Cell Phone, Texting Ban on the Way?

A Boise Democrat Senator, Les Bock, is proposing a ban on using handheld cell phones and text messaging while driving. I talked with a co-worker of mine and asked him what he thought about it. His remark was insightful, "We always think we should be able to do it, but everyone else shouldn't be able to." He's right. I call people all the time while I'm driving. I don't think twice. I also text on occasion while driving, though I know I shouldn't. But when I see someone else do it, I admit I grumble a bit inside.

Is it dangerous? Absolutely. Driving in itself is dangerous (in some counties more than others), and trying to multitask while doing it is just foolish. But a law? Do we need to mandate safety? Don't we already have laws to deal with people who are not focused sufficiently on driving? And does the fact that Senator Bock lives in the state's only metropolitan area skew his view? While driving and texting in downtown Boise is obviously dangerous, if I do it while driving on a lonely rural highway is it the same?

We'll tackle the whole issue on Thursday's NLS!