After years of biking 6000+ miles/year I’ve become pretty sensitive to watching the road and the actions of drivers.  Out of self-preservation I simply can’t trust anyone behind the wheel when I’m on my bike and have taken to become fairly militant about pointing at people, shouting “DON’T!” and calling drivers things my mother wouldn’t approve of when they ignore my “advice.” 

And while it’s true that many of them are on their cell phones when this happens believe me when I tell you that the vast majority of those not paying attention are screaming at their kids in the back seat, reaching for their Starbucks in the cup holder or tinkering with their CD/radio/navigation device on the dashboard. 

So, while there’s a move afoot to ban talking on a cell phone – even while using a headset or other hands-free device – while driving, I’m opposed to it.  I’ve personally made thousands of phone calls while driving and will admit to a close call or two during the past twenty years.  But similar close calls have occurred while talking to the passenger alongside me, listening to a political rant on the radio or reaching for my own double-half-caf-no-foam-extra-hot-carmel-macchiato-dash-of-cinammon-latte (well, not really, I’m a regular drip coffee guy, but you get the idea).

In short, if you’re going to ban driving while using a cell phone, you should also ban driving while talking to anyone else in the car, remove all radios and other entertainment devices, eliminate cup holders so as to discourage drinking while driving (even of the benign variety) and anything else that might be a distraction.  That’s not likely to happen so it’s important to learn to be judicious when using a phone when driving. 

You know the basics: Get a headset or a speakerphone – they’re cheap and easy to set up.  Use voice recognition – it’s standard in just about every cell phone, smartphone or aftermarket device.  Limit the number of calls you make if at all possible – you’re probably better off making one long one than multiple short calls.  And for heaven’s sake, just keep your eyes on the damn road. 

But let’s be reasonable and clear about this: anybody that reads, composes, checks or sends texts or emails while driving is a moron.  If you take your eyes off the road for five seconds to scroll through your emails on your Blackberry just to see if there’s anything important that you need to read at the next red light you’re an imbecile.  And if you hit someone and cause damage, injury or worse because you’re doing something as fundamentally stupid as emailing or texting while driving you deserve to go to jail with the added charge of being a jackass. (Think this can't happen?  Check out the news stories of some of these idiots HERE, HERE and the video that shocked teens around the world HERE.)

Think about it the next time you’re tempted: Are you really so self-important that you have to risk killing someone because you couldn’t wait five minutes to read that email that says “OK” in reply to something you sent an hour ago?  If you think your time is so valuable that you can’t wait until the gearshift is in “Park” just how much time will you waste in court, dealing with insurance companies or the police when the inevitable occurs and you’re involved in an accident because of your haste? 

Or if you feel guilty about not replying to a text or email quickly just how guilty do you think you’ll feel about hitting that car full of kids, injuring yourself or your best friend or wrecking your car… all in an effort to send a message that certainly won’t, in retrospect, be nearly as important as you think it is at that moment. 

The next time you’re out driving and considering lifting that phone, Blackberry or iPhone to send or check something, think about this: you’re in a 4000 pound vehicle protected by airbags, seatbelts and disc brakes.  I’m on a 15 pound bike protected by a Styrofoam helmet and spandex.  I’m watching out for you – the least you can do is afford me that same courtesy. 

Now, just how important is that email, anyway?