I've tried to avoid this rant, but screw it...I'm pissed.
As of July first, California passed a law and now it is illegal to drive with a cell phone to your ear. It's not illegal to use a cell phone while driving mind you; you just can't have it to your ear.
There have been ads and commercials galore here for months, "Get your hands-free device to comply with the law!"
Never mind that there are already laws in place against driving distracted...we needed to have one specifically addressing cell phones, it seems. (That statement was dripping with sarcasm. Can you tell?) Oh, and there aren't any studies indicating that driving distracted by a cell phone is somehow more dangerous than driving distracted by, oh I dunno...kids. Or CD changing. Or fast-food eating. Or make-up application.
Now, let's walk through this, shall we? You're driving, and your cell phone rings. Since it's unlikely you have your little ear thingy in, you need to fumble around and find it.
Distracting.
You need to shove it in your ear.
Distracting.
You check your caller ID.
Distracting.
After that you are as engaged in the conversation as you would be if you were holding the cell to your ear, right?
Still distracted!
Let's say you want to make a call. You can. You can still dial your phone.
Distracting!
And guess what? You can still text while driving. Because that's not at all distracting! Oh no. Not at all. Ask anyone who rides with me and they'll tell you that they not only fear for their life, but make sure their will is in plain view before they get in my car, you know, just in case. See, since I can't talk on the phone anymore while I'm driving and I have to keep working, I email. Yep. From my BlackBerry.
I sure do.
I can also still use the speaker phone function of my cell, and hold it up to my mouth so that the person to whom I am speaking can hear me. Right in front of my face. In my field of vision.
No, not at all distracting.
Furthermore, if I so chose, I can hold a banana to my ear while I drive. That's not illegal. I can hold a latte to my ear, or a flashlight, or a stuffed animal. Just not a cell phone. Because that would be too distracting.
Now don't get me started on digging for my military ID. Because that's not distracting either. You know, while I'm holding the banana to my ear.
And that concludes my rant for today. Thank you for joining me.
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1 comment:
I'm with you, 100%. Yes, it's irritating to see someone distracted with their cell phone, but it's not the only thing that distracts them.
And, when you put something into law, you put force behind a statement - guns and whatnot. It's not really the best way to regulate rude or irritating behavior.
Here's a video from a favorite website of mine that sort-of backs up that point. They talk about smoking, and while as an asthmatic I'm incredibly thankful that smoking is banned in most public places, I can still see the point: http://www.reason.tv/video/show/466.html (You may need to scroll down.)
I still maintain that the few hundred yards leading up to and away from the Base Gate are the most dangerous in the area. After all, after you're done fumbling for your ID (while trying not to hold up traffic) you need to put it away on the other side!
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