Hands off!
Happy Independence Day to my fellow USA'ers!
You may or may not have heard that California recently enacted a handsfree-only rule for cell phones in cars. I've never been much of a cell phone-in-car user, so this news wasn't particularly devastating to me. In fact, I found it pretty darn exciting. I think everyone in the world has had the experience by now of being nearly sideswiped, run off the road, or stranded in the middle of an intersection due to the thoughtless driving of someone with a cell phone glued to his/her ear.
Finally! A relief from the tyranny of the attention-impaired.
Tuesday morning started off auspiciously, as I passed several drivers who apparently hadn't heard the news, chatting happily away on their cell phones.
I also passed several drivers who, being forced to hang up and drive, had found other uses for their time--putting on makeup, eating breakfast, searching through their purses, reading the paper...
After a while, I began to wonder if I had been imagining how many drivers really did use cell phones in their cars, before the ban was enacted. Because it seemed so natural NOT to see everyone around me with phone pressed to ear. Could there really have been a time when every other car featured a Chatty Cathy? When my driving experience had been so impeded by my fellow drivers' carelessness?
Can anyone guess where I'm going with this?
Here's the thing--with the cell phone drivers gone, I discovered a new, possibly even more dangerous type of driver on the road:
Me.
The driver who wants to know who's still talking on the phone. Who's breaking the rules? You? That guy? That lady over there?
Yes, I craned my neck, sped up and slowed down, abused my rearview mirrors, and generally put everyone in as much danger as if I had been carrying two cell phones and talking on both of them at the same time.
I'm not proud of myself. And as the week went on, I forced myself to mind my own beeswax and keep my eyes on the road.
But I thought you should be warned: the nosey drivers are on a rampage!
You may or may not have heard that California recently enacted a handsfree-only rule for cell phones in cars. I've never been much of a cell phone-in-car user, so this news wasn't particularly devastating to me. In fact, I found it pretty darn exciting. I think everyone in the world has had the experience by now of being nearly sideswiped, run off the road, or stranded in the middle of an intersection due to the thoughtless driving of someone with a cell phone glued to his/her ear.
Finally! A relief from the tyranny of the attention-impaired.
Tuesday morning started off auspiciously, as I passed several drivers who apparently hadn't heard the news, chatting happily away on their cell phones.
I also passed several drivers who, being forced to hang up and drive, had found other uses for their time--putting on makeup, eating breakfast, searching through their purses, reading the paper...
After a while, I began to wonder if I had been imagining how many drivers really did use cell phones in their cars, before the ban was enacted. Because it seemed so natural NOT to see everyone around me with phone pressed to ear. Could there really have been a time when every other car featured a Chatty Cathy? When my driving experience had been so impeded by my fellow drivers' carelessness?
Can anyone guess where I'm going with this?
Here's the thing--with the cell phone drivers gone, I discovered a new, possibly even more dangerous type of driver on the road:
Me.
The driver who wants to know who's still talking on the phone. Who's breaking the rules? You? That guy? That lady over there?
Yes, I craned my neck, sped up and slowed down, abused my rearview mirrors, and generally put everyone in as much danger as if I had been carrying two cell phones and talking on both of them at the same time.
I'm not proud of myself. And as the week went on, I forced myself to mind my own beeswax and keep my eyes on the road.
But I thought you should be warned: the nosey drivers are on a rampage!
Labels: los angeles, travel
posted by Katie Alender at
10:33 AM
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7 Comments:
I guess I don't have to explain why I take the bus?
Happy 4th!
Well, your worst driving habits van never compare to someone driving under the influence of the "gold elixir." I'm glad, however, that the law is now in effect, and that the surrounding states (Nevada for sure) will implement similar measures.
Is that my partner-in-crime all decked out for the 4th!?? Happy 4th of July, Winston!!
Oh, and you too, Katie:0)
That was great, Katie, and I never saw it coming! I love having these moments -- when you find yourself doing something that you should not do and actually recognize it. I'll bet a lot of other people have these flashes, but don't have the guts to admit to them. Brava!
My driving instructor went wild every time he saw someone yakking away on his or her mobile phone while driving. He put the fear of God in me about ever doing it myself, but he didn't need to. I don't have those kind of multi-tasking skills; driving itself presents me with as much as I can handle.
I say God Bless the rubberneckers. 'Cause without them, who knows how long we'd have sat in the wreckage of our van when we rolled it back in 2004?
Of course, they rolled seven ambulances because of the flood of calls to 911, but still. Seven is way better than none. ;)
Good for CA!
But did you know that not a SINGLE state in the union has a law against using cell phones for fully licensed drivers who are over 21? This new law is a step in the right direction.
The weirdest thing I've ever seen someone do while driving? I had just exited a major freeway and was waiting at a red light to go onto a street, when a lady came off the exit and pulled up next to me to wait out the light in the next lane. I happened to glance over at her -- AND SHE WAS FLOSSING HER TEETH! That's right: floss wrapped around two index fingers, elbows on the wheel, flossing away. And she had just barely exited the freeway because there is no other way to get to the light where we were both stopped. There is no way she'd had time to begin flossing after she got to the red light, as I'd glanced -- then stared -- at her immediately.
Yes, I'm vehemently against the use of cell phones while driving, but you gotta admit, flossing one's teeth on the freeway (two hands literally tied up) is right up their on that old stupidity ladder.
So, Gladys Cravitz, what were you going to do if you 'caught' someone gabbing on their phone?! Is there a tattle tale cell phone hot line? Would you have to use your phone (while driving) to report them? These are important questions! But more importantly, does Winston know how cute he really is? And is anyone ever going to see the quilts that you're making for the orphans?
As the driver of a car with standard transmission, I can't imagine using the phone--especially on a hill. But a magazine (Time?) had something in it about texting teens, who seem to think it's funny to almost rear-end those in front of them . . . What a world.
Yes, more photos of your craftiness, please.
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