04-15-2005, 09:43 PM
Count Duckula,Apr 15 2005, 04:24 PM Wrote:If the driver's cell goes off and I'm there, I always answer it. One of my friends from high school was killed on Halloween night, 2000, partially because the driver of the car was on a cell phone when he crashed. She would have graduated this year too, with a full ride from VCU.
First let me offer my condolences.
Second, I think individual states have taken the correct initiative and passed laws banning hand held cellphone use. Using an earbud or in car speaker system is still legal in these laws. As far as my understanding goes, in most states this is still a secondary offense, meaning a police officer can not pull a driver over for using a hand held cellphone, but can write it up as a charge if the driver commits a different offence warranting a pull-over.
I had read an article about a year agoe about car companies considering adding hands-free speakers and microphones as part of a package. I've yet to see or hear of this actually happening. Instead it seems to have stayed as an aftermarket addition only.
Cheers,
Munk