Home / World / Torontonians want texting-and-walking ban, poll says

Torontonians want texting-and-walking ban, poll says

Torontonians want texting-and-walking ban, poll says

3New Forum Research polls also shed light on what we think of the TORONTO sign and the street hockey ban.
Some politicians call the idea of a ban on texting while walking “silly,” but that hasn’t stopped a majority of Toronto residents from being in favour of it.
A new Forum Research poll found that 56 per cent of people support city council’s desire to make it illegal to use a smartphone or similar device while crossing the street.
Only 35 per cent disagreed with the ban, while 8 per cent had no opinion, according to the poll, which also probed sentiments on the end of a rarely enforced street hockey ban, the TORONTO sign and a revamp of Yonge St.
“Council’s proposal to ban texting and walking was dismissed by the province and others, but whoever dismisses it is out of touch with the public,” said Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff. “People seem to be on board with this idea.”
Mayor John Tory and councillors were chided for a a 26-15 vote to ask the province to outlaw use of devices “while on any travelled portion of a roadway.”
But some councillors ridiculed the idea and the apparently skeptical Ontario transportation minister said it would be up to Toronto council to introduce such a rule.
Support for the crackdown, the poll found, was highest among North Yorkers, the oldest Torontonians, middle-income earners and private-vehicle commuters.
The proposal, which some called an attempt to blame pedestrians for being killed by drivers, was least popular with cyclists.
Torontonians also applauded city council’s decision to end, against the advice of city staff, a longtime official ban on street hockey. Some 69 per cent approved of the decision while only 21 per cent disapproved. Ten per cent had no opinion.
Those most in favour of keeping street hockey illegal were the oldest, lower-income residents of North York, York and Scarborough, and those who voted for Doug Ford in the 2014 mayoral election.
Residents, meanwhile, are split on a city staff proposal to spend about $500,000 to maintain the popular illuminated TORONTO sign in Nathan Phillips Square for two more years and build a smaller T.O. sign that would move around the city.
Some 49 per cent of Torontonians supported spending the money, while 39 per cent did not and 14 per cent had no opinion.
The biggest sign fans were downtown, the oldest, the wealthiest, and Mayor John Tory voters. Those who voted for Doug Ford in the 2010 mayoral election were not so keen.
“Toronto loves its sign and woe betide the politician who tries to take it down,” Bozinoff said. “This seems to be part of a pattern where people have become more open to city-building and spending money on Toronto.”
City councillors expressed concern over maintenance costs, asking staff to come back with cheaper options this fall. They also pulled the plug on plans for a smaller mobile sign.
A strong majority of respondents, 64 per cent, approved of another city initiative — revitalizing downtown Yonge St.
Only 28 per cent disapproved of the plan expected to breathe new life into Toronto’s artery with wider sidewalks, new planters and a reduction in vehicle lanes.
Enthusiasm for a revitalized, more pedestrian-focused Yonge crossed all demographics, except those who voted for Doug Ford in the 2014 mayoral election, car commuters and Etobicoke residents.
Bozinoff predicted the plan could become a new front in hostilities between some drivers and other road users.
Forum conducted the poll of 868 randomly selected Toronto adults on July 18 using an interactive voice response telephone survey. Results based on the total sample are considered accurate plus or minus 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Where appropriate, the data has been statistically weighted by age, region, and other variables to ensure the sample reflects the actual population according to the latest Census data.
Forum houses its poll results in the Data Library of the University of Toronto political science department.

Check Also

Donald Trump may cause problems for China before he leaves presidency: Experts

Donald Trump may cause problems for China before he leaves presidency: Experts

WASHINGTON: With US President Donald Trump showing no signs that he will leave office gracefully after …