Dialed in
Update: An alert reader pointed me to this website: http://www.freeheadset.org/home.php It purports to offer free headsets (except for the cost of shipping) to anyone for the asking.
It looks legit to me, but has anyone had any experience with them out there?
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Good morning. Some of you might be here after reading this story, regarding a proposed law that would require drivers to use a hands-free device if they are talking on a cell phone.
More info on the bill itself can be found by clicking here.
For your science types, this page has links to various UNC studies on the topic. And this is a news release describing a University of Utah study that I mentioned in the story.
As part of our work on the story, the News and Record asked some 300 readers in our Reader Advisory Network what they thought of the law. About 30 responded and we were going to use some of their responses in the paper. Alas, we ran out of space.
But there's plenty of room out here in cyberspace, so I've included some of their replies after the jump.
You can chip in your two cents by clicking the comments link below, or by e-mailing my colleague Eric Townsend at etownsend@news-record.com, who is writing a column for Saturday's paper on the issue. Eric is one of the contributors to our Fast Forward blog.
Now the jump and some of those reader responses I mentioned:
Yes, I do use a cell phone while driving. When you are in sales and on the road, your vehicle happens to be "your office." And yes I use a "hands free device" to talk but one of the main problems is in using the directory.
While I think a majority of people are aware of their surroundings while talking, there are still a few who cannot drive period whether on a cell or not.
-Rodney Barnes, Greensboro
As a new mother, I have become much more keenly aware of drivers around me on the road. When I've had near misses with other drivers, or see one that is swerving across lanes, I check to see if they're on the phone and most of them are. I too have used the phone while driving, but try to use my hands-free set for just that reason.
-Cynthia Chapman, Kernersville
I definitely have a problem with people using phones while driving. I think the law is necessary and won't have a problem with it although I use a cell phone from time to time while driving. Most people I have observed can't talk and drive at the same time.
-Jeffrey Medlin, Thomasville
I would be so glad if they ban talking on the phone and driving. It is a hazard to the safety of other drivers. I was almost run into by a woman talking on the phone ... I don't talk on my cell phone and drive. If it rings, I let it ring until I stop. They got my vote, for a $250 fine.
-Ann Coleman, Thomasville
I'm not sure that I agree with the proposed ban . I frequently use head sets when talking on a house phone, but do not when driving. It can be awkward to get the headset on, which could pose more of a problem than holding a cell phone to your ear.
I do make calls from my car, not for general conversation but if I am alerting my child to my location, checking on my children, getting a quick answer about item needing to be picked up, etc.
I do not think that a driver needs to chat on a cell phone for casual purposes. I have seen drivers struggle as they try to round a corner while holding on to a phone.
Drivers do need to be aware of their situation before engaging in a phone conversation.
-Kathy Swanson, Burlington
Before the Legislature passes any more intrusive laws I would like to see some data from the National Highway Safety Administration regarding auto accidents wherein the major contributing cause was a driver using a cell phone. I wonder how many pedestrians have been so preoccupied on a cell phone call that they jaywalked and were struck by a vehicle whose driver was-was not using a cell phone?
-Fred Gregory, Greensboro
Comments (4)
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I am so tired of peope jumping on phone users. I have seen women using 2 hands to apply makeup & a guy using 2 hands to eat a bowl of something, to me that would use up all they have. How about the people who look for & put in CD's or one of my fav's reading a book or the paper going down 85. What about those who hold a cup of hot coffee or a cigarette?? Please, use common sense but if we outlawed stupid we would truely clog our courts & jails.
Posted on May 12, 2005 8:49 AM
Mark -- You've hit on something that a lot of folks mentioned to me yesterday. People manage to do plenty of silly things in the car without having to pull out their cell phone.
I find myself pretty distracted by my 20-month-old boy when I'm schlepping him about.
I'm not sure why cell phones get the brunt of the abuse. Maybe it's because they're not quite as universal as a cup of coffee.
By the way: somebody eating out of bowl...that's a new one on me.
Posted on May 12, 2005 9:08 AM
The problem is reaction time to respond to scenarios that may require instant adjustments while driving, and having the mechanical ability to do so. Perhaps any motorist behavior that will prolong reaction time, or interfere with appropriate responses, should be proscribed. It seems insufficient to permit cell phone use while driving just because other inappropriate activities also raise issues.
Posted on May 14, 2005 11:06 PM
Joe- that's a big part of the argument and why some safety folks won't endorse the headset requirement...they think it gives folks a false sense of security.
I wonder if this sort of thing does any good just jolting people and making them more aware that what they're doing may be a problem. I was definitely thinking about it the day after that story ran as I drove to Greensboro and, ahem, made a couple calls along the way.
Posted on May 15, 2005 2:53 AM