It’s a nuisance and an interruption during our classes.It’s capable of ruining a movie experience for everyone inthe theater. It somehow enables people to be rude without evenrealizing their impolite behavior.
Having infiltrated every aspect of our daily lives in a varietyof ways, cell phones show no signs of retreat — and they willremain in the hands of Texas drivers.
Harvard University’s Center for Risk Analysis reports thatcell phone junkies who insist on talking while driving cause 6percent of the automobile accidents in the United States.
Such a statistic comes as no surprise to those of us who havewitnessed the chaos on campus as luxury cars and SUVs swervethrough packs of student pedestrians. We glance behind the wheel toidentify the perpetrator (or invoke the stare-down with a nastylook) only to discover that they are engrossed in conversation on atiny electronic device.
We see drivers running up onto curbs, and rolling through stopsigns, unable to maneuver SMU streets because they have one handnear their ear. Some drivers reverse without noticing cars thathave been waiting behind them for minutes.
At the very least, rampant cell phone use behind the wheel isirresponsible, but we all do it. The recent laws enacted bynumerous states are just one example of government trying to savepeople from themselves.
But House Bill 281 (coincidently the number of a major Texashighway where numerous accidents have occurred) did not pass thestate legislature. And despite rumors, the said bill was not putinto effect on Sept. 1.
How pressing are these conversations that divert our attentionfrom the road? Are they worth risking lives?
The obvious answer is no. In a recent sighting on campus, aprofessor climbed into his car and completed his conversationbefore starting the engine and driving off.
While somewhat shocking to the observer, the professor was aliving example of what should be a modern day adage: When it comesto frivolous conversations, drivers can wait. The entire concept issimple. Drivers need to make good judgments on deciding when toabstain from dialing, and when to call and solidify plans formeeting at the bus for a frat party.
