JMO - It never fails

Update at end of this post.
Effective January 1, 2008, this year, the state prohibited text messaging while driving, and effective July 1, 2008, they prohibited holding and using cellphones while driving restricting useage to hands-free cellphones. But a day doesn't go by since July 1st that I don't see someone driving while holding their cellphone, even now over 4 months later. And I still see drivers text messaging, usually now while stopped at light.

But that's still illegal. Driving means sitting in the driver's seat while the car is on public roads. The law doesn't allow it while stopped on the road, only while parked off the road on the shoulder or in a parking spot. So, what's not to understand? I don't know but since it's a secondary offense, meaning you can't be stopped for this offense, only after stopping for another ofense and adding these to the ticket.

Even every day this week driving around where I live I saw at least one driver holding and talking on a cellphone while driving. And one was text messaging at and between stop lights. I've seen the whole range of drivers, even commercial drivers. The company can't afford them a hands-free device? And worse still almost every time I get on the highway or Interstate, there will always be one driver doing 60+ mph and talking.

This means people who don't want to be bothered to get a hands-free device for their cellphone really don't care about the law. They know it's illegal, and the two times I've called people out - and yes, I always waited until we were at a light and it was safe and convenient to talk to them, I've gotten angry responses, like they were offended I tried to tell them it's illegal. After that I stopped pointing their stupidity out.

In the end, it's only goes to show human nature, and it never fails to show me stupidity is still alive and well in drivers.

Update, December 11th,-- I had to go to Seattle for the day and driving there, around and back I tallied 8 drivers with cellphones stuck to their ear, two drivers text messaging, and one driver checking her blackberry. And it was across the spectrum of people and cars, so stupidity is alive and well in every class of society.

Update, March 18, 2009.-- and true to form, ever since the last update there isn't a day go by when I'm out running errands or on trips around the Puget Sound, I don't find at least one driver using a cellphone while driving, sometimes just getting out of my local side street. And all too often I see half a dozen during slightly longer trips and a dozen or more on trips to Seattle, even in and around Seattle.

People just don't want to learn and accept being responsible drivers with us on the road.