OPP cracks down on distracted drivers

[sarahsardine]

A warning to those that like to text and drive (For the stupid ones)

http://www.wheels.ca/columns/article/795574

 

[Holly M]

Can't believe people are still texting and driving. How much more warnings do they need. It's like the people that still smoke. All the warnings in the world and they continue to puff away.

 

[guachimansito]

I agree that texting and driving are dangerous but what also is becoming apparent is that the police department has become another arm of the tax man. Radar traps are set up all over the place, sometimes twice on the same stretch of road and in places where they have not been before. I've even spotted them hiding behind a bush for fuck sakes. Now they are going to tell us we cannot change our radio station while driving.

It was suppose to be just cell phone use was it not?

They city has also reintroduced photo cams at red lights in Brampton and other places. They are helping the government fill their coffers to justify their 11% pay increase granted to them by the Ford regime!

Personally I think it's becoming a scam and becoming harder and harder to win in court. The big winners here are the insurance companies rubbing their hands in glee anxiously waiting to up the already ridiculous rates they charge.

OK RANT OVER :666:

 

[Franky D]

.... and the police can talk on a cell phone while driving!

 

[luvrats]

I've been calling it "road tax" for years.

OK, I accept that... If I wanna "break the law" so to speak, I'm willing to pay the fine, but don't for a second try and convince me that they are issuing minor speeding tickets, seat belt tickets, improper turning tickets etc under the guise of promoting safety, when in actual fact- it is; as you say Repoman, the police department has become another arm of the tax man.

And yes, the insurance companies are using this to their benefit on an exponential level. :grrrrrr:

Having said all that, phone use, GSP use, DUI, careless & reckless driving and excessive speeding are all safety issues and I have no problem with the police enforcing these laws.

 

[mohamed]

CG calls it "road tax" when they actually start enforcing the laws? So, if they enforced all the laws right from the get go, what would you call it then? ahem maybe "law enforcement"???? lol.....

To answer some queries (even the rhetorical ones):

Two radar traps on the same road: they could have received a complaint about people speeding on that stretch of road therefore set up shop. The trick to having two setup is people see someone pulled over at the first, and gun it thinking they are free and clear.

The "Crackdowns" typically occur during the summer months when more people (idiots) are on the highway going to cottage country. With more drivers on the highways there's more chance of accidents caused by the various offences. I forget the numbers but last summer they had one of these crackdown weekends and laid something like 1800 serious charges.

To answer a question from that link: why tell people? This contradicts CG's road tax theory insofar as they actually want people to stop doing what they're doing hence the warning. The problem is idiots still think "driving with drumsticks" is ok and those are the ones they want to catch and get off the road.

I still say that if you are caught texting while driving, you should lose your licence for 30 days. Caught again and you lose it permanantly.

 

[Yung Dirt]

Re: smoking

It's no different than people who eat at McDonald's, drink excessively, do crack, meth, have unprotected sex, skydive, mountain climb, don't wear masks while spray painting, drive cars, buses, trucks, jog during rush hour, jog downtown, pour cleaning solvents down the drain, etc etc etc.....

(just a head's up: if everyone quit smoking your taxes would go up 50% to replace the revenue generated by smokers...so you should be thanking us lol)

 

[Jill T]

And just so you know... if everyone suddenly started actually obeying minor traffic laws, your taxes would go up 50% to replace the revenue generated by the enforcement of road tax. :tongue:

 

[DeathCube K]

actually, I would disagree....while the revenue generated by tickets etc is substantial, it doesn't compare to the revenue collected from the various "sin" taxes.....In 1993/94 revenue from cigarette taxation was $2.6 Billion...the approximate revenue generated by traffic violations (in ontario) as $33 million.....now that $2.6 is canada wide so divide that by the major provinces and you come up with about $300 million per province....so, if no one got tickets my taxes might go up 5% at best......(revenue from cigarettes is 10x the estimate revenue from tickets therefore the tax increase would be 1/10)

Actually, the 50% was an exaggeration but if you could get a number of how many actually pay taxes in Ontario, then you could pretty much figure out how much your taxes would increase...

 

[tammy b]

I think they should start a campaign targeting aggressive cyclists. If caught not stopping at stop signs, taking a drink from the water bottle while pedaling or going through a red light, take away their bikes and send them home on foot!:whip::he:

Kidding aside, ticketing is a major tax grab as mentioned earlier and I agree fighting the tickets has become much harder too do. If the ticket is reduced when given and you decide to fight it, the prosecutor brings it back to the original fine based on the Officers notes.

I wouldn't mind if they go after the aggressive drivers or dangerous ones but they do target many of the minor offenses as a no tolerance campaign.

 

[katsura kotonoha]

They can get the same tickets as a car driver and same points. If course if you have no lic its hard to add points.

 

[Larissa]

But they are voluntary taxes. If you don't want to pay them or can't afford to pay them follow the rules.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Did you forget to read the rest of my post? :roll:

 

[Jose Pepito]

Yes looks like you volunteer to pay more taxes. Good for you!