Juxtaposition

I no longer work for a large US cellular company, so I am free to write about this topic. Even better, I can write about how the lobbying by the cellular phone industry has been what keeps laws from being enacted to protect the public. Now, I do agree with the position that there are a lot of things drivers do that are just as bad, if not worse (reading the newspaper on your steering wheel, reading email on a blackberry...) so why pick on cellphones, but the fact is that from a public threat perspective, there are way more people doing stupid shit while on their cellphone than all other distracted driving combined, I guarantee.

I have made it a habit to note how many drivers doing stupid shit are talking on their cellphones when I see them and it is, no joke, almost 100% of drivers. I challenge you to do the same and you'll be horrified at how many common dangerous and annoying things are related to being on a cell phone at the time:

• Driving too slow
• Unable to stay in lane
• Swerving
• Not letting you merge (not paying attention)
• Etc. etc.

CNN.com - Study: Drivers on cells more likely to crash - Jul 12, 2005

A study released Tuesday said drivers who use cell phones -- even hands-free models -- are four times as likely to be involved in wrecks involving a serious injury than are drivers who do not use cell phones.