Driving and Cell Phones

What is the deal with driving and cell phones? Since it seems that people can't be responsible enough to stay off their phone while driving (I have to point the finger at myself on this one as well), then why don't cell phone providers do something that will not allow their cell phone to work in a running vehicle unless it's attached to a hands free device? I mean really, even though a hands free device is puchased separately from the phones right now, most everyone has one. Why then do most people not use it?

It wouldn't be so bad if these people who just MUST talk on the phone could drive as they normally do when not on the phone. It seems though most people can't. Most of the time, when someone is driving slow enough to drive Miss Daisy, ignoring my signal that I want to get over (which is a gripe for another day) or cutting me off in traffic, I look over to see them yammering into a cell phone. These slow driving cell phone users drive just like the 80 year old man or woman, which I prefer to cell phone drivers as at least they have both hands on the wheel and are devoting all their attention on what they are doing. We are operating a piece of machinery that has the potential to take our life as well as others lives in the blink of an eye with just one moment of inattentiveness!! Cars can even be referred to as deadly weapons, or be the instrument in reckless endangerment. Let's treat it as such!!! It's like any other power tool. It's foolish to be afraid of it, but it's equally foolish to not respect what it can do.

The really irritating thing was watching a lady drive down HWY 66 from the second bridge crossing the lake to the light at Rowlett Road (local people may know this area...it is a straight shot, and goes for a couple of miles) with a cell phone held to her ear by her shoulder (this does not constitute a hands free device by the way), one hand holding her food container, her other hand stuffing her face, and her left knee stearing the SUV!!!

Come on people, either get a hands free device or get off the phone. We'll all get home faster and in one piece!!! And if you still can't drive better than the 80 year old man with the hands free device, just stay off the phone!