Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/05/15/teen-fined-580-for-using-phone-in-mcdonalds-drive-thru-line.html
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Does it even count as a public roadway if it was in a privately owned parking lot drive-thru?
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From the article:
“RCMP can confirm that on May 13, 2024 the individual was observed driving a vehicle on a public roadway while using a cellphone. A Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan RCMP officer initiated a traffic stop with the individual. The individual then pulled in the McDonald’s parking lot, where the traffic violation was issued,” the statement said.
I suspect what actually happened is the driver pulled out his phone on the public road and opened the app in order to get ready for the drive-through and that’s what the cop saw. And then the ticket was only actually issued once he was in the drive through.
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While we’re on the subject of Happy Meals that graphic with the frowny face is sorta relevant to a news story I heard today:
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Not only is using your cell phone in a drive thru totally normal, McDonald’s in particular goes as far out of their way as possible to force you to use your cell phone, beginning every transaction by asking if you’re using their app and only listing a few items from their menu, expecting you to look up the full menu on your phone if you don’t have it memorized.
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Mc Choke n’ Puke is privatge property.
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It’s linked right in the blurb:
See?
The blue text indicates a link.
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How is this being more distracted than fishing around for you wallet in your pocket, your purse, or carry-all so that you have your money ready to go to ensure a smooth money-for-food transaction?
Either way, the RCMP officer is an asshole.
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Depends on the state or country in question, but yes, drive-thrus and parking lots are generally considered public vehicular areas for purposes of DWI and other traffic violations, even though they belong to private businesses. The reasoning is usually along the lines that those areas are open to public traffic.
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You aren’t “required” to do anything. You can follow the link and read the full article or you can read the synopsis on BoingBoing. The choice is entirely up to you.
Welcome to BoingBoing, I guess?
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Do you know how blogs work? This is how they’ve always worked, dude. Like… forever. 
Sure, some get into more detail in the post with more commentary, but some do this, which is light commentary around a link… Like… are you new to the Internets or something? 
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But… there is not hoagie! Just a link to a hoagie!!! /s
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I participated in an accessibility webinar yesterday with a particular focus on websites and digital access. The person running it briefly went into reasons to not use “click here” text on links since 1) this is a holdover from over 20 years ago when the WWW was a new thing and most people weren’t familiar with how to use things like hyperlink and 2) that phrasing is almost useless with screen readers since they will parse it as “Link. Click here.”
Apparently there are exceptions to the thought that >99% of Internet users are now familiar with links. I’d say that perhaps they are one of today’s 10K, but then how did they get here and manage to set up an account in the first place?
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Jealous?
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So… do you have to turn off your car before showing your points app, or would the eco-stop feature count with the engine off? /s
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Look, I printed it out, and now I have a papercut trying to click this damn thing. /s
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Is a drive-through a public roadway? Seems like it would be private property.
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… either way it is a special case where people are supposed to be doing something unusual — whether it’s ordering through a microphone with our head out the window or through an app, neither of those things are normal driving behaviors
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