Can we drive and talk at same time?

I understand why there needs to be a ban against hand-held cellphone use in vehicles. Some people seem to be having a problem.

I think having one hand on the wheel and one hand on the phone, as well as concentrating on a conversation while concentrating on the road, might be a bit much for some. I?ve seen several instances where people just can?t do all that at the same time.

When these individuals talk on the cellphone while driving, one of two things seems to happen. Either they stop paying attention to the vehicle in front of them, and more attention to the interesting conversation they?re having, or they zone out altogether.

When they stop paying attention to the vehicle in front of them, it?s usually quite obvious, because they have to slam on their brakes to keep from rear-ending someone. When they zone out completely, they slowly begin to glide into the other lane. The minute they realize they?ve stopped paying attention, they have to swerve back into their lane before side swiping the person beside them.

In most instances, the person they almost hit doesn?t even get the customary ?I?m sorry I can?t seem to master the intricate task of driving and talking? wave because they don?t have a free hand.

How about the ones who seem to freeze altogether. For these people everything seems to stop, including you, until the conversation they are having reaches some plateau and they can continue on their way.

For instance, it?s obvious there is no traffic coming or the light has changed, however, they are just sitting there as if frozen in time. After your irritation starts to rise about why this person is just sitting there instead of moving, or you are beginning to wonder if they will ever figure out that green means go, you notice the cellphone sticking to their ear like glue. They are obviously concentrating more on what the other person is telling them than what they should be doing ? driving!

Either one of two things will happen here. You?ll get tired of waiting and beep your horn. At this, they will look up into their rear-view mirror see you and give the customary ?What?s your problem? I was just about to go? look. Or they will finally sense your eyes burrowing into the back of their head causing them to look into their rear-view. With a shocked look on their face, they?ll finally unfreeze and pay at least enough attention to move their vehicle forward.

I was lucky enough to be behind one woman who was so talented that she thought she could smoke, talk and drive. She was wrong. It was the worst case of driving I think I?ve ever seen in a long time. If she wasn?t swerving or driving way under the speed limit, she was trying to figure out how to flick her ashes out the window while not letting go of the cell phone. Slowing down and letting go of the wheel seemed like the best idea, because her hand never left the cellphone.

A ban might help people keep their hands on the wheel, but what?s going to help them keep their concentration on the road? Some people get so caught up in the conversation they?re having they forget their attention is supposed to be on the road. I don?t think keeping their hands free will solve that problem.

I guess it would solve two other problems. Smokers will now have one hand free to flick those pesky ashes out the window and people who have difficulty concentrating on driving and talking will have one hand free for the customary ?I?m sorry? wave.

Lisa Hobbs is a reporter for the Standard. She can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].