Skip to main content

Whattaya mean I can't use my phone while driving?

I have received this email a couple of times. It was telling me about the new statewide cell phone ban here in Ohio, effective July 1, 2008. According to that, I could not use my phone while driving anywhere in the state. To be honest, I don't think that's too bad of a law, but the email is bogus. Someone with waay too much time on their hands copied an email going around in California about a law which was partially true. Only thing changed on the message was "Ohio" for "California."

I'm all for using hands free devices while driving, or even pulling over to talk. I'm not for someone wishing to cause a problem by sending an email that's not true.

A cell phone ban while driving wouldn't be a bad law and before I want to hear about someone's rights being violated I would like to say that it's my right to arrive home safely.

Comments

Jen said…
My husband finally went bluetooth for in the car. I'm so glad!
I Rarely talk and drive.

Now don't get me started on people in the grocery store .........they stand in the middle of the aisle oblivious to eveyone around them and .....
Tim Lones said…
WIXY/Jen:
I work in a grocery store..well over 50% of the customers have cell phones. (maybe even 80%) While My wife and I have cell phones, we only use them regularly once a week.When she is calling to pick me up from work Sunday nights..(She is in church and I generally have to wait about 45 minutes for church to let out..then she calls)

Point being..what did America do before cell phones? I think cell phones are the most invasive technology we've ever had as Americans, even more so than the computer..
Cliff said…
Tim and Jen: I really don't know how us baby boomers grew up without cell phones(turn sarcasm off)

When I first got my cell phone in 2001, my son was going through some emotional problems, causing him to have seizures, my mother wasn't in the greatest of health and lived over 40 miles away, and I had just got my knee replaced. With my 46 mile drive to work, we thought it would be a good thing to have one.

Now I have somewhat of a problem of phones ringing during church and people who cannot enjoy a quiet night out without their cell phones. And the camera phone is giving itself a real bad name with the way some abuse it. I have used mine for my job on occasion.

As far as talking while driving, I will say that I am guilty. But I usually do not place the call. I am eligible for a new phone soon and I will look into bluetooth.

But also my time in my car is my time in my car. I prefer to listen to my mp3 player and try to get some useful information.
Anonymous said…
It amazes me how poorly people drive when they are on their cellphone. They are typically the ones driving 10-15 miles slower than the speed limit on 480.
Anonymous said…
studies have shown that even hands free cell calls are distracting to the person talking.
The Curmudgeon said…
jimohio nailed it.

The problem is not holding a cell phone while driving... the problem is becoming so engaged in your conversation, however you're holding the phone, that you neglect your driving.

I have used my cell phone while driving... usually to call and say I'm stuck in traffic and to revise my ETA. Then I hang up.

One time I did get involved in a work-related conversation with someone on the phone... and I missed my exit. But that might have happened if the person with whom I was conversing was seated next to me.

These cell phone laws are foolish and fail to address the problem.

Please. Remember when we were learning to drive... the big thing was getting "distracted" by the radio? Indeed, I was warned it would be an automatic "fail" on the driving test to turn the radio on at all.

It's the distraction that's the problem... and the erratic driving that follows... and the erratic driving can be observed by a trained police officer doing his or her duty without the necessity of adding any more laws.

I'll step off the soapbox now......
Cliff said…
Curmudgeon: It's always good to hear from a legal professional on the topic. People also do other things while driving. Things like eat, drink, and smoke.

Years ago, the Cleveland Indians had a pitcher on their roster named Cliff Young. During the off season he was killed in an accident caused by him lighting a cigarette. This death wasn't as significant to the fans because Young had spent most of the season in the minors. This was also in 1993, the same year the the tribe lost two players, Steve Olin and Tim Crews, in a boating accident during spring training.
The Curmudgeon said…
My opinion and $2 will get me on the train home tonight. But thanks.

Popular posts from this blog

Post 800: Time to chat

Hi Guys, It's hard to believe that this is post number 800 for this blog. I started this blog out of my desire to communicate. Since radio and television is becoming more and more automated and less and less personal, I'm glad I made the decision to go in this direction as it has given me many blessings. When I first decided to write my musings, a friend from the radio and television boards who goes by the name of newsnomore, told me not to be discouraged if I didn't get any readers. The fact that I did in the early going made me surprised and grateful that anyone was enjoying what I wrote. I've had people tell me that maybe it wasn't meant for me to ever be in radio, that maybe my calling was blogging. Nowadays I think blogging makes for better two way conversation than terrestrial radio, especially the way I do it, non confrontational. The closest I come from any confrontation is the innocent digs that Pat and I shoot at each other. On an average day I get betwee...

From a "Battleground State"

I am going to make this one short and sweet. I live in Ohio, in this election season, one of the so called "Battleground states," a state crucial for any candidate presidential hopes. Of course we have had many visits from presidential and vice presidential candidates. Other blogs have dissected both campaigns so I will not. The only questions I have is will the promises made by either of these candidates exclusive to these states be fulfilled, or will they prove only to be hot air?

My job

I have worked at my company for, unofficially, 17 years. When I first started working there in June, 1992, the average work week was 55-57 hours. Sometimes you worked more than that. I was 36 years old at the time and I could handle the long hours and short nights of sleep. 17 years and three knee surgeries later, I need less hours work and more hours sleep. Even moving into a quasi desk job, I still find it difficult to crawl out of bed at 3am. I could get up later if I wanted to put up with both rush hours. But this morning, things will change slightly. I received a call from my department manager yesterday. I was notified that I had to cut my time down to 40 hours. This would be down from 44-45 that I normally work. No surprise there as all the other departments got notified before I was. And I had to split my time between plants, doing calibrations at the other shop 1-1/2 days a week. I'm actually looking forward to the change. I also like the prospect of getting an hour extra...