Monday, January 12, 2009

Text-ual Healing

Well its the New Year, and with the new year comes many wonderful things: mostly new beginnings, and next week, a new President. However with the New Year also comes one of the more dreaded aspects: new laws are taking effect all over the country. I just want to take a minute to express my displeasure with one in particular. I am currently in Los Angeles,California: home of palm trees and blond bitches. (According to Ice Cube, Lol). But as I stated in a previous blog, California is also the testing place for some of our more wacky laws that spread across the country. The newest is a law banning text messaging while driving. This encompasses Reading, composing, and sending text messages. The state of California rushed this particular law through very quickly. See, in 2006, the California legislature passed a law making it illegal to talk on your cell phone in any manner that was less than hands free. The law may have been passed in 2006, but it was not to take effect until July 1st, 2008. I guess upon its arrival over the summer, there must have been an increase in the number of individuals caught text messaging, because, as I remember it, sometime around August or September, the legislature decided that text messaging while driving was just as dangerous. BANNED! Law to take effect January 1st, 2009. And that's where we find ourselves today.

Now in the interest of intellectual honesty, I will admit that I am one of those people who reads, composes, and sends text messages while driving. In my defense however, I drive about 5 times as much as a normal person, maybe more. So its unrealistic to think that I would never find myself in a situation in which I have to read, write or send a text. Also, I have an incredible driving record. (In every state but Illinois. Lol. But that's another blog for another time). So what I'm saying is that whenever I'm driving, I'm also in my office. Meaning that text messages, emails and making/taking phone calls is an absolute must. And to this point, I've been nothing but safe while doing so.

That's my initial argument against the anti-texting ban. However, I have one main argument. We've all seen people driving doing something that I believe is infinitely more dangerous while driving. I'm speaking of people who drive while holding they damn dogs! I don't know about you, but this ranks in my top ten of all-time pet peeves (No pun intended). Now I believe it a fair comparison. Holding a dog while driving versus holding a cell phone while driving. The difference between the two is that the cell phone is an object that only responds to what I command it to do. A dog on the other hand is an animal that is has a mind of its own. Yes there are some dogs that are better trained than others, but that dog is still going to do what it wants to do at the end of the day. And no matter how well trained the dog is, it has absolutely no concept of what the driver is doing.

All that being said, you might ask yourself "why isn't holding an animal while driving illegal?" Seems like a proper question given the assault of cell phone usage the last 3-5 years. Well, in all fairness, the California legislature took up the issue in 2008. A bill was proposed, and passed. All it required was a signature from the governor. No Go! Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his seemingly limited wisdom, vetoed the bill as it came across his desk. Now this is the man who said “The simple fact is it’s dangerous to talk on your cell phone while driving. CHP data show that cell phones are the number one cause of distracted-driving accidents.” Hmmm, I may be able to concede that fact. But since you're doing such a bang up job Nanny Governator, why don't you take a stab at some other things that are dangerous while driving? Say, changing the song on the radio or your ipod, grabbing a bite to eat on the go, and definitely keeping them damn dogs out of the front seat of your car.

I'm not against passing laws to protect the masses. Sometimes government does have our greater good at heart. It just when you have such hypocrisy on the part of some law makers, you have to wonder what their actual motivations are. When it comes to these cell phone laws, I'm sure that the makers of different bluetooth and ear pieces have paid a pretty penny to different governments around the country to ensure that you'll no longer be able to get by with just a hand held. And to all you pooch holders: I guess until PETA starts bitching to the government about how you're endangering the welfare of your pets, and someone invents a doggy car seat, and then lobbies the government to pass a ban on holding your pets while driving, I guess you're in the clear. (Lord, please hasten that day)!


-DrizaDre-

18 comments:

ToshaRenelle said...

I feel you but I'm not worried. Technology is getting more and more advanced by the second. I'm sure pretty soon we'll have voice-activated texting, so you will still be able to text, but HANDS FREE! Hang in there!

Jillian said...

I put it like this..if you KNOW you are not capable or coordinated enough to multi-task and handle doing two tasks that require a basic amount of motorskills, DON'T DO IT...if you are the person that when walking down a hallway slightly misjudge the corner and always run into it..you PROBABLY shouldn't interact with your cell phone while driving..

I agree that texting while driving is probably not a good idea (even though I do it frequently, but I'm a G, I got the whole one-handed-no-look textin down..haven't made the crackberry crossover yet...), just like anything else, be responsible about it.

Just be smart people! The masses pay the price for the poor decision making of the few (when I say few I mean in the GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, in no way diminishing significance of those that have been affected by "this topic").

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is so right on!

I'm a driver at work so I'm behind the wheel a whole damn lot too and there's nothing that pisses me off more than a soccer mom weaving in a giant Yukon or some shit and when I get up next to her, surpise! she has the face of a Pomeranian...and she's usually doing her mascara too.

Good blog =D

Mrs. Mary Mack said...

Although as guilty as I am of it I know that texting while driving is bad. I also know that dogs in your lap while driving is dangerous from experience. I shall try and do better before any laws get passed for my own safety. LOL

Amber-Alert said...

this is so annoying...now when im in my car im not conducting business by any stretch of the imagination but i am always on my phone...talkin, texting, emailing, u name it. this mostly freaks out my gma whenever shes in the car with me but i think im a fairly good driver (no accidents...knock on wood) and im pretty good at multi-taskin so i dont worry about it too much but i try to be careful!! wonder what other laws are gonna be comin down the pike...

Kingsmomma said...

and for that matter eating, applying makeup and other things that require one hand ought to be illegal as well. I don't see how law makers can focus on one issue and not the entire range of these issues.

NY is considering banning text messaging while walking... go figure

Miss.Stefanie said...

BB, You would be surprised how many deaths are due to drivers texting. Just last week a mother and her 5 year old were killed because of it on the 101. I'M GLAD ITS IN EFFECT. Doesn't matter if you can multi-task or whatever it may be. When you are driving you are responsible for your life, your passengers lives, pedestrians lives and other drivers. How would you feel if you were driving in a car with a minor and all of a sudden because of some jerk off who is texting, BAM! ICU, Life support....not fun BB.

Good post, but as an Angeleno...I think the law is GREAT.


http://www.dumblaws.com/

Sexxy Luv said...

i'm guilty of this crime and i'm not ashamed to admit it. lol i'm sure i'll have 101 tickets once this law is passed in my state.

Ishea said...

I absolutely disagree with you. Texting while driving is ridiculous and I think it should be done at another time. Most can manage a phone conversation but hands free is a lot more convenient. There's no reason to be sending text messages, emails, etc while you're driving. Just drive. I've heard of way too many accidents that have happened because someone's attention was somewhere else other than on the road. And sidenote, it doesn't matter how much driving experience you have...the most seasoned drivers can still cause accidents or be the victim.

Breezi F. said...

I 100% agree with you. I think its crazy to pass a law about texting while driving when people are doing a lot more crazy ish than texting and operating a vehicle. SMH! I wish VA would pass a law cause I's be fined!!!

::sings::MR.Officer, Mr. Officer...

Teems said...

yea I dont know about this one. I text at red lights and traffic. Thats about it. However I kmow people who know the keys without looking (on a regualr dial-pad). They may never get caught...

Humbly Beautiful said...

I feel you on this one. More than likely if you can't rtext and drive you probably can't change the radio station and drive. People get distracted over more things than texting and driving. I am going to have to see this law, because what do they define ast texting? I mean if I am sending an email via my blackberry checking messsages on facebook do they consider that texting? I think this law is pretty hard to enforce.

Not so Anonymous said...

I'm out here in Cali as well and I've been seeing the signs every where for the new law. I have to say that this should have been the original ban instead of a hands free law. Texting takes way too much looking away from the road, so I think ppl should wait for the red light or stop sign. However, I hate the hands free law, it almost makes me angry because it doesn't address the real issue. I blogged about it back in october, so I won't get on my soapbox again here.

clnmike said...

I too partake in the text while you drive cup.

However I know I am wrong so I cant be mad if the cops decide to ticket me.

Hell last friday I caught a ticket for no wearing a seatbelt, I couldnt be mad it is the law, but I knew this dude had beter things to do.

A said...

there are doggy dog seats! I gotta get one for my baby soon lol. I mean I understand why this law was passed, people get distracted and get into accidents. You never hear about an accident being caused by a dog jumping over the seat? I dont anyway lol. People need to be more careful in general, Im talking about the ones who do their hair and makeup among other things lol we have to give ourselves time at home for that. I think alot of people are just too used to being accessible all the time that they feel if they dont text or talk on the phone while driving that they are missing out on something. In the end for me its about safety first and I would have voted for this law too. sorry :( lol

n0days0ff said...

Lol it only makes sense to ban the texting if you ban the talking. You can talk and look but you can't really text and look.

QuietStorm said...

i agree...they shuld ban holdin pets while drivin..i mean why do u have to hold ur dog anyways in the car? if u have to..the dog shuldnt b there in the first place. imho

Tru T$chat$zli said...

LMFAO...iTZ A TERRiBLE HABiT WE ALL HAVE TO LEARN TO BREAK!...TEXTiNG WHiLE DRiViNG iS SUiCiDAL SO TO SPEAK!...AND i AM ONE OF THOSE PPL WHO DRiVE WHiLE HOLDiNG MY PURSE SiZE DOG;-);-)