Cellphones and cycling

So in NJ, they decided that, although 25% of their bicycle accidents involve alcohol yet it's not illegal to ride while drunk, it should be illegal to ride while using a cell phone.

Hands free devices excepted of course.

They must have inhaled too much of those fumes floating around the Jersey shore.

I don't know about you but have you ever tried to talk on the phone while riding? I have. It inevitably ends up with me pulling over, putting a foot down, and saying, "What did you just say?"

Forget about whether or not you have enough aerobic capacity to even talk. Trying to listen in a 25-30 mph wind tunnel is not easy.

This is what I do when I go for a long ride:
1. Big phone that has a lot of battery power
2. Hands free ear thing
3. Set auto answer on
4. (Optional) turn on music at low volume
You're riding along, you get a call, and after a few rings it picks up. Presto!

One time I even got upgraded to First Class because I had my setup in place. They called and asked if I'd mind flying 15 minutes earlier but in First Class. I was waiting for the punchline but it never came. So I accepted.

The thing is, until you stop seeing everyone driving around talking on the phone (sans hands free kit), you're not going to make anyone thing it's better to use hands free kits.

Introducing legislation to increase the number of laws not enforced doesn't do anyone any good.

I suppose that if they don't enforce driving while jabbering on the phone without a hands free kit, they probably won't enforce the cycling bit either.

I wonder if they consider, say, running red lights to be dangerous. Based on the driving I see when I leave the office parking lot, I get the impression that this is not the case.

At least one legislator had something to say. "As my father used to tell me, 'You can't legislate common sense,' and that's exactly what this bill tries to do, as the Legislature has already tried to do on so many other occasions,'' said Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris.

Well put.