Catching People Texting and Driving | GTAMotorcycle.com

Catching People Texting and Driving

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chadsterq

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I wear a GoPro on my helmet and catch people texting and driving far, far too often.

Does anyone know or have any experience in sending video to the police for them to fine the drivers? Would the cops even care? I was thinking today that if I could get the license plate and the drivers face/phone in the video it would be super easy to prove a texting and driving fine.

I could easily get multiple videos a week of people texting while driving and it would be nice to see them actually punished.
 
matthew said:
There is almost a 100% chance of nothing happening.
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But if you pass someone with a dash cam and your front is an inch in the air and they get your plate the cops will be at your house minutes after receiving the tip...
 
matthew said:
There is almost a 100% chance of nothing happening.
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And on the very very off chance that it does, are you prepared to be a witness in court to testify to what you saw and to authenticate the video?
 
I can see it maybe happening in the summer if u have a go pro on ur helmet hooked up to a Sena or something. Ask them to stop texting and then see what happens afterwards. But is it really worth the time and agony dealing with the bs? I saw a guy on his bike at a red light before get off it and grab someone's phone outa there hands in their car while they were taxing and throw it, then the light turned green and everyone carried on LOL! What a savage, wish I knew who he was.
 
Try it and find out, your basically doing the right thing. Maybe even post it to social media.
At least it might build some awareness.

I wish I had a dash cam yesterday. I was starting to enter a intersection and a taxi blew through the red from the opposite direction. Totally didn't even register with the guy. I made my left turn and caught up with the guy to give him the WTF look, and he shrugged like he didn't do anything wrong.....I see now why people move out to the country...less people...less problems..
 
sburns said:
Try it and find out, your basically doing the right thing. Maybe even post it to social media.
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Social media may be your best bet (especially when people are driving marked company vehicles). Nobody wants to be publicly called out for being an inconsiderate ***. Ideally hashtag the business and/or email them a link (make a special email account for this to avoid angry visits if the business owner is ****** because they were also the driver or didn't appreciate the negative attention). Once you have a collection, tag 680 or cp24 and see if they will put the footage on air and chat with the businesses.

Offer the footage to the police, but unless they are doing a special blitz for the media, I can't see them bothering to put the time into those cases.
 
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I wonder when someone like MADD (Mothers against distracted drivers?) will begin a crusade? According to the latest stats, there are not more vehicular deaths in Ontario caused by distracted drivers than those caused by alcohol impaired drivers. Methinks the penalty for distracted driving ought to be the same as Impaired. Imagine how many folks would risk answering that text at 120KMh if they risked a a year suspension, $1000 fine, cellphone lockout while driving and facility rates insurance for 5 years?

A friend of nearly lost his son in this accident last fall. The kid was rear ended on 48 near Davis by a texting driver in a pickup.

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I live in Markham -- it's bad. I can drive a KM through town without seeing a driver texting. I have had 2 collisions and my sons another 2 in the last 5 years -- all 4 were with drivers texting or using apps on their phones.

If you're in the GTA, you can do a "Road Watch" report. You're not going to feel sweet revenge, but the driver will get a letter from the cops, and if it happens again and again they might get more. At the end of the day if it stops a few texters, we all win.

York: https://onlinereporting.yrp.ca/RoadWatch.html
Metro: https://www.torontopolice.on.ca/core/driving_complaint.php
Halton: https://www.haltonpolice.ca/services/reporting/roadwatch.php
Peel: https://www.peelpolice.ca/en/aboutus/roadwatch.asp
 

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Mad Mike said:
If you're in the GTA, you can do a "Road Watch" report. You're not going to feel sweet revenge, but the driver will get a letter from the cops, and if it happens again and again they might get more. At the end of the day if it stops a few texters, we all win.

York: https://onlinereporting.yrp.ca/RoadWatch.html
Metro: https://www.torontopolice.on.ca/core/driving_complaint.php
Halton: https://www.haltonpolice.ca/services/reporting/roadwatch.php
Peel: https://www.peelpolice.ca/en/aboutus/roadwatch.asp
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I've done some of those before. Hopefully, the letter gets documented in the police database so when they are eventually pulled over they get no leniency and/or some value added tickets.
 
arogal said:
I can see it maybe happening in the summer if u have a go pro on ur helmet hooked up to a Sena or something. Ask them to stop texting and then see what happens afterwards.
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If I had to guess I'd say he's gonna get flipped off, told he's not the police, and to mind his business... The only thing it can lead to is road rage.

I'd say just ride along and live your life; the phone is easier to spot, but there are a million distractions when driving from people fiddling with the radio, to eating, to staring at girls, etc... it's not your job to police the roads. Just watch out for your own hide and move along; you'll be happier.
 
Type17 said:
If I had to guess I'd say he's gonna get flipped off, told he's not the police, and to mind his business... The only thing it can lead to is road rage.

I'd say just ride along and live your life; the phone is easier to spot, but there are a million distractions when driving from people fiddling with the radio, to eating, to staring at girls, etc... it's not your job to police the roads. Just watch out for your own hide and move along; you'll be happier.
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Agree, the problem is open confrontation is they could michael bryant your ***. Being dead isn't worth the moral victory.
 
GreyGhost said:
Agree, the problem is open confrontation is they could michael bryant your ***. Being dead isn't worth the moral victory.
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Agreed.

Hell, people start raging at the fact that someone giving them a head shake, or a short honk as a "Hey, heads up, the light is green and there's 15 car lengths of room in front of you"..
 
Mad Mike said:
I wonder when someone like MADD (Mothers against distracted drivers?) will begin a crusade? According to the latest stats, there are not more vehicular deaths in Ontario caused by distracted drivers than those caused by alcohol impaired drivers. Methinks the penalty for distracted driving ought to be the same as Impaired. Imagine how many folks would risk answering that text at 120KMh if they risked a a year suspension, $1000 fine, cellphone lockout while driving and facility rates insurance for 5 years?

A friend of nearly lost his son in this accident last fall. The kid was rear ended on 48 near Davis by a texting driver in a pickup.

bUF0F6nLjvHPOfuf2

bUF0F6nLjvHPOfuf2
stu_husky.jpg
I live in Markham -- it's bad. I can drive a KM through town without seeing a driver texting. I have had 2 collisions and my sons another 2 in the last 5 years -- all 4 were with drivers texting or using apps on their phones.

If you're in the GTA, you can do a "Road Watch" report. You're not going to feel sweet revenge, but the driver will get a letter from the cops, and if it happens again and again they might get more. At the end of the day if it stops a few texters, we all win.

York: https://onlinereporting.yrp.ca/RoadWatch.html
Metro: https://www.torontopolice.on.ca/core/driving_complaint.php
Halton: https://www.haltonpolice.ca/services/reporting/roadwatch.php
Peel: https://www.peelpolice.ca/en/aboutus/roadwatch.asp
Click to expand...

1) My last discussion with Mothers Against Drunk Drivers gave me the impression they were a paramilitary religious organization trying to get prohibition going again.

2) I wouldn't bank on a report written by a civilian standing up in court if challenged by a competent defense.

3) I wouldn't mind going to court a couple of times a year but if I tagged every user I saw I'd see more court time than the judge and he gets paid. See 2) above

4) Add texting to HTA 172 is a thought but then I'm being a hypocrite regarding punishment before trial.

Re your question: Imagine how many folks would risk answering that text at 120KMh if they risked a a year suspension, $1000 fine, cellphone lockout while driving and facility rates insurance for 5 years?

Answer: Lots, because they are world class drivers, their mommies told them they were important and the police should be chasing all the bank robbers.
 
I agree 100% with texting/phone apps while driving should carry the same offense as DUI.

Maybe get a petition going...

Then, send it off to Wynne to use on her platform - people simply won't vote for that 'cause it will impact their daily lives... Sigh.
At least we get Wynne out of office due to the public backlash against the proposal.
 
When in their cars, the typical torontonian will whether be in
- their nose
- their phone
- their thoughts

you might have the odd one looking at the road or paying attention
 
I've filed a few reports with OPP, Toronto, and Peel region police of bad drivers and always keep a video of the evidence. A few brake checks, red light runners and the ONLY time I had a response was from Toronto police when I filed against a guy that almost ran me off the road. Cops said they will follow up and may ask for the video as it was a dangerous driving charge possibility. It's been months and no word. Ah well.
 
They will analyze all of your deleted files where you are speeding, not signaling, flipping someone off... whatever. Two things. Your files are never deleted unless they are overwritten. Never trust a cop...ever.

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