A few years back, when I heard Santa Fe was banning non-handsfree cell phone usage, I thought it was a dumb idea. I mean, it takes some concentration, but you can drive sanely while talking on the cell phone, right? Why do we need the government step in and regulate the usage of such a thing?
It wasn’t too long after that that I started riding a motorcycle. I still thought the cell phone ban was a bad idea, but, I already had a Bluetooth handsfree in the truck, so it didn’t bother me much.
Fast forward to living in Utah. There are far more people out here, and since I pretty much commute on the bike, I get to deal with them all the time. As a result, I have noted that 99% of the time, when I get cut off or otherwise have some kind of altercation with a driver… there’s a cell phone glued to an ear. I mean, it’s not even funny how often it happens.
For example, a couple of weeks back, driving downtown Salt Lake looking for an electronic parts store, this car just pulled right out in front of me from a side street. He noticed me at the last minute, and instead pulled out to the center turn lane, but I was already stopped, and damned if I was going to let him drive behind me. Cell phone on the right hand side.
Yesterday, and truly the last straw, I was riding home on the interstate. They had the interstate down to a single lane from 3, so traffic was congested with everyone merging. I was riding the left lane, as on the bike I can ride pretty up to the last possible moment and safely merge over. I merged the first time no problem, and the second time I started moving over to merge. I was halfway into place when this lifted, black Chevy truck just went ahead and merged over from the right. I mean, just came over. I was just in front of the driver as he came over, and I looked at him. I was greeted by a Motorola Razr cell phone glued to an ear. The guy looks over at me at the last second. I pulled up my left hand, looked him in the eye, and waved to him. Waved like he was an old friend. If I wasn’t wearing a helmet, he would have seen a stupid smile on my face too. The look on his face was priceless. He looked as though he was debating whether he had just really screwed up, or if he should know me from somewhere. He slowed back, I got in front of him, and I shook my head exaggeratedly for his benefit.
So there it is. My last straw, folks. If you are talking on the cell phone and driving, non-handsfree, I have no respect for you. Please quit endangering my life and hang up and drive. I’ll be the first person to support any new laws banning cell phones from henceforth.
Drive responsibly for a change, you jerks.
one comment so far...
As a delivery driver I too spend a lot of time on the roads, sometimes around 12 on daily average. You pointed out exactly what I was bitching to my friends/co-workers about just days ago, “Every time something stupid happens on the road, 9/10 times they’re on the phone.”
As of January of this year, Washington state banned txting while driving. As of June, Talking without a hands free device will go into effect as well. Thank god. Next up I feel should be, people who drive with a pet in their laps.
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