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Howie column ping

Pols driven to distraction on cell phone ban
By Howie Carr | Friday, January 18, 2008 | http://www.bostonherald.com

First they came for your hand-held cell phones. What will they want to relieve you of next in your car - your radio? Your cup of coffee, your cigarette? And what is more distracting than children squabbling in the back seat?

Ban ’em. Get the kids out of the cars. It’s for their own good. It’s for the children.

This is the Massachusetts Legislature doing what it does best - er, worst. They’re bothering people again. This time they want to outlaw hand-held cell phones.

Talk about distracted drivers. What about women applying makeup while driving, or guys shaving, or fools watching portable DVDs? And what about those drive-thru windows peddling the ultimate distraction, lunch? McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts - when we will finally padlock these Merchants of Death, Mr. Speaker?

“They want to protect us from ourselves, again,” said Rep. Jeff Perry, a Cape Republican and a former cop. “When something hits the front page, we have to act quickly.”

Yes, there have been some well-publicized fatal accidents involving cell phones. But the day the House began debating this very, very important legislation, two more people were felled in Boston by guns.

Death toll for cell phones: zero.

This bill is one of those things that just sort of snuck up on everybody. At least they had hearings, but it’s basically progressed under the radar screen. The sponsor is a professional solon named Joe Wagner. He’s from Chicopee, which means he has plenty of time to study his fellow drivers every day on the Mass. Turnpike.

Now, most people would have no problem with banning text messaging, or restricting cell phone use for “junior operators,” i.e., teenagers under the age of 18.

“Good driving habits,” Nanny Wagner lectured the state, “require that you keep your eyes on the road while you drive.”

Then let’s get rid of billboards, too. And GPS systems - talk about a distraction, punching a new address into the system.

Distractions? How about scantly clad women in the warm-weather months? How about toll booths?

The cops can already grab you for impeded operation, reckless driving, operating to endanger, failure to use directionals, failure to keep right, marked lane violations, failure to clear the windshield, and that’s not even the tip of the iceberg. Why should they be allowed to fine you for not doing anything wrong?

Of course, there will be exemptions to the new law, should it pass. Cops will still be able to use their hand-held cell phones, of course. And firefighters. Let’s hope district attorneys are included, too. Not to mention, state reps.

Did I mention, using a hand-held cell phone would be a surchargeable offense? The gift that keeps on giving, in other words. Again, consider the state’s priorities here - Gov. Deval Patrick wants to make it harder for employers to use the CORI records to find out if a murderer or rapist is applying for a job.

But at the exact same time, they want to punish law-abiding citizens - for six years - for using cell phones in their cars.

The anti-cell phone bill reached the floor of the House on Wednesday and the dissidents - mostly Republicans, with a few Democrats - immediately put forward 16 amendments. Among the concerns: the way the legislation is written, even punching in numbers to make a call may be illegal.

The bill was quickly tabled, but who knows for how long. It all depends on how many phone calls these profiles in courage get. The only way these spineless layabouts will tell the lobbyists to get lost is if their constituents call.

If you don’t let the hacks know how you feel, you know what they’ll say.

They’ll say, it’s for the insurance companies - I mean, the children.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1067313