Rampant car-phone use draws fury from Sacramento resident
Posted by: heath in News, Technology, VehiclesSACRAMENTO, California - A Sacramento man issued a scathing admonishment to drivers using cell phones today. “I don’t like them,” said Heath Buckmaster of Sacramento. As a long time resident of the East Sacramento area, Heath says that he has experienced, first hand, the dangers and distractions caused by rampant cell phone use while operating a vehicle.
“Not long ago, I witnessed a horrific accident, caused by a cell phone user. One car was at a complete stop waiting for their turn to turn, then the celler [sic], that’s my own personal word I used to describe her, slammed into that poor vehicle. I mean she must have been going at least 4 or 5 miles an hour because she was way too busy talking on her phone to realize there were other cars on the road. And do you know what she did? She just drove around the stopped car and took off! She didn’t even stop to see if the person was ok, or if there was any damage to the car. So you know what I did? I took off after the celler. I snapped pictures of her car with my camera phone, and I called the police as we chased her. Now mind you, I was in the passenger seat, where it’s safe to use the phone while riding.”
California, long known as the crazy state, has been reluctant to pass legislation legislating the use of cellular phones, or “mobile” phones as they are more popularly called by intelligent people.
Business consumers and teenagers alike, have lobbied for continued access to their voicemail and text messaging services while driving, despite an sharp increase in cell-related injuries over the past 10 years.In fact, injuries have increased so dramatically since the advent of the so called “smart phone”, automobile manufacturing companies are considering supplemental airbag systems in vehicles, that activate when cellular signals are detected.
This, Fujimuti company spokesperson Karina Marina says, will provide an “extra measure of protection for phones that could go flying into a windshield during an accident. Consumers make a heavy investment in their cellular technology, and auto manufacturers need to do their part to ensure safety of the phone in the event of a crash.”
Starting with the introduction of the “connected cellular phone”, those phones which were tethered to a large bag in the car via a 5 to 6 foot curly-Q cord, drivers and passengers alike have enjoyed the convenience of staying in touch while driving to the grocery, for example.
“What happens if your partner or spouse forgot to put milk on the list? They should be able to call or text you so you don’t have to make an extra trip! Plus it helps us save the environment because I use less bags. If you came back in for milk, that’s another paper or plastic bag I’ve got to give you. People don’t recycle those things you know. And what about people who get paper in plastic, or double bag? Talk about wasting bags! Text messaging is the future of last minute shopping and it’s environmentally responsible,” exlaimed Kip Davis, a surprisingly well-spoken bagging attendant who works for Raley’s and Bel Air grocers.
In today’s society, where technology evolves on an almost weekly basis, mobile phones come in hundreds of varieties, including those that provide access to videos, music, emails, text messaging, digital cameras, and personal assistants. Some technologies even provide document storage and viewing, allowing the corporate driver to review PowerPoint slides or Excel spreadsheets on their drive to work.
“When I’m late for that 8 o’clock meeting with a client, I couldn’t survive without a quick glance at my slide deck while heading to the site. Sometimes you need to get a last minute look at those numbers to make sure you can speak with intelligence. Sure I’m driving, but we’re talking about millions of dollars at stake for this job,” exclaimed Gerome Martinique, managing owner of Piggy Wiggy Manufacturing, Inc.
Obviously, there are some benefits to cell phone use, but the question remains, are they safe for use in cars. Heath Buckmaster certainly disagrees. “I don’t like them.” Strong words, but Buckmaster says they are justified, because “this problem is plaguing our country and we have to do something about it. It’s just … wrong.”As this reporter left the interview, our driver had to take an urgent call from the studio about a breaking news story in progress. We were stunned as a 30-something year old man, dressed in a smart suit jumped out of the Lexus in front of us and ran back to our van. Through the open window, he let out a tirade that we were able to get on tape.
“I don’t care if you are a 15 year old out on your drivers exam, or a 55 year old CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or a reporter out covering some useless story on the advantages of Post-It ™ Notes in corporate culture. If you can’t keep your hands on the wheel of your vehicle, then you have no business driving! Talking on your phone is just like driving drunk! If you come barelling up behind me while gabbing with your best friend about how awesome you thought Matthew Perry was in his latest made-for-TV-movie and slam into my car sending me hurtling into the airbag and giving me back trauma and whiplash, I’m going to sue you for everything you’ve got, and make sure part of your penalty is that you can never use a cell phone again. You know how they make hackers not go within 50 feet of a computer when they get out of prison? It’s just like that. You’re cut off from ever sending a text message again. Consider that! How many extra trips are you going to have to take to the store then huh?“
We were so busy laughing at recording him, none of us realized that he hadn’t put his car in park when he jumped out to yell at us. Fortunately, it was stopped by a very large Verizon van that was driving past.© 2006 The Conglomerated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.