Hands-Free Tuesday
Well, it's July 1st and the big impact on Californians today is the ban on hands-on use of a cell phones while driving. Drivers must now use hands-free devices. Tech stores around Sacramento are proudly displaying bluetooth and wired headsets in the front of stores.
Of course, now we'll have accidents because folks are fiddling around trying to untangle their headset wires or trying to figure out why they're not getting a bluetooth connection. Or maybe, folks will take "hands free" literally and will try to use their feet to use their cell phone. "This is clearly within the law, officer." There are always loopholes.
There is some fine print in the new cell phone law. First, you can be hands on in case of emergency. Does "My bluetooth batteries died" constitute an emergency? Drivers under 18 can't use a cell phone in a car at all, hands-on or hands-free. And I wonder if the new law applies if you stick your head out of the car window and use the cell phone? Or if you take your hands completely off the driving wheel? "Well, I wasn't actually *driving*, officer."
In any case, I believe the law is more legislative overkill. I can't wait for the Simpson's episode where there's a robbery happening in plain site, while the cops are diverting all of their attention to finding folks using cell phones in their cars. "Drop your donuts. Lets get 'em, boys." You can picture that, right?