Spoken like a new parent.

Dan, obviously you must stop to do those things, so be sure your callers know to let the phone ring a long time. Just in case you're not stuck in traffic. Maybe "parked" or "not in motion" would be a better way to word it anyway.

so am I a safer driver if I dial with my nose?? What bunk! The last person who collided with the back of my car on Woodall Rodgers freeway was lighting her cigarette -- can we add an amendment??

How many of you are upset about losing the opportunity to drive while using a cell phone? And please identify at least one phone call that was important enough to endanger the public.

My experience in overhearing cell phone calls (mostly at airports) is that there are no important cell phone calls, except those to police to report a crime. My pet peeve is the idiots who are calling their girlfriend/boyfriend/mother as they walk onto an airplane, to report that they are getting on an airplane. Only to be exceeded in idiocy by the same person reporting their exit of the plane. Is this information we all need to know?????

And don't even get me started on cell phones in video/DVD stores. There is nothing more nauseating than listening to a grown man read off titles to his girlfriend as she vetoes his suggestions.

[This message was edited by John Bradley on 12-13-02 at .]

John, you're so right. They're everywhere man, just to keep out of that rat race, I'm asking the boss for a palm pilot so I can email her and inform the interested forum-surfers here when I get on a plane and when I disembark. I aint going to fall into that cellphone trap, no way.

In keeping with the amazing response to Shannon's posting regarding best/worst TV shows, perhaps we could create a new TV show. A person (me) would be in a booth along a street. I would randomly stop people using a cell phone and demand to know the substance of the conversation. If the conversation was not worthy of the cost of the call, I would issue a ticket.

Unfortunately, humiliation is no longer a valid means of changing human behavior. As Judge Poe has noticed, people love to have their most intimate conversations recorded and broadcast to the world, even if it makes them look like raving lunatics. That is somewhat ironic since Judge Poe gained a reputation as a judge who supported shame-based punishments.

Now wait a minute, John. I have seen you use the cell phone while driving. And don't tell us you've never attended to a child in the car.

Hey John, just wanted to let you know, they've called for my seating section, and I'm fixing to get on the plane. There are 2 people ahead of me, but I think I can overtake them on the jetway, one of them has a cane.

This whole cell phone debate is starting to cause me to question my political orientation. A troubling notion. Does anyone think I'm exhibiting latent "Libertarian" tendencies if I get a little riled up over the notion of legislating common sense? Granted, the Traffic Code is full of such legislation, most notably the seatbelt law (and will someone please explain to me why motorcyclists don't have to wear helmets if they have insurance but I have to wear a seatbelt--and I'm paying nearly $1400/year in auto premiums), but still. Enough is enough. Back in the good ole days, when I was a young redneck, I recall having my Sweetie sitting right next to me in my pickup on Friday and Saturday night and I'd have my arm around her driving up and down the main drag. Made it really handy to get a little smooch every now and then, but talk about distracting!!! Should we have a law against "smooching while driving?" And I'm sure we're all familiar with accidents caused by folks engaged in more prurient pursuits. If we're really concerned about automobile safety, let's rethink the 70 mph speed limit, teenagers and old folks driving, or for that matter riding around with small children period. Can't tell you how many wrecks I've almost had trying to keep my kids from strangling each other in the back seat! Bottom line, this just sounds like some sort of stuff they'd come up with in California or New York City. This is Texas!!! We can be tough on crime without having to give up what few individual freedoms we have left. Whew! Glad to get that off my chest! Thank you!

But can you name Scott's band?

How about a bill making it a crime to beat a dead horse?

Depends -- would the enhancement paragraphs have anything to do with how many frivolous replies one makes to serious questions? If so, could you prove them up by just introducing the little numbers at the bottom of these replies? And, could we video the jury during punishment deliberations, or would they have to drive home with a Big Mac in one hand? Of course the Mod Squad was probably the most realistic cop show in modern times -- Linc & Julie, the real deals.

A.P., if the little numbers at the bottom of the postings can be used for enhancement purposes, you're in much worse shape than I am, and I'm not even going to mention John!

quote:

---

Originally posted by John Bradley:
How many of you are upset about losing the opportunity to drive while using a cell phone? And please identify at least one phone call that was important enough to endanger the public.

My experience in overhearing cell phone calls (mostly at airports) is that there are no important cell phone calls, except those to police to report a crime. My pet peeve is the idiots who are calling their girlfriend/boyfriend/mother as they walk onto an airplane, to report that they are getting on an airplane. Only to be exceeded in idiocy by the same person reporting their exit of the plane. Is this information we all need to know?????

And don't even get me started on cell phones in video/DVD stores. There is nothing more nauseating than listening to a grown man read off titles to his girlfriend as she vetoes his suggestions.

[This message was edited by John Bradley on 12-13-02 at .]

---

I'm sure people said the same thing when they put radios in cars. Soon, if not now, having a cell phone handy at all times will feel as normal as having airconditioning in your home. Embrace change, John. Dialing the phone and holding it in your hand is the only problem while driving. Cellphones are essential for ordering pizza, calling long distance, and being accessible 24/7.

OK, you have all convinced me. Everyone should have a cell phone implanted in their head at birth. The phone should convey our every thought to the world. C'mon, Judge Poe, back me up on this one.

I have thought it unfair or at least curious that those little numbers appear anyway, although I know of another forum where you competed for titles like "heavyweight" based on the number of posts. I did not participate in that forum, I just know about it. But any punitive use of those numbers will clearly be prohibited by the ex post facto clause no matter what Rodriguez says, live horse, dead horse or white horse. By the way its Friday again, so what should we be discussing now?

And now I'm concerned because A.P. just passed me on those little numbers.

Uh, John -- it's for you. Some guy wanting to know if you'll do the Motorola ad. Told him you didn't do ads, but he's very persistent. I'm at the video store, what was that Michael Caine movie, the one where he didn't try to fake his accent and ended up with the girl anyway?

Beep, beep, beep.

Be sure to enhance the penalties for doing all of this in a school zone, construction zone, at night, with an endangered animal or without the proper tax stamps.