There are other cell phone activities the state can ban.
By: Steve Feitl
There are enough reckless drivers around that eliminating a distraction from their plate cannot be a bad thing. That’s why I have no problem with the hand-held cell phone ban that takes effect July 1. New Jersey roadways might be a little safer thanks to requiring hands-free devices for drivers, except in emergencies.
But while I applaud the effort, why stop there? The cell phone industry has plenty of room for improvement, and since we’re already tinkering with the state laws surrounding our mobile communication units, let’s make some more changes.
First, how about some regulations for cell phone etiquette? I know I’ve been annoyed by people blaring into their phones at restaurants, golf courses, baseball games and even bike trails. But those bans might be difficult to enforce. Let’s start small and just set up a simple etiquette rule: Turn off your cell phone in the movie theater. We’ve had a good five years to figure this out, but still some people remain vigilant. It used to be theaters had pre-movie commercials asking the audience not to talk during the film. Now they have them for turning off cell phones. Common sense should step in at some point.
And while hands-free units are great for the automobile, they are rather obnoxious when walking around the grocery store. If the phone call is so important that it must be made while shopping, is it really too much to ask to lift one arm to an ear while cradling the phone? I know, walking around with just an earpiece evokes images of being a Secret Service agent. But really, it just makes you look like you’re talking to yourself.
I would also like an absolute ban on the cell phones with those tiny keyboards. I like text messaging as much as the next guy, but part of the charm is punching the "7" key four times just to get the first initial of my first name on the screen. I know these keyboards are supposed to make it easier to type, but I think my laptop keyboard is too small. You can imagine how much I’d like to struggle with one that fits on my cell phone.
But if we’re going to clean up the cell phone industry, we can’t have that conversation without bringing up ring tones. It’s just gone too far. I don’t think anyone needs to hear a polyphonic version of Right Said Fred’s "I’m Too Sexy" playing each time a significant other checks in. But more than anything, I’d like a ban on one particular ring tone the one that was used for the satellite phone in "Jurassic Park III." I just don’t want to worry about a Spinosaurus breathing down my neck every time a phone rings.
Finally, something must be said about the slew of mobile phone enhancements we’ve seen over the past few years. I realize I’ve lost the battle on camera phones. They’ve become quite popular, and while I still don’t see the reason, I concede defeat. But can we put a moratorium on any further technological advances until providers figure out a way to improve the actual call quality? It’s a little frustrating to see somebody surfing the Internet on their phone when I can’t even drive through Hopewell without a dropped call.
After all, a cell phone should be a phone first and foremost.
Shouldn’t it?
Steve Feitl is the managing editor of The Lawrence Ledger. He can be reached here.