Law change - Daytime headlights and ban on handheld devices

[Ixion]

The page dated 2009 is a Question and Answer thing, not the actual rule.

I want a link to the actual legislation. The Q&A things are notoriously unreliable

[Badjelly]

The page dated 2009 is a Question and Answer thing, not the actual rule.

I want a link to the actual legislation. The Q&A things are notoriously unreliable

What Ixion wants and what Ixion can have are 2 different things. The latest copy of the rule amendment I have been able to find is the one dated September 2008 and linked to by Max Preload.

From the Q & A:

How can I obtain a copy of the amendment Rule?

A copy of the final amendment Rule will be available for purchase from selected bookshops that sell legislation or direct from Legislation Direct, telephone (04) 568 0005 when it has been signed. The Rule, together with information material, will also available on the Land Transport NZ website at www.landtransport.govt.nz/rules when signed.

[Ixion]

Yes, I know that. But it *isn't*. And surely it must have been signed if they are releasing it so publicly? And if it has not been signed who is to say that it
may not be amended between now and being signed .

[swbarnett]

The reason hands-free is slightly less risky is that when attention is captured you still have physical control of the car, rather than not even be in control if fiddling with holding a handset.

Holding a handset to your ear is not "fiddling" with it. Are you trying to say that a one armed driver (i.e. amputee) shouldn't be driving because they don't have control of the vehicle?

Also, not everybody's attention is captured. I've had my wife on the other end wondering why I was ignoring her because my attention was on the road where it belonged half way through the conversation.

The trouble with the research like that you mention is that, even if it is true for the "average" of a population, there are still outliers i.e. in this case, people that are perfecty safe using a phone while driving and those at the other end that shouldn't be driving anyway.

Laws like this just errode more civil liberties and achieve little. Life isn't meant to be perfectly safe anyway. How boring!

[scumdog]

I have been drinking and have experience to say that anything that detracts from focussing on the actual driving is bound to lead to tears.

Even groping the mrs is enough to get a bit of a swerve on.

Apparently.

[peasea]

I have been drinking and have experience to say that anything that detracts from focussing on the actual driving is bound to lead to tears.

Even groping the mrs is enough to get a bit of a swerve on.

Apparently.

Hmm, I detect a lull in the postings.
(Gone offline...)

"She wore a pearl necklace............"

Ooops.

[swbarnett]

I have been drinking and have experience to say that anything that detracts from focussing on the actual driving is bound to lead to tears.

While I agree with this it must be said that the level of distraction caused by any given activity will vary widely from person to person. I don't think mobile phones are the problem. If there is a problem at all it's that people that are distracted by them don't treat their driving with the attention it deserves in the first place. I still don't see how holding a phone to your ear and conversing while driving is any different to a one-armed driver talking to the passenger.

[peasea]

While I agree with this it must be said that the level of distraction caused by any given activity will vary widely from person to person. I don't think mobile phones are the problem. If there is a problem at all it's that people that are distracted by them don't treat their driving with the attention it deserves in the first place. I still don't see how holding a phone to your ear and conversing while driving is any different to a one-armed driver talking to the passenger.

One-armed drivers should never converse with their passengers and neither should they mastrubate while operating a motor vehicle.
OMG! I can see the headline; "One armed man crashes into mall killing sixty people while he's tossing off to a Madonna DVD in his Hummer and talking on his cell phone".

The cell phone would be the problem for sure!

Or....!

Not everyone can multi-task but I do agree that concentrating on the road while you're operating amotor vehicle is paramount. There would be individuals who can drive a car, masturbate, bake a cake and take a phone call all at once while driving, but not everyone. So; given the paramaters that the boffins are given cell phone useage while driving needs to be banned.

It's about idiot-proofing the planet. Air bags, seatbelts, crumple zones and much more besides make people in cars feel invincible, which is a bad thing for bikers.

In my experience kiwi bikers whinge a lot but do little to highlight their predicamant. BRONZ do what they can but it's a tiny voice in reality. Like drunk driving, it's a social attitude. Drunk driving is (thankfully) becoming less socially acceptable, which means that bikers will be safer on NZ roads when attitudes change, be they the attitudes of bikers themselves or car drivers.

I would challenge the NZ police to channel their rugby sponsorship funds into road safety lessons for car drivers to focus on bikers and their presence on the roads. How many bikers would that save versus rugby games played?

[Hinny]

One-armed drivers should never mastrubate while operating a motor vehicle.

Like drunk driving, it's a social attitude. Drunk driving is (thankfully) becoming less socially acceptable.

I would challenge the NZ police to channel their rugby sponsorship funds into road safety lessons for car drivers to focus on bikers and their presence on the roads. How many bikers would that save versus rugby games played?

Many a true word spoken in jest.

[James Deuce]

The job of the Police is enforcement. There are more suitable areas of Government to take up the education cudgel.

Senior Police management have said over the years, more than once, that driver/rider training makes drivers over confident so they do not endorse education.

[swbarnett]

There would be individuals who can drive a car, masturbate, bake a cake and take a phone call all at once while driving, but not everyone. So; given the paramaters that the boffins are given cell phone useage while driving needs to be banned.

So just beacuse some can't noone should? This is the number one reason I object to laws like this. They tar everyone with the same brush regardless of individual circumstances. And in this case there is the added fact that we already have laws to handle the cell phone problem (assuming for a moment that there is one). If a driver is found to be overly distracted why not just charge them with failing to give due care and attention (not sure of the correct wording)? Or, in more serious cases, careless or dangerous driving?

It's about idiot-proofing the planet.

This really makes me sad. Idiot-proof the planet and the entire population will become idiots.

...do little to highlight their predicamant.

Speaking for myself this is because I would rather ride than complain and don't consider that we have it all that bad. I look after myself on the road (bike or car) and don't expect anyone else to.

Like drunk driving, it's a social attitude.

The problem is that laws seldom change social attitudes.

I would challenge the NZ police to channel their rugby sponsorship funds into road safety lessons for car drivers to focus on bikers and their presence on the roads.

This has to be one of the most sensible suggestions yet.

[swbarnett]

The job of the Police is enforcement. There are more suitable areas of Government to take up the education cudgel.

In which case the Rugby money should be taken out of the Police budget as they obviously don't need it. It can then be given to the correct department to further driver education.

[KingJackaL]

I still don't see how holding a phone to your ear and conversing while driving is any different to a one-armed driver talking to the passenger.

The difference is with a passenger, you get some visual cues (facial expressions, body language), even though you don't look at them much.

Phone conversations require a lot more concentration than in-person conversations because of the lack of these visual cues (which transmit a lot of data).


Surely the current version of the Bill (or is it an Act now?) will be here:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/
This site is only a short bit away from being THE authoritative source for NZ legislation (over and above the books!), so it should be very up to date.

Anyone know the name to search on?

[MSTRS:Me]

This site is only a short bit away from being THE authoritative source for NZ legislation ...

Clarify. You do mean KB, don't you?

[James Deuce]

In which case the Rugby money should be taken out of the Police budget as they obviously don't need it. It can then be given to the correct department to further driver education.

Certainly the case could be presented at the next budget round. Check with your MP.