I was driving home from our airport yesterday in my wife’s car when it happened.
I received a phone call from Kaiser that I thought I had better answer. It was only the scheduling office asking me to decide on an appointment time. The damage, though, had been done.
I had picked up my cell phone from its mounting on my dashboard.
Since I was not connected to the speaker in my wife’s car, I held the phone in my hand while talking.
I suppose less than a minute had gone by when I asked myself, “How is it that I could pay attention to the call I was on since the past seconds all seemed like a BLUR?”
At that moment I saw the police car with flashing lights in my rear mirror signaling me to pull over.
The officer approached my car. I rolled down my window and gave him my driver’s license. I decided, then and there, that I deserve the ticket.
The officer explained how serious an accident could be caused by talking with the cell phone in hand. He pointed out the painfully obvious facts that I could have pulled over to talk, or could have spoken with the phone’s speaker turned on. He told me I had avoided a $200 fine this time, and that I ought to pay it forward, and help others to realize the importance of safe driving.
I thanked the officer for the warning and drove off. I vowed to never to do that again.
I wish I could repay that officer with a commendation or other gift for the service he had done for me.
Yesterday I asked Siri to remind me to program my cell phone on my wife’s car speaker system. Doing that will be just one way I can pay it forward to others.
Writing this essay is another. Perhaps if we all keep that very scary word “blur” in our minds, we will remember that, while not eliminating the danger, talking on a car speaker system can reduce the likelihood of a car crash.
Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at robertebsen@hotmail.com
More police officers should give the “pay it forward” message.
Pulling over is not enough. You have to park properly and turn off the ignition in order to legally touch a cell phone. Otherwise, you are deemed to be driving while using a cell phone and subject to a citation and fine. Some time ago, there was a newspaper article about an enforcement “sting” operation, where anyone who touched their cell phone in order to answer an incoming call “hands-free” was cited. The phone has to be completely voice activated to be used as long as the ignition is on, whether the car is, or is not, moving.
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