An Attempt at Law Making

Is it just me, or has California gone a little extreme? The new laws being put into effect after the New Year have more than a few people’s blood pumping.

Beer sampling. Now available at your local bar. And don’t even get me started on self-extinguishing cigarettes. Let’s just add more chemicals into something that is already killing nearly half a million Americans a year. But the law that has really pushed my buttons? The ban on handheld cell phones while driving.

I mean, seriously?

The California State Department of Motor Vehicles website says that “cell phone use increases risk of injury.” Ok. Point taken. Now, let us think about the other things that increase the risk of injury to drivers.

Driving while extremely irritated (or P-O’d.) “In the United States, figures of up to 1200 road rage related deaths a year have been reported,” says Richard Zitrin, a national correspondent of APBnews.com.

Driving with the radio on is also dangerous. Most people would disagree with this statement. Even I would have scoffed if it weren’t for a heart pounding occurrence Monday night while driving down Route 66 jamming to “Fergalicious.” I changed lanes without paying attention to my blind spot and almost crashed into another car.

But driving isn’t the only way a cell phone can be dangerous. It seems just as dangerous to walk with a cell phone. From my own experience, I can attest that talking on the phone while crossing a cross walk can be just as “dangerous” as driving while talking. Not paying attention? Oops. You trip over the 2-foot high curb next to University Park and fall flat on your face.

And to be realistic, talking with a phone glued to your ear is not what makes it dangerous. What makes it dangerous is the people who are driving with their thoughts drifting all over the place. Saying that hands-free phones will make driving safer is outlandish. The people that are driving will still have their minds somewhere else.

And if it is simply the fact that distractions are what cause accidents, why are people allowed to drive with anyone in the car. Simple conversations like, “hey, did you see Sylvester Stallone’s ridiculous attempt at another Rocky movie this weekend?” can obviously lead to a ten car pile up on the 210 freeway.

And furthermore, why are people allowed to think? Simply heading to the grocery store can be death on wheels if a woman is trying to remember when the last time was that she bought milk.

“While I understand the reasoning behind the ban, I think that it is a little invasive that the government wants to control our cell phone use,” Kelle Callahan said. “There are a million other things that cause distractions.”

“It is not the action of holding the phones that is causing people to get in wrecks,” James Faulkner said, “it is the process of diverting the driver's attention from concentrating on the road to the conversation that is taking place on the phone.”

The realization that there could possibly be other reasons than the safety of California residents behind the new law has run through the minds of students as well.

“It is pointless legislation to generate tax dollars for the government,” Ryan Armstrong said. “Why not focus on laws to better benefit the community?”

To be fair, I would like to now present the other side of the argument. The wrong side. (Just kidding.)

“I'm fine with it,” Matthew Bell said. “Honestly if you have to make a call so badly just pull over and make it.”

According to the report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes happen within three seconds of some form of driver distraction.

Looking at the big picture, however, makes me feel more firm about my position that banning handheld cell phones is absurd. Again, these accidents were caused by distractions from talking. Holding a phone is no different than holding a soda cup or a cigarette or a piece of paper with directions on it. Should these be against the law as well?

“Ultimately, it makes little difference,” Bill Aanestad said. “Accidents caused by inattentive drivers will still happen. The result, as far as I'm concerned, will be minimal. We have signs on the freeway to tell us to ‘Click It or Ticket’ yet people still drive without their seat belts. We have speed limits that are hardly given notice, especially here in California, where "70" really means "80." Do I agree with it? Sure. But will I still find it my duty as a Californian to talk on my cell phone while driving 80 on the freeway? You bet your ass.”

At least California drivers won’t have to worry about this law taking effect until July 2008, which marks the beginning of pointless ticketing. By then, I will (hopefully) be at a graduate school in New York City, which also has a ban on handheld cell phones. Although, it will be less likely that I will get pulled over for it, since I will be the one getting run over by a taxi after attempting to cross the street while gabbing on my cell.