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UPDATE: Mayor Rob Ford Caught Reading at the Wheel - Police Say he Won't Be Charged

Posted By: David Woodard · 8/14/2012 3:58:00 PM

The Mayor admits that he sometimes reads while he's driving to work.

This photo surfaced online Tuesday, showing the mayor reading what appears to be some kind of document while driving on the Gardiner Expressway.

Rob Ford admits he's a busy man, and keeps his eyes on the road, but when it's slow, he'll read the occasional paper.

"If... the mayor is as busy as he says he is and needs time between meetings to read about the meetings coming up, perhaps it's time for him to consider (getting) a driver," councillor Adam Vaughan says.

Toronto Police say there was nothing illegal with what the Mayor was doing.  Toronto Traffic Police Constable Clint Stibbe says reading a paper isn't considered under the distracted driving law.  The only way he could be charged is if he committed some other driving infraction while reading.  He says there is nothing to indicate that is the case.

In the past, the mayor has been caught texting or talking on his cellphone behind the wheel and has been accused of driving past the open doors of a streetcar.

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  • 25
  1. JayTee posted on 08/14/2012 12:50 PM
    Get a 'fxxxxxg' life people!! And for 1010 to publish it, I'll say the same!!
    1. n00b posted on 08/14/2012 01:35 PM
      @JayTee The Mayor is not above the law.
    show more replies
  2. morga posted on 08/14/2012 01:57 PM
    The whole Rob Ford thing has changed my opinion about the left in this city entirely. Although Rob Ford is a disaster on all levels, Left leaning media has been brought down to a level of trolling, and bullying for headlines. This is a great example. This should be a bottom of the page story, not leading the Toronto Star for the day. It reminds me of the Toronto Sun, they are their to stoke and stroke anger. Please Stop!
    1. palma posted on 08/15/2012 12:32 AM
      @morga Bottom of the page story really? Till a car crash and someone is killed. Would you then consider that top of the page story?
    2. CoffeeCon posted on 08/17/2012 11:42 PM
      @morga Ford's great if you don't sing the gospel according to The Star.
  3. P Balfour posted on 08/14/2012 02:10 PM
    How do we know that Rob Ford was actually driving in that picture and not just stopped at a traffic light? Everybody that drives a vehicle has looked at something in their car while waiting for a light or caught in traffic. It's time to get over Toronto's fascination with Rob Ford and what he does every second of the day...simply put, we don't care!
    1. Richard Collins posted on 08/14/2012 02:28 PM
      @P Balfour Also suspicious is the lack of any motion blur in the picture, and how the front and rear of the vehicle are cut off. He could have been at a traffic light, pulled over on the shoulder, stopped for any number of reasons.
    2. Um posted on 08/14/2012 02:52 PM
      @P Balfour Yes, one of those numerous stoplights on the Gardiner Expressway.
    show more replies
  4. jer posted on 08/14/2012 02:35 PM
    This is one of the reasons we have bumper to bumper traffic. I am not bashing this because it is Rob Ford, I actually like him overall, but, he is an idiot to be reading while driving. He didn't say on the radio today "I just quickly wanted to check an address", he said something like "I am a busy guy, I was catching up on work"!! You should be driving and catching up on work, pay attention to the road!
  5. Judi posted on 08/14/2012 03:55 PM
    Is there anything Rob Ford could do that would please the Toronto Star?
    1. kerry charles posted on 08/14/2012 06:38 PM
      @Judi is there anything ttc bus operators could do that would please the toronto sun? give me a break. for you conservative to think what rob ford was doing is right baffels the hell out of me. it was wrong and dangerious! no one should be defending such actions.
  6. JasonTheCapitalist posted on 08/14/2012 04:36 PM
    He's probably a better driver than most I've witnessed in Toronto if he were driving while reading IN THE BACK SEAT. Take a look at yourself.
  7. JamesTK posted on 08/14/2012 06:21 PM
    Statistics have it that distracted driving accounts for 80% of all collisions on our roads. As Toronto's Mayor, Mr. Ford should consider leading by example and not excusing a poor driving behaviour.
    Also, looking at the photographer's reflection, the angle of the seatbelt indicates that the photograph may have been taken by the driver. And it seems the driver's seatblet is tucked "under" the left arm. Let he who is without sin...
  8. C Church posted on 08/15/2012 03:03 AM
    This is funny the economy is going in the crapper and all we can talk about is if Rob Ford is reading while driving? Really pathetic. Lets look at getting out of this hole we are in then we can waste our time with this useless shi#.

    Wake up people!!! wake up!!!
    1. CoffeeCon posted on 08/17/2012 11:46 PM
      @C Church The left doesn't want us out of the hole, thats the real problem here.
  9. Only Common Sense posted on 08/15/2012 08:49 AM
    Rob Ford can read?? Naahhh!!
  10. Leslie Clarke posted on 08/15/2012 09:44 AM
    As a business owner in the city of Toronto, I find it discusting that Mr. Rob Ford continues to find himself in the media for negative reasons. Being a business owner and the President of our company, there are rules and regulations that I must follow and an image that I must upkeep. Being the mayor of Toronto is no different. Rules are driven down from the top yet he finds himself constantly in these scenarios with no explaination for them or no desire to explain. The public will just follow suit unfortunately.
    Why not find yourself in the media Mr. Ford for positive reasons! Like what are you doing for the city? Changes you have made or money saved! Events that you go out to and support? Fundraising being done for less fortunate groups or people.
    It is getting old that we focus so much on Mr. Ford but reallity he is making it possible for us to continue to speak about him in a negative manner.

    Time to clean it up Mr Rob Ford., instead of beating to the tune of your own drum why not make us proud to hear you in the news!
  11. NYM posted on 08/15/2012 09:47 AM
    WOW!
    I cannot believe how many people are sticking up for this behaviour.
    This has nothing to do with politics - this has to do with our top official, our Mayor, behaving like a complete and total arrogant ass.
    I don't care how many other people do this - I don't even care if the driver who took the picture was ghost-riding when he took it.
    This guy is supposed to be our MAYOR - he's supposed to hold himself to a higher standard.
    And what pi**ed me off even more was his response - "I'm a busy guy."
    Rob Ford - politics aside - is an arrogant, stubborn fool and has now officially graduated to becoming A Menace to Society. And yes, it is NEWS!
    All you people who think this is no big deal - you must be doing the same thing. because those of us who DON'T read and text while we drive are disgusted and horrified.
    1. CoffeeCon posted on 08/17/2012 11:51 PM
      @NYM It's news because we are all interested in the article he's reading instead of the bad driving. A quick trip on any of the highways in this city will tell you that the driving is terrible; unfortunately since all the cops are in TCHC 24 hours a day servicing 'The Six Percent' there's nothing that can be done.

      (Ps. I agree with you. And nevermind killing other people; imagine the worldwide headlines when Toronto's mayor hits a curb and goes to hospital. awesome.) But he certainly DOES represent the drivers in our city.
  12. John Stuart posted on 08/15/2012 11:43 AM
    This picture of Rob Ford shows noting more than someone glancing at a piece of paper in his vehicle while driving...get off his case!..we all have done it...truckers do it all day while looking up addresses for delivery...another example of a slow news day...go after the cell phone users first and work your way down to people glancing at a piece of paper :)
  13. don cherry was right posted on 08/15/2012 11:55 AM
    The photo when blown up, shows the reflection of a striped shirt male in the passenger side window. Indicating that the photo was taken by the driver. While driving at 70 klicks. Which seems to be illega unless he did this hands free. Can't tell yet which brand for sure, but reflection of a flash suggests a cellphone camera. RTFLMAO. While driving a whiet pickup truck with a big D logo on it.
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