April 4, 2005
Shut up and drive. Better yet, just shut up
Washington is full of important people: regulations for the largest economy in the world go through this city, as do hundreds of billions in government contracts. However, a group of people far larger roam our streets: I speak of people who think they are important by virtue of salary, title or little plastic badge strung around their neck. Their pick-up lines in bars revolve around how hard they have been working on the Energy Bill or finding Osama bin Laden, even though their participation in either may be limited to taking coffee shop orders from the people who are doing the actual work. They type furiously on Blackberries in movie theaters, trains and while walking down the street, often smacking into lampposts.
But perhaps their worst quality is the fact that they spend most of their waking lives on cell phones, blabbering away about everything and nothing. Perhaps too much West Wing on cable has fortified the belief that certain people are so busy that they have to combine moving and talking at high speeds in one seamless motion so as to save time. Thousands of D.C. office workers likely don't arrive at home until late at night due to too much blog reading, not the responsibility for bringing peace and prosperity to the world.
So it comes as no surprise that el WaPo finds people yapping away on cell phones in cars despite a ban that has been around for nearly a year. With few signs, out-of-towners can hardly be blamed, but the bulk of the people I see on the streets are Virginians, impervious to the world in their SUVs, cutting off other drivers and nearly killing shocked pedestrians as they order for delivery off a Chinese restaurant menu while in a traffic circle, steering with their knees.
Fellow blogger AMG often says he wants removable stickers for pedestrians to stick on the windows of violators' cars, but it's likely that the ratio of enlightened or shamed drivers to merciless beat-downs is not high enough to make it worthwhile for all but the most intimidating-looking activists.
Posted by rj3 at April 4, 2005 9:15 AM
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» The Ban
from Restless Mania
DCSOB sums up probably everyone's thoughts on DC Culture as it relates to cell phones, crackberries, lanyards, and how ineffective the cell phone ban in DC has been, as well as great ideas for improving its effectiveness! [Read More]
Tracked on April 6, 2005 12:57 PM
Comments
I'm leaning now toward flyer side handouts I could hand to someone through a window, preferably while they're driving around Dupont Circle. Anyone interested in passing them out with me?
Posted by: amg at April 4, 2005 4:53 PM
This sounds more productive and less life-threatening than the old favorite slap-the-car-hood-with-your-hand method I employ from time to time. It's also more satisfying than the classic Miss Manners stare, which is poorly suited for situations involving motor vehicles.
Posted by: snh at April 4, 2005 8:56 PM
D.C. should have known better than to pass such a stupid law to begin with. How do you enforce it while people are robbing/killing/arsoning? You look foolish if you pull someone over for talking on their cell phone in this town.
I'm the guy reading, eating and gabbing, because half the time my car isn't moving.
Posted by: The Fool at April 7, 2005 10:04 AM
I say we follow the newly instituted Police Campaign to run down pedestrians (oops, that was only for jaywalkers)
Posted by: Nar at April 8, 2005 10:35 AM
i once heard a cop yell on his bullhorn "get off your damn cell phone" to a car that passed by his blocked off section of 16th st. the driver dropped his phone. i laughed, though befuddled as to why he didn't write the driver a ticket. isn't that what they are supposed to do?
Posted by: h at April 11, 2005 5:29 PM