Why I Still Don't Have a Cell Phone

So I'm one of the 15% of Americans that don't have a cell phone. Apparently that 15% is comprised of children, the elderly, and those with bad credit. One report I read said half of the kids aged 8-14 have cell phones and the guesstimate is that will be at 80% in 3 years. I'm not elderly, a child, or credit challenged, so I guess we're just freaks.

Washington state had two cell phone-related laws go into effect this year. On January 1st, text messaging while driving became illegal. How any cop would actually ever see anyone texting while driving, I'm not sure. I watched an episode of Oprah where they discussed teens texting while driving. They hold the phone in one hand while they keep one hand on the wheel. They even drive stick shifts with their phone hand while texting. I'm not that coordinated. But apparently, neither are they. One teen defended her driving ability while texting though she had already had 3 accidents. They put her in a simulator that measured driving and could follow the driver's eye focus. She failed the test, but she was still adamant that she could drive while texting. Then they brought out another teen who had struck and killed a bicyclist while texting. Even his story and obvious mental anguish didn't deter the other teen's assuredness. She and others like her are unleashed all around us.

The second law went into effect July 1st and made talking on a handheld phone illegal as a secondary offense. That means you have to break another law like speeding before the cop can pull you over and cite you for it. I read in the local paper that in the first 3 weeks the law has been out, they have pulled over 295 folks that included the cell phone charge. 175 were ticketed, 113 verbal warnings, 7 written warnings. Apparently New Jersey had the same law and found no decrease in usage while driving and have now switched to a total ban on handheld phones while driving. Some of the studies I've read debate whether or not phones interfere while driving. I think I concur with one that said the phone does dramatically take attention from driving, but the manner of phone doesn't make a difference. Of course, what are they going to do? Ban talking while driving? I think removing the handheld is a good step though because fumbling with anything while driving can't be good.

Then I see reports again all over MSM the last few days on the cancer risks of cell phones. A local scientist at the University of Washington claims that when he first said there was a link to cancer years ago, the cell phone industry tried to get him fired from the university and started a smear campaign. I can believe it. There's a lot of moola to be made on cell phones and messing with a corporation's bottom line can get ugly. Not to mention all the avid users. When NYC tried to ban cell phones from the classrooms, it wasn't the teens that put up a stink, it was their parents. Anyway, the study I remember from about a decade ago that stuck with me said this. Handheld phones held at the correct angle from the head emit acceptable levels of radiation that allow them to pass federal safety inspections. But if you tilt them differently, then they went over. Yikes! Plus, some of the studies out of Europe, where they've had cell phone usage longer than us, seemed to show higher incidences of brain tumors. One of the posters on the Seattle PI's discussion board on cell phone radiation said she was a neurosurgical nurse. She noticed the docs weren't using cell phones regularly and when questioned, said they were concerned with what they'd seen and read with the studies. I figure a brain doc understands and has access to more studies than I can see and they don't like it either.

My husband works for a high tech company. Not only do all his coworkers have cell phones, they tend to run out and buy the latest and greatest whenever they're released. There were folks camping in line to get an iPhone when they came out, like the lines you saw for a Star Wars premier or tickets to a highly anticipated concert. When he's asked why he doesn't have one, I've told him to blame me. Yeah, the wife is worried about 'em and so we don't have them and you know how wives can be /wink wink. It seems to work to get them to understand his lack of cell phone geekdom. What I think is interesting though is every once in awhile someone will say 'yeah, these things can be leashes'. Amen to that. Sure you can send it to v-mail, but if you have a cell phone, folks expect fairly timely responses. Call my home answering machine and I might not get back to you until the next day because I was out and about and they understand that.

My sons are aged 9 and 7 and most of their cohorts have phones. I'm sure we'll be having multiple phone discussions at some point. But until then, we'll call ya when we call ya.

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