up or speaker phone while in their car. I set mine to driving mode and it will tell me who is calling or their number. I just flip it open while it is on my Kuda cell phone mount and start talking. Then flip it shut when done. Simple as that with minimal interference while driving. I don't even have to take my eyes off the road to do it. I take my eyes off the road to change my radio station though, maybe they should ban all in car radios too.

[northvibe]

The main issue is that people consentrate more on talking on the phone then paying attention to the road and other drivers. When you drive you have to watch out for people around you not only your self. Try talking to a person while they use a pc its like talking to a brick wall. well id rather not have a brick wall driving down the road.... I have been hit by someone on a cell phone, she was totally oblivious to the fact traffic was slowing and never even hit her brakes... Back in the day this wasnt a issue, because we didnt have anything else to do while driving BUT drive. Now that we are so mobile we need to make laws for it to keep safe, I dont feel like getting hit by another ignorant driver...it sort of hurt my neck, bank accound and job. Maybe a good start is to have hands free as a must, people will still be distracted but at least they can turn their head....

[Sputnik]

Ban them. Nothing is so important that you need to be on a cell phone while driving. If I really need to make a call when I'm driving - I park first, then phone. But honestly there has never been anything that couldn't wait until I got home/work. In the last two months I've been driving every day which is something I never did before and I've noticed something - the drivers that I curse at the most (ie, they're going too slow, they're weaving in their lane, they're cutting me off) are almost always on their cell phone.

[GrayFox]

I don't really know what to say... like others I'm pretty torn between it. I don't use a phone in the car if at all possible b/c I realize how much of your attention it takes away from driving. It wouldn't really bother me if they were banned completely but then the question is... what's next to be banned while driving? Maybe there should be stiffer punishment and heafty fines imposed on those using the phone if it was obviously the cause of them crashing.Pretty soon insurance companies will add the "do you talk on your phone while you drive?" question. haha

[silver_vibe]

No ban! Just have a general law against distracted driving that way cops can target the people driving unsafe for any reason (not just cell phones). A woman arguing with her kids in the back seat is more of a hazard on the road than I am in stop and go traffic calling my wife to let her know I'll be 20 min late getting home.

[chevelle_lover]

Ban the freakin things for the driver. I just got cut off by a girl talking on a cell phone coming back from Buffalo an hour ago.

[Thewhite]

Quote, originally posted by silver_vibe »A woman arguing with her kids in the back seat is more of a hazard on the road than I am in stop and go traffic calling my wife to let her know I'll be 20 min late getting home.- A woman arguing with her kids doesn't pay attention to the road: ban kids from every car- A bachelor seeing a beautiful chick on side of a road doesn't pay attention: ban chick from every sidewalks- a trucker drinking coffee doesn't pay attention to the road: ban all truckers, 'cause you can't ban coffee- a guy putting a cd in his radio or switching channel doesn't pay attention to the road: ban all car's radioI hate when politicians try to or put laws to protect people from their own stupidity. Between 8 AM and 5 PM, I'm on the road 40% of the time. There are more people dangerous because they turn right on a red light without making a stop, as it was a green arrow, or driving their cars like is was a F1, or forgetting what cortesy means. Politicians can't do anything for them, but they are more dangerous than people talking on their cell phone.Yes, your not paying attention to the road when you dial a number, but not less than when you change a cd; there is not difference between talking on a cellphone than talking to a person just next to you. The only thing dangerous is the fact that you don't have both your hands a the steering wheel. And who is always driving with both hands on the wheel? Honestly!! I might agree to oblige drivers to have a handfree set, put that's it! A guy following you who wants to force a yellow light is as dangerous as the girl who's following you while talking on a cellphone. You can't protect people against stupidity...

[Thewhite]

Quote, originally posted by chevelle_lover »Ban the freakin things for the driver. I just got cut off by a girl talking on a cell phone coming back from Buffalo an hour ago.I'm sure you have been cut by someone not talking on a cellphone before. what's the diffenrent? the problem is not her cell phone, it's the guy that gave her her license.