cell phones

Enough is enough. If you live where there are teenagers and young adults, watch them walk around. It can be 6:30 a.m. and they have a cell phone attached to their ear. Who in the world is a teenager talking to that early? I understand the popularity of constant chatter, but this is a bit much. Cell phones are everywhere.

And don’t talk to me about drivers and cell phones. I need to make a qualifying statement first. I am not much of a cell phone person to begin with. I do speak on the phone in the car on occasion, though I try to use speakerphone when I do. That said, I’m very distracted when I am driving and on the cell, as well.

But you don’t really know about distraction until you try riding your bike in a busy traffic area. Everyone seems to be on their cell, and their driving is overwhelmingly awful. I realize being on a bike is bad enough to begin with, potential danger-wise, but I am very careful, and so what I am speaking of is more observation than close calls.

Though, yesterday I was biking with my son, David, when a young woman in a fancy new Lexus just suddenly decided to do a U turn right in front of me, with a cell phone glued to her ear. So, I gave her a smiling cell phone sign (see picture for example) and she gave me an unsmiling “we’re number one” finger sign. I just laughed and shook my head.

I can’t wait until we just imbed those suckers in our skulls and then we will all just look like we are paranoid schizophrenics. Talking to ourselves wherever we go. It is getting close to this with the Bluetooth ear piece, but hey, let’s go all the way. I ache nostalgically for the phone booth. Private, and not that convenient. I guess we are just more important now, and need to call everyone more than we did before.