police on their cell phone

Howdy,

Just wondering if anybody else has seen a cop on their cell phone while driving? I see it far too often on the roads, esp in Toronto, Ontario. I am concerned that their might be a double-standard when it comes to the anti-cell phone laws. I don't understand that with their union that they can't find a way to have a hands-free device mandatory on their cars.

Should I report their usage to the police? Of would cops policing cops be a bad idea?

Please don't bomb my fuel station???!!

So on Monday (sept 13) during work I passed by what looked like a Police action in a strip mall along Markham Rd, North of Finch in Toronto, Ontario. There were a LOT of Toronto Police cars and other trucks. But of course having seen this sort of stuff before and trying to get my load of cargo delivered, I pushed on pass and didn't stop to look around.

Good thing I did keep on moving. Because about ten min later another of my fellow drivers was stopped and redirected away from the Markham rd location where the police suspected a car bomb to be. My friend was diverted during the evacuation order by the police... it took him 1:30 min to get to where I was and had driven in 15min. Talk about good timing on my part.

The van as it turned out was not a bomb, but an attempt at an alternative fuel source... but what the heck, if it was a bomb how much damage would it have done, to the propane storage facility, the fuel station and even the rail station down the way? I was could have been so very close to being part of the news instead of avoiding it.

I just wonder what would have happened to the towing company who moved the van who has lots of parking tickets to that location without even checking to see ... WTF

My cursaid for driver testing...

Not sure if this sits well for you, but in Ontario the G1, G2 and then full G class driver test are provided in 17 different languages. Thinking about our two official languages of French and English would have been assumed to be offered. But why does our government offer more than just the two official ones?

While driving or even operating a car do you not think that being able to read and understand English or French wold be critical to operation of said car? Do you not read traffic signs and street names in English or French. How are you navigating? Most people can't navigate a route to a new place if their life depended upon it... I don't have to site examples of this... Or do I?

I really think that any distraction while you are driving is a very dangerous thing indeed.  People we really need to focus on what is going on around you while you are piloting that car.

This is why I believe that people should be retested every five years to keep their driver's licence. We as professional drivers are tested every five years with a written test. And each time we change companies we are tested on the road. We can be tested by the MTO officer who pulls us over etc.

I know that its too bad that us trucks and you have to share the road, but its the only way for you to get that thing you just went to the mall to get. Hey without trucks you would have to go to the train station to get your food or even that new cell phone you are using.But I am not getting into that.

All drivers should be tested every five years... yes write the test and then drive the test. So much has changed even in two years let along five years. The government needs to keep on educating you the driver on all the new and updated laws and even the traffic signs.

Would you pass the test?

Pulling over an Armoured car?

So today during the PM rush I noticed that an OPP had pulled over a armoured car in the West bound express by Morningside.

I have to wonder what sort of procedure would that driver and that cop would have to go through inorder to give and receive the ticket(s)? Which got me to wondering, what would it be like to drive that armoured car?

I think that all the training would be very indensive and wild. Just think of all the stuff they would teach you in how to handel the car in an emergancy. High speed chases.... crazy off-roading... Oh what skills you would have to learn and practice... maybe they would send you a cop training program?

I have thought of going through different driver's ed program like the one offered by  Global Racing Schools in Ontario.

We can alwasy become a better driver, no matter what we drive.

Frank Llyod Wright is everywhere

So there I was at Disney world in Florida and just looking around their section called Downtown Disney. Which is mostly a mall of sorts. I come across two very distinctly FLW inspired designs. Either this is a homage to the man and his work, or some hidden reference by the designer and only viable to those looking.

Have a look at the buildings around you in your daily life. You might be suprised at their design and where they come from.

Did you know that Disney by Chiacgo is linked to FLW? Also that Disney has a link to Ontario, Canada?

Here are the Link-n-logs a playtoy of FLW as a boy, right across from the Pint trader's store.

Pin traders building which if you look at the sign age is a great FLW inspired background. Plus.

You will find this tile pattern in the floor of the traders building.

Cell phones while driving?

Just in case you have not heard.... using your cell phone and any function of it is very dangerous... Why cause you are not using your mind to drive with. You must think that its easy or safe to driving with that thing on your ear. I and most people are able to pick out cell phone driving morons on the road. 
For some reason, while using your cell you think that its OK not to signal, check your blind spot or even keep up with the flow of traffic anymore. 


You have to remember that in my truck I am sitting about 4 feet higher than you are in your car. I can see into your car and see you with your cell phone on and trying to drive. PLEASE STOP YOUR CAR AND THEN OPERATE IT.


I would feel much safer with you no using that dam thing. I would love to be able to call the cops on each and every one of your drivers, but the problem is that I would have write down your plate number and then pull over to make the call. 


I wonder what would happen if you were in an accident and then the cops as a policy checked the cell phone useage of all drivers. They found that yours were on, and then charged you with the accident and you had to pay for all the damages... then you could not get insurance... because you were chraged with a DUI which resulted in your being stripped of your driver's licence for a year. Would you stop using your cell phone then? Or what if you caused the accident and killed somebody?


WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO STOP USING THAT DAME PHONE?

Driving adventures of today

Today I drove mostly in the Toront and Vaughn area.... I was amazed to see how little work had been accomplished by our city's crews while I was gone. There is still the HUGE problem of the Belfield road work,  and the Dufferin bridge is still closed between Dufferin and Bathurst along Finch.


But not to fear. I will still get around the city and try to leave less of a footprint.

Segway?

So recently I was at Disney World, Flordia and had the chance to try a Segqay with an instructor for all of 2 min. I was impressed more with the ajility of the device than with the instructor. So today, I went looking into if I could rent on or even go on a tour with one. I was in luck. There is a place in the distillery distric in Toronto which does tours, its also a dealer... mmmmm

But how practical would one be for me? Well I live in a small town norht of the city and really don't have much use for one. I commute to work (45min) and need a car for that chore. But if I lived and worked close by, sure I would enjoy the segway, because I would have to give up my car to afford one.