89 drivers ticketed in 2 hours despite 'Police ahead – Stay off your phone' signs

[Mikoyan]

We're armchair lawyering here, but they've made it vague and general on purpose to make it hard to dispute.

[welfare]

I believe the officers have been given discretion to dictate what constitutes distracted driving.
If that's the case, can't say I'm a fan of that.

[MarkyMark]

It would take a real asshole cop to ticket you for it sitting in your cupholder untouched. Usually these stories originate from someone using their phone and then trying to put it away after they are caught.

[BIC_BAWS]

Originally Posted by welfare

I believe the officers have been given discretion to dictate what constitutes distracted driving.
If that's the case, can't say I'm a fan of that.

Originally Posted by MarkyMark

It would take a real asshole cop to ticket you for it sitting in your cupholder untouched. Usually these stories originate from someone using their phone and then trying to put it away after they are caught.

I had another friend who had it there, and was not using it. The officer said "If its in the cupholder, you have the intention of using it." Asshole.

[MarkyMark]

Originally Posted by BIC_BAWS

I had another friend who had it there, and was not using it. The officer said "If its in the cupholder, you have the intention of using it." Asshole.

And they got a ticket or warning? Pretty ridiculous to ticket that when you can probably find a few other people actually using their phone at the same light.

I don't support that kind of garbage, that's like saying having a supercar means you have the intention of speeding, so here's a ticket.

[BIC_BAWS]

Originally Posted by MarkyMark

And they got a ticket or warning? Pretty ridiculous to ticket that when you can probably find a few other people actually using their phone at the same light.

I don't support that kind of garbage, that's like saying having a supercar means you have the intention of speeding, so here's a ticket.

They got a ticket. Ironically, this friend's bf is a VPD officer LOL.

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[blkgsr]

cop at grandview and boundary this morning around 6:50, west bound just after the highway

[Gh0st]

always cops at the wendy's on Boundary and Granvdview peeping everyone heading eastbound to the highway.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Originally Posted by BIC_BAWS

I had another friend who had it there, and was not using it. The officer said "If its in the cupholder, you have the intention of using it." Asshole.

But isn't it safer to the phone with you in case you need to make an emergency call? Like say a lady driving home at night and feels someone is following them, having their cell phone in a place where they can easily reach and call for help is much better than having it in their bags and then search for it. Woulnd't it be much safer to have the phone out then?

I always tell my girl friends who drives home at night leave their cell phone at a place they can reach easily if they need to call for help.

[underscore]

If the phone is loose and you're in an accident it's gonna go flying off to who knows where, and then it's not much use. If they're legitimately concerned they may need to make a call then have it connected to bluetooth which is safer and faster and legal.

There are also these handy things called locks, most cars have them equipped. They're quite helpful when it comes to keeping someone out of your vehicle.

[twitchyzero]

OK then I assume some of you guys never let people finish a delayed left turns or yield to someone coming out of a driveway on a fresh green if you're that bothered by a 2s delay

glad you don't work in the local PD, probably get a ticket from you for taking off my jacket or taking a sip of water at the red light (which I just did next to a marked cruiser this morning) /watchoutwegotabadass

[DragonChi]

In that scenario, they are moving already, and if they dont see you, as people don't when they're turning or backing out, I would yield to them to avoid a collision. The context is different.

I keep my phone in the cup holder as well. However, once I'm in the car and setup my phone with gps navigation, it doesn't get touched until I'm where I need to be. Unless my music crashes and I need to launch the app again, then I pray to Jesus that I don't get ticketed. LOL.

[twitchyzero]

in the driving manual it tells you to yield to whoever's still in the intersection (late turners), don't know if it's just courteousy or a law

letting someone in at a stop or low-speeds is just courtesy and to show that you're not a completely impatient asshole

[DragonChi]

If they enter the intersection on a red, I would not yield. Probably honk my ass off, I don't think I've seen that happen though. I don't know what you define as a late turner.

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

in the driving manual it tells you to yield to whoever's still in the intersection (late turners), don't know if it's just courteousy or a law

letting someone in at a stop or low-speeds is just courtesy and to show that you're not a completely impatient asshole

Bet you someone texting or looking at their phone wouldn't have the situational awareness for such courtesies.

[welfare]

I can't stand the NDP, but honestly, the increase in penalties for using your mobile device is one policy I'm actually in favor of.
The exact same thing went down with impaired driving. People weren't getting the message, so had to crank up the heat.
People realized it wasn't worth it and impaired driving has dropped significantly.

[MarkyMark]

People can call it a cash grab, but if you can money off of idiots then why not? Everyone knows the rules yet every intersection in every city people still do it, so let the cash roll in.

[Ohkun]

Originally Posted by RRxtar

please, go ahead and point out where in the MVA it says that

Motor Vehicle Act

ill wait.

In 2016, this fucking cop threatened to give me a ticket but gave me a 'break' with an warning.
All I had was, my phone stashed away in front of the cup holders.

Insecure Electronic Device 214.2(1) - $167


I do see a need of distracted driving charge, but that was way to far.

[jackmeister]

So is there a place (like the government website) that will list what is allowed and what is not? That PDF file was pretty clear before all these new rules like no cupholder, no front seat, no drinking coffee etc. Seems pretty open ended that you can get a ticket for something like looking the wrong way.

Could you imagine if the passenger left the phone in the cupholder for a cop to see?

[snowball]

Bullshit, all the MVA and that PDF mentions is that if you're using a device (via hands-free or GPS) it must be mounted. There's no language for simply storing your phone. Good luck to the cop trying to prove to the judge you were using it without lying.

[welfare]

Cupholder ≠ mounted

[68style]

In a minor tertiary way, it's a form of class warfare... in a major way it's a reduction of all of our rights and freedoms and one that I think a lot more people should be very concerned about.

What older cars have a storage cubby? I know mine doesn't... mount it to my vents? Okay... but I find it distracting to have the phone propped up like that. Why is the government telling me where I can place my personal belongings inside my personal vehicle? Do I have to buy a new car so that everything is integrated? It's okay for that person to be plunking through touch-screen menus to adjust their temperature or change their music or use their GPS because they spent $50k on something but it's not okay for me to adjust anything because my touch-screen isn't built into my dash and happens to be a phone? Interesting. It's not even that I can't afford a new car myself, I just don't like them... but many people simply can't afford them.

This reminds me (dating myself, older people will nod their heads) of the time in the 1980's when, albeit as a child, I remember the government saying top mount/3rd brake lights were now mandatory. There was a BRIEF time, if I recall correctly, where they said they were going to backdate the law and force every old car that didn't have one to go get a 3rd or upper brake light installed. Ridiculous! It died quickly after much public fury.

I see the spirit of this law being misused... the intention is to reduce accidents... but they are poaching instead. It's the same thing as putting a speed trap at the bottom of a giant hill. And, as welfare said above, I am never a fan of police discretion over laws where you have no ability to fight it in court. This is coming from someone who spent 10+ years working in law enforcement. Innocent until proven guilty should always apply, but this law, the way it's written (along with various property seizure laws currently in existence) means you are guilty without trial. Same with speeding 40 over... your car is taken away and impounded, even if you win your trial you never get that money back. Your guilt for a crime or offense should never be at the discretion of another individual who works for the agency that will be your eventual opponent in a court of law (bias!) and what kind of mood or day or even random moment of dishonesty/judgement of you as a person they are having. That's not how a free country works and goes against every belief that a free country was founded upon.

Let's be straight, I'm not against distracted driving tickets, but I'm against where this is headed and I'm against using this socially acceptable method (everyone loves sticking it to a guy using his cell phone while driving!) as the pointy end to a very long spear full of other discretionary restrictions and laws for which you have no defense against in court or opportunity to prove your innocence.

[twitchyzero]

^ what's wrong with a windshield mount?
if you really want bluetooth I'm sure you can find solutions under $50
who says you need a cubby? i'm leaving mine in plainsight because I have a wireless charging pad in the center console but you could just use your pocket or a bag

[underscore]

Originally Posted by 68style

What older cars have a storage cubby? I know mine doesn't... I have no choice but a cupholder... mount it to my vents? Okay... but I find it distracting to have the phone propped up like that

Your car has no center console or glovebox and you don't have any pockets? How many vehicles made in the last however many decades don't even have a glovebox for the insurance papers?

[westopher]

If you are worried about having it in your cupholder, you have a glovebox, map pockets, pants, shorts, your sock, the floor behind you, etc. Don't act like there is no solution, especially to a problem that isn't actually even a real one.
There is plenty of class warfare in this city/province/country, but a phone in a cupholder isn't one of them

[MarkyMark]

Lol sorry but no matter how old your car is, if your cupholder is the only place to put your phone you clearly aren't a very creative person.