By Staff
When did we get to be so multi-tasked?
I went out to grab a bite to eat for lunch the other day and I almost panicked when I couldn't find my cell phone in my purse.
Heavens, how was I going to use this time period to make some calls without my phone? What if someone tried to call me and I missed them?
Then I started thinking, when did my cell phone become an extension of my arm and I became available 24/7?
As it was, I actually debated whether to return into the office to find it, or just continue on to pick up my sandwich. I told myself I could last a few minutes when suddenly my phone began its familiar obnoxious ring.
I looked in the cubby spaces on the dash, in my purse, on the seat - still the ringing droned.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered the noise was coming from my pocket.
The worse part was while my frantic search was on I am sure I wasn't paying good attention to the traffic around me, as I negotiated toward the fast food restaurant on South 11th Street.
I could easily have become another statistic as the number of accidents along that strip continues to mount.
Recently, the University of Michigan conducted a survey on whether the state should ban the use of cell phones in vehicles.
I see people every day using their phones as they drive. I pulled up next to a policeman recently and immediately reacted that I shouldn't be on my phone. I glanced over only to see he too was on his phone.
According to the U-M survey, most people would support a law making it illegal to use a cell phone while driving.
The university reported 65 percent of those who responded were in favor of this becoming a law in Michigan. Twenty-nine percent would not support such a law.
Also as part of its survey, residents were asked if police officers should make a note of cell phone use when they were writing up an accident report. The response was 88 percent said this should be noted.
My vehicle has been rear-ended by someone using his cell phone, but then I was also hit when a man was watching a girl in a short skirt walk along the street.
I believe the problem is we have become so used to trying to do more than one thing at a time.
I passed a cab driver one day who was eating a big burger while driving and also talking on his cell phone. I am not sure if he was driving using his leg to steer.
Accidents happen in a split second. Maybe the car in front has to brake quickly, or the driver suddenly realized he missed his turn. I don't mean to be sexist here. I have seen poor drivers of both genders.
I have been just as bad as everyone else trying to use my driving time profitably to connect with my kids, who all live out of town and make appointments.
I also have a theory that the biggest cell time is immediately after employees leave their place of work.
For those who are interested in the number who participated in the phone survey during the week of March 3-10, there were 849 adults, of which 69 own a cell phone.
Just as many others, I don't want to be told to not use my phone while driving, or to buckle my seat belt or for that matter to slow down during construction.
The truth of the matter is these things all save lives and the next life may just be mine.