Since the hands-free cellphone law was enacted this past June 1st, I've already witnessed several violators. Sure, they try to be even more discreet than before by holding the phone lower and closer to their laps, or maybe glancing at them quicker, but that's not the point of the law. The point is no holding your cell phone while driving EVER! Not for even one second.
Perhaps the most disturbing technique I witnessed the other day was of a man at a red light whose ploy was so detailed, so devious, as to make me realize just how deep our cell phone addictions run. This guy went all out in his attempt to continue checking his cell phone while driving. Let me preface this post by saying that the practice this man engaged in is by no means endorsed by myself, 94 HJY, Facebook, or any person with a shred of common sense. It is dangerous to check a cell phone while driving. Period.
But here is what I saw - while sitting at a red light, I noticed a guy driving the car next to me seemingly intently staring down into a large styrofoam cup in his hand he had gotten from a local coffee shop. I was curious as to why he was staring into his cup so deeply and so focused and for so long, so I looked closer. It was then that I discovered his subterfuge - the large styrofoam cup had no beverage in it whatsoever. Rather, it was empty, except for what I could see was the top of his cellphone jutting out of the cup. He had literally placed his cell phone in the cup to make it look like he was harmlessly holding a coffee when in fact the cup was just a prop to distract the authorities from the fact that the cup's only purpose was to discreetly hold his cell phone so he could glance into the cup and read his e-mails or texts and not get caught. Yes, I'm serious.
Who knows how many miles he continued to drive like that once the light turned green and he went on his merry little illegal way. I guess you gotta' give the guy some points for creativity, but zero points for overall intelligence and common sense.
If you find yourself going THAT far to break a law, you should probably realize that maybe you've got a serious problem. I hope you and I and other fellow motorists all wake up and start abiding by this long overdue hands-free cell phone law. Countless injuries and deaths are caused each year by distracted driving, cell phone usage being a primary culprit.
Rather than looking for ways to flaunt or get around the law, we should look at the obvious reasons to follow it to the letter. So, if I'm driving around and pull up next to you at a red light, maybe, if your hands are free and your attention is focused where it should be, on the road, I'll give you a nod of approval and gratitude for driving responsibly. Maybe I'll even buy you a coffee.
As long as you promise not to use the cup to hide your cell phone in. Deal?