Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Hey You! Keep Those Thumbs on the Wheel!
By Mauricio Grijalva
Most of us in this country have taken to texting like birds take to flying. In the Unites States alone, according to industry statistics provided by the New York Times, cell phone users sent 158 billion texts to their friends, family and acquaintances in 2006, up a staggering 95 percent from the previous year. Judging from those statistics, it’s safe to assume that we text everywhere: our homes, school, jobs, churches, and parks.
Two pieces of upcoming legislation in both Washington and New Jersey are about to stop their citizens from texting in the one place they feel people shouldn’t be texting: their car, while driving. ”Would you read a book or newspaper while you were driving? No!” Washington Governor Christine Gregoire said in a New York Times article. “Then why would you text while driving?” If the law is passed, drivers in Washington will face a $101 fine.
Has it really come to this? Does the government really need to create legislation that will control what we can do behind the wheel of our cars? I’m torn about this legislation. For one thing, I think the less government interference we have in our lives, the better. First, they ban textng while driving. What’s next, banning changing the radio dial while we pilot our automobiles? If this legislation passes, it will mean that we as individuals will have less control over what we can do in our very own cars, which for some of us are second homes.
On the other hand, I sometimes wish drivers would have just a little more common sense and refrain from doing things that would put others in danger. It’s not exactly brilliant to drink while drunk, but some people do it. Some people know that they’ll easily get distracted while driving and talking on their cell phones, but its done anyway, and the next you know, there’s a pile up on the freeway that could have been avoided. While not proven, maybe texting can be just as distracting as talking on the phone; even more so, because you have to take your eyes off the road for a long time to type in what you want to say. While I don’t agree with the legislation in spirit, perhaps its passing will remind people that their number one priority while driving their car is, well, driving their car.
Most of us in this country have taken to texting like birds take to flying. In the Unites States alone, according to industry statistics provided by the New York Times, cell phone users sent 158 billion texts to their friends, family and acquaintances in 2006, up a staggering 95 percent from the previous year. Judging from those statistics, it’s safe to assume that we text everywhere: our homes, school, jobs, churches, and parks.
Two pieces of upcoming legislation in both Washington and New Jersey are about to stop their citizens from texting in the one place they feel people shouldn’t be texting: their car, while driving. ”Would you read a book or newspaper while you were driving? No!” Washington Governor Christine Gregoire said in a New York Times article. “Then why would you text while driving?” If the law is passed, drivers in Washington will face a $101 fine.
Has it really come to this? Does the government really need to create legislation that will control what we can do behind the wheel of our cars? I’m torn about this legislation. For one thing, I think the less government interference we have in our lives, the better. First, they ban textng while driving. What’s next, banning changing the radio dial while we pilot our automobiles? If this legislation passes, it will mean that we as individuals will have less control over what we can do in our very own cars, which for some of us are second homes.
On the other hand, I sometimes wish drivers would have just a little more common sense and refrain from doing things that would put others in danger. It’s not exactly brilliant to drink while drunk, but some people do it. Some people know that they’ll easily get distracted while driving and talking on their cell phones, but its done anyway, and the next you know, there’s a pile up on the freeway that could have been avoided. While not proven, maybe texting can be just as distracting as talking on the phone; even more so, because you have to take your eyes off the road for a long time to type in what you want to say. While I don’t agree with the legislation in spirit, perhaps its passing will remind people that their number one priority while driving their car is, well, driving their car.
# posted by [X]press Staff @ 6:32 PM 