Y'know, everytime this topic comes up, SOMEONE mentions talking to pbuttengers in the car. This point has been disproven many times, but the short version is, the cell phone conversation is more distracting than in-vehicle distractions. For example, it's harder to be rude to someone when you are talking to them on the cell phone. You can ignore a pbuttenger when necessary. But get in deep poo behind the wheel and the time it takes you to say "hold on" to someone you are talking to on a cell phone can be the difference between a collision and avoiding one. To the pbuttenger in the car, in the same circumstance, you would say nothing. In fact, the pbuttenger himself-herself would probably suspend conversation before the driver does. Most of the other distractions you mentioned are temporary . . . nowhere near as bad as being distracted by a cell phone conversation that lasts several minutes.
Yet another DUH! 4695You have any hard data on that? I mean, the only distraction I can remember that caused me some problem was from talking to someone in the...
But my point in making the OP was to point out that laws banning HAND HELD cell phones while driving are just plain idiotic. The article even infers that these laws may do more harm than good, by giving hands-free kit users a false sense of security. (I'm safe because I'm using a hands-free kit while driving) I personally think that cell phone use while driving should be totally unrestricted. That's my personal belief. But if there must be a law regulating cell phone use while driving, I also believe that cell phone use while driving should be banned, period. -Dave
