Former solicitor general Kash Heed opted not to run in the May election and faded out of public view.
He actually dropped out of sight well before that, as he disengaged from the B.C. Liberal caucus after a rocky cabinet career. His monumental lack of interest in legislature debates was apparent to all during his last year as an MLA.
But he accomplished something significant during his stint, and it will become apparent to many drivers over the next few weeks.
ICBC and police launched a blitz this week against distracted driving, and it鈥檚 largely based on legislation he introduced in the legislature.
People could text and chat with impunity while driving before 2010, even though the practice was well on its way to becoming a social crime. Over a period of years, seeing drivers on their phones has gone from being irritating to intensely annoying, because it鈥檚 so obviously dangerous.
The tolerance threshold is going down, as well. And there was some discussion when the law was being debated about how long hands-free operation would be allowed. There鈥檚 a view that any phone conversation is distracting to drivers, no matter how it鈥檚 conducted.
B.C. was about in the middle of the 91原创 pack when it came to responding to the issue. Five other provinces outlawed using phones while driving before Heed introduced B.C.鈥檚 law in late 2009.
It鈥檚 also in the middle of the pack when it comes to severity, with a fine of $167, plus three demerit points on the driving record.
The specifics include these provisions:
鈥� You can鈥檛 hold, operate or watch any handheld electronic device while driving.
鈥� You can use the devices if they have hands-free functions, or require only one touch. If so, the device has to be fixed to the car, or worn securely on the driver鈥檚 body. But drivers with Ns or Ls can鈥檛 use them.
鈥� Handheld audio players must fixed to the dashboard or worn on the body.
鈥� GPS navigation systems must be programmed before driving and fixed to the dash.
鈥� Emergency calls are allowed, and police, fire and ambulance personnel are exempt.
Several open-line shows covered the enforcement-blitz kickoff and asked people to describe the worst examples they鈥檇 seen. There were multiple stories of people chatting away while negotiating left turns through busy intersections, or eating whole dinners while driving, or even reading newspapers.
But there was a sense that people recount those kind of horror stories to minimize their own guilt. Because almost everyone with a phone is guilty of glancing at it or using it while driving at one time or another.
Prior to introducing the bill, the government sounded out the public on how it would be received. A survey found 87 per cent of respondents supported the curbs.
So they weren鈥檛 exactly breaking new ground with the law. And Opposition New Democrats were quick to point out they tabled a private bill the year previously to encourage the government to make the move.
NDP MLA Mike Farnworth ridiculed the minority who opposed it, referring to people who call up talk-radio shows and say: 鈥淵eah, I鈥檓 on my cellphone. I鈥檓 doing the Coquihalla, and I鈥檓 doing 120 km/h and it鈥檚 just fine, I don鈥檛 see why we need a ban.鈥�
And in an 85-member house, there were just enough people with vivid personal experience of bad car accidents to drive home the point that a crackdown was most welcome.
Just So You Know: There鈥檚 a backhanded way to gauge whether writing several thousand distracted-driving tickets a month is having an effect. Prior to the law, the government produced an estimate that 鈥渄river distraction鈥� was associated with 117 deaths a year on B.C. roads.
This week, ICBC is blaming driver distraction for 91 deaths a year. That鈥檚 still a remarkably high number, but less than previously.
And it鈥檚 the main reason why anyone who gets busted during the crackdown should know there鈥檚 zero sympathy in most people鈥檚 minds for their plight.
