Text and drive: Go to jail!
Don’t you sometimes wish that it were that simple? 😉
Actually, this blog entry is about California, and a new law that will take effect on January 1, 2009 that concerns texting (we “spring” (definiton 5) a lot of new laws on people at the beginning of each calendar year. It’s part of California’s “charm.” 
) No, perpetrators will not go to jail (unfortunately,… because it would give them some time to think and reflect upon the seriousness of their behavior). I have seen people “driving” while phoning without a hands-free device (illegal now), working on their laptops (no kidding!), reading newspapers on their steering columns, reading BOOKS on their steering columns, shaving, and applying eye makeup. Usually these activities happen when slow traffic (and four or more wheels) lull these “drivers” into a false sense of security (never mind that vehicles are only inches apart at that time [much too close for “reaction time”] and that the proximity encourages “chain reaction collisions”).
You have probably seen such things yourselves! You have probably also read about the train engineer who hit another train head-on while texting in the Los Angeles area, killing many.
But first – a “self-test:”
Do you, yourself, engage in such behavior?
Do you, yourself, either 1) overestimate your abilities (“A man has got to know his limitations.” A woman, too.) or 2) underestimate the amount of attention that is really required to operate a motor vehicle (or even a bicycle, for that matter)?
For motorcyclists (the ones who don’t have more communication gear than brains crammed into their helmets) and bicyclists (I actually know one who overestimated her abilities, which are much, much better than most!) the answer should be simple: try any of the above activities on TWO wheels, and Darwin‘s observations about Natural Selection will become operative. You might even receive a Darwin Award, posthumously, of course.
The California Law, signed by Governor Schwarzenegger (who once pretended to be riding a motorcycle while reloading and firing a shotgun) actually provides for fines, rather than jail time, for texting while driving. This measure may serve to “wake up” people who have trouble distinguishing movies from reality (Arnold was a trained professional Terminator on a closed course – do not try this at home – if the feat, itself, were not actually “simulated”). You know – people who believe themselves to be invincible… (you may work for one – I’ve worked for several – part of the charm of high tech!).
So please drive carefully and responsibly (no texting) on California’s streets, roads, and highways. The life you save may be mine.
-Bill at Cheshire Cat Photo™
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