A couple people going to the rental car area asked me in the cab this week if it was still legal to talk on handheld cell phones while driving. I explained that it was only illegal in Santa Fe. So far. Both passengers also said it was probably a good idea if it was illegal, and I agreed. I also knew that both passengers would probably be driving around with a cell phone in their hands very soon.

A few years ago, I bemoaned the concept of cell phones altogether, so I will try not rip the mobile phone industry too much this time around. All of my beliefs from back then still stand, and I'm redundant enough with my thinking.

As a cab driver, I can tell you that anything that distracts your attention for more than two seconds is dangerous. Anything that takes one hand off the wheel for more than five seconds at a time is dangerous. The worst thing I ever do in the cab is try to eat something. A breakfast burrito, a muffin, whatever. Usually I try to wait until I'm parked or at least at a red light, but if volume is heavy & I'm hungry with food just sitting there, I sometimes munch and drive. Not only can it lead to messes, it's just not safe. Beverages are not as hazardous, as you can sip coffee and place it in a holder or between your legs (now that's dangerous!).

Of course, no one eats or drinks a cell phone. They dial them up, take one hand off the wheel and divert their concentration to a conversation with a voice in their ear. But hey, Mr. Jungle, don't you have conversations with your customers? Aren't you being hypocritical? Not really. I can keep both hands on the wheel, I don't really look at the passengers, and I'm not actually trying to accomplish anything with my conversations. Most of it's just idle banter while we cruise to a destination. I can stop talking at any time and most passengers understand why.

Most cab drivers actually have cell phones. They call up rides to get directions or give the customer an E.T.A. I don't. I'm pretty good at finding addresses thanks to a detailed map of the city, and I walk up to people's doors to let them know I have arrived. It's those locked apartments and gated communities that become a nuisance, and then I just make the dispatch call them.

I saw recently a PR guy for one cell phone company. He had slick hair and a big big smile. With that big big smile, he said that accidents had actually gone done in recent years as cell phone use has gone up. With his big big smile, he stated that cell phones don't cause bad driving, bad drivers do. Yeah, and the oil companies are spending their record profits on exploratory searches and alternative fuels.

It doesn't take a tremendous amount of common sense to realize talking on a phone while driving is dangerous. As the police always like to say, driving isn't a right, it's a privilege. They pull people over for any and all kinds of reasons: speeding, swerving, no seat belt fastened, tail light out, running a red light, insurance checks, expired tags. Basically, they can stop you for all kinds of reasons. Do all these rules and regulations make us better drivers. NO!

As I say about my town, people make up their own rules all the time about how to drive. If using cell phones while driving becomes illegal, I won't shed a tear, and I think it's actually a good policy. I don't think it will stop accidents from happening. People make some strange choices behind the wheel of a car, and that will continue regardless of cell phone activity. I remember my dad getting all worked up because of Talk Radio while driving, but I doubt anything is going to be done about opinionated commentary or annoying commercials on the radio to make driving safer.

People need to be more conscious of themselves and others in general on the road. People think because they have been driving for years that THEY know what THEY are doing, and YOU better stay out of THEIR way. You know, that cheesy saying is actually true: WE have to share the road.

And you know what, I don't care if it's a law or not. Don't use a cell phone while you're driving. Wait until you're parked or trapped in gridlock. Trust me, the call can wait.

Chris Jungle has one land line & an answering machine.