1. "eventually make iPods off-limits for drivers and possibly cyclists as well"

Cyclists shouldnt be wearing headphones anyways. Not only do many headphones interfere with helmets (for this though, lets assume you are wearing a helmet and earbuds so it doesnt matter) but it makes it damn near impossible to hear your surroundings which is very important as a cyclist. If you are riding on the street as you should be, the sounds of cars are vital to your safety.

Posted at 11:11PM on Jun 14th 2006 by otto

2. While I agree that distractions are Bad News (TM) for drivers, I disagree that the iPod represents an increase in said distractions. Since I purchased my iPod, I actually spend less time diddling the music - I build my playlists whilst at home in front of the computer; I choose my playlist before I start rolling, and I don't have to touch the damned thing again for hours. Whereas in prior days I'd be ganking the channel selector looking for a station playing less crap and chatter and instead playing a song worth listening to, or juggling CDs looking for my Fiona Apple Tidal CD amongst the myriad shiny jewels in my collection. End result is a net reduction in distractions. So there. Nyah, nyah, nyah. :D

Posted at 12:39AM on Jun 15th 2006 by Steve White

3. And yet, every car made comes with a radio. What's the difference?

Posted at 6:32PM on Jun 15th 2006 by Jeff Kirvin

4. How about making the process of getting a drivers licence harder, make it illegal for permit drivers to use them and make penalties harder. For example, permit driver gets caught on the phone while driving... permit gone for 6 month or a year!
Accident caused due to cell phone or other distractions, 6 months to a year. DUI? Sorry you lose your licence. Most people out there just don't understand what they are driving around and what kind of damage (death) they can cause.
The whole idea that "Driving is my right" is such BS... no one has the RIGHT to drive.

I hate laws like this, don't try to solve a problem by making cellphones and ipods...etc illegal in a car. Solve the problem at the root cause, Drivers with no driving eduaction or knowledge of what they are actually doing by driving a 1-2ton car!

Sorry, end rant. :)

Posted at 6:39PM on Jun 15th 2006 by I hate bad drivers.

5. Totally nuts. Unless you are wearing headphones - then - What are you thinking???

I fiddle less than with the radio - In fact my antenna has been broken for a year and all I listen to in the car is my iPod. Set up my playlists, plug in and go.

Phones with headphones - I have no problem with this rule- they just need to make better headsets. I've gone through about 15 in the last year and a half!

Posted at 7:03PM on Jun 15th 2006 by BKLA

6. It is already against the law to drive with headphones on, in BC, no new law is needed. If they want to outlaw using an mp3 player with your stereo, they they may as well outlaw stereos in cars.

Posted at 7:40PM on Jun 15th 2006 by Darryl

7. totally agree with #4. Raise the minimum driving age to 21 (with special permits for school/work driving) - and impose SERIOUS penalties for driving while stupid, and make it harder to get a license in the first place - somehow very graphically demonstrate the damage that can be done to the human body by 1500 lbs of steel moving @30 mph. Impose a minimum jail sentence for FIRST DUI, double it if you're underage.

Posted at 8:12PM on Jun 15th 2006 by milkmage

8. Your not really smart if you don't understand why there would be a ban. Cell phones cause crashes. You don't need to see it for it to happen, it does.

Ipods have two things wrong with them, a. you have to fiddle around with the wheel and sorts while looking down to see the song. and b. if you have the headphones on, you can't hear traffic around you, thus you have 1 perception, which at the time might be spent looking at the ipod screen.

It's the same with cyclists, i'm personally a biker, and there have been several times where i've nearly hit an extruded rain pipe or a deep crack, the only reason I didn't is because I was aware and in control, if your blaring music (not so bad) but if your fiddleing with your ipod, your chances of not seeing where you are going is substantionally increased.

THNIK!!!

Posted at 10:42PM on Jun 15th 2006 by Mike

9. No one can effectively drive with headphones or cell phones. You cannot pay attention to your surroundings. You can not hear sirens of emergency vehicles. You cannot hear motorcycles. Anything that impairs your ability to hear your surroundings should be illegal.

Posted at 11:52PM on Jun 15th 2006 by Damned right number 1

10. Is the reason for trying to outlaw iPods etc because they are distractions?
The approach the Canadian govt is taking is absurd and lame.
As it is, posts here are saying that they might as well outlaw car radios and stereos.
Then how about outlawing people in passenger seats talking to the driver? Or outlawing looking out the windows at something other than the road?
The solution is in educating drivers to be careful.

Posted at 12:48AM on Jun 16th 2006 by JohnC

11. A quick review of the CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) website reveals that CAA is calling for these restrictions only for drivers in the Graduated Driver category, which I believe applies to drivers in their first two years of having a driver's license.

While legislation is generally not an effective solution to any situation, I think many people would agree that new drivers, particularly young new drivers, need to learn how to develop good driving habits with as few distractions as possible.

Good job to DigitalMusicWeblog for the chicken little response however.

Posted at 10:58AM on Jun 16th 2006 by Colin Principe

12. this is already the case in britain but you still see people on their cells which looks dangerous

Posted at 11:30AM on Jun 16th 2006 by J3bu

13. The CAA isn't the government, it's an insurance group. If they could, they'd only allow people between the ages of 32-40 to drive and only while wearing helmets and going below 15km/h.

Don't get me wrong, _nobody_ should be using headphones or staring at an iPod screen adjusting tracks while driving. And many people can't drive well enough without said distractions like cell phones and music.

But this is not justification for outright banning of either item in a car. As has been demonstrated here, there are plenty of scenarios where an iPod in the car with a large playlist is probably safer than the alternatives. I had a friend that would, while driving, reach across the car into the glove box or passenger door sleeve to find another CD. Not unheard of.

So, where do we draw the line? I think it's fine where it is and perhaps, as someone else has said, we need driving tests with more emphasis on alertness and actual driving skills and less on whether or not you can, for example, parallel park. Better training makes better drivers. Taking away things from bad drivers still leaves... bad drivers.

Posted at 11:33AM on Jun 16th 2006 by Dean (Saskatoon)

14. If the point is to limit disctractions for the driver, why not ban CB radios for truckers or company radios for delivery trucks? Why not ban screaming kids in the back seat or passengers talking directly to the driver? Why not ban stereos that play at 120+ decibels or maybe ban radios altogether? Why not ban eating and drinking while driving? The responsibility is still with me, the driver. If I'm not paying attention, does it really matter what caused it? Why don't we just take responsibility for our own actions?

Posted at 12:57AM on Jun 20th 2006 by Peter

15. I didn't have time to read everyone's comments, but I personally own an IPod, and I love to listen to it while i'm driving, but it's just a fact that, because I have picked my own playlists, I obviously love the music, and it inspires me to sing and dance to the music. It is a MAJOR distraction, and not only am I distracting myself, but i'm distracting all the surrounding vehicles who are now distracted because they are laughing at me while watching me sing and dance rather than watching the road.

Posted at 7:39PM on Aug 7th 2006 by Deseray Wildemont

16. What they should do is increase the speed limit so its not so boring while driving. This boredom does 2 things it puts you at risk of falling asleep and if you don't fall asleep you'll need music to keep you awake. A higher speed limit will force you to pay attention to the road, and give you no time to fiddle around with anything. I guess low speed limits are a good way for cops to meet their quota for speeding tickets. (10 over give me 50 bucks...) They'll never go for it.

Posted at 2:04AM on Aug 13th 2006 by Herman