Recently in the ever revolving news, Washington state has joined the ranks in the "War on Cellphones." The bill's slogan "Hang up and Drive" says it all. Violators will be issued a $101 ticket. However, the enforcement on the newly adopted ban is only a secondary offense - meaning citations are handed out solely if drivers are found finagling with them while violating other traffic laws.
The big picture is the long term evolution of cellphone consumerism. Two decades ago cellphones were rather ridiculous. They were huge, impractical, and really just unattractive. But as the technology expanded into incorporating more capabilities in a nicer package, the product soon became not merely a luxury, but a necessity in everyday American culture. So much so that people are willing to put aside the physics of a 3,500lb car they're driving at 100mph into good old unpredictable 5 o'clock traffic.
And the question should be asked as this person is damned to hell, was your cellphone really worth it?
And because of this, a sensible person would probably want to ban cellphone use in vehicles all together, right? Well, think twice. Its a double edged sword. As much of an annoyance it is to see people single-handedly weaving throughout bumper-to-bumper traffic at unholy speeds with a cellphone planted to the side of their face is, they also serve as something of a distraction from another traffic related issue... road rage.
There could very well be a monster within all of us, just heavily masked by the our cellular bliss. Take the cellphone away completely, and I'll hustl.. or bet what money I have that overall road rage would increase, causing perhaps less accidents but a ton more drama or careless driving.
People want to be entertained or talked to on their way home from work, especially those who are burdened with the inevitably of traffic jams. Without that ability to call home or friends... their ADD sets in... and soon they transform into lunatic traffic Nazis.
Undoubtedly, this will cause great civil strife between those pampered with cellphone oblivion and those who just drive like normal people. Decades of tension between the two social groups would indefinitely intensify until one day... that void which was occupied by cellular entertainment turns into blood lust... causing someone to snap, thus sparking the most violent civil war ever in earth time.
Well... scratch that last part. But definitely something is lost in banning cellphones all together. And knowing "American probability" so well... this gaping emptiness of interest will probably be filled with hatred, causing effects that of this minute are completely beyond our comprehension.
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