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Woman Looking At Apple Watch Found Guilty of Distracted Driving (nationalpost.com)
Ontario law defines distracted driving as "holding or using a handheld wireless communication device" -- and a judge just fined Victoria Ambrose $400 for checking her Apple Watch while waiting at a stoplight. Long-time Slashdot reader innocent_white_lamb quotes the National Post:
Even with its miniaturization and trendy technology, an Apple Watch is no safer "than a cellphone taped to someone's wrist," said a justice of the peace, while convicting a Guelph woman this month of holding or using a hand-held wireless communication device while driving... "The key to determining this matter is distraction. It is abundantly clear from the evidence that Ms. Ambrose was distracted..."
When the light turned green Ambrose had remained parked at an intersection, according to the officer who ticketed her, though two cars ahead of her had moved forward. Ambrose testified that she was only checking the time, but the officer told the court he'd seen Ambrose check her watch four different times.
When the light turned green Ambrose had remained parked at an intersection, according to the officer who ticketed her, though two cars ahead of her had moved forward. Ambrose testified that she was only checking the time, but the officer told the court he'd seen Ambrose check her watch four different times.
That is monumentally idiotic. A judge would say the same. Do you have to take your eyes off the road to operate your turn signal, which is also a vital part of operating a motor vehicle? Enjoy eating your windshield when you plow into the back of someone while scrolling your libertarian news blogs.
The lever is handheld and it communicates my intentions wirelessly to other road users. If I ever get pulled over for not using it, I will have a good argument to defend myself.
I hear judges are very sympathetic to people representing themselves who try to get clever. Please let us know how it goes!
SJW n. One who posts facts.
But that's the point, the light was no longer "red", it had turned green, forcing two cars who had been waiting to go around her, thus she was blocking the flow of traffic for no good reason.
In New York, the problem would have been immediately resolved after 100 milliseconds by the other drivers yelling loudly obscenities at her and continuously honking on their horns. In Canada, the other drivers were probably just too polite to honk or say anything, or if they did say something, they probably just mumbled an apology under their breath, that she probably couldn't hear in the first place.
Most efficient are drivers in Greece (esp. taxi drivers) who somehow manage to honk half a second BEFORE the light is green.