Cell Phone Fanatic
January 13, 2009 by The Constant Complainer
Welcome to the award winning blog of The Constant Complainer.
You know – I never thought this day would come – The Constant Complainer complaining about himself. Yes, that’s right. I’m not immune from screwing up. So here we go…
Have you ever done something and not realized the implications until much later? Or have you ever done several things over time and later realized how stupid your actions really were? Well, the latter is what I’m talking about today.
For years I was notorious for using my cell phone (i.e. calling, texting and e-mailing) while driving my car. Frankly, I never thought about it. If I needed to make a call, I would. If my e-mail alert went off, I would check it. And if I needed to send a text, I would. Of course I had a few close calls here and there – normally that would entail me almost rear-ending another vehicle, but I kept using the phone, thinking I would always be OK. Luckily, I was never hurt. But I don’t think I can say the same for everyone out there.
Admittedly, I became much more conscious of my actions when my daughter was born. Once you have a child that is totally dependent on you for everything, it makes you think twice about everything you do. And safety comes first. But I still was taking some risks here and there and using my cell phone more frequently than I should have been.
Now I’m not saying you can’t use an earpiece and make a phone call in your car. I’m more so referring to the texting and e-mail, because of the distraction it causes to drivers.
OK, now that we have that out in the open, it’s time for the hard part. Hi, my name is Craig and I am addicted to my blackberry. I send text messages and e-mails while I drive and I need to stop. Actually, I did stop two weeks ago. Let’s discuss why.
First, my life and my family’s life is important to me. After the last time – when I almost ran off the road trying to text my friend, I acknowledged that I had a problem. Second, my wife and I watch “Grey’s Anatomy” and there was an episode a few weeks ago where the storyline portrayed a young girl and her sister being seriously injured in a car accident as a result of texting while driving. One of the sisters died. Lastly, I won’t spoil the movie I’m referring to, since it is still out in theaters, but I became very emotional when watching a movie two Saturday’s ago, specifically during a scene where there is a horrendous accident caused by a guy taking his eyes off the road for one second to check his blackberry. It was right at that moment that I told myself that I’d stop. And I did.
My blackberry serves a purpose. It allows me to stay on top of my methods of communication. However, now, if I need to use it, I pull my car over to do so or I wait until I reach my destination. Maybe that’s being overly dramatic, but that’s the way it’s has to be. I just can’t believe how stupid and unsafe I had been over the years and how many close calls (almost-accidents) I had.
This has been on my mind all week. And I started thinking about it again tonight when I was driving home from a meeting. I saw a moron on the turnpike looking down at her phone, texting, driving and not even watching the road. I then realized that I used to be that moron…
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Cell phones definitely take away a person’s focus. I have a two level Target near my home, and it has a shopping cart escalator between the human escalators. A woman was blabbing away on her cell and pushed her shopping cart right down the human escalator and everyone watched it tumble a very long way down. Had someone been on the escalator, they would have been seriously injured. She just laughed…and continued on with her call…She was still on a call during check-out and was slowing everyone down.
I’m glad you were able to realize that your blackberry use was taking your eye off the ball.
Good for you Craig! If it would help you – http://www.mycellphoneiskillingme.com
Good to see there is some sanity still left in the world.
David
David,
Thank you for the compliment and for sharing your link. I enjoyed your site and encourage all of my readers to check it out.
The CC…
CC,
I do have to say that I am a firm believer that talking on the phone is semi-ok. I have ridden with an individual that was, I would like to say, an very good driver with the exception of the B Berry usage to check emails while he carted me around. It is a good thing that you have come to your wits about this, because there are MANY out there who haven’t. I have almost been run off the road by a TRUCKER texting once.
An accident involving a train not to long ago was blammed on inattention to ones job because the conductor was texting.
I agree that being connected all the time is helpful, but sometimes isn’t it nice when the battery dies?
Tall Elf, what plantet are you from? This is the constant complainer web site. You need to get with the program, get your head out of you A’s and find a more relevant post, because you are not going to think of one on your own. What is the significance of the “battery” comment in your post? It was just stupid and you’re not funny! Was the post a complaint or was it an example of how to confuse the rest of the readers?
After reading Tallelf’s post, I forgot what the original post was about.
I will not text while driving anymore…or any less after reading Tallelf’s stupidly simplistic and grammatically ignorant comments. Dude, you lost me! My family wants to thank you for putting them all in harms way!
Zig,
I am glad that you will not text while driving anymore. I was simply stating that the the CC has made the roads safer by not texting while driving. Also that the the convenience of being connected all the time is great, but with that there also comes responsibility of proper usage.
Also the battery comment is a reference to the fact that we have become so dependant on technology that we sometimes forget the “here and now”.
I suppose this will somehow reach into a Zig Political post. Especially with the Inaguration tomorrow.
I apologize for my wandering thoughts as I post, but if it bothers you, don’t read them.