The Right to Privacy and the Right to Smoke

I feel as if I am in a bit of a moral pickle. Or, to be more precise, lawmakers in Ontario (and Nova Scotia) should feel as if they are walking a fine line. In these two provinces, it is illegal to smoke in your car whilst carrying passengers 16 years of age and under.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am a non-smoker, vigilant in my efforts to minimise the amount of smoke that my children are exposed to. I have gotten into shouting matches with people who have the audacity to blow smoke into my children’s faces in designated non-smoking areas. The few members of my family who still smoke know better than to do so whilst in the company of my children.

Where I feel uncertain is in this new law’s über-intrusive nature. In essence, this law prohibits you from partaking in what is otherwise considered an acceptable act whilst in the confines of your personal, privately-owned space.

Now that this law has passed, why not take it a step further? Why not fine the pregnant woman who failed, or even worse, refuses to quit smoking? Why not ban smoking in the company of children altogether? It does not matter whether you are in a small space, such as a car, where the concentration of cigarette smoke is higher, or your living room, where such concentrations are not as strong. Either way, you are exposing your child to toxins.

Furthermore, what of the people who smoke regularly at home, in the presence of their (grand-) children? They are doing much more harm to the children than the cigarette-smoking taxi drivers who are likely to never see the children again.

My question, however, is how much privacy can be surrendered in the interest of a greater good. Where does it stop? And who is making sure that it stops?

Parallel-parking 101

We have all seen it before; the driver with absolutely no sense of how big their car is. It can be especially annoying when you are stuck on a narrow road because someone is having a hard time parallel-parking their huge car.

I usually give the driver the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they are driving a rental, or they have newly purchased the car, and have yet to adjust themselves to the dimensions of it.

Drivers such as the one in the clip below, however, just make you want to scream how much room there is – never mind the fact that they are driving a Smart, the car that practically fits into your pocket!

Tackling young and novice drivers, con't.

In light of the young and novice driver rules the Liberals in Ontario are pushing forward, here is a thought: instead of limiting the freedom of responsible drivers, take a page out of Germany’s book.

Raise the minimum age from 16 to 18.
Two years may not seem like a big difference to some, but the adult mind is much more capable of fully realising the responsibility that comes along with operating a vehicle. At 18, with the end of high school and beginning of university/work life, comes a sense of social responsibility. And the hormones are not quite on the rampage any longer.

Penalties for speeding and drunk driving.
From my understanding, there are already harsh fines and penalties in place for speeding and impaired driving in Ontario. More should be invested into the enforcement of these rules. As I mentioned here, I am in complete agreement with the alcohol ban for young and novice drivers – although two years is the requirement here. This rule should not be seen as an intrusion to one’s freedoms, but rather as a practical way to combat impaired driving habits.

Make the attendance of driving school mandatory.
In order to pass driving school and qualify for a driver’s exam in Germany, one must fulfill certain requirements such as x number of hours of successful nighttime driving, driving in rural areas (for those who live in the city), city driving (for those who live in rural areas), and driving on the speed-limit-free sections of the autobahn. All in all, there are around 14 theory classes and at least 12 driving sessions. Theory is taught alone at first and then parallel with the practical lessons, so that students learn the rules and how to apply them. This ensures drivers with a well-rounded experience.

What if the whole process of getting a license costs an arm and a leg (anywhere from 1000-2000 EUR)? Driving is a privilege, and there is no reason against making people work for the opportunity to do so. Paying that kind of money will result in people taking care to drive within the confines of the law. (And think of the jobs that will be created with the implementation of mandatory driving schools!)

In short, teach the population to treat their driver’s licenses like gold, and harshly punish those who do not. This is how, despite being the country of beer, Germany sees relatively small amounts of drunk driving.

Read more on the controversy here and here.

Tackling young and novice drivers

Young drivers (21 years of age and younger) and novice drivers in Ontario may soon face new laws in regards to alcohol consumption and the number of young passengers with them in the car. I have mixed feelings about them.

The new rules require young drivers to have a zero blood alcohol level whilst behind the steering wheel. This will also apply to novice drivers of all ages for their first year of driving. I am in agreement with this aspect of the proposed laws. Germany already has such laws in place, with the difference that novice drivers must adhere for two years instead of one.

What I disagree with in the limit set upon the number of youth in a car, which makes it illegal for young drivers to drive with more than one passenger 19 or younger with them in the vehicle. Don Forgeron, the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Ontario vice-president, rightly says that saving lives is of more importance than inconvenience. They are, however, essentially making it illegal for young people to carpool to work, or to drive their two younger cousins to their swim class. This also affects the responsible party-goers – the designated driver will no longer be able to chauffeur their friends home. This inconvenience is utterly unnecessary.

This limit comes as a result of a fatal crash that occurred on the south shore of Georgian Bay. Five teenagers died, three of which were not wearing seatbelts. According to police, alcohol did not play a role in the crash. Speed and road conditions likely did.

I do not understand how that crash would lead to the limit proposed. Instead, I believe that higher fines for speeding and failure to wear seatbelts are in order. Significant speeding should also warrant immediate license suspension.

The Muppet Felon

I am not sure how this works elsewhere, but when you see a quick, small flash of red on your right whilst driving in Germany, you have been photographed speeding. Within the following six months you would receive a letter outlining your fines and/or points of Flensburg (home of the national database of traffic violations), complete with your picture and a form you can send in if you believe that the person in the picture is not you. Hubby received on of these in September. He is pictured quite clearly, scratching his nose **lol** . I was sitting beside him, but I was blurred out.


Someone driving a British car in Bavaria has had a bit of fun with these speeding cameras. A life-sized Muppet doll (most likely Animal) was placed on the front passenger seat - the driver's seat in continental Europe - and was caught driving 155 kph in a 120 kph zone of the autobahn.

I initially found this funny, but apparently the driver has done the same thing for several traffic cameras. This showed that the driver knew the authorities cannot pursue him/her because of the foreign license plate. Potentially endangering others on the road for the sake of a joke - not funny.