Today is the first day of a new law here in California.
You must talk on your cell phone "hands free" or...
you get nabbed with a nice little fine. Close to a hundred bucks, is my understanding.
Thank goodness for this new law. After all, now we'll be safe.
Because...while that mom in the mini-van is turning around screaming at her kids, and that guy over there is smoking a cigarette while shaving, and that new teenage driver is applying her mascara while gazing into the rear view mirror, and that 50 something business man is downing In and Out on his way to his next meeting, and that salesman is fiddling around with (no, don't go there) a CD...
at least they won't be holding their cell phones!
So, this afternoon, I crawled into my car, put my earphone in my ear, strategically placed a bag of jelly bellies on the seat that I could easily attack, and set out for the ride home.
As I drove down the infamous 101 Ventura Freeway...I happened to look to my left.
And there it was...I thought I had seen it all in my 52 years. But, apparently I hadn't.
The guy next to me was "playing the steering wheel".
Playing the steering wheel you ask? Yep, that's what I said. He had a set of drumsticks and was drumming on the steering wheel.
And keeping a pretty good beat, I might add.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for safety...I even think it's a good idea to enforce this new cell phone law, but hey...
Seriously? Do you really think cell phones are the only problem out there?
I'm just sayin'.
11 comments:
The guy next to me was "playing the steering wheel".
I always play between Van Nuys and Hayvenhurst.
NJ put this rule into place a couple of months back, and I hate it. I don't believe in "nanny state" tactics. Citizens - like children - need to learn good sense from the natural consequence of their mistakes, not artificially imposed ones.
Can I take the liberty to say: "...only in California." You should've started honking your horn in time to the beat of his drumsticks.
I saw someone putting on mascara while driving on the 405 yesterday.
And, of course, there are those women who drive with 'welding helmets' on - you know, those plastic visors that cover their entire face, so to shield them from the sun? Yeah, I've seen more than one accident caused by someone wearing one of those.
Oh, and a friend just relayed this one to me - she saw a person eating a burger in one hand, and holding their drink in the other. How they were steering, she can only guess with their knees.
I am with you! I've seen women polishing their nails, putting on panty hose... the other day, I saw a guy READING A BOOK. I am not kidding. Sure, phones are distracting at times. But seriously, what's not?
Thanks for the great post.
Jack: Damn, I was hoping that wasn't you.
Elie: I agree to an extent. When you watch just how many people (way more than are putting on mascara) are on phones while driving, it is quite scary.
T.P. Only in L.A. to be even more accurate. Next time I see that guy, I'll try the horn trick :)
Channah: welcome! Yep, I've seen a cigarette in one hand and a phone in the other...OY
Wendy: okay, I have to admit, putting on panty hose is a first, and reading a book?
wow. first. loved the picture. but more importantly, what song was he playing.
hey wendy, how close were you to the care where the woman was putting on pantyhose that you could see that. what a talent, i can't do that in my bedroom without getting a run.
we have that law here in NY for a long time, and yes, I have already gotten a ticket. now i suffer through bluetooth hell.
Oh man. Careless drivers scare me.
Cxx
I play guitar on the steering wheel. Does that qualify as unsafe?
The most distracting thing I encounter while driving - WAY worse than using a cell - is my kids fighting in the back seat. Oh, how I wish NJ would ban that...
Who needs the government when you have a backseat driver (my young daughter) constantly telling me to watch the road instead of whatever she is worried about me doing while driving.
I have to admit that when I've been so engrossed in a book that I just can't put it down, I've been known to read while driving(not with the kids in the car)
oh, and I also have gotten a ticket in NY for talking on the cell phone - who knew cops actually pull people over and give tickets in NYC. Actually, I was lost, didn't know about the law, called my bro and immediately got pulled over. The guy was a jerk.
And as for yelling at the kids, I have on more than one occassion, just stopped the car, in the middle of rush hour and let them get nice and worried until they decided that fighting wasn't worth getting rammed into.
I'm such a good mom.
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