RANT ALERT! Previously I ranted about how cars are too safe today (See Jun 27th entry). The safety patrol recently banned using a handheld phone while driving in many places (all of NY state, some of NJ, plus others). This is all well and good, since a headset is better anyway. But if the theory is that having your hand off the wheel for an extended time is dangerous, I see many smokers who drive one-handed; and if you need to drop a cell phone in an emergency you can, but dropping a lit cigarette is not recommended. I actually dont have anything against smoking in the car, I just want to point out the strange rationale of it all.
Now I see a law trying to be passed in my home state that will make the following illegal: putting on makeup (amen to that); reading (duh!); eating (uh-oh), and a few other various "dangerous activities". I understand this to a large extent, especially when I see people doing these stupid things (some people more than one at a time!) while driving. But NOW - I heard some politicians/law makers are considering banning cell phones period -- headset or no headset! That's just plain dumb! Their conjecture is that having a conversation while driving is distracting. While this is true to some extent, just about everything is distracting while driving! It's not what your do, just how many are happening at once. If you are having a conversation, while eating, and blasting the radio (which is pretty bad manners)-- you will likely crash the second any other car does something out of the ordinary. But if having a conversation is distracting, then I guess I can't have any passengers in my car anymore, or at least they have to sit quietly and "behave themselves". I guess we'll have to leave kids home from now on, since they are by far the most distracting thing on the road. I'm sure it won't be long before the audio books-on-tape I listen to (which does take some concentration) will be banned as well. Personally, as long as the activity doesn't require you to take your eyes off the road, it should be okay.
But if we want to make the roads safer, let's ban the following:
* Toll booths (digging for change is very dangerous at 60mph!)
* People who can't stay in the lines even when they're sober
* Anyone wearing a big ol' hat while driving
* Driving less than 20 mph in the left lane
* Using your brakes while going through a green light
* Cars that are so large they need a stairway to climb into