Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Text Addict


Call me what you will but, I don't like driving on the road with someone while they are busy yakking on a cell phone. People call me from time to time when I'm driving and I admit that I'll pick the phone up and answer it... but, I try to keep the conversation short and to the point. I also tell the caller that I'm driving and that I'll call them back when I'm not driving.

The only exception I make to this rule is when I'm wearing a Blue Tooth (but, I don't have one anymore... I misplaced it). I'll talk then, because both of my hands are on the wheel and I'm watching the road. But, even then, you run the risk of losing your concentration, depending on what is being said. Suppose you get in an argument, like the one I got into with a now ex-friend on the phone. I would hate to be in an enraged state like that and driving. I could easily run into someone's back, off the road, or through a red light. No, I'm glad I was out of my car and sitting in a cool office.

Talking on a phone is bad enough, but now I hear that people are texting while driving! You have got to be kidding me! I've never actually seen anybody doing this but, I hear it's the new thing. Here's one issue in these contentious times that I'm certain almost everyone appears to agree on: Driving while typing out text messages on a cell phone is just dumb, potentially deadly, and should be banned. It's just not safe... not safe at all.

Later this month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to convene a "summit" on "distracted driving." The issue of driving while texting or DWT (Oh, brother!), will be high on the agenda. For the first time, it appears that most major interest groups involved are for doing something to make DWT illegal. (How about making driving because I'm stupid illegal?)

The wireless phone industry's main Washington lobbying arm, CTIA-The Wireless Association, once opposed bans on using cell phones to talk or text. Now, the Association supports bans on texting and is officially neutral on other limits to cell phone, Iphone, and BlackBerry use. It notably didn't object when Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, said that if it were up to him alone (which it is not), he'd institute a federal ban on DWT. CTIA is also working with the National Safety Council on a series of advertisements warning of the dangers of on-road texting. CTIA would prefer one nationwide law on the matter, says John Walls, a spokesman for the Association.

Sometimes I wonder why we have to have a law for everything. I know now that we have to protect people from themselves. People who are texting and talking on cell phones while driving are not only a danger to themselves but, a danger to other drivers. This is the most disturbingly selfish and self-absorbed thing a person could do. Where does common sense kick in here? Do I really need to communicate with someone THATmuch? THAT often?

I have been in public restrooms and heard people on the toilet talking. I've been in a crowded club, trying to have a conversation with someone who was talking to me and texting at the same time. I've been in church and heard the pastor tell people to stop texting and to silence their cell phones. Now, I've got to text someone something while I'm driving? It's that urgent, that it can't wait? Hmmmm... I wonder if people text while they are having sex? You may laugh but, I know that somewhere... somebody is doing just that.

23 comments:

James Perkins said...

Thanks so much for writing this,I agree with you on all points!

Simon Bastion said...

Well Written....I can't beleive that people are trying to text while driving.

Grover Tha Playboy said...

Is it Physically possible to text and drive at the same time?

Toni said...

You always have a fresh topic everyday...How do you do it?

Angie B. said...

Texting and Driving? I've never seen it..I don't want to see it..not while I'm driving.

Sunflower said...

People's stupidity never ceases to amaze me Keith.

Tate2 said...

I've seen what I beleive was somebody trying to text while driving,but we were at a stoplight.

Swaggie said...

If I ever see somebody doing that
ish,I'm gonna rat them out to the cops myself!

Jazzy said...

Texting while driving? That's just foul fam!

Lisa said...

Texting, while trying to drive? Not the safest thing to do.

Halo said...

I'm with Grover tha Playboy..Is that physically possible?

Vanessa said...

Talking on a cell phone while driving is hard enough, texting has got to take some talent.

Captain Jack said...

I saw someone texting and driving...I thought to myself, how selfish...

Cheryl said...

Texting and having sex? I'm sure someone is doing that-lololol.

Brenda said...

This is afterall the communication age..I don't think I need to communicate withanyone that much-lol.

Sean said...

Love This title!-lol

Anonymous said...

I must be the only person in here who knows quite a few people who text and drive. I've seen it plenty of times. My sister has it bad about texting and driving.

I don't text and drive but I have sent a text while at the red light. lol

Angel said...

my girlfriend once texted me whilst her new man was performing a sexual act on her. She told me how amazing it was....it really couldnt have been that good though...not if she had time to text me??

clnmike said...

I am guilty of texing and driving, texting forces you to get to the point of conversation.

Arlene said...

Great post, Keith! Always remember that common sense is not common. Many people don't have common sense or respect for others, so texting is another manifestation of selfish behavior. Somewhere in the UK the police made of video of the results of texting and driving. The results were devastating. Lives were lost and bodies severely disabled. I hope the video is shown widely here. Perhaps a visual aid will drive home the point. (A pun intended)

Mizrepresent said...

Keith, i must confess, i was a text addict, in fact i preferred it to talking...but i am a recovering addict, and so i don't text anymore, thanks to my job.

12kyle said...

*raising hand in guilt*

i used to text while driving ALL the time. i'd never do it while driving at full speed. only in bumper-to-bumper traffic (rush hour). but i stopped a few wks ago. just did it. i had to.

Rashan Jamal said...

I wonder how many people have actually done this... I know I have. It's not the safest thing, but it can be done.

As far as talking on the phone while driving...all the time. I don't think that makes me any less safe than someone listening to the radio and getting worked up.




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