B.C. police chiefs are asking for an outright provincial ban on drivers using cell phones including hands free devices like headphones and speakers. I can't even remember back to the days when driving was just about . . . .well, driving. Can you imagine? What will we do with our travel time? We have become so accustomed, (addicted even), to multitasking mercilessly at every available moment that the drive home from work would feel like a mental spa vacation without the good old cell. Ya know, it might be nice (if you can get past the inconvenience of having to make all those essential calls once you get home) to just relax and drive and listen to the great tunes on QMFM!!!! Brilliant ideas and epiphanies may come to you as you let your mind wander along the #1 highway . . .you may have a book or an invention just bursting to be set free.
Research shows that a driver's reaction time is nearly 50% slower when driving while talking on a cell phone. I for one, am willing to give it up. I hate my cell phone. I hate it's incessant ringing and buzzing and pleading for my attention when I'm doing something much more interesting than talking on the phone. I hate feeling compelled to answer when I'm in a driving situation that requires my full attention. I hate the sense of panic of missing an important call. And it disturbs me greatly to see teenagers caught up in this addiction to be "on" and "connected" all the time. I just think it messes with your head when you can't be in there all by yourself for a while without constant stimulation from an outside source.
Steve "The Little Contractor" disagrees. He's opposed to a ban on cell phones and explains with great cheeky humour why he's a cell phone maniac and proud of it. This was sent from his Blackberry . . . while driving !!!!!!!!
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Hi Shelly,
ReplyDeleteI'm typing this as I'm driving -admittedly, proudly and SAFELY!
Obviously I'm a little biased to the argurement "for", but I have to make a few comments;
I consider myself a "professional driver" due to the mileage that I travel daily (note the email addy). In so, I have had my share of "involuntary introductions" to other motorists. Never have I injured anyone. Never has it been a "serious" accident, and never has it been while talking, texting, or emailing.
Secondly, if ANY kind of law is enacted, what of the taxis, police, paramedics, couriers, transport and delivery drivers etc? All of them utilize some kind of mobile comminication device(s) in their vehicles, including cell phones, two way radios, computers and GPS units. I understand that one may say that these are "tools of their job", and I propose that my Blackberry is also a tool for MY job. My business is also mobile (I haven't found out a way to get clients to bring their homes to me for work....) and I have to be available for my clients. Others will argrue that the Police are allowed to carry guns, speed and blow red lights, but that doesn't mean that we are permitted to do the same. For that I offer no rebuttal, except "is that officer talking to his/her spouse while on "company time", and, therefore not actually working?
I took part in an ICBC study a few years ago that addressed the concern about cell phones, driving, and the dangers. My test results were such that I (apparently) am worse at talking/typing than driving. Not to say that I'm a bad driver (my current daily vehicle has 578,000 km on it), but more that I sacrifice my talk/type for driving.
FYI, I used to carry a gun and a cell :-)
My last note; if such a law becomes, where does it stop? Would it mean that we can't have talking in the car? No music? No QMFM? Make a note the next time that you're driving and uyou have a passenger. When you talk to them, you're likely to turn your head to look at them when you speak, thus taking your eyes off the road. With a cell, you can keep your eyes on the road and BOTH hands on the wheel with a handsfree device. Radio listening doesn't impair the view of the road either - just changing TO QMFM would.
Thx,
Steve Seaborn
The Little Contractor