Cellphones

Yet another anti- cellphone bill is works its way through the state legislature. This one would prohibit drivers under 18 from, not only using cellphones while driving, but any other communications device including laptops and hands- free cellphones.

A law prohibiting the use of cellphones, by anybody, while driving without a hands free device already takes effect in July of 2008. Seems to me a bit unfair to come up with a different set of rules for teenagers.

I've said before that I opposed the first cell phone ban, and that's despite the fact I find cellphones and their users rude and annoying.

Despite opposing these cell phone bans, I will manage to smile a bit once the law takes effect and we start seeing people being ticketed for using a cellphone while driving.

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Too bad we couldn't get some of the nanny- staters to broaden their scope a little and expand their cell phone bans to more than just cars. How about making it illegal to use a cell phone inside businesses or any place large numbers of people congregate?

I can't believe people feel so important that they have to drop whatever they're doing and get caught up in a phone conversation wherever they might be. It can get to the point of being very rude sometimes.

Twice, while in Winco- once just yesterday, in fact- I've seen people hold up the check out process with their gabbing on the cell phone. At least yesterday the girl continued, albeit slower than she could have, bagging her groceries while talking away.

A couple months ago some chick just stopped bagging her groceries entirely and was just laughing and talking away one her cellphone forcing everybody else to have to funnel their groceries through the second check out lane( what do you call those things?). She was oblivious to the rest of the world and people were getting really annoyed at her behavior, myself included.

How rude!

Then again, I had to wonder how many of the people that seemed so annoyed do similar things themselves.

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Winco should do what Myrtlewood Liquors, on Myrtle Avenue in Eureka, tried to do. Myrtlewood Liquors used to have a neat sign on their front door that told of how rude it was to be talking on a cellphone while doing business transactions.

It went on to say that, unless you're talking about business pertinent to their store or you're having a heart attack and are calling an ambulance, talking on a cellphone in the store would result in a $20 charge added to their total.

I loved that! I asked the girl at the counter one time if they'd ever enforced that rule. She said she tried to with one guy once and the guy just got all huffy and stormed out of the store. Good riddance.

Something must of gone wrong with their sign, though. They've removed it and now have a bigger sign that just asks people not to use cell phones in their store. I think they should have kept the other one. I asked the owner what happened to the old sign. he said said something along the line of it being a bit too strongly worded. I didn't think so.

So that's what's needed, you nanny- staters out there: A law making it illegal to use cellphones in public places, or some such. Ok, we'll even specify where signs are posted specifically asking people no to use their cellphones. This could become a national movement.

Hey, I'm a libertarian. I don't know that I could publicly support a law like that, but I'll do my best to try and not criticize it too harshly.

I'm sure the powers- that- be and the rest of the nanny- staters won't get started on my suggestion soon. They're probably too busy talking on their cellphones.