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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.
As she was pulled over in Ontario, your reply is utterly pointless.
The reasoning behind zero tolerance for any interaction with an electronic device while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle that isn't parked is that people, being the dummies they usually are, would often NOT finish their texting when the light turns green and would begin driving again while still dinking around on their device for a few more seconds. Through an intersection.
Even when stopped at a red light, you are still operating your vehicle, and thus are to remain alert to what is going on around you in the real world.
This depends on exactly how the law is written, doesn't it?
For example, in NYS, the law is written such that checking your phone while the vehicle is stopped (but still running) is OK if you're a non-commercial driver, but a violation if you're a commercial driver. In other words, it's legal for a non-commercial driver to check their phone at a stop light, but a commercial driver would have to not just be parked, but have the vehicle off in order to not be a violation. (I could be somewhat misremembering some detail, but I'm pretty sure that's all correct.)
I agree, however, that in the abstract case where we're not dealing with a specific legal definition (or the definition is vague), I would tend to consider being temporarily stopped at a stop light to still be "driving".
Two words: "Situational Awareness". Stop at a red light, fiddle with your phone. You have now just lost awareness of what's going on in the intersection. Light turns green, you miss it, person behind you taps their horn. Quick: did the person turning left make it out of the intersection, is the elderly lady still in the crosswalk? Unless you're far more disciplined than 99% of the population you're not likely going to take the time to see what's going on, you're just going to react to the person honking at you.
That's why you don't fuck with your phone at a stop light.
...si hoc legere nimium eruditionis habes...