Back up camera

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Can you look at GPS?

Yup you can, but only if it is a GPS system secured to the car and if it works via voice activation. If no voice controlled then you need to do all your inputting of address etc while parked.

Edit to add: the law forbids the use of a "hand held communication device" while driving, a dedicated GPS is not considered to be a "communication device" but a smart phone with a GPS app on it is considered to be a "communication device. .

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I'm glad to know, but…

The whole thing sounds to me like a typical knee-jerk legislative response to rapidly changing vehicular technology.

Actually it is an attempt to keep people from touching their cellphones for any reason while driving and avoid the temptation of using it and killing themselves or someone else, nothing to do with vehicular technology.

Before the law was put in place they did ask for public input/engagement on the topic and only put the law in place once it became clear the majority of folks in the province felt it was a much needed law.

From the Government of BC's website on the topic :

"Distracted Driving in B.C.

Distracted driving, in all of its forms, is the second-highest contributing factor to motor vehicle related fatalities in B.C., with 88 deaths per year. It is estimated that over 9,500 drivers are using a hand-held device while driving at any given time in B.C., with 40% of those drivers texting behind the wheel."

More info the research and background info on the law can be found at:
Province of BC - Distracted Driver.

[honda03842]

The whole law i about "hand held" devices and hand activated devices. It in no way bans a cell phone used as a GPS device. It's also clear they have not banned phones or monitors that meet the other requirements of the law.

It's clear to me that electronics devices that are not being held in your hand may be used including phones. As well devices that are voice activated are permitted. No device whether a communication device or other electronic device is permitted in your hand.

The following all quoted directly from the BC government,

"A person may use an electronic device in a hands-free telephone
function while driving if:

 The electronic device, as well as any part or extension of it, is not
held or operated by the hand;
 It is voice-activated or requires only one touch in order to initiate,
accept or end a call;
 If the device includes an earpiece, that earpiece can be worn in one
ear only and must be placed in the ear prior to driving*;
 The electronic device is securely fixed to the vehicle or worn securely
on the person’s body, and is within easy reach of the driver’s seat;
and
 The device must be installed in a manner that does not obstruct the
driver’s view of the front or sides of the motor vehicle or interfere with
the safety or operating equipment of the motor vehicle.

 A driver must not hold, operate, communicate or watch the
screen of a hand-held electronic communication device.
 A driver must not send or receive text messages or email on
any type of electronic device.
 A driver must not hold, operate, communicate or watch the
screen of a hand-held electronic computing device, one of the
purposes of which is to process or compute data.

A person may use a Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation
purposes while driving if:
 It is programmed before the person begins to drive or operate the
vehicle;
 It can be programmed in a voice-activated manner;
 If it is a hand-held GPS device, it must not be held in the hand; and
 It must be securely fixed to the motor vehicle in a manner that does
not obstruct the person’s view of the front or sides of the motor
vehicle or interfere with the safety or operating equipment of the
vehicle. "

[Darral T.]

Good stuff/good job Norm! If somebody's going to tell me the "Law", I want to know exactly what it says and not in their words. I was beginning to wonder if you could even HAVE a back-up camera/monitor in your vehicle in BC.

[QUOTE=honda03842;554849]The whole law i about "hand held" devices and hand activated devices. It in no way bans a cell phone used as a GPS device. It's also clear they have not banned phones or monitors that meet the other requirements of the law.

It's clear to me that electronics devices that are not being held in your hand may be used including phones. As well devices that are voice activated are permitted. No device whether a communication device or other electronic device is permitted in your hand.

The following all quoted directly from the BC government,

[Carol H]

[QUOTE=Darral T.;554853]Good stuff/good job Norm! If somebody's going to tell me the "Law", I want to know exactly what it says and not in their words.

Originally Posted by honda03842

It's clear to me that electronics devices that are not being held in your hand may be used including phones. ,

As pre Norms post as well as my previous one which linked you to the actual law which reads:

"A driver must not hold, operate, communicate or watch the
screen of a hand-held electronic communication device."

A mobile phone is a " COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE"

The current advertising blitz to highlight the law actually uses a mobile phone with a GPS app on it as the NO NO.

For those who have trouble understanding what a communication device is please See the pretty pictures of all the mobile phones the BC Government bulletin provided on my previous post. ;-)

In case you missed it here it is again: BC RoadSafey BC - Use of Electronic Devices while Driving.

As with all things people can read what they want to read and disregard the rest.... I would suggest if you come on up and try proving your interpretation of the laws in BC that you bring lots of cash with you

EDIT to add: The problem/issues with the use of a mobile phone as a GPS is that it will continue to be able to receive emails, text messages & calls while you are running the GPS app. The law also reads in part: "A driver must not send or receive text messages or email on any type of electronic device." On most smart phones it is impossible to stop it from receiving mail & text while it is in GPS mode & they usually include an on screen alert. So even if you do not have it in your hand and it is mounted on the car and your looking at it, you are going to be receiving text messages and emails most likely seeing/reading the alerts on the screen as they pop up. Even if you figure out how to stop it from appearing on your screen while in GPS mode you might find yourself having to explain to the nice RCMP officer how you did that after he pulls you over to check it. ;-)

[Darral T.]

With that said, one of these days, I want an Escape. Reckon they would bring it across the border for me??? (for a fee right??)

[QUOTE=Carol H;554877][QUOTE=
As with all things people can read what they want to read and disregard the rest.... I would suggest if you come on up and try proving your interpretation of the laws in BC that you bring lots of cash with you [/QUOTE]

[Glenn Baglo]

Escape routinely imports the trailers into the US for American customers. Saves Escape and the customer a lot of paperwork. There is no fee. Many then immediately return to Canada to visit.

Amazes me how people are working so hard in this thread to create an argument.

[james kent]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Escape routinely imports the trailers into the US for American customers. Saves Escape and the customer a lot of paperwork. There is no fee. Many then immediately return to Canada to visit.

Amazes me how people are working so hard in this thread to create an argument.

You got that right! In the past when too many people posted with an "I'm the authority" attitude we lost membership. Please try to keep this a nice place to visit.


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[alan H]

Well said.... Seems like every question is turning that direction


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[redbarron55]

Well I am not planning to visit BC anytime soon!
I might think about my phone or a text might arrive and then where would I be.
I believe BC has passes Maryland as the most meddlin' "state".
Probably this is a non tax revenue enhancement program.

[Carol H]

The nice thing about this list is we get to share information pertaining to areas that some of us may or may not have traveled yet. Sometimes the information is provided in order to prevent someone from receiving a ticket that is sure to make what should have been a great visit to an area, a not so nice visit to an area.

Most folks welcome having the locals of the area they are traveling in give them a heads up that something that they might have assumed to be legal is actually not. Instead what happens here is someone will suggest that the law is stupid or being misinterpreted by the poster or worse still the ramifications of breaking it are not factual. Yup the later actually happened here. LOL Whats most surprising is that has happened here on at least 3 different topics/threads/laws recently.

Whats more surprising is those doing the challenging clearly up until the warning was given had no idea the law was even in place, let alone any local knowledge as to how the local authorities are interpreting it &/or enforce it.

If some find the putting forward of the actual laws and providing the added bonus of knowing how the local authorities are interpreting it and issuing tickets for it as being an "authority attitude" them my apologize. It is not intend as such, simple intended to help a fellow traveler keep their money for doing fun things rather than paying for a fine.

At the end of the day we all get to make our own choices as to what we are willing to take our chances on but if you find yourself being ticketed in BC for pulling a trailer that puts your vehicles GVWR over the auto makers specs, or for dumping your trailers saw dust toilet contents out of your trailer into a garbage can or for using your mobile phone as a GPS, you can not say we didn't try to warn you

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

Well I am not planning to visit BC anytime soon!
I might think about my phone or a text might arrive and then where would I be.
.

You can have your smart phone in the car receiving text's or calls etc. BUT and its a BIG BUT you can not have it located in a position that you actually see the message alerts on the screen as they come in.

I carry my smart phone with me all the time in the car. In my back pocket or in the bottom of my purse so there is no question as to whether or not I may have been looking at it while driving. Its set up to connect directly to the cars built in blue tooth system as soon as I enter the car so I don't need to see or even touch the phone to answer a call.

Many dedicated GPS systems come with a blue tooth voice activated system that you can use your smart phone through - I used one on my last vehicle that did not have built in blue tooth.

As far any texts messages that might come through while you were driving... sorry you need to wait until you are parked to read it or take a peek at the screen alert to see who sent it ;-)

[redbarron55]

Luckily I don't need to go to BC and spend any of my money. I will just go somewhere more laid back.

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[Glenn Baglo]

Gonna take my ball and go home.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

Luckily I don't need to go to BC and spend any of my money. I will just go somewhere more laid back.

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JD have you ever been to the west coast of BC? Some might suggest your not going to find a more layer back place. Which is why most here agree with the law as were so laid back we don't feel anyone needs to be connected 24/7 lol

[james kent]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Gonna take my ball and go home.

Ball? Ball
. If we loose this game today I'll be watching HOCKEY!!!
Go Jays
Go Leafs ...sorta


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[redbarron55]

I am not going to take may ball and go home, I just won't bring the ball to BC.
I have to cross most of the North American Continent to get there anyway.
Plus I couldn't chance it with VW towing my Scamp 16'.
It doesn't seem to be compatible with ROW towing.
I would like to see the scenery etc, but I probably don't have enough time to see everything else before I get around to BC with a Scamp towed by a VW TDI.
I am sure it is beautiful.
If they go out of their way to irritate tourists traveling through then there will be plenty of space in the motels.

[Glenn Baglo]

Probably don't want to travel through California where they have a 55 MPH limit for towing.

[redbarron55]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Probably don't want to travel through California where they have a 55 MPH limit for towing.

I have been to California several times and I don't mind traveling 55.
Perhaps they don't want my TDI there either?
Lots of times while in California I would be happy with 55.

Carol H has just completely informed us that BC is very strict with towing and use of almost anything in the car.
Usually the passenger takes care of these duties, but I look every now and then.
If the locals stop very many then they are paying a LOT of attention to what people are doing while they are driving.
Personally I don't text etc, but I do occasionally use Waze and other GPS and other apps that don't distract particularly and are very useful.
All I have heard of towing in BC tends to discourage me from traveling there is all I am saying. I assume tourists are not a very big percentage of the the local income.
No problem from me I just won't go there. Lots to see and do between the Gulf of Mexico and BC. Easy-Pesy.
Carol, you do a pretty good job of informing us about British Columbia. Thanks for the head's up.
As an aside I know the speed limit in California while towing and I have no problem with that either.I never tow over 62 mph anyway.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by james kent

Ball? Ball
. If we loose this game today I'll be watching HOCKEY!!!
Go Jays
Go Leafs ...sorta


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How about those Jays!!!